Apple’s ASL Friendly iPhone 4!

June 7, 2010 Archives

Whoa…

Apple did it again!  They created a brand new iPhone 4, and it comes with a front-loading camera and an app called “FaceTime”!  Apple produced a promotional video on their website demonstrating Face Time, and at the end of this video, it has a couple using American Sign Language to communicate through their new iPhones!

You must have a iPhone4 with a wifi connectivity to make this happen.  For more information, check this link.

To take a short sneak peek of the video below, and to see the whole video clip, go to Apple’s website here.

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/AilzYeY-Mko" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

I love you, Apple!

Amy Cohen Efron

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20 comments on “Apple’s ASL Friendly iPhone 4!”

We are SO going to get these two for us. I have 3Gs and he have 3G so time for us to upgrade to 4!! 😀

I’m interested in this. Would mean my wife has to upgrade her iphone though …. not sure we can afford that, sigh….

The only question is the compatibility of FaceTime to our existing internet videophones.

I am tempted to buy one!! 🙂

Plato,
Facetime is strictly for phone plans as I’m told…I’m not sure but I was told this morning. 3rd party apps may follow like AIM, Yahoo, etc. I don’t know and Apple did not mention 3rd party video conferencing. But, it’s a start!

i would get one very asap when my contract done in dec so my partner and I can get us for each other so we can see each other for short time like on during break time or out of town few days or whatever.. 🙂

iPhone 4 is champ mobile ever. Unfortunately AT&T is screw up new data plan which is very expensive video steaming because deaf people love watching VLOGS.

Neat! wondering if they can add tripod connected with this? so that I can use both hands to communicate than holding while signing with one hand? But this is good progressing!

Two thumps up on your v/blog. FaceTime is a wonderful feature, but I wish it would work with existing internet videophones. Perhaps 3rd party apps will work? Anyway, very excited about this phone!

According to Apple news releases, FaceTime will only work in Wi-FI mode until cellphone carriers work it out to carry FaceTime in 3G/4G modes.
FaceTime does not need phone plans as it is a data streaming type. FCC will likely regulate that all videophones should be compatible to each other soon.

I went to AT&T VRS customer service webpage and emailed them to have AT&T VRS on iPhone 4. I hope you all will do the same. rm-attcustomercare@att.com

I dont think its right timing, its amazing… but.. cant even make a relay call or any more than just iphone4 to iphone4 its pretty little useless, i rather just save money and stick with my 3G until relay apps or any more tech stuff able to provide more than just basic like that. even it wont work iphone to imac or laptop or ichat or anything.. its useless right now.. but AWESOME post thump!

Cool but 4G is Nationally Network ??
No. It is not nationally. Some Majors will work.
Not “Videophone” it is Video Chat.
Video chat will NOT work on 3G.
Same as Sprint 4G will work with video chat only.
Good luck..

i think this is great but the whole iphone4 to iphone 4 is not cool though i understand because older iphones don’t have front camera. as far as holding it with one hand, somebody mentioned that, i’m sure they’ll start selling like fold back i phone wallet things that will stand it up, they always do for like playing music and stuff but it can stand up for signing also. even with its slight downfalls i think its a great idea and i think its good also now that apples finally starting to think outside of their hearing consumers only and creating a better visual method of communication for anyone deaf to see friendly faces so far away at the tap of a button.
i’m happy.

Hello. Could I e-subscribe you?
If so, how do I go about it?
Thanks.
Amy Barber
Deaf Advocate in Daytona Beach, FL

I can say that I am very excited BUT a little apprehensive. I currently live in Korea and am married to a sweet Korean woman who fell ill as a child and became deaf. We rely on the many services that are available for the deaf to include discounts and translation. We currently have two phones with video conferencing and after the discounts she gets, we have unlimited video calls and text for about $75 American. I don’t think a person could get a talk and text plan for that price in America. I am curious how many restrictions the States will have. I hear it only works with wifi so that pretty much makes the feature useless to us. We both usually have our laptops with us and they only need wifi to video conference. I guess we will see.

Hello, just been reading this site – it’s great. The iPhone is definitely changing for the better with the launch of the iPhone 4 don’t you think? I haven’t got much money at the moment so looking forward to getting my free iPhone in a week or two. Apparently there aren’t many guides for the iPhone 4 yet, I’ll be making a few when I have mine – why not come and have a look at my site if you want to use them at all. Martin

The new feature is great and considering changeing my hearing impaired wife’s phone. She currently has the t-mobile plan with the sidekick, which has a great speaker for her. She is 20% hearing in left ear and if put’s the sidekick on speaker can make out words. This is great about the sidekick cause the normal ear piece and the speaker are the same piece so she can hold it naturally to her ear. I already have the iPhone 4 ordered for me, but I am wondering how much will I be able to use wifi that I can use this feature with her. I would have to always be at a starbucks or something. LOL. Also not sure of her losing the feature of using the sidekick speaker up to her ear. I am very confused. The new Sprint Evo is a better option, but I love my iPhone.

I am a freelance journalist working on a story about the University of Washington Mobile ASL project. I’d like to hear from the deaf community on trials and tribulations of getting a video data plan at a reasonable cost. My basic questions are:
Is the cost of video data plans hold back the adoption of Mobile ASL-type programs?
What innovations need to be made in mobile ASL to make it more user friendly?

Any assistance you and your readers could be to me would be appreciated.

Thank you,
Nedra Floyd-Pautler

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