
Yes I Can Blog
#59 Voice Commands
Friday, January 31, 2025 by Deb Vellines
One of the best ways to learn what’s available to help deal with low vision is to join a support group. At a support group you can ask others what their experience has been with a specific product you are considering. Do they recommend the product? You can also ask how others perform certain tasks like shopping, cooking, or using a white cane. My first blog (link) was about support groups so you know how strongly I support them.
Because of the COVID epidemic, many support groups are meeting online instead of in-person. This means you can join in on a meeting across the country from your own home. How do you find a support group? I do it with Google. Depending on the wording of your search, different links will come up. Here are some search examples:
- “low vision support groups online”
- “macular degeneration (or another eye diagnosis) support groups”
- “low vision meetings via zoom”
The peer support offered at meetings can tackle depression head-on. It helps to talk with others who have the same struggles you have.

The last meeting I attended had only audio, no video. Some of the hints I learned were:
- www.thelowvisionshop.com lots of items for sale at this site.
- Sam with the Blind Life on Youtube
- Sam has several videos on Youtube on various subjects: retractable canes, finding a small item dropped on the floor (like a pill), NuEyes glasses, eSight 4, OrCam, Iris Vision, Acesight VR, and Jordy.
- Using voice commands with Siri and Google Assistant: Before a command, be sure your icons are showing. Otherwise, a reminder will say, “you need to unlock your phone or tablet first.” Then be sure to press the home button for a few seconds before a command. A straight, colored line will appear across the bottom of the screen. A voice may say, “Go ahead. I’m ready.”
Helpful voice commands
- What time is it?
- What’s the weather going to be today?
- Info from the web. Ask any question.
- Texting “send a message to __________________” This means you don’t have to type a message!
- Read the last message from ____________” This means you don’t have to read the small print in a message
- Read the last text message. That would be from anybody.
- Dictate a number to the phone to make a call. No need to find the right buttons to make the call.
- Look up a number for ____________ (person or place).
- Call that number.
- If you know the number, you can dictate it for Siri to call.
- If the number you want to call is in your contact list, you can ask Siri to call _____________.
- Siri can turn on and off accessible features.
- Siri can tell you how much battery time you have left.
- Google can “turn on flashlight” or “turn off the flashlight.” (Siri can’t do this.)
Readers: Do you have other commands that you like to use. Do you have other ways of giving commands?
Previous Posts
#77 Alexa
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#76 Charles Bonnet Syndrome
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#75 Surviving without Driving
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#74 WayAround Tags
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#73 SYFOVRE eye injections
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#72 You Are Not a Burden!
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#71 Anger
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#70 Self-Confidence
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#69 Bright Focus Chats
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#68 Zoom Meeting Suggestions
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#67 Living Well with Low Vision by Prevent Blindness
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#66 The Hadley School for the Blind
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#65 AIRA
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#64 Fanny Crosby
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#63 Derek Daniel and Life After Sight Loss
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#62 – 8 Hints for Cell Phones
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#61 Retinal Implants
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#60 EyeSmart
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#59 Voice Commands
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#58 Grocery Shopping
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#57 Eye Appointments and COVID-19
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#56 Social Distancing
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#55 Be My Eyes Update
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#54 Blind Beatitudes
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#53 Seeing AI
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#52 Research & Development 2019
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#50 Yes I Can Times 25
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#49 Blind Parents
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#48 Audio Description at the Movies
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#47 3 Inspiring Blind People
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#46 Drug Update
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#45 Do You Volunteer?
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#44 5 Pinterest Pins
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#43 – Four Reference Books
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#42 Trust Instead of Worry
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#41 Depression
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#40 eSight 3
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#39 Bioptic Telescopes
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#38 – CentraSight
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#37 – 11 Bathroom Hints
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#36 Public Restrooms
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#35 Helen Keller Quotes
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#34 Six Tips to Choose Sunglasses
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#33 Another Be My Eyes Call
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#32 Be My Eyes Call
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#31 Quiz Answers
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# 30 Quiz re: Sunglasses
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#29 Phone Apps Help Low Vision
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#28 News
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#27 – 9 More Ways to Help
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#26 – 9 Ways to Help
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#25 White Cane (continued)
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#24 White Cane
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#23 Be My Eyes
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#22 Dry Macular Degeneration Trials
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#21 Search Clinical Trials
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#20 Clinical Trials
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#19 Eye Injections (continued)
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#18 Eye Injections
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#15 Systems of Sight
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#16 Update on Systems of Sight
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#17 Knowledge is Power!!
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#14 Household Hints
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#12 Reduce the Risks of Macular Degeneration
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#13 Kitchen Hints
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#11 Beecher Binoculars
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#9 Volunteer Work
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#10 Talking Books and Magazines
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#8 Handicap Parking Permit and Restaurants
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#7 Visual Magnifying Machine
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#6 Amsler Chart
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#5 Handling Money (continued)
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#4 Shopping and Handling Money
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#3 I Have Low Vision Button
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#2 Sharing Items to Help
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#1 Welcome and Support Groups
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