The Alcatel One Touch Evo 7HD, that Amóvil reviewed thanks to a loan by Orange, is an affordable and intuitive Tablet that offers a few interesting features. However, it fails to comply with several basic accessibility requirements. In fact, Amóvil cannot recommend it to persons with hearing disability, dexterity issues and poor comprehension skills.

General features

The One Touch Evo 7HD runs on Android Jelly Bean 4.1, and has a very ergonomic design that enables users to hold it comfortably with one hand. The Tablet measures 197x120x10mm but the weight depends on whether the user uses it with WiFi or 3G coverage. Inserting the SIM cards requires adding in a removable module. So, with this module on it weighs 365 grams, and without it, 350 grams.

The tablet features 1,280x800-pixel IPS screen, a 3MP rear-facing camera and a VGA front-facing camera for videocalls. Additionally it supports Bluetooth and GPS technologies.A feature worth mentioning is the customizable QWERTY keyboard that can be divided in to halves for easier typing. Users can also choose between different key and background colors.

Accessibility review

Vision The One Touch Evo 7 HD is accessible to blind users. It includes a version of TalkBack that reads these users through the entire content, which means that all elements in the display are properly labeled.

However, while it complies with the minimum accessibility requirements for persons with partial vision, some of these users may have a difficult time interacting with this device. It does not include screen magnifier or a high contrast color scheme. Additionally, the printed text associated to some of its external buttons lacks contrast and some users may not be able to perceive it.

Hearing

This device is not compatible with hearing aids or cochlear implants. It doesn’t even include a Jack 3.5 mm socket that allows connecting an induction loopset to improve access to multimedia sound.

However, hearing impaired users will be able to send emails and download chat applications for Android. In addition, deaf users who prefer communicating in sign language will be able to make videocalls through applications such as Google Hangouts or Skype.

Dexterity

The One Touch Evo 7 HD is not very accessible to persons with dexterity disabilities. It comes with a voice recognition feature that is insufficient as it does not allow performing some actions such a sending an email. While it does open the email app upon command, the user is required to press the edit button in order to continue, and that action can be difficult to do to some of these users. On the other hand, persons depending on assistive devices such as mouth sticks or headwands, may not be able to turn this tablet on or off because the power button is located on the side.

However, there are two third party applications compatible with Android that may be able to provide a solution to these barriers. One is Sherpa, a made for Android personal assistance that enables users to control their devices with their voices. The other is Tecla, an app that works along with a wireless device to allow users to navigate through touchscreens with an external switch or their driving controls of their powered wheelchairs.

Comprehension

Amóvil cannot recommend the One Touch Evo 7 HD to persons with limited comprehension skills. It includes icons with important functions, such as the menu icon, that do not comply with accessibility standards. Additionally, setup instructions are not written in plain language and do not meet the basic accessibility requirements.

For more information about the accessibility features included in this device, please consult the full report available in Amóvil.