<![CDATA[My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control.]]>My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control. He likes audiobooks but every player I tried had tiny buttons and too many screens.

I’ve now made this one. Two screens, big controls, high contrast.

When I want to send him a new book, I just text him a link — he taps it and the book appears in his library.

It always comes back to the last book he was playing, ready to play again.

The settings are configurable via a link too.

This is very much made for my exact specific needs with him, but it’s open source and free if it helps anyone else.

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/easy-audiobook/id6761441597

https://github.com/griches/EasyAudioBook





]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/topic/df54c373-2326-405c-a397-d03116d44468/my-dad-is-partially-sighted-with-poor-motor-control.RSS for NodeMon, 13 Apr 2026 14:23:20 GMTThu, 02 Apr 2026 20:14:31 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control. on Sun, 12 Apr 2026 07:10:02 GMT]]>@gary_bbgames Wonderful. All of it - the result, and that you made this, and that you made it for your dad, and that your dad can use it to continue enjoying his audiobooks under his own control.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.green/users/CiaraNi/statuses/116390481244681156https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.green/users/CiaraNi/statuses/116390481244681156Sun, 12 Apr 2026 07:10:02 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control. on Sat, 11 Apr 2026 23:08:08 GMT]]>@gary_bbgames I am waiting that a manufacturer of TV sets integrates a "plain old TV " mode, offline and starting without any menue but just the last programme. And a remote access so that other persons can steer the TV set while the elderly person says via telephone what she wants. My mother is quite clear in her head but not for enough to understand a menue that is simply alien to her.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/dieterjosef/statuses/116388586324193894https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/dieterjosef/statuses/116388586324193894Sat, 11 Apr 2026 23:08:08 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control. on Sat, 11 Apr 2026 22:08:57 GMT]]>@gary_bbgames

thank you for publishing.

i would love to see more tech that takes sight/dexterity issues into account.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/paul_ipv6/statuses/116388353619761717https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/paul_ipv6/statuses/116388353619761717Sat, 11 Apr 2026 22:08:57 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control. on Sat, 11 Apr 2026 20:29:24 GMT]]>@gary_bbgames I just wanna say that’s super awesome and cool and such a sweet thing for you to do for your dad. It warms my icy blue heart.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/AmandaGrace/statuses/116387962199284267https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/AmandaGrace/statuses/116387962199284267Sat, 11 Apr 2026 20:29:24 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control. on Sat, 11 Apr 2026 16:02:42 GMT]]>@gary_bbgames awesome. Also FYI. if he is in the US he can get a blind audio reader from the Library of congress. BARD program. Including free audio books! They have a special copyright agreement for audio books for the blind.

Plus, you can make your own audiobooks for it too. Get cartridges from Perkins school for the blind. For my FIL’s 90th we created him a book of all the weekly family letters he had sent from India. 😊

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/nomdeb/statuses/116386913486791062https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/nomdeb/statuses/116386913486791062Sat, 11 Apr 2026 16:02:42 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control. on Sat, 11 Apr 2026 12:53:18 GMT]]>@gary_bbgames This is amazing.

By any chance does your dad have an Apple Watch and is a Watch version on your road map?

(I bought my kid a Watch last year thinking it would be perfect for carrying audiobooks and pairing to headphones but the few available apps just work as a remote control for an iPhone)

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/maxfenton/statuses/116386168755768991https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/maxfenton/statuses/116386168755768991Sat, 11 Apr 2026 12:53:18 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control. on Sat, 11 Apr 2026 10:03:06 GMT]]>@gary_bbgames I love that you are sending your dad "At the Mountains of Madness".

Very cool project!

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://dice.camp/users/strangequark/statuses/116385499474837506https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://dice.camp/users/strangequark/statuses/116385499474837506Sat, 11 Apr 2026 10:03:06 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control. on Sat, 11 Apr 2026 07:20:27 GMT]]>@gary_bbgames

Thank you so much! This is exactly the sort of tool I’d been hoping for when our late friend lost his sight. He had the Bookplayer, which worked quite well, but your app is simply brilliant.
I’ll be more than happy to use it and recommend it to others.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://fairmove.net/users/sofasophia/statuses/116384859909232468https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://fairmove.net/users/sofasophia/statuses/116384859909232468Sat, 11 Apr 2026 07:20:27 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control. on Sat, 11 Apr 2026 04:18:00 GMT]]>@gary_bbgames

There's a related project on f-droid for android devices:

> Homer turns any Android tablet into a dedicated, easy-to-use audio player for seniors. Caregivers configure the app and manage content, while loved ones enjoy audiobooks and podcasts independently - without confusion or mistakes.

Has a big ui for the visually inpaired. The caregiver has to be present to configure the app though. I like the idea in your app of controlling things via texting.

https://f-droid.org/packages/com.studio4plus.homerplayer2

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://floss.social/users/IanTwenty/statuses/116384142505754191https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://floss.social/users/IanTwenty/statuses/116384142505754191Sat, 11 Apr 2026 04:18:00 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control. on Sat, 11 Apr 2026 04:04:36 GMT]]>@gary_bbgames For people wanting similar functionality on Android I highly recommend Simple Audiobook Player.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://wirejunkie.net/users/Ooze/statuses/116384089823187642https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://wirejunkie.net/users/Ooze/statuses/116384089823187642Sat, 11 Apr 2026 04:04:36 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control. on Mon, 06 Apr 2026 03:34:58 GMT]]>@gary_bbgames We had a bit of a try, but it all got too hard.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.au/ap/users/115557639284488155/statuses/116355661697951209https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.au/ap/users/115557639284488155/statuses/116355661697951209Mon, 06 Apr 2026 03:34:58 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control. on Sun, 05 Apr 2026 10:33:08 GMT]]>@Greg_Ray have you tried using Voice Over with an iPad? It’s pretty good, but there is a small learning curve.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.games/users/gary_bbgames/statuses/116351643701347958https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.games/users/gary_bbgames/statuses/116351643701347958Sun, 05 Apr 2026 10:33:08 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control. on Sun, 05 Apr 2026 09:27:20 GMT]]>@gary_bbgames My Mum is the same boat. Her eyesight is almost gone and she misses reading so much. But she has come to appreciate audio books. If only Alexa wasn't such an airhead . . .

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.au/ap/users/115557639284488155/statuses/116351384982600187https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.au/ap/users/115557639284488155/statuses/116351384982600187Sun, 05 Apr 2026 09:27:20 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control. on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 21:45:06 GMT]]>@gary_bbgames Given what you said, I am very glad you are there to help. Although I do no need the service myself, I am very worried that our despot who would be king will shut down the NLS program as what he considers a waste of money. He will try to use that money to continue to try and capture all the world's oil. I only hope all those "hemberders" and diet coke take their toll on him . . . SOON!

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.plus/users/ov_dragonman/statuses/116342961356611226https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.plus/users/ov_dragonman/statuses/116342961356611226Fri, 03 Apr 2026 21:45:06 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control. on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 18:01:38 GMT]]>@gary_bbgames Fabulous.
Well done indeed.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://musicians.today/users/nigelharpur/statuses/116342082690298722https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://musicians.today/users/nigelharpur/statuses/116342082690298722Fri, 03 Apr 2026 18:01:38 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control. on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:59:26 GMT]]>@DrHyde thank you. I did skip implementing chapters so it might not be useful for everyone. My dad will only manage 10 minutes at a time and would accidentally press chapters if they were on screen.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.games/users/gary_bbgames/statuses/116341838101773834https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.games/users/gary_bbgames/statuses/116341838101773834Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:59:26 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control. on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:44:52 GMT]]>@gary_bbgames I'm not partially sighted, and I have good motor control, and I think I want this anyway. Accessible design is good for *everyone*.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://fosstodon.org/users/DrHyde/statuses/116341780831519707https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://fosstodon.org/users/DrHyde/statuses/116341780831519707Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:44:52 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control. on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:25:46 GMT]]>@jonathan859 @gary_bbgames awesome, i find that the apps that were made to help one person and then releaced are the best

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://allovertheplace.ca/users/J3317/statuses/116341705706727382https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://allovertheplace.ca/users/J3317/statuses/116341705706727382Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:25:46 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control. on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 15:45:50 GMT]]>@gary_bbgames Oh! wow! that's cool what you have done to help your dad with his book player.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://dragonscave.space/users/boogiechild/statuses/116341548667693590https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://dragonscave.space/users/boogiechild/statuses/116341548667693590Fri, 03 Apr 2026 15:45:50 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control. on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 14:23:14 GMT]]>@gary_bbgames it’s for a robot vacuum.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/T2R/statuses/116341223892140961https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/T2R/statuses/116341223892140961Fri, 03 Apr 2026 14:23:14 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control. on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 14:17:38 GMT]]>@ov_dragonman I’m in the UK. We have a similar service but nothing that ticks every single box for him. Along with not being able to see, he has a very short attention span now, or they can’t be administered remotely. I only see him once a month, so being able to do the technical side as well as putting on book for him remotely is a must.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.games/users/gary_bbgames/statuses/116341201841233233https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.games/users/gary_bbgames/statuses/116341201841233233Fri, 03 Apr 2026 14:17:38 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control. on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 14:15:14 GMT]]>@T2R that’s not good. What app is it?

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.games/users/gary_bbgames/statuses/116341192446460280https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.games/users/gary_bbgames/statuses/116341192446460280Fri, 03 Apr 2026 14:15:14 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control. on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 12:47:43 GMT]]>@gary_bbgames I have this same UI problem with one app. I’m nearsighted and the text is so small under the button that it is impossible to read without magnification. I’ve asked the devs to increase it or respect iOS text size controls but they have so far ignored me. And I’m getting pissed.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/T2R/statuses/116340848316335635https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/T2R/statuses/116340848316335635Fri, 03 Apr 2026 12:47:43 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My dad is partially sighted with poor motor control. on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 12:27:21 GMT]]>@gary_bbgames Are you in the US? Are you familiar with National Library Services (NLS) program? It is a FREE program setup to provide players, specially designed for people who cannot otherwise read a book and has the most extensive Library of materials. It is available through agencies in every state. I used to work at one of their branches. https://www.loc.gov/nls

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.plus/users/ov_dragonman/statuses/116340768178375212https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.plus/users/ov_dragonman/statuses/116340768178375212Fri, 03 Apr 2026 12:27:21 GMT