Shmerling AppsBridging the distance.
TV apps and games you can read, hear and enjoy from the sofa. Made for a simple remote, for people with low vision, older viewers and anyone who finds the screen hard to read from across the room.
Why these apps
Reading a TV from across the room is hard when your eyes are not good: small text, low contrast, and menus where you lose track of where you are. I was born with severe low vision, and in recent years I can hardly see the screen. So I've decided to do apps about it, and games too, made around the way I watch, for anyone who finds the TV hard to see.
Our apps
Each one does one job well, on the biggest screen in the house.
Downabit
Your family's photos and videos, from your private Telegram channel to the TV, a USB drive, your NAS or the cloud.
Reads itself aloud, or only file names; works with TalkBack; type on your phone instead of the TV.
Downabit Player
The videos and music in your Telegram chats, channels and groups, streamed to the TV as they play.
Reads itself aloud, or only the names of films and songs; works with TalkBack; type on your phone.
Shmerling Radio
Radio stations from all over the world on the TV and the phone. Browse by country, genre or language, keep favourites, no account.
Reads itself aloud, or only station names; works with TalkBack; search by typing on your phone.
Five Dice
The classic dice game, you against the computer, played with the remote. Accessible for blind and low-vision players.
Reads itself aloud, or only the dice; high contrast; numbers on the dice.
Paint Maze
Roll the ball with the remote and paint every square of the maze. 1,200 levels, and it can be played by ear.
Played by ear: it says what was painted and which ways the ball can roll; high contrast.
Solitaire
Classic Klondike patience, Draw 1 or Draw 3, played with the remote. Accessible for blind and low-vision players.
Reads itself aloud, or only the cards; high contrast; four-colour deck; big cards.
Backgammon
The classic board game against the computer at three levels, played with the remote. It can be followed by ear.
Followed by ear; numbers on every point; bigger checkers; high contrast.
How our apps are built
For eyes that find the TV hard to read, and for ears when the eyes are tired.
Big, readable text
Large letters on every screen, and the text follows the size set on your TV.
Colours and contrast
Strong colours on dark backgrounds. The games have a high-contrast mode: black and white with yellow and cyan.
Clear outlines
A bold outline shows where you are on the screen, so you never lose your place.
Read aloud
Every app and game can read itself aloud: everything, or only what you need, such as only the dice, the cards, the file names or the station names. Every app works with TalkBack.
A simple remote
Short lists, big buttons and no typing on the TV: scan the code next to a text box and type on your phone.
No ad networks, no tracking
Our apps do not send your data to us, because we do not want it.
Help the apps grow
Try them, send feedback, and if they help you, buy Pro or subscribe in the store. That keeps the development going.