Apps4Android Releases 6 Accessibility App Installers (AAIs) and 37 Voices in 25 Languages

On February 6, Apps4Android announced the release of two new products. One is a set of carrier specific accessibility app installers (AAIs) for Android users living in and out of the United States. The other is a set of new voices in a wide range of languages.

The following has been excerpted from the announcement. To read the complete press release in html, click here. To read a Word version of the release, click here.

The apps can be found on the Android Market by searching for Apps4Android.

Apps4Android’s AAIs:

Apps4Android’s AAIs are carrier-specific applications designed to make it easy and intuitive for wireless carrier retail store personnel, help desk professionals, and subscribers to identify, download, and install "no-cost-to-the-subscriber" suites of third-party applications designed to enhance the accessibility of Android smart devices. Apps4Android’s AAIs identify the accessibility applications not currently installed on an Android smart device. They then walk the user through installing the missing accessibility applications.

Apps4Android’s AAIs manage the detection and installation of the following Android accessibility applications:

1. Accessibility Preferences (Developer: Google Eyes-Free Team) Enables users to easily modify settings for accessibility applications such as TalkBack.
2. Eyes Free Shell (Developer: Google Eyes-Free Team) Permits the use of an Android smart device as an eyes-free communicator.
3. IDEAL Item Identifier® (Apps4Android) Takes pictures of standard UPC and QR codes and voices the description of the item using Google’s TTS voices. It also enables users to create talking barcodes.
4. IDEAL Magnifier® (Apps4Android) Turns most Android smart devices into handheld video magnifiers.
5. IDEAL Web Access Pack® (Apps4Android) Enables individuals with print disabilities to easily surf the Web.
6. K-9 Mail® (Apps4Android and K-9 Dog Walkers) Fully accessible Android e-mail client that includes the ability to create, send, receive, and read e-mail messages. Other features include search, push e-mail, multi-folder sync, flagging, filing, signatures, bcc-self, mail on SD and more! K-9 Mail supports IMAP, POP3, and Exchange (with WebDAV).
7. KickBack (Developer: Google Eyes-Free Team) provides haptic (vibratory) feedback in response to various events taking place on Android smart devices
8. Rock Lock (Developer: Google Eyes-Free Team) A fully accessible music player.
9. SoundBack (Developer: Google Eyes-Free Team) Provides non-spoken, auditory feedback in response to various events taking place on Android smart devices.
10. TalkBack (Developer: Google Eyes-Free Team) Provides screenreading functionality to native Android applications on Android devices.
11. Talking Dialer (Developer: Google Eyes-Free Team) Enables users to dial phone numbers in an eyes-free environment.
12. Walky Talky (Developer: Google Eyes-Free Team) Accessible GPS navigation aids.
13. Intersection Explorer (Developer: Google Eyes-Free Team) Accessible GPS navigation aids.

Apps4Android AAIs have been released for:

1. AT&T® Android smart device users in the United States.
2. Sprint® Android smart device users in the United States.
3. T-Mobile® Android smart device users in the United States, Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, United Kingdom, Netherlands, and Poland.
4. Verizon® Android smart device users in the United States.
5. Vodafone® Android smart device users in Australia, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, France, United Kingdom, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, and Romania.
6. Optus® in Australia, Orange® in France, DOCOMO®, SoftBank®, and au by KDDI® in Japan, Singtel® in Singapore, nTelos® in the United States, and all other carrier’s Android smart device users in all other countries including Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Norway, Philippines, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan, and Thailand.

Best Voices for Android®:

All of Apps4Android's accessibility applications incorporate the use of text-to-speech voices. Because of this, and because many text-to- speech users prefer high-quality human-sounding voices, Apps4Android is pleased to release "Best Voices for Android." Voices are available in 25 languages including a total of 37 voices.

"Best Voices for Android" languages include Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, Canadian French, Cantonese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, European Spanish, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Mexican Spanish, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, Turkish, UK English, and U.S. English.

Best Voices for Android® not only provides the ability to purchase the best voices on the market, it permits users to sample the voices before purchasing them! Even better, Best Voices for Android® are only $2.99 each!

Important note: "Best Voices for Android" will only run on smart devices running Android version 2.2 (Froyo) and above.