What's your favourite piece of technology? — Scope | Disability forum
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What's your favourite piece of technology?

Alex
Alex Posts: 1,305 Pioneering
Hi everyone,

Today is "International Day of Persons with Disabilities" and the theme is technology.

We'd love to hear about your favourite piece of technology - it could be a device, app or website.

- Why did you initially get it and what do you use it for now?
- How do you use it? How have you set it up so it works for you?
- Where did you get it? Where did you hear about it? How much did it cost?
- What difference does it make to you and how could it be improved?

I look forward to reading your answers!

Thanks,
Alex

Comments

  • Noah
    Noah Community member Posts: 425 Pioneering
    Hi Alex,

    My smart phone! I could not survive without it, the best and most useful feature that I use all the time, is the GPS as I have almost no sense of direction! It is a Nexus 5 and cost me £280. It has very good display, which is high definition, this is one of the reasons I choose it as I also have visual impairment. I'm also making more use of the voice to recognition as it continues to improve with time. I'm still on the lookout for the very best applications for people with disabilities, I imagine there must be some good applications to help with communication available these days. I Look forward to reading some of the other replies to.

    Noah
  • wizard300
    wizard300 Community member Posts: 1 Listener
    Have you tried using voice-activated software. This software helps all users to navigate, fill out forms, you search facilities and browse the website.
  • Gavin
    Gavin Community member Posts: 8 Listener
    definitely our new piece of tech for operating pedestrian crossings. My smart watch can now press the button at a pedestrian crossing. very keen to hear your thoughts. .gavin.
  • Ami2301
    Ami2301 Community member Posts: 7,942 Disability Gamechanger
    Morning @Alex
    it is hard to choose my favourite piece of technology as I have 2 which both make a massive impact.


    I have no idea what these are actually called (sorry!). My sensory support worker gave me this so I also have no idea of how much they cost (sorry again!). I have been moderately-severely deaf for just over a year now, hearing aids didn't work at all for me so I began to come to terms with the fact that I may never hear properly again. My second visit from my sensory support worker showed me this, so I put the ear pieces in and she switched the device on, she then began to speak into the 'microphone' (the black aerial thing) and said "can you hear me?" I could hear her, not perfectly but a lot clearer than I ever thought I would be able to. I replied "Oh My God" and was completely stunned. My mum tried speaking to me through the device and I answered straight away, she cried because she also thought I would never hear properly again. To change the volume/tone you use the plus and minus buttons. Although I still struggle hearing longer sentences and people have to speak very slowly and very clearly it has helped so much!
    My iPad has been adjusted (by my tech-loving-brother-in-law) as I have central vision loss (optic neuropathy) so I have to rely on my peripheral vision. He has made changes to the font size which is bigger than my thumb nail, this was bought for me as 18th and 21st birthday present so again no idea of cost or where it was purchased from (sorry!). I use it to keep in contact with family and friends as I cannot call them. Now that I've also joined the online community I can make new friends and meet others with similar problems.
    i apologise for the very long post!
    Ami xxx
    Disability Gamechanger - 2019
  • SethLaa
    SethLaa Community member Posts: 111 Courageous
    My greatest piece of technology(?) is my 22 year old S.O.N, works brilliantly when-filling the car with fuel-doing the weekly shop- assists with (does most of) the housework- A magician with a microwave and even pays me (a wee amount lol) for the privilege but I don't know how much it (he) cost as I simply cannot count that high harhar


  • Geoark
    Geoark Community member Posts: 1,463 Disability Gamechanger
    My favourite piece of technology, besides the laptop, is my tablet.

    It was not something I was particularly interested in but my wife persuaded me to get one on contract with my mobile. I did add a cover with a bluetooth keyboard for more flexibility. 

    What I use it for -

    Music, with a family subscription to deezer the range of music is brilliant, but not happy with my daughter when she suggested I try listening to Hamilton. Huge help in getting through the daily travel to and from work.

    Reading, via amazon prime lots of free books to read and now reading more regularly again which I enjoy. Just finished reading a serial of seven books, all stored on a small easy to carry device. Flip board keeps me up to date on a range of interests while a general newspaper app gives me access to most of the main newspapers.

    Bigger and easier to read screen makes using google map easier to use, as well as travel advice, especially when I need to change my route because of tube disruptions.

    The ability to download programs or films, online courses etc.

    Office 365 subscription also means I can now easily carry on working on documents, putting presentations together has allowed me to carry on working without having to carry my laptop with me all the time.

    On the odd occasion when I have forgotten my mobile, or not charged it I have used the tablet to make a call.

    As an individual I stood alone.
    As a member of a group I did things.
    As part of a community I helped to create change!

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 1,741 Listener
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • sleepy1
    sleepy1 Community member Posts: 297 Pioneering
    Mine would be the TV and remote control, having gone without any electric during floods a few years ago that was the main thing I missed.........How could I get through life without watching all the doom and gloom that gets broadcast ; )
    Not to mention all the guesstimate weather reports!
  • jamie1965
    jamie1965 Community member Posts: 85 Courageous
    Mine has to be my Apple Watch reminds me when to take my med tells me when to get up and try to move all sorts just need it to learn how to kill spiders and can get rid of the hubby
  • Han_Solo
    Han_Solo Community member Posts: 114 Courageous
    I have two; my dishwasher and remote control lights.
  • sleepy1
    sleepy1 Community member Posts: 297 Pioneering
    Changed my mind. 

    Not sure what its called but it is amazing,  A miracle wand or something like that! You just go into this room with lots of problems and you come out completely cured.

    Think you can get one from Argos or was it Atos  I always get a bit mixed up with them 


  • SethLaa
    SethLaa Community member Posts: 111 Courageous
    sleepy1 said:
    Changed my mind. 

    Not sure what its called but it is amazing,  A miracle wand or something like that! You just go into this room with lots of problems and you come out completely cured.

    Think you can get one from Argos or was it Atos  I always get a bit mixed up with them 


    It must have been Argos, if it was ATOS you would have been queuing for ages and would have left with an item that looks nothing like its description, and there aint any refunds haha

Brightness