Siri was created to help the blind and is now part of our everyday lives. 

Apple has added a whole suite of accessibility features to its new iPhone and iPad updates and, while they're made with the differently able in mind, they can revolutionise the way you use your phone. 

Here's how to set up a few awesome features.

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Have your iPhone listen for you

I never hear my doorbell when I need to.

Now my iPhone listens for me and turns the smart lights in my study red when it hears the chime of my Ring doorbell. 

You can do the same on an iPad but that's just scratching the surface of Apple's Sound Recognition.

Your iPhone can listen for fire alarms, sirens, cats and dogs, glass breaking, a kettle and even a baby crying or coughing, and notify you when it does.  

This is obviously designed for the deaf or hard of hearing, and turns off 'Hey Siri' when you activate it, but it's arguably more useful. 

You can turn this on in settings > accessibility > sound recognition, and then set up personal automations in Apple's Shortcuts app. 

Here's a quick video about the setup.

Have your iPhone read to you

Ever received an email so long that you can't be bothered reading it?

With Speak Selection and Speak Screen, your iPhone will read it out loud for you.

Both need to be activated in Settings > Accessibility > Spoken content.

Once on, swipe down from the top of the screen with two fingers and your iPhone will start reading everything on screen – and I mean everything. 

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That includes text hidden behind menu buttons on websites and the very first text in a conversation chain that's way off-screen. 

The easy solution is to use Speak Selection instead. 

Simply highlight any text on screen and – if the setting is turned on – your phone will talk through what you've selected. 

Supersize your text

Those with elderly relatives take note; there are secret ways to make text even bigger. 

You can only make text so big in the general settings on an iPhone or iPad, but it's a false ceiling you can smash right through. 

Head to Settings > Accessibility > Display > Text size > Larger text.

Once you enable Larger Accessibility Sizes, your options almost double. 

At the largest setting, the text will be comically large to the average user but for those who need it, it's a vital and more comfortable option.

Hide ads with Safari

We've all been on websites that bombard you with ads and images. 

Turns out you can clear through the clutter with a tap of a button. 

When using Safari, tap on the "AA" in the search bar and hit Show Reader.

This won't work on every page of every website, but most do. 

For example, the button is greyed out on the homepage of theage.com.au but it does work on the articles you click to read. 

Beyond cutting out ads and unnecessary links and images, the setting also turns the background black and text white to make it easier to read and easier on the eyes.

It's not a setting you can permanently turn on, but once you know it's there, it's quick to activate.

Better still, it works wonders for the functionality of Speak Screen.

Create captions on live video

There's an app that comes with every iPhone that will create animated subtitles on videos as you record them. 

Until recently, Clips is an app I barely knew existed, let alone understood.

It's a powerful editor and allows you to create captions on videos you record live using the app. 

Those who post to TikTok and Instagram know how valuable captions are and Clips makes the process as quick as it is easy.

Simply open the Clips app, tap the rainbow-coloured star in the bottom right-hand corner and then the speech bubble icon. 

There are more than a dozen styles to work with and my personal favourite highlights the words as they're spoken like karaoke. 

Frustratingly, it doesn't work on videos I'd previously recorded outside the app – at least, not on those I tried.

Nevertheless it's a handy tool.

Control your watch without touching it

Apple Watch is great, but it's better with Assistive Touch.

Designed for those with upper body differences, you can navigate the watch, answer calls and more with gestures. 

Clenching your fist or pinching once or twice gives you all the control you need. 

It's not as fast as using touch to navigate menus, but it sure makes answering calls easier if your hands are full. 

By default, pinching your thumb and pointer finger together will move to the next item.

Two pinches goes back while a single clench selects or taps.

A double-clench brings up a quick menu that gives you access to the physical buttons on the watch itself and a motion pointer that allows you to navigate a cursor around the screen using motion.

You can customise the gestures yourself in Settings > Accessibility > Assistive touch > Hand gestures > Activation gesture.

And so much more

It's impossible to write a single article on Apple's leaps in accessibility. 

These are my six favourites that everyone can make use of but there's so much more. 

The breadth and variety of shortcut options alone are mind-boggling and there are even more options for those who would otherwise struggle to use an iPad or iPhone. 

Apple has added support on iPad for eye tracking for the paralysed and the joy on the face of Christopher Hills, an accessibility advocate living with cerebral palsy, is priceless.

None of these features will be used by everyone, but all of us can learn to appreciate them.   

The timeframe for public submissions on a bill to allow an equal number of Māori seats and general seats for Rotorua Lakes Council has been extended after criticism about the rushed process. Submissions for the bill were initially…

A car has crashed into the office of Labor MP Terri Butler.

The vehicle drove through the office of Ms Butler, who represents the electorate of Griffith in Brisbane's inner-south, this afternoon.

Police said it appeared the driver lost control of their car before smashing into the building on Old Cleveland Road in Greenslopes around 1pm.

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The driver has not been located.

Police said the crash does not appear to be deliberate.

Nobody from the office was injured during the crash.

https://twitter.com/terrimbutler/status/1516984333357453312

More to come.

Every day roughly 1.9 million trees — enough to cover about 45 Sydney Opera Houses — are cut down to make traditional toilet paper out of virgin wood pulp, according to a new report which looked into how consumer choices can impact the environment.

More than 60 per cent of people recently surveyed across Australia, the United Kingdom and United States were unaware of how their choice in toilet paper contributes to global deforestation, the Toilet Paper Environmental Sustainability Report found.

It's estimated a person goes through 127 rolls a year, adding up to 42 million tonnes worldwide. And that's leading to the loss of 700 million trees annually, the data found.

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Jeremy Walker, researcher at the University of Technology Sydney's Climate Justice Research Centre said although consumers being urged to think about their choices is a good thing, he believes the more important discussion is about having a government which actively protects the environment using legislation.

"It's more that the real issue is not, again, what consumers choose or don't choose, but whether we have a democracy which is capable of acting in the public interest or whether we have a government which supports destructive industries and chooses to support them over future generations chances of survival," said Dr Walker.

Deforestation has a "severe impact" on the climate and is affecting half the world's land surface. The report claimed millions of species are losing their natural habitat.

"There's any number of reasons why [deforestation] is bad," Dr Walker said.

"The largest one would be species extinction and biodiversity because extinction is completely irreversible.

"Every species that becomes extinct potentially has knock on effects to other species becoming extinct.

"The main problem that we have is not consumer choice, but rather the fact that we don't have adequate legal protections to prevent deforestation."

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What impact can I make as a consumer?

Experts have said there are more sustainable toilet paper options available, but the big brands are yet to jump on board.

An alternative to virgin wood pulp is recycled toilet paper, made from material that would otherwise be considered waste like office paper or books.

This paper is then combined with water, bleached and made into toilet rolls.

Research shows this form of toilet paper production uses 50 per cent less energy and 90 per cent less water.

Who Gives A Crap CEO Simon Griffiths warned we are "flushing one of our most precious resources down the toilet".

"Even some of the most dedicated eco-warriors massively underestimate the impact traditional TP production has on our forests and beyond," Mr Griffith said.

The sustainable toilet paper company commissioned the study which was performed by Edge Environment.

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Bamboo toilet paper is growing in popularity, as it is a grass and is one of the fastest-growing plants on the planet.

Bamboo can take anywhere between 15 to 70 years to grow back.

Removing trees means less carbon dioxide is absorbed, leaving over 180,000,000,000 kilograms in the atmosphere each year.

Mr Griffiths said consumers have the power to change industry demand before it's too late.

"These statistics are pretty depressing but we all have the power to change them," he said.

There's hope: Cosa Rica regrew it's lost forests

Costa Rica has managed to stop and subsequently reverse deforestation.

In the 1940s, 75 per cent of Costa Rica was covered in rainforests. By the late 1980's, more than half of forest cover has been destroyed.

In the 1990's, Costa Rica made it illegal to chop down forest without approval from authorities.

Today, almost 60 per cent of the land is forest again.

The reforestation movement in Costa Rica makes them world leaders in coming very close to having a zero fossil fuel based economy.

"There's no reason why we couldn't do it," said Dr Walker.

One person has been seriously injured after a crash involving a motorcycle and a vehicle in Levin.The crash on State Highway 1 was reported to police around 2.45pm. At the time a police spokesperson said the initial indications…

One of the key battlegrounds of this year's federal election is the economy: Dollar-for-dollar Australia has weathered the economic storm wrought by COVID-19 almost better than any other nation on Earth.

This is obviously a major selling point for the incumbent Morrison government.

But Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese is also spruiking his economic credentials and, forgetful unemployment figures aside, says he is equally equipped to "manage the economy".

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So what will happen to the economy based on who wins the election?

And are the Coalition really better economic managers than the ALP?

According to AMP's Chief Economist Dr Shane Oliver, the real answer is that it is unlikely that neither the Coalition nor the ALP will have a profound impact on the economy.

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"The relatively modest difference in economic policies between the Coalition and Labor suggests minimal impact on investment markets if there is a change of government," Dr Oliver said.

"The main risk for investment markets may come if neither the Coalition or Labor win enough seats to govern, forcing a reliance on minor parties or independents, which could force a new government down a less business friendly path (such as the Greens demanding an ALP led minority government implement their proposed super profits taxes) – although the Senate may act as a brake on this."

On a historical basis, analysis by Dr Oliver shows that over the post-war period shares have returned 13 per cent per annum under Coalition governments and 10 per cent per annum under Labor governments.

There are distinct outliers too – under the Hawke/Keating Labor government from 1983 to 1996 Aussie shares returned a boom 17.2 per cent, while Whitlam and Rudd/Gillard governments faced the brunt of bear markets.

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In terms of property prices, since 1980 capital city property prices have risen 6.6 per cent per annum under coalition governments and 5.2 per cent per annum under Labor governments.

Dr Oliver remains unconvinced that specific government polices from either party have made a material difference to the headline economic figures over that time.

"Once in government, political parties are usually forced to adopt sensible policies if they wish to ensure rising living standards and arguably there has been broad consensus in recent decades regarding key macro-economic fundamentals – for example, low inflation and free markets," he said.

"So ultimately economic and interest rate cycles have a dominant impact on investment markets rather than specific policies under each government."

FULL COVERAGE: Federal Election 2022

He believes the biggest challenges for the next government will be getting the budget deficit back under control, boosting productivity growth and doing something to address housing affordability.

"Like the Coalition, the ALP is largely seeking to repair the budget through economic growth rather than austerity and its priority areas of energy, skills, the digital economy, childcare and manufacturing have a significant overlap with the Coalition," he said.

"So, while there may be a little more nervousness in investment markets about Labor, it's hard to see a big impact on markets if there is a change in government."

The information provided on this website is general in nature only and does not constitute personal financial advice. The information has been prepared without taking into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on any information on this website you should consider the appropriateness of the information having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs.

Test your brains with the Herald’s afternoon quiz. Be sure to check back on nzherald.co.nz for the morning quiz tomorrow. To challenge yourself with more quizzes, CLICK HERE.

Images featuring Australian and New Zealand soldiers in the Middle East have been colourised by family history platform.

Police have revealed new details about the killing of Taranaki man Kaoss Price – including that he was unarmed and had tried to carjack several innocent motorists’ vehicles when he was shot. Price died after police shot him following…

A collision between a cargo ship and a fishing boat could have been prevented if both skippers had appropriately mapped the other’s position, an investigation has found. The collision occurred about 130km off the coast of Tauranga…