Today on the show, Steven and Shaun discuss the big breaking news that Microsoft is launching its popular iOS app, Seeing AI, onto Google's Android operating system. You can find out all the details and how to download the app here: https://doubletaponair.com/breaking-news-microsoft-announce-seeing-ai-for-android/ Also, there's a discussion on audio description, the accessibility of the Double Tap website and why carpets in the kitchen are so wrong. Get in touch with the Double Tappers and join ...
Dec 04, 2023•56 min
Content Warning: This episode contains references to alcoholism and suicide, and also contains what some may consider to be strong language. Today is a little different on Double Tap, as we ditch the theme music, put Mr. F into his bed with hot cocoa, and Steven, Shaun and special guest Matthew Alcock sit down for a good old-fashioned heart-to-heart. It all starts with a tweet. A tweet that was meant to show support for the blind community, but backfired massively. Matthew, who considers himself...
Dec 02, 2023•58 min
Today on the show, Steven and Shaun discuss Apple's latest advertising campaign, aimed at promoting the benefits of their new "Personal Voice" accessibility feature, allowing people with ALS (or MND as it is known in the UK) to digitally store their voice and use the "Live Speech" feature to enable that voice to read aloud whatever you want it to say. This is all highlighted in a new film that Apple has launched ahead of International Day of Persons with Disabilities; read more here: https://dou...
Dec 01, 2023•56 min
Today on the show, Steven and Shaun share their issues with Apple iPhones and Watches, citing the silence of both devices from time to time as well as the silence from Apple itself on the issues we face. But how do we get that to change, and does the upcoming International Day of Persons With Disabilities allow for that conversation to happen? Also, there is a frank and honest email from Gordon in Scotland, sharing his experience of living with blindness, and a reminder to share your gift ideas ...
Nov 30, 2023•56 min
Today on the show, Steven and Shaun return together again following their recent trip to London, England, to meet up with the other members of the Double Tap and AMI family. As you'd expect, there are a few stories from the road to share, including computers almost bursting into flames, alarms being set off and a significant lack of coffee availability. In amongst all of this, we do get back to the tech, and it is a retro radio that causes controversy this week. Was Steven right about the radio ...
Nov 29, 2023•56 min
In the second part of this interview, Steven Scott is joined by Robert Kingett to talk about his latest work, called Social Audio Description. They discussed Robert’s key part in developing more audio description for streaming services, in particular Netflix, in the early days, and how his hard work paid off when the streaming giant announced it would add audio description to all of its original content moving forward. Steven and Robert go on to discuss the controversial role of artificial intel...
Nov 28, 2023•56 min
Today on the show, Steven welcomes special guest Robert Kingett, an author, accessibility consultant and journalist who is blind. The conversation delves into Robert's background and his journey as a journalist who is blind, providing a unique perspective on advocacy and how it has evolved for him over time. A significant part of the discussion revolves around the importance of learning Braille and the challenges of learning it later in life. Robert shares his personal experience of sudden visio...
Nov 27, 2023•56 min
Today on the Express Edition, Steven and Shaun look back at the week's news in tech with Grace Scoffield reading through some of the big headlines of the week, including the latest on the chaos at Open AI, Apple gives in on RCS messaging and Sonos sets out to launch headphones in 2024. There's also a chance to catch up on the conversation following Mike Calvo's exclusive interview with us regarding the Humane AI launch, with listener Stan being our final voice on the subject. There's also a catc...
Nov 25, 2023•57 min
Today on the show, Steven and Shaun discuss the phenomenon that is Black Friday and Steven shares some of the wacky purchases he has made recently which have turned out to be pretty useful. Steven also shares his thoughts on a recent episode of the UnMute Presents podcast, hosted by friends of the show Michael Babcock and Damashe Thomas. It's all about staying safe online this holiday season and offering tips to help you avoid scams. Check out the episode here: https://unmute.show/2023/11/23/sta...
Nov 24, 2023•55 min
Today on the show, Steven and Shaun continue the discussion around life as two people who are blind, sharing a recent experience that has got Steven thinking. Also, there's more reaction to the interview with Mike Calvo's thoughts on Humane's AI Pin and more comments on the subject of life with blindness. Get in touch with the Double Tappers and join the conversation: Email: feedback@doubletaponair.com Call: 1-877-803-4567 (Canada and USA) / 0204 571 3354 (UK) X (formerly Twitter): @BlindGuyTech...
Nov 23, 2023•56 min
Today on the show, Steven and Shaun discuss the latest fallout from the chaos at Open AI following the firing, and now return of CEO Sam Altman. However, the main conversation today follows reaction to the CEO of Pneuma Solutions, Mike Calvo, and the interview we broadcast airing his views on the launch of the Humane AI Pin and his concerns over the lack of any mention of disability or accessibility in the marketing. Today we hear your feedback from that interview and it's fair to say it is a mi...
Nov 22, 2023•56 min
Today on the show, Steven and Shaun discuss how they have been upsetting podcasters. Well, one in particular. It's all good fun, though, and we hope lovely Jenine from That Real Blind Tech Show enjoys her new nickname from the guys; find out more today on the show. Also, there's a lot of continuing chat around the subject of blindness and today we hear more of the stories and experiences you have kindly shared with us. Get in touch with the Double Tappers and join the conversation: Email: feedba...
Nov 21, 2023•56 min
Today on the show, Steven and Shaun discuss the unexpected dismissal of Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI. This significant move was prompted by a reported loss of confidence in his leadership abilities. While the tech industry is abuzz with reactions to these developments, Steven and Shaun offer their opinions and what might happen next. Also, Mark Walker from AbilityNet joins the conversation to talk about the recent TechShare Pro event, where AI's integration with accessibility was a major focus....
Nov 20, 2023•56 min
Today on the Express, Steven and Shaun learn about what's next for Vispero's Next Big Thing, and we hear what the CEO of Pneuma Solutions thinks about the launch of the Humane AI Pin. Plus there's a review of new MacBook Pros running the latest M3 processors. Grace Scoffield joins the team, bringing us the latest news in tech, and Ryan Jones, the VP of Software at Vispero, drops by following the announcement of the winner of their Next Big Thing contest this week. Also, Mike Calvo, the CEO of Pn...
Nov 18, 2023•56 min
Today on the show, Steven and Shaun discuss CEO of Pneuma Solutions Mike Calvo's reaction to Humane's launch of the AI Pin, which he says failed to address the device’s accessibility for disabled people. Also, there's more of your emails and feedback, including questions on the best accessible games out there for blind people who aren't necessarily "gamers," and there's a suggestion on a good tech-enabled way to mark up your trash cans. Get in touch with the Double Tappers and join the conversat...
Nov 17, 2023•56 min
Today on the show, Steven and Shaun discuss the big news from Be My Eyes that it has partnered with Microsoft to create the first AI virtual assistant for its Disability Answer Desk. Read more here: https://doubletaponair.com/be-my-eyes-ai-customer-support/ There's also news from HumanWare regarding their Victor Reader Stream 3: you can now access TuneIn via the accessible audio player. Read more here: https://doubletaponair.com/tunein-partners-with-humanware-to-enhance-audio-accessibility/ Plus...
Nov 16, 2023•56 min
On today’s show, hosts Steven Scott and Shaun Preece discussed the result of the Next Big Thing contest from Vispero, highlighting winner Abby Duffy’s AI-based image recognition feature suggestion. Also, there was much discussion following listener Matthew’s email on transitioning from a Mac studio to a Windows setup for music production, as he sought advice on audio routing options, equipment choices, and accessibility-friendly backup solutions. With the holiday season in mind, Stephen introduc...
Nov 15, 2023•56 min
Today on the show, Steven and Shaun discuss a new screen reader proposed by a Portuguese developer who is blind, in reaction to what he considers "neglect" on the part of Apple and VoiceOver. Read more about the newly proposed screenreader, called Vosh, here: https://doubletaponair.com/could-a-new-screenreader-for-mac-be-on-the-way/ Also, we meet VP of Software at Vispero, Ryan Jones, and returning champion VP of Vispero, Matt Ater, to discuss the Next Big Thing contest from the company which an...
Nov 14, 2023•56 min
Today on the show, Steven and Shaun discuss Steven's latest new obsession: buying and cancelling MacBook orders! He details his thoughts on what he wants versus what he actually needs, so the big question is: what did he buy in the end? Also with the news of a new Amazon OS on the way, what will it mean for accessibility? And what should our response be when it comes to reacting to the lack of accessibility news in new products? Should we get annoyed or just wait in line? And why is Shaun upsett...
Nov 13, 2023•56 min
Today on the show, Steven and Shaun are joined by Grace Scoffield to go over the big news stories of the week, including Open AI's huge conference for developers, Be My Eyes reaction, and Elon Musk claiming to be able to restore vision to the blind. Also, there's an in-depth discussion about the new Braille learning tool called "Annie" from ThinkerBell Labs, which will be sold in the UK and other countries by Humanware. Michael Babcock also joins us for two Mac demos, one on using the NumPad Com...
Nov 11, 2023•56 min
On today’s show, Steven and Shaun discuss the launch of a brand new product: the Humane AI Pin. They talk about its features and implications, including its subscription-based model and its potential impact on accessibility. We also hear from Michael Babcock about a feature on macOS VoiceOver called NumPad Commander, which allows for greater customization and accessibility on Mac devices. Steven and Shaun also hear about updates on the accessibility of WhatsApp on Mac from listener Gordon, and S...
Nov 10, 2023•56 min
Today on the show, Steven and Shaun find out about Annie, an innovative Braille learning tool. Developed by Thinkerbell Labs and distributed by HumanWare in the UK, it promises to make learning Braille an enjoyable experience for children as they can learn on their own, although it can also be used in a classroom environment. Andrew Flatres from HumanWare joins the guys to shed light on Annie's functionality, design elements, and educational value. There's also a chat about the AI Pin by Humane,...
Nov 09, 2023•57 min
Today on the show, Steven and Shaun discuss more around the topic of accepting our sight loss, and listeners Tim, Elmer and Greg join the conversation. There's also a lot of talk about air fryers following our chat with Cobolt Systems in the UK after they announced their new talking air fryer. There's even a suggestion of an accessible recipe guide from the Double Tappers, which will add to the guide for knitting we are seemingly building too! But like all good movies, we get to the point at the...
Nov 08, 2023•56 min
Today on the show, Steven and Shaun review the first-ever Open AI DevDay for developers to learn about what the company has to offer those who want to build the next iteration of artificially intelligent applications and services. In the audience was Mike Buckley, CEO of Be My Eyes, who was called out on stage by Sam Altman, the CEO of Open AI, as a prime example of how AI can be used for good. Mike Buckley joins the guys to give his reaction to the conference and also chat about ongoing develop...
Nov 07, 2023•56 min
Today on the show, Steven and Shaun continue their long-running discussion on how AI will impact our lives. Today's chat centres on the conversation between UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the owner of X, Elon Musk, as well as the upcoming Open AI conference taking place today (November 6th). Also, we talk about the updates to NVDA that mean the end of support for Windows 7, and Michael Babcock is back with a demo of how to get an accessible clipboard manager for the Mac. And we debut our bran...
Nov 06, 2023•56 min
Today on the Express, Steven and Shaun are joined by Grace Scoffield to share the week's news in tech, featuring Apple's "Scary Fast" event, news about Seleste audio and video glasses and Pringles making its chips more accessible. Plus, there's a conversation with Karl from Cobolt Systems in the UK following their announcement of a new talking air fryer, and we revisit our conversation with Daniel Lubiner from the TouchPad Pro Foundation to learn about the origins of the Braille Doodle learning ...
Nov 04, 2023•56 min
Today on the show, Steven and Shaun discuss the not-often-talked-about problem of facing ableism from other people who are blind, following a strange experience Steven had on social media recently. Also, listener Felix shares his issues around iOS 17, Gordon talks about using Aira with his audio sunglasses and Biggles asks if we should be using Open AI ChatGPT for medical advice. Get in touch with the Double Tappers and join the conversation: Email: feedback@doubletaponair.com Call: 1-877-803-45...
Nov 03, 2023•56 min
Today on the show, Steven and Shaun dip into the Inbox for a chilled-out read through your messages. We hear from Michael, who is having issues with the setup of his Mac, and Tom, who has been getting some interesting image descriptions from Seeing AI. Plus, there's chat about Braille displays and the value of gaming peripherals for those who are blind or partially sighted. Get in touch with the Double Tappers and join the conversation: Email: feedback@doubletaponair.com Call: 1-877-803-4567 (Ca...
Nov 02, 2023•56 min
Today on the show, Steven and Shaun discuss the controversy surrounding the announcement by Microsoft to stop supporting third-party game controllers on its Xbox gaming console. The news has shocked many disabled gamers, who rely on various wired devices in order to play the games they love. However, there is an update and it's good news! Also, the Canadian company behind the new smart glasses that allow video and audio calling wirelessly from your iPhone has a big update to share. Seleste is ho...
Nov 01, 2023•56 min
Today's Double Tap brings together some of the biggest Apple Mac tech heads we know to discuss, pick through and in some cases, lust over all that was revealed at Apple's Scary Fast event. Steven Scott, Michael Babcock, Damashe Thomas and Jenine Stanley will be reacting to the new M3 range of Apple Silicon and the new Mac computers powered by them. Get in touch with the Double Tappers and join the conversation: Email: feedback@doubletaponair.com Call: 1-877-803-4567 (Canada and USA) / 0204 571 3...
Oct 31, 2023•57 min
