RNIB Tech Talk episodes
Showing episodes 251 to 260 of 654
Echo Show 10 Review, Radio on VLC, and Plenty of Emails
Hello to you, and to you... and especially you! Tech Talk is here once again with another deep dive into the world of accessible gadgets and gismos. This week, Steven, Robin, Tim and Emails Andy tackle more from the emails inbox, including emails meant for other departments! Aside from that, we dish out tips and tech must-haves when entering the workplace for the first time - what headphones work best with JAWS, that wont cut out the sound of the phone ringing? What is best for reading documents, that wont cut text off? Also, Robin (and Faith) give us an audio demo of the Amazon Echo Show 10 device - the screen can follow you round the room, always keeping you in frame, but does that make them any less accessible to blind people, and also... is it worth the steep price tag? Remember the good old days of using your FM, AM or Long Wave radio to tune into your favourite far flung stations? Did you know that you can use the latest apps on your smartphone or computer to achieve the same result? Dinos from RNIB's Technology For Life team returns to talk to us about listening to radio stations through the VLC media app. All that, plus complaints about the temperature, hoodles, a whole load of Rachels, firmware installation issues, accessible nightmares, and a big woofer. Stick around until the end to hear a plug from Tim! For your emails, contact [email protected] - it'll be featured in an upcoming show. Until we speak again!
Clubhouse, Coffee, and Clearing the Email Inbox
Tech Talk is back... where would you be without us!? Steven, Robin and Emails Andy are all here, as is Tim, who has finally made it back from Clearwater, Florida (via Chicago) to rejoin Team Tech. On the show this week, the team tackle the email inbox, including subjects such as: Clubhouse: is it nothing more than an elite club, or is there truly room for everyone? Microsoft breaking Outlook, and how listener Gordon and Be My Eyes helped them fix it How setting up an Amazon Echo device in someone else's home can sometimes lead to unexpected embarrassment Phones with keypads, and keyboards for phones Problems with the Apple podcast player, and what alternatives are out there, and Super helpful tips for Supernova All that, plus a rather in-depth discussion about smart coffee makers, which leaves us all drooling (until we heard the price, and that it only does espresso!), slippers, woes about the weather, post-work Talkback options, and listeners lettings their spouses listen to Tech Talk because they are fans of Steven! More proof we need these lockdown restrictions to end, we're all going stir crazy! [email protected] for all your emails, as always!
Windows 11, Wearable Tech, and Learning Braille Remotely
What's the time? Why, it's Tech Talk o'clock! Steven is joined by Robin, Emails Andy and 'special' guest Shaun Preece this week - where's Tim you may be asking, well, he's still on his holidays. The fearsome foursome sit down to discuss Windows 11 - what will be included, when it's coming, and what the accessibility features might be like. The hot phrase on everyone's techy lips this week is TPM - well Shaun's here to explain why it's being talked about so much with regards to upgrading from Windows 10. Also on the show this week - wearable technology! The world of wearable tech is very much available and accessible to the blind community via smart glasses and more, some of which even claims it can help improve vision. Mark Evans from RNIB’s Technology for Life team and shares his findings on the latest gadgets out there. The pandemic has cost many of us the ability to learn new skills and meet new people. However for one group of blind people, they used the latest tech to continue their desire to learn braille. The remote braille group got in touch with RNIB’s Community Connector team to get support in setting up a group via Microsoft Teams. Louise, Aneeba and Trish joined RNIB volunteer trainer Chantal to start the course, helped by RNIB’s Midlands and East England Community Connector Amy Woodward. Volunteer Chantal told Steven Scott how it all came about. If that's not all, we also dip our toes briefly into the emails inbox, with one listener less than impressed with Sky! If you would like your opinions aired, you can email [email protected], (mailto:[email protected],) and it'll be added to the pile. Chat to you all next week!
Tech Talk: Accessible Gaming Special
A special Tech Talk for you all this week, as we have a look into accessible gaming! Steven is joined by five visually impaired gamers (Lynette, Kim, Abbie, Sophie and Matt) discussing the challenges and joys that gaming while blind gives. All part of RNIB’s campaign called Gaming for RNIB (https://www.rnib.org.uk/donations-and-fundraising/do-your-own-fundraising/gaming-rnib) . Also joining us, disabled gamers Steve Saylor and Courtney Craven share their views on the latest virtual E3 conference. And also this week, RNIB’s Joanne Wilson from the Technology for Life team answers customer’s queries on the most accessible TVs on the market. Share your thoughts on accessible gaming with the team! [email protected] for all your emails, as ever
Sky Q, Diabetes monitoring, and Voice Recording apps
Tech Talk is back in your ears once again, and boy... we're sounding good! It's a full house this week - Steven's in the big chair, and is joined by Robin, Tim and Emails Andy, and there's a lot packed into today's hour! Firstly, we're talking TV. Unfortunately, television set top boxes have for many years been a challenge for blind and partially sighted people, as they haven’t had accessibility features to speak aloud or make clearly what is on screen. We've been chatting to Fraser Stirling from Sky Q about how that is changing, with new features such as Voice Guidance. We also have a listener review on Sky Q from 'Friend of the Show' Kelly. Speaking of regular listeners, Julian II follows up from our Technology for Life feature from a few weeks back with a personal review of the update to Google Lookout. It's such a promising app, but is it winning over the self proclaimed 'negative' Julian? Also this week, Chris Turner joins us from RNIB's Technology for Life team to introduce us to the voice recording app Just Press Record, which is available on many SmartPhones, the gang talk about the next big Windows update, for Diabetes Awareness Week we're looking at what tech is out there to help monitor our diabetes with Thurston Bluhm, and, after a few weeks break, we crack open the steamer trunk of emails, now creeping back up to eight pages - Is Sky Go accessible on Android and Windows devices? More on the topic on Aftershoks headphones, NVDA vs Jaws, the much-debated RNIB Radio, pigs wearing lipstick, and is Robin really an undercover Amazon agent? We welcome your comments on anything from today's show, be it Sky Q, diabetes, recording devices, or Google Lookout - email the team at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) and hear your thoughts read out by the silky smooth English tones of Emails Andy! Chat to you all next week!
#WWDC21 Breakdown
Well well well; look who the cat dragged in...! It's time for the glorious return of Tech Talk - Have you missed us? Steven's back, and is joined by Robin and Tim for a show dedicated to WWDC 2021- Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference is held annually, and this year, held online. It was a two hour marathon of new software developments, IOS improvements and generally what new things the Apple whiz kids have been working on since we last saw them. So what do the guys make of it? Was there any mention of accessibility? What new advancement are the team looking forward to the most? Thank you for bearing with us whilst we were absent over the past few weeks, and thank you for the emails and messages regarding Steven. Our inbox is starting to collate nicely, so if you'd like to share your thoughts about this years' WWDC, or anything else on your mind, the address is [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) , and you'll have your musings read out on a future episode! Until then, stay safe!
SuperNova, What Three Words and Emails
Good day, everyone! Team Tech Talk returns for yet another show, full of accessible tech gossip and talking points. Settle down with a brew and a biscuit, and let us entertain you for the next hour! On today's show, Steven is joined by Robin, Tim, Emails Andy and special guest Sue Dunn, who is a service user at the KVIN. Sue joins us to talk to us all about her experiences using SuperNova, the magnifier and screen reader for Windows. Can it be a serviceable alternative to other options? How customisable is it? Also on this week, Hannah joins us from the RNIB Technology For Life team to tell us all about What Three Words- the app that divides the world into three metre squares, gives each square a unique combination of three words, that makes it easier to find and share exact locations. We dip back into emails as well - and thank you so much for filling our inbox back up over the last week! We talk a little more about the disappointment regarding the RNIB Digital Radio, Steven asking Microsoft for favours, fully talking telephones, and problems with making phone calls on the Amazon Echo. [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) for all your correspondence, as ever. Join us next week!
Back Into Our Email Inbox
Yes, it's us again, twice in one day - we spoil you! On this episode, we have Steven, Robin, Andy, Callum and Shaun - and it is our goal to clear the TT email inbox - do we succeed? You'll have to listen to find out! We start off the show a little confused, which admittedly, isn't that hard for some of us! But we soon dive back into your questions and queries, including: Lady A devices with minds of their own, a little more Aftershokz and cheek vibrations, reading manuals, fanfares, the merits of Voiceover, more NVDA chat, being wanted, this time with an actual NVDA user, bonny ladies or bunny ladies, working Netflix with Audio Description on your iPhone, convoluted Apple shortcuts, and loads more! Want to air your opinion on Aftershokz, accessible TV's, screen readers or smart speakers? Email us at [email protected] We'll be back next Tuesday at 1PM on both radio and podcast - see you then!
A Bank Holiday Email Special
Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to Tech Talk! What a treat we have for you this week - two Tech Talks! Now, I could explain that one aired on Bank Holiday Monday, and the other in the usual TT timeslot of Tuesday 1PM on RNIB Connect Radio, but you don't need to worry about that, as this is podcast world! Both shows are coming to you at the usual time. How generous are we? Very! Steven is joined by Robin, Andy, and a returning Callum this week to hopefully empty the email inbox - firstly, we cover a rather impassioned email about the RNIB Digital Radio we reviewed a few weeks back - some people believe the product is falling far short of expectations, leaving them a little underwhelmed - as we like to be unbiased about these things, we talk about the apparent shortfalls. Does this radio discriminate? Also, we hear about a success story of someone reporting an accessibility bug to the developer - it always brings a smile to hear these types of stories, especially when the company then goes out of its way to improve the software for an audience it maybe didn't consider the item was for. We also dip our toes back into the NVDA chat, after an email from a coder - what would be the best screen reader to progress to for an increase of productivity, but with a lack of resources to try them all? Also on this week, we talk about Steven's big head (literally in this case, although he's been hearing that figurative insult for years now!), tips on using smartphones left handed, incognito mode, Lady A on a PC, accessible TV's and PVRs (Personal Video Recorders), Aftershokz, Soundscape, and... what's in the box?! Coming up in 379, Shaun Preece... You lucky people!
Apple's Spring Loaded Event, Braille Displays, and Amazon Echo
It's Tuesday, it's 1pm, that means only one thing...Tech Talk! Steven, Robin and Tim are all here to talk about the smorgasbord of new colourful products from Apple... yep, sorry haters, of course we're talking about the Spring Loaded Event, including the new iMac, and AirTags, and improvements to Apple TV. What do the team make of the news; underwhelmed, overwhelmed? There is more to talk about, as ever - Ben Rendle is here from RNIB's Technology For Life team to tell us how he uses the Amazon Echo in his home, we're also joined by Paul Bepey to hear about Braille Displays, including the ElBraille. As Steven mentioned in the show, next week we have not one, but TWO Tech Talks... you lucky people! You can tune in to RNIB Connect Radio on Bank Holiday Monday at 5PM to hear show one of our email specials, and then the second will be in our usual timeslot on a Tuesday. If you only listen via podcasts, no need to panic - both shows will drop one after the other on Tuesday at 1pm. You still have time to get your emails in for those shows - but be quick! Want to air your opinion on the Apple event? What to talk about the latest tech product in your life? Have you purchased the new RNIB Digital Radio we talked about last week? All subjects will be covered! [email protected], and Andy will add them to the list for next week. Until then!