Advocates demand Lyft provide similar ride share accessibility accommodations
Toronto disability advocates are pushing Lyft match wheelchair ride share accessibility services that Uber recently rolled out. “Whether it’s Uber or a competitor, looking hard at accessibility is a vital component for any business. Regardless of who you are, you should not be restricted from a service” says Maayan Ziv, founder of accessibility-based technology firm […]
Uber has wheelchair friendly options for disabled passengers, it may not be enough
Uber has improved its accessibility options with the adoption of its Wheelchair friendly UberWAV service, available in 27 cities and counting. Beginning in January 2016, Uber began its UberWAV program (WAV for wheelchair accessible vehicle) in Toronto. The company began to offer wheelchair accessible vehicles in limited locations by partnering with paratransit agencies, and Uber […]
Accessibility Tools with Voice Assistant Amazon Alexa, Amazon Echo, and Amazon Dot
Popular Voice Assistant product Amazon Alexa includes several useful features for users with accessibility needs related to vision, hearing, mobility, and speech. Included in both app and the physical device, Alexa can help support users by not only controlling their appliances, but help them navigate and interract with their devices, too. Tools offered by Alexa […]
Airbnb to purchase Accessible Hospitality startup Accomable
Accessibility hospitality service Accomable has been acquired by Airbnb. Accomable provides a similar service but with a focus on accessible and disability-accommodating spaces, covering over 60 countries. Accomable will phase out service and key team members will transition into the Airbnb product team, expanding their service to be more inclusive and accessible. As part of the […]
Google uses Local Guides to tell you if locations are Wheelchair Accessible
Google Maps started displaying wheelchair accessibility data for locations at the end of 2016, but with a recent update to their Local Guides program they’re moving to a more holistic approach. By engaging with their Local Guides program you can help Google curate their search results to provide more detail on locations and identify specific accessibility […]
Twitter update increases character limit, but some users are still left out
Social media platform Twitter recently updated their service to display messages of 280 characters. Product Manager Aliza Rosen explains this update is meant to build a better user experience, in a blog post she details: “Historically, 9% of Tweets in English hit the character limit. This reflects the challenge of fitting a thought into a […]