Saturday 23 February 2013

Today's Review: Apple's AssistiveTouch

Yes, despite keeping my iPhone in a Griffin case since the day after I got it, it has still managed to break in some way. Namely, the lock button on top has become stuck, and I can't push it no matter how hard I try. Like most things, you don't know how much you need it until it's gone, and I was suddenly faced with the inability to turn off the damn screen, which in turn could lead to all sorts of unfortunate situations like app opening or pocket dialling.

Still, Apple have programmed in a workaround, albeit for disabled accessibility purposes. It's called AssistiveTouch, which when activated gives you a relatively unobtrusive circle no matter which app you're on. While it may get in the way sometimes, it's easily moved with a drag. Touching said circle opens up a menu displaying a variety of options normally associated with the physical buttons on the iPhone. You can activate Siri, lock the screen, take a screenshot, you can even rotate the screen or pinch zoom, all with just one finger. It's pretty good stuff for me, so I can only imagine what relief it gives those who lack the motor capacity to push the buttons or turn the phone. It's a great set of options that is intuitively applied, and it's certainly made my life easier until I can find my way to an Apple Store to get the phone looked at.

My rating: 5/5

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