How to connect an android phone to a focus blue braille display

When you connect the Focus Blue to your Android device, screen content will be presented in braille, and you can navigate and interact with your device using the keys on the braille display. You can also input text using the braille keyboard.

If you are running talk back 13 or later, braille display support is automatically intergrated in to the talk back settings but if you are running talk back earlier than 13,  you need to download and INSTALL braille back.

How to confirm talk back is updated

Braille display support is available in Talkback 13 and later. To confirm your Talkback version and update it if necessary, do the following:

1. Perform a one-finger swipe down and right to open the Talkback menu and double tap Talkback Settings.
2. Swipe and double tap Open Talkback at the Play Store. Note this may be different on certain Android devices. For instance, on some Samsung tablets, the option may be to open Talkback at the Galaxy Store.
3. If your Talkback version is less than 13, choose the option to install updates. Even if you are running version 13 and updates are available, install them to make sure you have the latest functionality.

How to connect the Focus blue display to an android phone running talk back 13 or later?

To establish a Bluetooth connection between your Focus and an Android device running Talkback 13 or later, do the following:

Step 1. Power on the Focus Blue and turn on your phone’s bluetooth connection.

Step 2. Perform a one-finger swipe down and right to open the Talkback menu and double tap Talkback Settings.

Step 3. On the Talkback Settings screen, double tap Braille display.

Step 4. If prompted to give permission for Talkback to search for nearby devices, double tap Allow.

Step 5. Make sure the option, Use braille display, is on.

Step 6. Double tap Look for new device.

Step 7. Double tap your Focus display and then double tap Connect to establish the connection.

Once the Focus has been paired, if you power on the display before taking the Android device out of standby, the display will automatically connect. Remember to lock the device before turning off the Focus to ensure that braille auto detection works properly the next time you want to use braille.

Popular Focus blue commands

The following sections list Talkback commands that can be performed from the Perkins-style keyboard as well as other controls on the Focus Blue displays. Press DOTS 1-3-7-8 anytime to display the full list of available braille display commands.

General Commands

1. Press DOTS 1-2 CHORD to Activate the Back button, if present
2. Press DOTS 1-2-5 CHORD to Activate the Home button
3. Press DOTS 1-2-3-5 CHORD to Open recent apps
4. Press DOTS 1-3-4-5 CHORD to Open notifications
5. Press DOTS 1-2-3-4-5 CHORD to open quick settings
6. Press DOTS 1-2-3-4 CHORD to open all apps
7. Press DOTS 3-4 CHORD to activate screen search
8. Press DOTS 1-3-4-8 CHORD to Edit custom labels
9. Press DOTS 1-3-4 CHORD to open Talkback menu
10. Press DOTS 2-4-7-8 to switch to next typing language
11. Press dots 1-3-5-7-8 to switch to next reading language
12. Press DOTS 1-3-4-7-8 to toggle speech on/off
13. Press DOTS 1-3-7-8 to open Braille display commands
14. Press DOTS 1-2-7-8            Open Braille display settings
15. Press DOTS 2-3-4-5-7-8 to open Talkback settings
16. Press DOTS 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 to turn off braille output (reenable in Talkback settings)

Navigation and editing commands

1. Press right panning BUTTON to Pan Right and left panning BUTTON to Pan left.
2. Press right Rocker bar down or DOTS 4-5-8 to move to the next item and right rocker bar up or DOTS 1-2-7to move to the previous item.
3. Press the cursor routing buttons to activate current item (same as double tapping)
4. Press left rocker bar down or dot 4 CHORD to move to the next line and the left rocker bar up or dot 1 CHORD to move to the previous line.
5. Press dot 5 CHORD to move to the next word and dot 2 CHORD to move to the previous word.
6. Press dot 6 CHORD to move to the next character and dot 3 CHORD to move to the previous character.
7. Press dots 2-4-5-6-8 to move to the next window and DOTS 2-4-5-6-7 to move to the previous window.
8. Press DOTS 6-8 to move navigation focus forward or adjust reading control down and DOTS 3-7 to move navigation focus backward or adjust reading control up
9. Press DOTS 1-3-5-8 to scroll forward and DOTS 2-4-6-7 to scroll Backward
10. Press DOTS 1-2-3 CHORD to move to the Top of a page or beginning of text and DOTS 4-5-6 CHORD to move to the bottom of a page or end of text
11. Press dot 8 to Insert new line when editing text and dot 7 to Backspace or delete when editing text
12. Press DOTS 2-7 to Delete a word when editing text

Web page navigation commands

1. Press DOTS 1-2-5-8 move to next heading and DOTS 1-2-5-7 move to previous heading
2. Press DOTS 1-4-7 to move to previous control and DOTS 1-4-8 to move to the next control
3. Press DOTS 1-2-3-8 to move to the next link and DOTS 1-2-3-7 to move to the previous link.
4. Press DOTS 5-6-8 to move to the next reading control and DOTS 2-3-7 to move to the previous reading control