Nope, I still don’t want an iPad. The iPad 2 does nothing to address the glaring accessibility flaws of the first iPad. In fact, most tablet manufacturers seem to be devoting little time to improving the accessibility of their devices. And that’s disappointing. People with disabilities can choose from a rich ecosystem of alternative input devices for standard computers, but tablets simply don’t allow for much in the way of modification. Perhaps that will change in time, but I’m not sure how you make a touch-based interface accessible without changing the user experience for everyone else. I’m beginning to wonder if those of us with significant disabilities may have to sit out the tablet phase of computing and wait for the next big leap in interface technology, whether that’s speech or thought or something else entirely.
In the meantime, I’d like to remind content producers that there are plenty of us who would still like to be able to consume your product on devices other than iPads. I’m looking at you, BBC.
