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 , and Sightless Kombat . 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 sighte...
Nov 03, 2020•58 min•Ep. 352
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 ...
Oct 27, 2020•58 min•Ep. 351
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, ...
Oct 20, 2020•58 min•Ep. 350
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...
Oct 13, 2020•58 min•Ep. 349
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...
Oct 06, 2020•58 min•Ep. 348
Hello, fellow geeks! Welcome to another terrific Tech Talk episode, full to the brim of everything you could wish for! Joining Steven on today's show - Robin from AbilityNet , Tim from Life After Blindness , and Andy 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 t...
Sep 29, 2020•58 min•Ep. 347
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 ...
Sep 22, 2020•58 min•Ep. 346
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 mat...
Sep 15, 2020•58 min•Ep. 345
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...
Sep 08, 2020•58 min•Ep. 344
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 . 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 ...
Sep 01, 2020•58 min•Ep. 343
Oh look, it's you! Fancy seeing you here! Just in time for Tech Talk! Steven, Robin & Andy return to talk all manner of gadgets and gizmos, but not before Robin gives out an apology for a boo-boo from last week... He's only gone and mixed up his Williams and Bills! The trio discuss Google Lookout, which has seen some updates over the last week - it now offers two new features: the ability to identify food labels, and to scan documents. Is this the Seeing AI app that Android users were cravin...
Aug 25, 2020•58 min•Ep. 342
Greetings, Tech Talkees! Join Steven, Robin and Andy on this week's show to hear the fallout from Samsung Unpacked from a few weeks back, and what kind of pull Android has in 2020. We say goodbye to Toshiba tech, as they quietly exited the laptop business for good, after 35 years of great machines. The guys discuss what went wrong, why the sales dropped off, and who is now taking on their PC business. Also listener Will has sent us another Aira in the UK demo, this time to assist with his dinner...
Aug 18, 2020•58 min•Ep. 341
Are you here for Tech Talk? Well you're in the right place! Steven's here, Robin's there, and Andy's everywhere - on today's TT, plenty of topics to discuss, including 'Theia', a robotic guide dog prototype designed by Anthony Camu - would you switch out having a fluffy, cuddly (and sometimes smelly) real life guide dog, in exchange for one that you need to plug in and recharge every night? And where would the USB slot be?! Crikey! Also, Steven chats with Dave Williams, founder of the Braillists...
Aug 11, 2020•58 min•Ep. 340
Hello, friends! On this week's Tech Talk, Steven and Robin spend a bit more time discussing Aira now being available in the UK, and how it differs from services such as Be My Eyes. We also have a demo from listener Will trying out the service - thanks Will! (Plus, if you would like 60 minutes free upon signup instead of the usual 30, Will has also shared a referral code, so click this link here: https://link.aira.io/ref-v8n65 ) Also on the show, RNIB's very own Paulina Kuchorew chats to Linzi Sa...
Aug 04, 2020•58 min•Ep. 339
Hello, Tech Talkers! Here's a warning - this episode is very lively... we've all been fuelled by strong coffee! On today's show, Steven chats with Brendan Lewis from RealSam, the makers of In Your Pocket, to talk about how the product can help blind and partially sighted people, and also to showcase a new handset device just launched. Also on the show, we delve deep into the swimming pool of emails! Aside from all the rogue Radio 4 mentions, we also talk about: the Echo Show 8, Fujitsu supercomp...
Jul 28, 2020•58 min•Ep. 338
Ahoy hoy Tech Talk listeners - what a show we have today! It's braille-tastic! Friend of the show Karina Gregory makes a return to chat to Steven about the recently released Mantis Q40, which, controversially, has a QWERTY keyboard... oooft! Also, sticking with regular Tech Talk contributors, iSee host David Woodbridge has a new demonstration all about using braille with the Apple Watch. Will either of these features convince Robin to get back into braille? All that, plus Twitter and recent hack...
Jul 21, 2020•58 min•Ep. 337
Hello hello hello! Welcome to another Tech Talk. It's a Tech Talk of two halves this week; how exciting! Firstly Steven and Robin are joined by Read On host, and general all-round good egg Red Szell, who is in the market for a new computer. Is it true to say that buying a PC or Mac when you're blind or partially sighted requires a little bit more effort? The team talk to Red about his tech history, what he uses his computer for, and what's the team think is best for him. Then for the last half, ...
Jul 14, 2020•58 min•Ep. 336
Ahoy! The good ship Tech Talk sets sail once again - join Captain Steven Scott, First Mate Robin Christopherson and Cabin Boy Andy for another week of accessible tech adventures! On this week's show, David Woodbridge gives us a demo of the iPhone SE, we talk about the UK arrival of Aira, the subscription service which allows blind and low-vision users to receive remote assistance through an app on a smartphone, and Robin shares the details about an upcoming Ability.Net webinar (details below!) A...
Jul 07, 2020•58 min•Ep. 335
Hello TT fans! Here's what's on this weeks show: We hear all about the latest PlayStation game currently making headlines... for all the right accessible reasons! The Last of Us 2 is breaking down barriers, meaning gamers with disabilities can also enjoy it, which includes Ross Meegan, who we chat to. Speaking of games, this time of the board variety, we hear from a listener in India who would like to know if any accessible crossword puzzles and accessible Scrabble games exist, so that his stude...
Jun 30, 2020•58 min•Ep. 334
We told you we had two treats for you this week... So, here we are, weirdly, on a Thursday! Steven and Robin return, and they've brought back Andy after his day off on Tuesday to go through the overflowing email inbox. So coming up on this show: Tackling Microsoft Teams, BlindSquare and accurate mapping via GPS, iPads, Audio Description levels, and of course we give another mention to the Turbo Scrub... it's getting so many mentions I think we should start getting advertising money! Also, for al...
Jun 25, 2020•58 min•Ep. 333
Hello all! We have a couple of treats for you this week, TT fans! Firstly, today - Steven is joined by Robin Christopherson (from AbilityNet), and Shaun Preece (from... his shed) to discuss, dissect and disassemble Monday's WWDC from Apple... what was announced, what was not announced, and what about the new accessibility features that don't often get covered on the day? The trio talk about what they're most looking forward to. And the second treat? Well, you'll have to wait until Thursday for t...
Jun 23, 2020•58 min•Ep. 332
On Tech Talk this week, the team tackle the overflowing email inbox! This includes all the correspondence received on the screen reader chat from last week; which do you prefer? Narrator, NVDA or JAWS? Also on the show, we talk about Apple moving away from Intel's x86 chips to new processors of Apple's own design, recommendations for wireless headsets, and Steven gets to the bottom of the news that RNIB Book Library are (possibly) offering SD Cards containing 700 braille ready books. To email us...
Jun 16, 2020•58 min•Ep. 331
Steven's here, Robin's there, and Andy is... somewhere! Yes, it's Tech Talk o'clock! On today's show, we hear from RNIB Library and Newsagent Manager James Bartlett, who chats to Rowland Myers about the RNIB's online accessible book library, Steven gives a demo of how to set up and access the service using the Dolphin EasyReader app, and Robin tells us all about the updates to Narrator, and gives a rather eye-opening horse/donkey analogy! Also on this weeks episode: Andy McNab vs Hamish Macbeth,...
Jun 09, 2020•58 min•Ep. 330
Welcome back to Tech Talk, everyone! We're still at home! On the show this week, Steven waxes lyrical over his massive new TV, and all the accessibility features it has, including audio description and voice guidance... he's very impressed! He can even see who is at his front door on it! This is thanks to the Ring doorbell app, which also has had a few updates. We natter about the Microsoft Ability Summit, and we hear a snippet from the keynote opening of the event by Chief Accessibility Officer...
Jun 02, 2020•58 min•Ep. 329
[Hello TT fans; wondering why you've got this week's episode in your podcast feed again? Well, the original upload only lasted 48 minutes - whoops! Here's the full show. Soz x] Hi There! Ready for another Tech Talk? Of course you are! On this week's episode, the gang discuss Robin's busy week last week, what with the 9th Global Accessibility Awareness Day occurring - Steven on the other hand has just been turbo scrubbing various items around his house... Poor Dougal! We talk about the rumours re...
May 26, 2020•58 min•Ep. 328
Today is Global Accessibility Awareness Day! GAAD is an awareness day focusing on digital access and inclusion for the more than one billion people with disabilities and impairments. In this special episode of Tech Talk, Steven Scott sits down with two Robins! Robin Christopherson, Head of Digital Inclusion at AbilityNet and regular TT co-host, and Robin Spinks, the Principal Manager of Digital Accessibility at the RNIB. The trio discuss GAAD, and all the good being done by charities, manufactur...
May 21, 2020•58 min•Ep. 327
Welcome back my friends, to the show that never ends, we're so glad you could attend, come inside, come inside! Steven, Robin and Andy return for another marvellous episode of Tech Talk - on this week's show we are joined by Stuart Beveridge, Assistive Technology Trainer at SeeScape. Stuart joins us to answer your questions on the 40-cell Braille display 'ElBraille', including if there are plans for a smaller model, and if it's compatible with personalised macros. Also on the show, we talk about...
May 19, 2020•58 min•Ep. 326
Hello, Tech Talk fans! Episode 325 is ready for your ears! We cover a handful of news items in today’s episode, chiefly the Microsoft Surface Go 2’s arrival; how does it compare with the rest of the ‘not-quite-a-tablet-not-completely-a-laptop’ market? Can anyone make a convincing case to buying it? Elsewhere Steven’s been glued to shopping channels during lock-down: he will soon be the proud owner of something called a ‘Turbo Scrub’! Will he get bored enough to give us a full review next week? A...
May 12, 2020•58 min•Ep. 325
It's absolutely chockablock in Tech Talk Towers today; there's no room to move! That's because we have Steven, Robin, Shaun and Andy all in attendance. Yes, Steven returns from his illness! You can tell, because there's extra waffle in this week's episode. Alongside the waffle, the gang talk about the iPhone SE, and Steven's first impressions, Intel to buy Moovit, Robin chats about a recent purchase - the Echo Show 8, there's talk about the Covid-19 tracking software being implemented, and we al...
May 05, 2020•58 min•Ep. 324
Tech Talk is here to blow your isolation blues away! Robin and Andy welcome Shaun Preece back for another week as Steven recovers from his illness. The trio deal have a jam-packed show for you, including: The return of Fraggle Rock, now on Apple TV+, The arrival of Galloways and RNIB remote support via Be My Eyes, mental health with Headspace, an anniversary for Microsoft Disability Answer Desk, email topics including microwaves, and someone not liking the chat about Harry Potter! All that, plus...
Apr 28, 2020•58 min•Ep. 323
