RNIB Tech Talk episodes
Showing episodes 271 to 280 of 639
State Of The Nation on Gaming
Hello, all, and welcome to a special episode of Tech Talk this week; Robin, Andy and Tim get the week off, and Steven instead sits down to talk accessible gaming with two guests! Joining Steven is Ian Hamilton (https://twitter.com/ianhamilton_) , and Sightless Kombat (https://twitter.com/sightlessKombat) . On the eve of the next era of console releases, with the Xbox Series X, and the PlayStation 5 due to be released this month, the world is about to take its latest step into modern console gaming - but what does that mean for those who are blind and partially sighted? What if you buy an expensive next-gen console, only to find none of the games are accessible to you? Of course, that's not the only method - PC gaming, Virtual Reality headsets, even gaming on smart speakers - what paths are the industry taking to make gaming a world for everyone? Also on this show, we hear from Steven Davidson from RNIB's Technology for Life team, who joins us to introduce a new book to help us understand iOS14. What are your thoughts on accessible gaming in 2020? With advances in console and game accessibility, would you consider picking up the next console? Or, if you have a child or relative with a visual impairment, would you now feel secure in introducing them to games like Minecraft? Email us with your thoughts - [email protected] Chat to you all next week!
The importance of Braille, thoughts on the Echo Dot and Nest Audio, and online security
Good day to you all, and welcome to Tech Talk! On today's podcast you'll be hearing from our regulars: Steven Scott, Robin Christopherson, Tim Schwartz, and Andy with the Emails. Speaking of emails, we begin this week's show with one that came in recently; regular listeners to the show will recall that Robin is now in possession of a Optelec Voyager refreshable Braille terminal, and has started using it as part of his daily life. Steven's also had lessons to relearn Braille over the last twelve months... but are they being too flippant towards learning braille? One listener has got in contact to suggest that their attitude towards Braille has irritated them, and that anyone unable to read Braille who is blind or visually impaired is, in their words, illiterate. It brought about a serious and thought-provoking discussion among the team which covered education, availability and advancements in technology, and the importance of Braille in our lives. There's a lot to unpack in this, and we fully expect you, dear listener, to have an opinion on it too - let us know where you stand on all of the talking points covered today, by emailing [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) Also on the show, RNIB's Technology for Life team talk about online security, Steven's had the Echo Dot and Nest Audio devices delivered recently, so we compare them to other devices like the Apple HomePod, and the Sonos One, plus: lanyards, being fuelled by coffee, bad rapper names, extreme sports, Pay As You Go AIRA, and toe-breaking reviews. Chat to you all next week!
New iPhones, new HomePod Minis, and a look at the Be My Eyes app
We've made it to 350! Can you believe it?! 350 Tech Talk shows, amazing stuff - well done to all of you who have survived them all! Today's episode is a right Apple fest; Steven, Robin, Tim and Andy gather together to talk about the 'Hi, Speed' Apple event from last week. We're going to be getting four new iPhones - iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro and a iPhone 12 Pro Max - which one is at the top of the guys shopping lists? We take a deep dive into all the features - improved displays, improved cameras, better speed, LIDAR, MagSafe, LTE and 5G, Ceramic Shield and being 4x less resistant to drop damage... are these the kind of features that could persuade you to upgrade? Also coming soon are a new range of HomePod Minis - these ones are sphere shaped, that apparently can interact with each other; can they rival Echo devices, and take over the home? Also on this week's show, we welcome back the RNIB's Technology For Life team; this week, find out all about the popular app Be My Eyes. We'd love to know how you feel about what we've talked about this week - are you an Apple fanboy like Steven? What do you love about the Be My Eyes app? Let us know - [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
Accessible Voting in the US, New Microsoft Surface Devices, and VoiceView on Fire Tablets
Welcome one, welcome all... to Tech Talk! Your weekly dose of accessible tech news, reviews and gossip from RNIB Connect Radio! Joining Steven Scott on this week's show - Robin Christopherson, Tim Schwartz and Andy with the emails, and boy what a show we've put together for you! Coming up, Steven and the team discuss the new arrivals in the Microsoft Surface range: the Surface Laptop Go, and the Surface Pro X tablet. If you're listening to this in the US, both of those devices are out today, for those in the UK, you'll have to wait until the 27th. Are they worth putting on your Christmas list? With the US election drawing ever closer, we discuss just how accessible it is to vote, especially as we remain in a pandemic; Can absentee and early voting options truly be accessible? Tim explains the situation, and we also hear from Chris Denielson of the NFB in the States. Also, we've teamed up with RNIB's Technology for Life team to give you some much needed hints, tips and advice on things it would take us half an episode to explain! This week, TFL's Mohammed Atif offers his demonstration of how to set up an Amazon Fire tablet with Voice View enabled. All that, plus: Robin now owning a braille display, and weirdly it has an ejector seat button, virtual machines, pet shop sounds, "Algorithms done a boo-boo", Steven speaking French, accessible ATMs, spongey braille, Andy "just works", Columbus collaborations, and Andy apparently being ideal for voicing SatNav systems in your car. Plus emails! What happens when Google blocks you from your emails, because you're not in your usual city? And a very technical question about adding a spellchecker to a Win32 application. Robin of course has the answer! Speaking of Robin, his World Sight Day interview with Amazon on their Day One Blog, can be found here - Making the digital world accessible to all (https://blog.aboutamazon.co.uk/diversity-at-amazon/making-the-digital-world-accessible-to-all) On the topic of emails, yes, we do have an ever-expanding list still to read out, but trust me - we have secret plans for the rest of the year that will see us chomp through those 15 pages with ease! So now would be a great time to email in, and get it featured. Get in contact with us at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) - every single one will be read out. Tata!
Google's #LaunchNightIn, National Braille Week, and New Bose Frames
Hello everyone! It's time for Tech Talk 348! Thank you for joining us. On today's episode, Steven, Robin, Tim and Andy discuss Google's #LaunchNightIn event of last week, and boy are they all underwhelmed! There was plenty of new techy stuff revealed - the new Pixel 5, a Pixel 4A 5G, Nest Audio, and Chromecast with Google TV... they try to wrap up what they liked most, and what they may end up buying. It's also National Braille Week this week, which gives us a chance to talk about both the Orbit Writer... and Lego! Lego is still cool, no matter your age. Speaking of things that are cool, Bose have revealed a new series of 'Open Ear Audio™ technology' frames, and of course Steven has bought a pair. Shame his head is literally too big! All jokes to the usual email address, please... All that, as well as: an update for those of you having trouble with Audible and the Victor Reader Stream sync problems, the extortionate cost of YouTube TV, balls aplenty, help for musicians, should you buy a smartphone or tablet just for the Google Lookout App, sheep not using 5G, missing AD on ITV now found, and Steven talking sports, albeit briefly. Andy is still giving out Tech Talk Titles for the regulars in the email inbox, so to join the list, get in contact with us at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) - we welcome all kinds of questions, or even answers to previous listener questions that you want to join in on! chat to you all next week!
New Echos revealed, Samsung's new S20 FE, and RNIB's Web Accessibility toolkit
Hello, fellow geeks! Welcome to another terrific Tech Talk episode, full to the brim of everything you could wish for! Joining Steven (https://twitter.com/techtalkersteve) on today's show - Robin (https://twitter.com/usa2day) from AbilityNet (https://abilitynet.org.uk/) , Tim (https://twitter.com/timschwartz5) from Life After Blindness (https://lifeafterblindness.com/) , and Andy (https://twitter.com/adwinn) from... er... Email Tower? Sure, let's go with that! On today's show you will hear the guys opinions on the latest products to be revealed from Amazon - if you're a fan of stopping home burglaries, or even just seeing what the dog is up to when you're out, you may be interested in the new 'Always Home Cam' from Ring, the home security company owned by Amazon. It's a bit unique... it's an indoor drone! Steven's pretty excited about the new look Echo Dot products... it turns out the 'hockey puck' shape is a thing of the past... these new ones are spherical! Ideal for accidentally knocking off the nightstand, and rolling under the bed, then. Sticking with Amazon, the Show 10 was also revealed, and the team like the look of it. Is this product going to halt the Facebook Portal device before it even got started? We also talk about the newest range of smartphones from Samsung, yes, Samsung are already revealing something new just months after the last lot. These are in the mid-range market, which has seen a boom in 2020. Will anyone on the team think of getting a Samsung S20 FE? We also talk about the new web accessibility toolkit from the RNIB, including the thoughts of RNIB CEO Matt Stringer, speaking exclusively to RNIB Connect Radio. All this, plus: emails, the news about the Alexa Care Hub, Jaffa Cakes, melons and mince pies, hacksaws, spatial audio, Zoom updates, the Android Accessibility suite, and Robin yawning?! We are still giving out Tech Talk Titles for the email regulars, so to join the list, get in contact with us at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) - we welcome all kinds of questions, or even answers to previous listener questions that you want to join in on! ttfn x
The #AppleEvent fallout, and more of your emails
Team Tech Talk is here to rock your socks off! Today, the team tackle the rather underwhelming #AppleEvent from last week - if you missed it, don't worry - not only did you not miss anything ground-breaking, but Steven, Robin, and Tim are here to round up all the semi-decent announcements and talking points. Are the new health features worth getting an Apple Watch 6 for? Is the new look iPad a decent investment? Why did we get nothing on the next model of iPhone? We also cover your emails today as well, with Andy. You lovely lot have had a few things to say, including asking why we never give some of the lesser-known screen readers any air time, like Supernova. All this, plus - sleep apnoea, skating rink for your fingers, brief rants from Steven (not rants about his briefs, thankfully), issues with Audible, VoiceOver Recognition, more help on the subject of finding lost kids, WatchMinder, and the revelation that one of us goes to the library to eat his sandwiches. If you would like to get in touch, if only to claim your own Tech Talk Title (we have Richards I through III taken already!) then you can do so at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) - we're getting through the inbox pages steadily, so now is a great time to get your questions in! Chat to you all next time :)
#AppleEvent preview, Android goes to eleven, and Amazon Halo
Plundering porpoises! The good ship Tech Talk sets sail once more, thank you for being aboard! On today's episode we welcome back a salty ol' sea-dog to the show... Tim Schwartz is here! Last heard on these particular airwaves on episode 266, Tim returns to turn the tricky threesome into the fearless foursome... or something like that. We catch up with what Tim's been up to, and try not to get too deep into either fires, American politics or the pandemic. This week, Cap'n Scott and his first mates talk Apple (surprise surprise...) now, the radio show and the podcast both come out a few hours before the big #AppleEvent planned for Tuesday 15th, so anyone listening to this show after that date, well.. you know what has been revealed, whilst we're stuck in the past! But the guys have a good crack at discussing the predicted hardware... possibly a new phone, possibly a new tablet... possibly new glasses?! But more likely... just the phone. Of course Steven's going to buy all of it anyway. And just because we like fair and balanced coverage, we're also chatting about Android 11... it's one louder! Five points to you if you get that reference. Steven runs down all the expected new bits and bobs, and Andy bemoans the fact that his Huawei smartphone probably wont get this update for years, by which time his upgrade will be due, and he'll probably have ditched them. Maybe he'll see HarmonyOS before Android 11 though! Also up for discussion this week: Amazon Halo, and all kinds of blackmail they'll force on you once they have your naked body in photographs, football World Cup Finals, audio ducking, being clean shaven, A Lady and podcasts, The Simpsons, Whining noises, Downloading books that are recorded across multiple CD's, Kit Kats, whining noises which aren't emanating from Steven, and Non-Smart TV's. As we sail off to the lands of Valinor (again, another five points if you get that reference), the only thing left is to thank you for listening! Keep your wonderful emails coming in, especially those that give praise to Andy, he deserves it all... is it obvious who writes these show notes? ;) Blistering barnacles! [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) Toodle Pip xx
Buying a New Computer when Blind and Visually Impaired [Part II]
It's a Tech Talk Double Feature this week! Well, kind of.... Firstly, it's the return of RNIB Connect Radio's own Red Szell! A couple of weeks ago, on Tech Talk Episode 336, you may remember Red was in the market for a new laptop. Well, he's only gone and bought one! Steven recommended one from the Dell Inspiron range... did Red splash out on one of those, or something entirely different? In the second half, Andy finally decides to turn up, so we can finally get to your emails! This week... milk ice cubes, phablets, Nova Launchers on Android phones, looking for Richard III, Silenzio, Samsung Z-Flip phones, and lots more! If you want to complete the Tech Talk survey (and you only have until the 9th September to do so), click this link here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/techtalkradio (https://t.co/PUgO08mBdK?amp=1) or email the team at [email protected], (mailto:[email protected],) and Andy will send you the link, and a wee personalised message, if you're nice. Tech Talk, and it's new motto "Below The Threshold Of Annoying" will return next week... with an old face returning! #RNIBConnect #TechTalk
Recorders, Rambling, and Robin in a rainstorm - a Tech Talk Email Special
Welcome to the 343rd Tech Talk! That's a lot when you really think about it, isn't it? Firstly, let's get to some housekeeping. If you've heard the show already you'll know we mentioned lots of different bits and bobs at the start, well, here's all the info you need. To fill in the Tech Talk Survey, which runs until the 9th September, click here (https://surveymonkey.co.uk/r/techtalkradio) . The next AbilityNet Accessibility Insights webinar will be on 8th September at 1pm with Paul Smyth of Barclays. For more info, and to register, click here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/6015978276110/WN_oD4cbiDnQ5anO3z67Qn_rQ To take part in our own wee survey about the wonderful email jingle, click here (https://fast-poll.com/poll/198c9d33) . And finally, to follow us all on Twitter, we're here: Steven (https://twitter.com/techtalkersteve) , Robin (https://twitter.com/usa2day) and Andy (https://twitter.com/adwinn) . Right! That's all that out of the way, so what's on the show? Well this week it's all about... you! Well, to be more specific, your emails. Steven and Robin sit back with their feet up, as Andy reads out your correspondence on a variety of topics, including: Lanyards, social media, and using TW Blue for Twitter, Scripting on Narrator, being non-gooey, Trekker Breeze, Be My Eyes & independence, password managers, handheld recorders to help with music recording, the TV show Neighbours, more on dentists, and noisy rainstorms. Oh, and another apology regarding names... it's becoming quite the habit! Some of you like our rambling gibberish, some of you dont! Either way, we're really glad you're listening, and sharing your opinions. If you wish to have your say on anything we've covered in this, or a previous episode, email us at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) Keep on truckin' x