Samsung's Galaxy S5
may be getting lots of smart new accessories, but the Korean smartphone
maker is also making sure its lower-powered phones get some love too.
After including various software usability functions in the Galaxy Core Advance
at the end of last year, the company today introduced three new
accessories that have been designed specifically to help disabled or
visually impaired users do more with their Android device. First up is
the Optical Scan Stand, a raised bracket that automatically triggers the
phone's OCR features to recognize and read aloud text placed in front
of the phone. There's also Voice Labels, which are similar to Samsung's NFC-equipped TechTile
stickers, but let visually impaired users make voice notes or record
short explanations on how to use various devices around the home.
Perhaps the most impressive accessory of the three is Samsung's
Ultrasonic Cover: a specialized case that uses sound waves to detect
people or objects (in a two-meter radius), helping users navigate new
surroundings by sending vibration or spoken alerts. Even without the
accessories, the Galaxy Advance Core features a trio of physical buttons
on the front and dedicated camera and voice recorder buttons on the
side, assisting smartphone owners that don't want to rely solely on
on-screen controls.
