Products

Kindle Fire for Low Vision Review

Veroniiiica LewisLeave a comment


A few months ago, Amazon did a special where you could purchase a refurbished Kindle Fire 7″ tablet for about $30. Now, I’m a huge fan of the Nook e-reader, and have been since it first came out, but I had been curious about Prime Reading and Kindle Unlimited, especially with the audio features. So I decided to try out the tablet, and here’s what I discovered. I was not compensated in any way for this review.  Link to tablet here.

First impressions

Having been an Android user since Eclair (2010), I naturally thought that the interface would be very familiar to me, especially since Android has been accessible to low vision in the past. I went to use my tricks to make Android accessible…and found a lot of them didn’t work on the tablet, because of Amazon’s custom operating system, and I couldn’t use any Android third party applications, which I rely on a lot. So this tablet was definitely going to be for reading only, not using any other applications.

The screen reader

I was surprised how much I liked the screen reader built into the system. It is enabled by touch, instead of needlessly reading through settings. I have to triple click to get to anything, so I decided to disable the magnifier. I normally do not use screen readers, and prefer large print or magnifier tools when possible.

Viewing the library

Because of the small screen, I decided to view what was available for the Kindle on my computer. As a Prime member, I have access to several titles for free, a lot of which I recognized from popular series, and can check out an unlimited amount of books with this service. I can also check out one book a month with the Kindle lending library. A handful of books are synced with Audible narration, so I can alternate between reading and listening- not many are, though. There’s also magazines available, but I prefer to read those using the Zinio app (more on that here).

Kindle Unlimited

There’s another feature available called Kindle Unlimited, which gives users unlimited access to about a third of the catalog for $10 a month. A lot more of these titles have Audible narration available, which is fantastic for users who prefer audiobooks. This is especially helpful for users that are blind that prefer natural speaking voices, as opposed to the screen reader.  However, a majority of the titles can also be found on Prime Reading, so it doesn’t make much sense for me to have it, especially since I don’t use the Audible feature a lot.

Actually reading

I kept the screen reader turned on when reading, but found it extremely difficult to turn pages. I ended up turning it off and using the Audible narration built in. I’m sure there’s some trick to page turning that I don’t understand yet, but the large print was generously sized enough for me.  Here are my typical preferences for print materials.

Using other services

I use Bookshare, a special service for people who are blind or have low vision to receive accessible books. I had problems trying to load these books onto the tablet, even though they were in the universally accessible EPUB format. I consider myself extremely tech savvy, so this was a strange experience. I did not see any accessible reading apps from Bookshare available on the Amazon app store either. OverDrive, a book service my library subscribes to, worked very well on the Kindle though (more about that here).

Review

I found the Kindle Fire to be a good tablet with a bit of a learning curve. It’s not the most accessible tablet for people with low vision or blindness, though. I am going to keep using it to see if it improves over time, but for right now my recommendation for eReaders has not changed. I continue to recommend the Nook GlowLight for books and for using Bookshare, and iPad for textbooks and magazines. If Amazon improves navigation with the screen reader or gives users larger text options, this will change.

Kindle for low vision

After doing some research, I discovered that there is a Kindle system specifically configured for users with low vision or blindness. It comes with a Kindle PaperWhite, which does not display color. It also includes a special audio adapter so the user can control the system using their voice, something that would have been an amazing feature on this Fire tablet. It also comes with a $20 Amazon credit to defray the cost of the additional adapter, as Amazon believes it shouldn’t cost extra to have accessible materials, something I really appreciate. I have not tested out this system, but it seems to be a much better layout for people with low vision.

Overall, I was not overly impressed with this tablet, especially since I am a devoted Bookshare user, and the service did not work very well with the Kindle. However, I see potential in this device, and if it can improve its accessibility features, or be compatible with the voice control system, it would be a great resource for people with low vision.

Ten “Weird” Things I Brought to College

Veroniiiica LewisLeave a comment


As a student with low vision and chronic illness, my dorm room looks a little different than a typical room. I live in a single room, meaning I have no roommate, and share a bathroom with one to three people, as opposed to with the entire hall. I have been very fortunate to have this housing arrangement, and cannot recommend it enough for students with chronic migraines. Because of this atypical arrangement, I brought a couple of “weird” things to college with me to help me both inside and outside the classroom. Here are ten of the items:

Bed rail

My first morning at college, I rolled out of bed, literally- I fell from three feet in the air and landed on my face. My parents bought me a toddler bedrail for me to use at night so this experience wouldn’t happen again. I found it also keeps all of my blankets from falling on the floor. A bunch of my friends even went on to buy bedrails for their own dorm bed. My parents found a bedrail for $20 at Walmart.

Desktop computer

I will have a full post on why I chose to bring a desktop computer, but here are the simple reasons- about 50% of my classes are virtual, I rely on digital tools for school, and type all of my assignments due to dysgraphia. My specific computer also has a built in 3D scanner so I can easily enlarge items.

Contact paper

Having low vision means I’m more prone to spilling things and knocking them over- it happens so often, my mom called to tell me she saw a child with glasses knock over a cup and thought of me. I decided to cover my dresser, desk, and closet doors in contact paper to help protect against water that will inevitably be knocked over, or other messes. It cleans up very easily and doesn’t damage the furniture. I got marble contact paper from Amazon for about $7 a roll, and used 7 rolls total.

Blackout curtains

I have severe sensitivity to light when I have migraines, and require a completely dark environment to recover.  Lightning storms, or as I call them, nature’s strobe lights, can also affect my recovery.  My family purchased these blackout curtains from Target that block out all light when they are closed, and I had them fire proofed for free at a college event on campus, as curtains are required to be fire proofed in the dorms.  I got two of these curtains here.

Google Chromecast

There’s a full review of the Chromecast here, though I have used this device often. I stream videos, use it as a second monitor for my computer, screen-cast my phone, and more. It was a little difficult to set up, but my post explains how I did it. Get one here.

Rolling backpack

Starting my senior year of high school, I would use a rolling backpack for all of my school supplies. I am able to carry all of the materials I need for class without throwing out my back or shoulders. While there are some days I have to use a backpack (like when I have to bring my E-Bot Pro or musical instrument to class), it has saved me on many days. My backpack was purchased at Costco, but I found a similar one here.

Video camera

While my college has video cameras for students to borrow, I chose to bring my own video camera to school. I had purchased my camera about a year prior for a mentorship, and enjoyed doing videography in high school. I have used the camera surprisingly often, from doing class projects to practicing lectures to entering contests, along with helping many friends with film projects. In addition, I brought a tripod that fits in a bag stored underneath my bed, and a camera bag. My camera has been discontinued, but it is a JVC shock, drop, and freeze proof camera with a touchscreen.

Tons of stuff for my bed

I have a full list of the items on my bed here, and probably brought way more items for my bed than the average student, mostly because I spend a lot of time in bed recovering from migraines. As a result, I probably have one of the coziest beds on campus.

Urbio

The Urbio Perch is a wall storage system that uses command strips and magnets. I use Urbio boards on both my walls and on furniture- I attach pens and highlights to the side of my desk, toiletries to the side of my dresser, and I have four boards on my wall that contain my hair dryer, chargers, winter items, and important papers. Stay tuned for a post on how they look in my dorm room. Get it from Container Store here.

Echo Dot

This is a new addition to my electronics collection, but it has been an amazing tool. I wrote a full review on it here, but some of the many things I use it for include as a talking clock, timer/alarm, weather forecasts, calculator, news source, and especially for music. Get it here on Amazon.

While these are definitely uncommon items to pack for college, I have gotten a ton of use out of them and am glad I didn’t have to have my parents mail me these items later.

My College Bed

Veroniiiica Lewis2 Comments

My College Bed

When I was shopping in preparation for freshman move-in, one of the main things I focused on was my bed.  I have Chiari Malformation, which causes severe back and neck pain, as well as chronic migraines that can only be treated with sleep, so I spend more time resting in bed than the average college student.  Because of this, it was extremely important that my bed be as comfortable as possible, and be a place where I could easily recharge, as well as manage my pain.  Here is everything I have for my bed, starting from the foundation.  I live in a single room, meaning I am the only one in my bedroom.

Mattress

While I didn’t have to buy this, I thought it might be helpful to show off my mattress with nothing on it.  While it is possible to request a full size mattress through disability housing, I have the standard college sized mattress, which is a Twin XL.  After sleeping on it at college orientation with nothing (and lots of back spasms), I got an idea of what I would want to look for in padding.

Wamsutta Cool and Fresh Fiberbed

The Wamsutta Cool and Fresh Fiberbed is the only mattress topper I have ever needed for my dorm bed.  It is very soft, but still provides fantastic support.  It also fits nicely in the college washing machines.  I never had to add any other mattress supports, as this provides everything I needed.  It is a soft pillow top cover that fits my mattress exactly.  It can be found at Bed, Bath and Beyond and Amazon.

Room Essentials Pocket Sheets

I bought a fitted sheet for my bed as well as several different pillowcases from the Room Essentials brand at Target.  They are easy to care for and remind me of t-shirt material.  One of my favorite features is that the fitted sheet contains side pockets, which work as a great holding place for my glasses at night.  I bought two fitted sheets and seven pillowcases (more on why I bought so many later in the post).  Sheets can be purchased here, and pillowcases can be purchased here, but are only available in-store in some regions.

Life Comfort Blanket

I bought this blanket from Costco about two years ago and loved how soft it was- in fact, I fell asleep during move-in while using it.  One downside though was that it MUST be washed before first use, or else it sheds everywhere!  I was covered in gray fuzzballs, but the problem went away right after I washed the blanket.  It can be found on Amazon here.

Twin XL Heated blanket

My college allows students to have heated blankets, but not heated mattress pads.  I received a heated blanket as a Christmas present in high school, and it has been one of my favorite gifts ever.  I got a Twin XL sized blanket for college, and I use it often- I like to turn it on a few minutes before I go to bed so that my bed warms up.  I cannot find a link for the one I have, but it was purchased for less than $50 at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

Room Essentials Microplush Blanket

This blanket is great for layering with other blankets, or simply on its own.  I have a very similar blanket on bed at home, so I knew I would want one in college as well.  It hangs off my bed a bit, but I think that is because of how my bed is pushed against the wall.  Get it at Target. 

Room Essentials or Xhilaration Comforter

I have both Room Essentials and Xhilaration comforters layered on my bed.  They are fairly lightweight, and I can also rearrange my blankets so that I am sleeping on top of one (the comforter pictured is from Xhilaration).  I found very little difference between the Twin and Twin XL sizes between these brands, as the comforter on top was labeled a Twin size and it generously covers my bed.  They come in a variety of designs- here is my Room Essentials comforter, and here is my exact Xhilaration comforter.

Yogibo Caterpillar Roll

This pillow is what keeps me from rolling face first into the wall every morning, a problem that I often faced when I lived in a dorm with concrete walls.  It also provides great support for my back when I sleep on my side.  Get it from the Yogibo website or on Amazon, with Prime shipping.

Room Essentials Extra-Firm Pillow

I needed a pillow that was cheap in comparison to my other pillows that I could use for layering, so picked up one of these at Target.  I don’t use this as my main pillow, so it didn’t really matter how much support it had.  Get it at Target here.

Beauty Rest Extra Firm Pillows

Why do I have five of these pillows?  Well, with all of my different spasms, I have found that these pillows, in combination with firmer ones, provide optimal support and help me rest when I have terrible pain.  They do not put additional strain on my neck, and I can sleep in any position that I want.  Why do I have an odd number of these pillows when they come in packages of two?  I don’t know.  I originally purchased these from Costco, but they appear to no longer be available.  Get them from Amazon with Prime shipping here.

Yogibo Sleepybo

I talk about Yogibo products more here, but this Sleepybo is a very firm pillow that reminds me of my beloved Yogibo at home.  This pillow works amazing when I have pain behind my eyes or for elevating my legs.  It is also one of the main pillows I use at night.  It is currently out of stock on the Yogibo website, but can be found here.

Purelux comfort cool pillow

Another great Costco purchase, this is the firmest pillow I have, and the cooling sensation is absolutely amazing when my migraines make it feel like my hair weighs a hundred pounds.  It also has a curved end, so I can insert in a neck pillow if I need one, which works awesome for when I have neck spasms.  I found it on Amazon here.

Cozybo

Since I use so many blankets,  I like to keep a lightweight one at the top for when I am sensitive to temperature, or suddenly develop a migraine and find that it’s too much energy to be underneath the covers.  As mentioned in my Yogibo review, this is my brother’s favorite blanket and Yogibo product, because it is both warm and lightweight, and the material is very smooth.  Get it on the Yogibo website here.

How I stack pillows

When I stack my pillows to go to sleep, I usually do it in this order:

  • Cooling pillow on the bottom
  • Beautyrest pillow
  • Sleepybo
  • Beautyrest pillow
  • Beautyrest pillow between pillow stack and wall
  • Extra firm pillow on side facing wall
  • Beautyrest pillow on side facing wall
  • Extra Beautyrest pillow for rearranging or against the wall

Toddler Safety Bedrail

So, my first morning in my dorm room, I rolled out of bed…and then fell three feet to the floor because I forgot how high the bed was.  My parents bought me one of these toddler safety bedrails from Wal-Mart and set it up for me, so I wouldn’t do something like that again.  Weirdly enough, I’ve gotten lots of compliments from friends who would visit my apartment and talk about how they were constantly falling out of bed.  It also helps to reinforce my stack of pillows. Get it from Walmart here.

I am lucky to be able to sleep for hours at a time, and have so many things to help me sleep as well.  A lot of these items will be on sale in the coming weeks for back-to-school, so keep an eye out and set price drop alerts!

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