NFB NEWSLINE Goes Mobile
Contributed by Joel Zimba, Special Projects Coordinator, MDTAP
While it has always been possible to call NFB NEWSLINE with a mobile phone, the newly released NFB NEWSLINE iPhone app is a whole new way of accessing the NEWSLINE content on the go. Compared to the telephone keypad-based approach to navigating through NEWSLINE menus and publications, the simple and straight-forward layout of the app is refreshing and intuitive.
When first run, the app prompts for user name and password. As expected, this information is persistent, so this will only have to be done once. The home screen of NEWSLINE presents buttons which give access to the main functionality. Every newspaper and periodical can be browsed from the “Publications” button. The TV listings also have a separate section. The “Subscriptions” button lists the content you want to download for offline reading. There is, of course, a “Help” option which gives a quick overview of the app and links to further information.
Perhaps the least intuitive aspect is the location of the Favorites and Subscriptions manager under the “Settings” section. A convenient way to select a publication for Favorites or Subscriptions should be available from the Publications section. This would be a welcome change in future updates. Also, some sort of search functionality would be helpful.
Reading a publication can be easily done using the standard VoiceOver controls. Content is broken out into easily selected sections, or the full publication can be read from the beginning.
On a personal note, I have used NFB NEWSLINE services more in the past week than ever before. The NEWSLINE app is a pleasure to have on my iPhone and I will likely use it on a daily basis.
