265: Travel Edition

This week, we're both trotting the globe, so we discuss some interesting accessibility features we've encountered during our travels. And Apple had a event announcing new iPhones and a new Watch, so (of course) we talk about that stuff.

Follow-up:

Brian owes Marshall a Coca-Cola for losing a bet made at the very end of the previous episode

Event Recap:

Apple launched new iPhones and a new Apple Watch in their latest event
Apple's event invite had Marshall thinking it was a reference to the coil in the AirPower wireless charging mat
"Apple’s AirPower wireless charging mat reportedly plagued by overheating issues"
John Gruber's shares his "Thoughts and Observations on Apple’s iPhone XS/XR and Series 4 Apple Watch Introductory Event"
Steve Jobs on the Apple product matrix
LifeCall (not Life Alert) commercial: "I've fallen, and I can't get up!"
Apple's new GiveBack program

Travelogue:

Note: After doing a little research, it's clear the story Marshall told about the origin of "The Land of the Morning Calm" is actually apocryphal. Well, shit.
Percival Lowell, a businessman and scientist, is credited with coining the phrase
The Forbidden City
Tactile Paving
Here's a 108-page design document on the proper installation of tactile paving
The percentage of visually impaired people in Japan was 1.3% in 2007
Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto talks about solving multiple problems with a single solution
Here's a great video by Mark Brown of Game Maker's Toolkit on multipurpose design solutions in the game Downwell
Crossing signals
Here's a (warning: very shaky) video showing these pedestrian crossing signals
Seven-segment display
Here's a video of the crossing sounds, sometimes accompanied by bird chirps
"China's Obsession with QR Codes"
Alien Tommy Lee Jones Japanese Commercials
"Meiwaku and Gaijin: Politeness and Group-Mentality in Japan"
Note: It's actually pronounced may'-wah-koo

Design Details on the Web:

We are @designdetailsfm
Brian is @brian_lovin
Marshall is @marshallbock
Sarah is @sarahberus
Drew is @luperdev
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