Podcasts about orbit reader

Struggling with VoiceOver passcodes, buggy Victor Reader Stream 3, or wondering if Braille displays and AI doorbells are worth the hype? Steven Scott and Shaun Preece dive into tech frustrations, safety tips, and some hilariously relatable blind life stories.In this lively episode of Double Tap, Steven and Shaun start their Monday debating protein shakes, exercise, and why fitness might be overrated. The conversation jumps into home tech safety, including smart power strips, USB chargers, and a fire officer's tips for avoiding house fires caused by cheap plugs and overnight phone charging. Listeners share their experiences with: Victor Reader Stream 3 bugs and whether specialist tech gets too much leeway. iPhone passcode frustrations for VoiceOver users, plus tips for Face ID, Touch ID, and Split Tap entry. Braille displays like the Orbit Reader, their durability, and repair realities. Shaving while blind, pocket obsession, and creative ways to carry everything without a bag. Find Double Tap online: YouTube, Double Tap Website---Follow on:YouTube: https://www.doubletaponair.com/youtubeX (formerly Twitter): https://www.doubletaponair.com/xInstagram: https://www.doubletaponair.com/instagramTikTok: https://www.doubletaponair.com/tiktokThreads: https://www.doubletaponair.com/threadsFacebook: https://www.doubletaponair.com/facebookLinkedIn: https://www.doubletaponair.com/linkedin Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://www.doubletaponair.com/appleSpotify: https://www.doubletaponair.com/spotifyRSS: https://www.doubletaponair.com/podcastiHeadRadio: https://www.doubletaponair.com/iheart About Double TapHosted by the insightful duo, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, Double Tap is a treasure trove of information for anyone who's blind or partially sighted and has a passion for tech. Steven and Shaun not only demystify tech, but they also regularly feature interviews and welcome guests from the community, fostering an interactive and engaging environment. Tune in every day of the week, and you'll discover how technology can seamlessly integrate into your life, enhancing daily tasks and experiences, even if your sight is limited. "Double Tap" is a registered trademark of Double Tap Productions Inc. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Discover the latest in accessible tech for blind users, including InnoSearch's new accessible storefronts and mobile app, BlindShell and Orbit Reader updates, and a call for your funniest tech horror stories ahead of Halloween.This episode of Double Tap with Steven Scott and Shaun Preece dives into a packed week of accessible technology news. InnoSearch unveils accessible online stores that empower blind entrepreneurs to sell products easily, as well as a brand-new app for iOS and Android. Listeners are invited to share their scariest tech horror stories for the upcoming Halloween special, with a feature called the “Accessibility Crypt,” celebrating old “dead” tech that still haunts our memories.The hosts also cover a critical BlindShell Classic 1 update, a new Orbit Reader firmware release, and a strange Samsung TalkBack bug. They discuss Facebook Messenger's retreat from desktop, smart home Wi-Fi solutions, and clever tips for Apple Watch and VoiceOver users.Relevant LinksInnoSearch: https://www.innosearch.aiBe My Eyes: https://www.bemyeyes.comBlindShell Updates: https://www.blindshell.comOrbit Research: https://www.orbitresearch.com Find Double Tap online: YouTube, Double Tap Website---Follow on:YouTube: https://www.doubletaponair.com/youtubeX (formerly Twitter): https://www.doubletaponair.com/xInstagram: https://www.doubletaponair.com/instagramTikTok: https://www.doubletaponair.com/tiktokThreads: https://www.doubletaponair.com/threadsFacebook: https://www.doubletaponair.com/facebookLinkedIn: https://www.doubletaponair.com/linkedin Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://www.doubletaponair.com/appleSpotify: https://www.doubletaponair.com/spotifyRSS: https://www.doubletaponair.com/podcastiHeadRadio: https://www.doubletaponair.com/iheart About Double TapHosted by the insightful duo, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, Double Tap is a treasure trove of information for anyone who's blind or partially sighted and has a passion for tech. Steven and Shaun not only demystify tech, but they also regularly feature interviews and welcome guests from the community, fostering an interactive and engaging environment. Tune in every day of the week, and you'll discover how technology can seamlessly integrate into your life, enhancing daily tasks and experiences, even if your sight is limited. "Double Tap" is a registered trademark of Double Tap Productions Inc. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What do the Clicks Keyboard, Ember Mug, Monarch braille display, and AirPods Pro 2 all have in common? They're all in the inbox this week on Double Tap!Steven and Shaun dive into your messages, starting with Mallory's reflections on Clicks and warm drinks, to Daisy's deep dive into the Monarch's potential—and price tag. You'll hear honest takes on smart glasses like EchoVision, plus a listener story about using AirPods Pro 2 as hearing aids (and one almost lost at Burger King). And in true Double Tap fashion, things go hilariously off track with accidental disco rants, talk of cigarette-scented hospital doorfinding, and a legendary Scottish passive-aggressive takedown on a public bus.From accessibility insights to laugh-out-loud commentary, this episode captures exactly what makes Double Tap so beloved—and why the community keeps growing.[Chapters]00:00 – What day is it? Time for emails02:15 – Message from Mallory: Clicks Keyboard & Ember Mug04:45 – Is the Clicks Keyboard worth it? Bulk, buttons & thoughts07:50 – Tech for blind coders: Start your podcast!09:22 – Monarch feedback from Daisy in Nebraska13:10 – Why the Monarch matters (but is still out of reach)16:20 – Are high costs keeping us from better tech?20:30 – Should price come first in a review?22:50 – Orbit Reader questions & alternatives24:00 – Gregory's smart glasses: Celeste vs. EchoVision27:15 – Why do so many companies chase the same idea?29:30 – Smart glasses: Designed for blind people, or just usable?32:05 – Could OpenAI take over this space?34:20 – What's the perfect mix of tech and real-world tools?38:50 – Hetty's AirPods Pro 2 as hearing aids (and ear tip issues)43:40 – Using earbuds in noisy environments45:50 – Meta Ray-Bans and adaptive audio in action48:10 – Public transport disco and hospital soundscapes50:18 – Chris McCausland praise & TTS audio description debate52:35 – The future of AD: More content, fewer humans?55:10 – Why writing the description script matters most⸻[Key Quotes]“We do need to have a range of voices. And if they were all the same, it wouldn't really be very good for the community, right?” — Steven Scott“If it works for you, and it's amazing, then the money kind of becomes irrelevant—you'll find a way to pay for it.” — Steven Scott“Smart glasses don't need to be ‘for blind people.' They just need to work well for everyone.” — Shaun Preece[Relevant Links]Clicks Keyboard: https://clicks.techEmber Mug: https://ember.comHumanWare Monarch: https://www.humanware.comMeta Ray-Ban Glasses: https://www.ray-ban.com/metaApple AirPods Pro 2: https://www.apple.com/airpods-pro/Be My Eyes (partnered with OpenAI): https://www.bemyeyes.com

In this episode of Double Tap, Steven and Shaun return to the inbox to read listener feedback and share deeply personal experiences—starting with Steven's recent hospital stay. From insensitive medical staff to outdated assumptions about blind people, Steven unpacks the emotional highs and lows of navigating healthcare while visually impaired.The pair also dig into big tech topics, including listener reviews of Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 versus Pixel Watch, the pros and cons of angle gestures in Android, and the realities of using a Windows laptop with an ARM processor. Plus, there's an honest look at the Echo Vision smart glasses, the Glidance mobility aid, and whether blind users should still invest time in learning braille.You'll hear passionate listener opinions—from frustration over UEB to support for Fairlight (Ferret-ight?) audio editing on iPad. There's even a touching shout-out from an eight-year-old fan who thinks Sean deserves top billing!Get in touch with Double Tap by emailing us feedback@doubletaponair.com or by call 1-877-803-4567 and leave us a voicemail. You can also now contact us via Whatsapp on 1-613-481-0144 or visit doubletaponair.com/whatsapp to connect. We are also across social media including X, Mastodon and Facebook. Double Tap is available daily on AMI-audio across Canada, on podcast worldwide and now on YouTube.Chapter Markers:00:00 Introduction02:51 Navigating Medical Environments06:13 Attitudes Towards Blindness09:06 Parenting and Blindness11:55 Listener Interactions and Accessibility Tech25:06 Windows ARM Experience37:20 Navigating Accessibility Tools43:08 The Braille Debate: Relevance and Education52:05 Exploring Kindle and Fire Tablet Accessibility Find Double Tap online: YouTube, Double Tap WebsiteJoin the conversation and add your voice to the show either by calling in, sending an email or leaving us a voicemail!Email: feedback@doubletaponair.comPhone: 1-877-803-4567

Éste, es el primero de los cuatro episodios en los que se va a dividir la entrevista realizada a Venkatesh Chari,Consejero Delegado de la empresa Orbit Research, a finales del mes de mayo de 2024, y en este episodio, nos hablará de las nuevas líneas Braille Orbit Reader Q20 y Q40. Si queréis poneros en contacto conmigo, podéis escribirme a la dirección de correo electrónico mariagarciagarmendia@gmail.com

In this lively episode of Double Tap, hosts Steven Scott and Shaun Preece start with a clarification about the Orbit Reader Q40, correcting a previous guest's thoughts about the number of cells it has—it's 40, not 48, as was mistakenly mentioned.The discussion then moves to Apple's WWDC announcement, where Steven expresses his waning interest in the Vision Pro, contrasting with Sean's curiosity about its development potential, especially concerning the accessibility of its cameras to developers.Listener emails bring a personal touch to the episode, with stories and questions about cane preferences, non-tech sunglasses for bright sunlight, and the importance of mobility training over tech solutions for navigation challenges. The hosts also address feedback on various topics, including the accessibility of the Amazon Music iOS app and the potential of Windows Spots on Apple Voiceover to improve navigation on Mac.Keep in touch by emailing us feedback@doubletaponair.com or call 1-877-803-4567 and leave us a voicemail. You can also find us across social media.Steven ScottHost and creator of Double Tap – available daily on AMI-Audio, on podcast and on YouTubeMobile – +44 7718 251 846Website: www.doubletaponair.com Schedule a catchup or an interviewDouble Tap is available as a podcast on these platforms:Apple Podcasts  Google Podcasts  Spotify  Tune In  Stitcher

In this episode of Double Tap, hosts Steven Scott and Shaun Preece are back with their usual chat and banter. The show kicks off with Steven reminding listeners about their YouTube channel, where they upload video versions of their episodes. He then teases an upcoming YouTube video focusing on the accessibility features of the Apple Vision Pro, a device that has been met with mixed reviews and confusion about its purpose. Shaun shares his excitement about his new Focusrite Vocaster Two, which has significantly improved his audio quality, much to Steven's approval. Steven talks about moving away from a traditional mixer to the Vocaster Two and praises its accessible software. Steven also talks about his recent purchases. He shares his experience with the Orbit Reader, which he bought from eBay. Despite initially receiving the device set to French, Steven manages to switch it to English and performs a firmware upgrade. He discusses the importance of reading manuals and how it helped him navigate the new device. He also talks about his new Victor Reader Stream Three and highlights its compact size, tactile buttons, Bluetooth capabilities, and support for SD cards up to one terabyte. He notes the device's potential as a content consumption tool and expresses his eagerness to use it for reading newspapers and other media. In the second half of the show, there's an interview with Gedeon Mayhew from IconFactory, who introduces Project Tapestry, an upcoming app that aims to unify social media and news feeds into one accessible platform. Gedeon discusses the challenges of developing apps without venture capital and how his Kickstarter helps mitigate financial risks. Keep your feedback coming too by emailing feedback@doubletaponair.com or call 1-877-804-4567 and leave us a voicemail. You can also find us on social media and now on YouTube.

From the 2023 NFB Convention Floor, Blind Abilities podcast host Simon Bonenfant talked with Orbit Research CEO Venkatesh Chari and Adi Kushner, CEO of AccessMind. Venkatesh first gives listeners an overview of the products Orbit research has produced in the past such as the Orbit Reader 20 and 40 cell braille displays, talking graphing calculators, iBill Currency Reader, Orbit Writer, etc. While this interview mainly focuses on the two new products from Orbit Research, you can check out the full list of product offerings on their Website   The first new product from Orbit Research scheduled to be released this year is called Orbit Speak. From the Orbit Research website: “The Orbit Speak is equipped with features of a modern braille notetaker with a braille keyboard and synthesized speech output in a compact, pocket-sized device.” To learn more and pre-order your Orbit Speak today, visit its Product Page   The second product discussed is the latest offering from Orbit Research in conjunction with AccessMind, called the Optima. This all-in-one braille laptop offers a 40-cell braille display with a qwerty keyboard, and the power of the fully featured Windows 11. In addition to learning more about this revolutionary product, Adi gives listeners an overview of his inspiration for the product, and how his own experience led him to partner with Orbit Research for its development. Orbit Research will begin to ship pre-orders in the first quarter of 2024. For more details, visit the Optima's Webpage Read More

We are excited to have the opportunity to make the initial presentation about the Orbit Speak on TekTalk. For those of us who remember the excitement of using our first speech based notetaker those many years ago, that time has come again. The Orbit Speak is a Braille bluetooth keyboard notetaker, book reader, and personal manager equipped with Google voices. It brings all of the power of the Orbit Reader 20 Plus, including forward and back Braille translation without the Braille display at an affordable price. We will describe the layout of the device and demonstrate a number of its powerful features, while also describing the two different models that will be available. Since the release and shipping date is still between 3 and 4 months away, there is still some fine tuning to do, but the unit is in operating condition and we are thrilled to be in the final pre-production stage of a much anticipated release. Of course, we will leave sufficient time for questions. Presenter Contact Info Barry Scheur GuideLights And Gadgets, Inc. Address: 1597 Suncrest Drive, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 Phone: (617) 969-7500 Email: barry.scheur@gmail.com Website: www.guidelightsandgadgets.us

The Orbit Reader range is now very extensive and comprises the Orbit Reader 20, the Orbit Reader 20 Plus and the Orbit Reader 40. On Tuesday 30 May 2023, James Bowden, Braille Technical Officer at RNIB, talked us through what these products can do, how they work, and the differences between Orbit Readers and other braille displays and notetakers. We learnt: The differences between the Orbit Reader 20, 20 Plus and 40 How Orbit technology differs from traditional braille display technology How to find and open files How to find text within a file How to use the editor How to transferr files between the Orbit and a computer For further information please visit the Braillists Foundation Media Page.

The Braillists Foundation recently held its first face-to-face event since the Coronavirus pandemic. In this episode, we catch up with some of the people who attended, and we also hear recordings of the three presentations which took place: Reading multilingual text using an iPhone, the Kindle app and a Focus 14 Text enntry with an iPhone and a Brailliant BI40X Reading books with an iPhone, the Kindle app and an Orbit Reader 20

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Justin Philips, a Braille and spoken English trainer at Vision-Aid, an organization working to empower blind and visually impaired people in the country. Born with congenital blindness, Justin lost his sight by the age of seven. Despite the lack of technology and resources for blind people during his growing up years, Justin achieved a master's degree in Economics. He navigated his career path as a telephone operator, salesperson, a trainer and even worked as a transcriptionist for eight years, before learning to use computers. Today he not only trains people on Orbit Reader, Windows, iPhone etcetera but also works actively to ensure blind people have access to jobs. Justin also teaches Bollywood and Western popular music and loves reading books, and listening to podcasts and music. Tune in to learn more about his journey from ordinary to extraordinary! To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/N97jZArU_UKoNGdL7_PGQrCkAhA This podcast is brought to you by Score Foundation. To support our work, kindly visit the link: https://scorefoundation.org.in/get-involved/

In this session, Matthew Horspool explains how braille is still relevant in the 21st century and demonstrates how free and low-cost braille technology is significantly improving the independence and productivity of blind and partially sighted people of all ages. We paid particular attention to Braille Screen Input and the Orbit Reader, both of which are relatively recent additions to the braille technology landscape and are being used by thousands of people all over the world. This session was presented by the Braillists Foundation on behalf of Visionary: Linking Local Sight Loss Charities on Tuesday 8 February 2022.

And we're back! Following the nightmare that was Storm Franklin, we are able to return with a new episode of Blind Guy Talks Tech. However we don't like leaving you without your full fix of the show so we have brought two features together in today's special episode focusing on both the new Windows 11 updates that are rolling out across the world and also a great feature tutorial on how to get braille books on to your Orbit Reader from the RNIB library. First up Steven and Shaun discuss the new features in Windows 11 including enhancements to the taskbar, new Notepad and Media player applications and the big news of the Amazon App Store being added to the system for the first time (US only for now). We even get a demo from Microsoft's accessibility team showing us how apps will be accessible using Narrator and a new sub-system screenreader. And then we are joined by Ben Rendle from the RNIB Technology for Life team who shares with us the way to get RNIB braille books in .brf format on to your Orbit Reader braille display. We've got lots more exciting content coming up this week so be sure to listen out and check out past episodes on blindguytalkstech.com but in the meantime feel free to share your views by emailing hello@blindguytalkstech.com or call 0204 571 3354.

En este nuevo episodio retomamos los episodios dedicados a la línea Braille Orbit Reader 20 plus, , y vemos una nueva función, para agregar y quitar idiomas añadida con la nueva actualización. Si queréis poneros en contacto conmigo podéis escribirme a la dirección de correo electrónico mariagarciagarmendia@gmail.com

How many listeners remember Talks? The popular screen reader for Series 60 and other phones running the Symbian operating system. It first came to the market in the early 2000s, and perhaps its most well-known proponent in the UK was Steve Nutt, the man behind Computer Room Services. His expertise when it comes to mobile phones is unparalleled and, unphased by the slow demise of Symbian, he's now just as well-known for his knowledge of Android. There's more to Steve than phones though. His company offers assistive technology training and consultancy; braille transcription; and sells a wide range of products including digital audio recorders, talking gadgets, talking book machines, speech synthesizers and other assistive software and, most notably for this podcast, an assortment of braille products. In addition to flagship displays from VisioBraille and Esys, he also sells the full range of leather cases from Executive Products, including a case for the popular Orbit Reader 20. Call Computer Room Services: 01438 742286 Also In This Episode Sight Village Birmingham: Queen Alexandra College, Court Oak Road, Harborne, Birmingham, B17 9TG Braille and Beer: The Old House at Home, 193, Lordswood Road, Harborne, Birmingham, B17 8QP Focus 14 Blue 5th gen and Focus 40 Blue 5th gen special offer: call 01604 798070 or order online Vision Through Sound CIC

In this update to his previous podcasts on braille, Scott Davert gives us some general information about braille displays as they relate to their use with iOS devices. He then talks about connecting a braille display using USB and then Bluetooth. Further, the braille menu under VoiceOver Settings, navigational commands, text input, how to set up auto scroll, and how to get additional help are all covered. Links mentioned in the podcast include: Apple's support page covering Common braille commands for VoiceOver on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod Apple's support article listing Bluetooth keyboard commands for iOS and iPadOS Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter A roughly edited transcript of the podcast follows. [music] Opening announcement: You're listening to the AppleVis Podcast. Scott Davert: Hey, everybody, Scott Davert here. I'm going to record this podcast on using Braille displays with iOS devices. Now if you've been around AppleVis and the AppleVis Podcast for many years, you may recall that I already did this podcast. However, I did that podcast back in January of 2016. Now that we're five iOS releases later, and five years later in terms of the technology, of course, many things have changed, even some of the most basic level. What are we covering in this podcast? That's always a good question to ask yourself before, and hopefully the person recording it gives you an idea. What we're going to be covering in this podcast is, first of all, general information about Braille displays and what connects and what doesn't. Then we'll talk about connecting both through Bluetooth and USB. We'll go through the Braille Display menu on iOS. We'll talk about navigation in terms of getting around your various home screens, activating apps, and so on and so forth. From there, we'll go into text editing very briefly. We'll talk about how to get help because we all need that once in a while, and setting up auto scroll. The first topic, general information, well, pretty much any Braille display made within the last 10 years. I say pretty much because there may be one out there somewhere that I'm not aware of that doesn't support iOS. To my knowledge, all of the Braille displays on the market do support iOS and voice-over. What you will have to make sure is that you're running a compatible version of iOS. For example, if you are running one of the new Humanware displays, they recommend that you run iOS 13.6 or later. The new Orbit 40, Orbit Reader 40, I should say, emulates a VarioUltra, which means the Orbit Reader 40 supports iOS devices, going back to, I want to say, 8.3, it may have been 8.4, or something like that. Anyway, whatever it is, it goes back many iOS versions. The focus fifth-generation supported iOS, I want to say, with maybe iOS nine. I don't remember exactly on that one. Anyway, point being is, check with your user documentation if…

Over the years, blind people have benefitted from incredible enhancements in the fields of electronic braille and accessibility in general. In fact, it's now possible to purchase a fully accessible Amazon Fire tablet for under £50 which, pared with an inexpensive braille display such as an Orbit Reader, and Amazons Kindle store which offers access ... Read more

En este nuevo episodio retomamos los podcast dedicados al uso de la línea Braille Orbit Reader 20 plus, y vemos cómo conectar la misma a los ordenadores Mac. Si queréis poneros en contacto conmigo podéis escribirme a la dirección de correo electrónico mariagarciagarmendia@gmail.com

Sste es el último de los episodios dedicados a la línea Braille Orbit Reader 20 plus, y veremos cómo cambiar el idioma a español, en caso de que esté en inglés. SI queréis poneros en contacto conmigo podéis escribirme a la dirección de correo electrónico mariagarciagarmendia@gmail.com

En este episodio vemos juntos cómo actualizar la línea Braille Orbit Reader 20 plus desde la propia tarjeta sd, útil muy especialmente para los usuarios de ordenadores Mac. Si queréis poneros en contacto conmigo podéis escribirme a la dirección de correo electrónico mariagarciagarmendia@gmail.com

Update from Last Weeks Show, Super Sense should have been Super Lidar.   Podcasts From Me   Setting up an M1 MacBook Pro   This completes my M1 Mac demos: Mac mini, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro.   https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-vq8f6-f928fc?utm_campaign=au_share_ep&utm_medium=dlink&utm_source=au_share   Exploring Technology Webinar with David Woodbridge - Back to School   Highlighting assistive software and hardware for back to School, link for the show contains all the product links to follow-up.   https://s306.podbean.com/pb/3371b6cba966225d13a0f814835d53a3/601627fa/data1/fs145/4313470/uploads/explring_Technology_Back_to_School7wvqx.mp3?pbss=05268f91-e3f2-5ce4-ae92-40bdcb1e4f57   Apple Quarter Financial Report   Yep, they made lot’s of money again smile.   https://9to5mac.com/2021/01/27/aapl-earnings-q1-2021-apple/   Thoughts About the Mantis Q40   Excellent Braille Display with it’s QWERTY keyboard and 40 cell Braille Display.  Very easy to use and connect.   https://shop.visionaustralia.org/shop/product/esbr022-so   Warning About Updating to iOS 14.4 with Braille Displays   Mainly aimed at the Mantis Q40 with a blog post from APH re. Mantis Q40 not reconnecting correctly after locking/unlocking iPhone. My QBraille and Orbit Reader are fine.   https://www.aph.org/ios-14-4-mantis-and-chameleon-issues/   Two Interesting Episodes from Jonathan Mosen Podcast: Mosen At Larege   Episode 93 where he discuss’s the Braille bug in iOS 14.4, and Episode 92 where he discuss’s and demos LIdAR within the Seeing AI app.     Apple Privacy   Amazing how much actually gets tracked. Just look in the Privacy Report in Safari on iOS or Mac to see how many Trackers are actually blocked, when I checked more they had 55 trackers that were blocked.   https://appleinsider.com/articles/21/01/28/apple-illustrates-privacy-issues-on-data-privacy-day   My WaterFields Design Case for my AirPods Max   Nice thing about this actual case, I can put the AirPods Max in the case even if they are in their own smart pouch.   https://www.sfbags.com/products/airpods-max-shield-case

Brand new year, same old Tech Talk! Welcome back everyone, we hope your Christmas and New Year was as good as current situations allow, and that 2021 has started as close to promising as possible. The team of Steven, Robin, Tim and Andy return for our first official TT of the new year (even though we have been on already... shhh). On today's episode, the team talk about the 'World' update to Seeing AI, which utilises the LIDAR tech found in the latest iPhones. Sadly this means the only person to be able to test it so far is the one in the group who likes shiny new Apple things - Steven! We get his thoughts on locating mugs, dogs, and everything in between. Also, Robin's telling us all about an update to Google Nest series, and the introduction of sleep tracking. Some of us already use phone apps to monitor how much of a good nights kip we got; we'd love to hear if you think this is a good idea or not. We also tackle emails - Is it worth looking into an Apple TV, if the Amazon Fire Stick seems to offer it already? There's also a rather spicy email about the guys not giving NVDA a fair enough try. Will any of the team fancy using NVDA for six weeks? The TFL team also join us twice this episode, Ben talks us through the roll out of some online advice sessions for parents with blind children - If you need some technical support, such as help with JAWS, or braille displays, RNIB is at hand. Ben also talks us a step by step guide on how to get braille books onto your Orbit Reader 20 - very handy indeed! All that, plus spilling tea, WhatsApp privacy, thrashing about in bed, Kenny G, freedom of speech, doorbells, Audible Sync, and reverse engineering Steven's brain. PLUG! If you want to attend the Accessibility Insights with the European Disability Forum, taking place on Tuesday 19 January 2021, at 1pm GMT, and hosted by Robin and featuring Alejandro Moledo, you can register here (https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/6816076171318/WN_ppemTXTORgidTmxTdXSEww) , or find more information here (http://abilitynet.org.uk/insights-EDF) ! SECOND PLUG! Are you an avid video gamer? Guide Dogs want to launch a new gaming fundraising campaign in 2021 and we need a small team of enthusiastic game lovers who can help provide us with the insight we need. You’ll have the chance to feed into ideas, share your experience and help us turn Guide Dogs into a gaming savvy charity! To find out more, email gaming@guidedogs.org.uk.  Catch you all next week!

Some Gadgets I purchased over the Break   HDMI dummy plug   https://www.amazon.com.au/Emulator-Headless-plateFits-discreetly-1920x1080/dp/B079K3CQRT/ref=pd_rhf_ee_s_rp_c_2_0_1/357-9125430-9408313?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B079K3CQRT&pd_rd_r=314f9c49-0597-4665-9e72-2a27294fc029&pd_rd_w=wvpJR&pd_rd_wg=9EaHi&pf_rd_p=a32725f1-eb12-4745-8c16-335c02b42e33&pf_rd_r=DQBWSRTVTPRN3EN909MY&psc=1&refRID=DQBWSRTVTPRN3EN909MY   HDmI Splitter Switch   https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B08CZZX95R/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1   Magnetic 3 in 1 Charging and Data cable   https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B083DJ3YKL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1   11 Port USBC HUb   https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B07MX64MTV/ref=pe_10993422_411226512_em_1p_0_im   4 In and 1 Output Audio 3.5mm Switch   https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B07DNYF22N/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1   Power Bank with Solar charger   https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B081KRHFNM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1   Audio 3.5mm Splitter Cable    https://www.amazon.com.au/MillSO-Headphone-Splitter-Earphones-Speakers/dp/B07C8GNY1Y/ref=pd_rhf_ee_s_rp_c_2_0_3/357-9125430-9408313?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07C8GNY1Y&pd_rd_r=a82a75b0-6f69-419c-9534-2624aa6c3698&pd_rd_w=eyucr&pd_rd_wg=rGXss&pf_rd_p=a32725f1-eb12-4745-8c16-335c02b42e33&pf_rd_r=WVDWKWT5YYMGG2A3SXCP&psc=1&refRID=WVDWKWT5YYMGG2A3SXCP   Male to Female 3.5mm Audio extension Cable (Aux Lead)   https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B01N10A5PH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1     CES 2021 Gos Virtual from US Jan 11 to Jan 14 2021   https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cnet-highlights-top-trends-and-latest-technology-at-the-first-ever-all-digital-ces-for-consumers-around-the-globe-301202986.html Samsung Event Unpacked US Jan 14   https://www.samsung.com/au/   Seeing AI App from Microsoft Introduces LIDAR Support   https://apps.apple.com/us/app/seeing-ai-talking-camera-for-the-blind/id999062298   Hadley’s School for the Blind free Series on Using Zoom   https://hadley.edu/workshops/zoom-series   Waterfield Makes the Proper AirPods Max Case   https://www.cultofmac.com/731134/waterfield-apple-airpods-max-shield-case/?utm_campaign=twitter&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitter   My Unplugged Demo Concerning AirPods Max Connectivity Issues Across Multiple Devices   https://s303.podbean.com/pb/5dff72c21b9e53cbc4b61383617a7d02/5ff10fd5/data1/fs54/339150/uploads/unplugged_airPods_Max_connection_demo9um5i.mp3?pbss=7250a507-1300-55cb-8dfa-114ecb3e95c0   Demo of Setting Up a M1 MacBook Air   https://davidwoodbr.podbean.com/e/demo-of-setting-up-a-m1-macbookair-setup-accessibilityonboarding-vision-and-some-system-and-voiceover-configuration-changes/   Demo of the Punctuation in VoiceOver Mac OS Big Sur with Left and Right Bracket Pronounciations   https://davidwoodbr.podbean.com/e/mac-big-sur-voiceover-punctuation-pronunciation-bug-when-mac-os-language-set-to-australia/   Demo of a bug in Mac OS Big Sur Stopping Users Accessing Context Menu from the Dock and a Work Around   https://s130.podbean.com/pb/2925d4b391c3b59a743652160f332e10/5ff11439/data2/fs54/339150/uploads/work_around_for_VoiceOver_Context_menu_not_working_on_the_Dock_in_current_version_of_Big_Sur_6ix9q.mp3?pbss=c047bb48-dd48-5ff7-92e0-66a65a4b2930   Demo of the Very Enjoyable game for Mac and Windows - BeatStar   https://davidwoodbr.podbean.com/e/demo-of-the-excellent-and-very-enjoyable-beatstar-game-for-the-mac-windows-version-available/   Demo of Using the Orbit Reader 20 and the Orbit Writer on the Apple Watch   https://davidwoodbr.podbean.com/e/demo-of-using-the-apple-watch-s6-with-the-orbit-reader-braille-display-and-the-orbit-writer-braillekeyboard/   Podcast from the Tech Doctors on Christmas Day - A Thank You To Apple   http://www.dr-carter.com

With many children, young people and adults being forced to study at home, access to text books is essential, especially if you are visually impaired and require accessible formats. RNIB's Book Share service is free for all ages and has over 647,000 accessible educational titles, and growing, in it's archive. As well as the free access, RNIB has teamed up with VICTA, a sight loss charity for children and young people, to also offer a free Orbit Reader + and the ability to buy Code Jumper for £90, 10% of it's full retail price. RNIB Connect Radio's Allan Russell spoke to Stacy Scott, RNIB Book Share Manager, to learn more about the free service and the great offer, in collaboration with VICTA. If you would like more information about the RNIB Book Share service, and the tech offers, go to bookshare@rnib.org.uk  or www.victa.org.uk You can also email bookshare@rnib.org.uk  or call 0303 123 9999.Image: An Orbit Reader Machine 

Buenas Hoy hemos hablado de algunos modelos de líneas braille, os dejo sus webs a continuación, os dejo también las fuentes consultadas para documentarme y finalmente los datos de contacto conmigo. Líneas Braille: 1. Orbit Research: https://www.orbitresearch.com 2. Focus: https://www.freedomscientific.com/products/blindness/focus-blue-family/ 3. Human Ware: http://www.humanware.com/en-europe/home 4. Actilino - HIMS inc: https://hims-inc.com/product/actilino/ 5. Braille Me: http://innovisiontech.co/brailleme/ Fuentes: http://innovisiontech.co/brailleme/ 1. Braille Me and Orbit Reader: Braille Display Comparison: https://www.perkinselearning.org/technology/blog/braille-me-and-orbit-reader-braille-display-comparison 2. Orbit Reader 20, ya está disponible el esperado y asequible anotador con teclado estilo Perkins y línea Braille patrocinado por la TBG: https://www.infotecnovision.com/orbit-reader-20-ya-esta-disponible-el-esperado-y-asequible-anotador-con-teclado-estilo-perkins-y-linea-braille-patrocinado-por-la-tbg/ 3. Braille Me, revolucionario y económico anotador con teclado estilo Perkins y línea Braille (InfoTecnoVisión): https://www.infotecnovision.com/braille-me-revolucionario-y-economico-anotador-con-teclado-estilo-perkins-y-linea-braille/ 4. Lineas Braille Focus Blue 2 – compartolid.es: https://www.compartolid.es/lineas-braille-focus-blue-2/ 5. Anotadores y líneas braille del CTI: de la ONCE: https://cti.once.es/catalogo-comercial/buscador-del-catalogo-comercial/view?form.widgets.name=&form.widgets.category%3Alist=2&form.widgets.category-empty-marker=1&form.widgets.reference=&form.buttons.search=Buscar 6. Focus family Braille Display: https://www.freedomscientific.com/products/blindness/focus-blue-family/ 7. Episodio del podcast Accesibilidad Universal sobre la línea Braille Orbit Research: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/orbit-reader-20-plus-5-lector-de-textos/id1518397004?i=1000488271897 Contacta conmigo o comenta el podcast: * Twitter: @mahfud_chaaban * E-mail: tecnocharlas@gmail.com * #Tecnocharlas, el hasta para comentar el episodio. ¡Gracias! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/tecnocharlas/message

Buenas Hoy hemos hablado de algunos modelos de líneas braille, os dejo sus webs a continuación, os dejo también las fuentes consultadas para documentarme y finalmente los datos de contacto conmigo. Líneas Braille: 1. Orbit Research: https://www.orbitresearch.com 2. Focus: https://www.freedomscientific.com/products/blindness/focus-blue-family/ 3. Human Ware: http://www.humanware.com/en-europe/home 4. Actilino - HIMS inc: https://hims-inc.com/product/actilino/ 5. Braille Me: http://innovisiontech.co/brailleme/ Fuentes: http://innovisiontech.co/brailleme/ 1. Braille Me and Orbit Reader: Braille Display Comparison: https://www.perkinselearning.org/technology/blog/braille-me-and-orbit-reader-braille-display-comparison 2. Orbit Reader 20, ya está disponible el esperado y asequible anotador con teclado estilo Perkins y línea Braille patrocinado por la TBG: https://www.infotecnovision.com/orbit-reader-20-ya-esta-disponible-el-esperado-y-asequible-anotador-con-teclado-estilo-perkins-y-linea-braille-patrocinado-por-la-tbg/ 3. Braille Me, revolucionario y económico anotador con teclado estilo Perkins y línea Braille (InfoTecnoVisión): https://www.infotecnovision.com/braille-me-revolucionario-y-economico-anotador-con-teclado-estilo-perkins-y-linea-braille/ 4. Lineas Braille Focus Blue 2 – compartolid.es: https://www.compartolid.es/lineas-braille-focus-blue-2/ 5. Anotadores y líneas braille del CTI: de la ONCE: https://cti.once.es/catalogo-comercial/buscador-del-catalogo-comercial/view?form.widgets.name=&form.widgets.category%3Alist=2&form.widgets.category-empty-marker=1&form.widgets.reference=&form.buttons.search=Buscar 6. Focus family Braille Display: https://www.freedomscientific.com/products/blindness/focus-blue-family/ 7. Episodio del podcast Accesibilidad Universal sobre la línea Braille Orbit Research: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/orbit-reader-20-plus-5-lector-de-textos/id1518397004?i=1000488271897 Contacta conmigo o comenta el podcast: * Twitter: @mahfud_chaaban * E-mail: tecnocharlas@gmail.com * #Tecnocharlas, el hasta para comentar el episodio. ¡Gracias! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/tecnocharlas/message

Reminder - Vision Store Orders by 6 Dec 2020   Just to make sure you get your delivery’s before Christmas, put your orders in before the 6th of DEc 2020.   Speaking of Orders, the Orbit Reader 20 Braille display and note taker, has been reducedback to the introductory price of $600 whilst stocks last.   As they say, get it now! NB - as this is a special order, you will have to ring the Vision Store on 1300 847 466 or visit a Vision Store.   https://shop.visionaustralia.org/shop/product/orbit-reader-20   Have Received my HomePod Mini’s   These speakers are small, great sound, and does everything the full size HomePod does such as intercom and transferring audio/phone calls etc.   Have a listen to my demo of the new HomePod Mini, I’ll think you will be impressed.   https://s128.podbean.com/pb/9fe9e031ceab77af52378da67ee3a76d/5fc4611c/data2/fs54/339150/uploads/Demo_of_the_HomePod_Mini_using_VoiceOver6mkep.mp3?pbss=e4ba7e2a-e87d-523c-b901-96f5e3e89c17   My First M1 Mac mini Demo   I’m still extremely impressed by the M1 Mac mini. As you will hear, VoiceOver is simply efficient to use on the new M1 chip, especially with iOS apps running on the Mac.   https://davidwoodbr.podbean.com/e/m1-mac-minidemo-using-voiceover/   David’s Own Christmas Ideas   Here are some suggestions from my Toy Room.   Dyson Air Purifier, Heater, and Fan. Dyson V10 Animal Plus Portable Vacuum Cleaner. Samsung Accessible TV (small). Apple TV. ChromeCast with Google TV.

Dave Williams, Brailleists Foundation Chair and Customer Experience Manager at RNIB talks us through the Orbit Reader. What is it, how does it compare to other displays on the market and how can you get one? This session was recorded on Tuesday 3 November 2020. For further information please visit the Braillists Foundation Media Page.

This is an overview of the Orbit Reader 20, held as part of a Stay Safe: Stay Connected call on Monday 27 July 2020.

This is an overview of the Orbit Reader 20, held as part of a Stay Safe: Stay Connected call on Monday 27 July 2020.

We start out this episode with some timely announcements. - First is a final reminder that our Orbit Reader live event starts on Thursday. We are taking registrations for the event until 5:00 PM ET on October 8, the day of the event. -

We start out this episode with some timely announcements. First is a final reminder that our Orbit Reader live event starts on Thursday. We are taking registrations for the event until 5:00 PM ET on October 8, the day of…

This episode features two extensive demos, but first we share some important announcements. Our two-week event on Orbit products remains open for registration. All pre-orders went through on September 15, but you still have time to join us and to…

En esta extensa quedada, en el turno de preguntas se plantean cuestiones sobre tarjetas eSIM para el Apple Watch, problema de VoiceOver al no verbalizar los caracteres al borrar en el teclado en pantalla en WhatsApp, mal funcionamiento del seguimiento del cursor entre la línea braille Orbit Reader 20 y VoiceOver, dudas sobre el Adaptador Lightning a USB 3.0 para cámaras de Apple (camera kit conection 3), cómo limpiar los auriculares AirPods, experiencia con localizadores Chipolo, sobre cantidad de usuarios y accesibilidad en Amazon Prime Video, y finalmente, un error en Apple TV a la hora de compartir por AirPlay películas de APOLO. En los temas presentados, Jordi Arcas habla de su experiencia con unos auriculares Beats Solo 3. A continuación el mismo Jordi y Jaime Franco hacen lo propio con el altavoz inteligente de Amazon Echo Studio, tanto al usarse como altavoz único como en una configuración estéreo empleando dos Studio. Después, Jaime presenta un método para poder traducir al español los vídeos de YouTube que se encuentran en otros idiomas, y además obteniendo el resultado en texto, por lo que podemos seleccionarlo y copiarlo para guardarlo o compartirlo. Finalmente, Oriol Gómez nos presenta su juego para iOS “2048 Accesible”, mostrándonos cómo se juega y cómo ha sido el proceso de programación. También nos habla de otros juegos que está desarrollando, como “El Ahorcado” en versión accesible. Enlace al atajo mencionado en el método de transcripción de videos de Youtube: https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/55e424c257b54794ba205f3782468098 El enlace a la app Microsoft traductor en la App Store: App Microsoft traductor El enlace a la web de Chipolo: https://www.chipolo.net/en El enlace a Amazon de los auriculares Beats Solo 3: Beats Solo 3 El enlace en Amazon del altavoz Amazon Echo Studio: Altavoz Amazon Echo Studio El enlace al juego 2048 Accesible en la App Store: 2048 accesible

Seguimos con los episodios dedicados al anotador con línea Braille Orbit Reader 20 plus, y en esta ocasión veremos juntos cómo conectar nuestra Orbit Reader al Iphone para poder utilizarla tanto para leer lo que aparece en la pantalla de nuestro teléfono, como para poder escribir con la línea en lugar de hacerlo con el teclado del Iphone. Si quieres ponerte en contacto conmigo puedes escribirme a la dirección mariagarciagarmendia@gmail.com

Maria continua a parlarci del suo orbit20Plus. In questo podcast potremo ascoltare una precisa descrizione fisica dell'apparecchio. E per proteggerlo al meglio Maria ci mostra una panoramica delle custodie compatibili! Buon ascolto a tutti!

incomincia il nostro viaggio nell'universo delle barre braille con il display più economico attualmente in commercio. Prodotto in america, ma commercializzato in tutto il mondo. Si tratta di un display sempre pronto all'uso, utile per leggere ma anche per prendere appunti. Maria ci fa una presentazione dell'apparecchio che vedremo nel dettaglio nel podcast successivo. Buon ascolto!

Continuamos conociendo juntos el anotador con línea Braille Orbit Reader 20 plus, y en este episodio veremos las posibilidades que ofrece su editor de textos. Si queréis poneros en contacto conmigo podéis escribirme a la dirección mariagarciagarmendia@gmail.com

Lots of timely news to share in todays episode, including dates for the potential Orbit Reader two-session event. The first session will be October 8 and the second will fall on October 15. Both these are Thursday evenings at 8:30 PM Eastern Time. We hav

Facilitators: Kenny and Sandhya Topics: iBUG announcements; trouble disconnecting iPhone SE2 from Orbit Reader; command on Braille display to show on-screen keyboard is cord or space with dots 1, 4, & 6; managing Groups.IO; Instant Cart app, put items in favorites, then can adjust number of items; texting your shopper re. questions; asking trouble using Siri to call a contact, if you have other contacts with the same name; put contact in favorites, add a nickname, add a relationship under the contact field; using Siri to customize pronunciation of a name; how to off-load an app to save space; use edit mode to delete an app from the home screen; I Home kit enabled cameras; how to lead a group text message, where there is an Android user along with iPhone users, cannot leave group, cannot rename groups, cannot do FaceTime call; new News tab on Facebook; youtube premium service; I Toys segment featuring the bluetooth tile tracking device; review of the Tile Mate; demonstration of how to pair a tile how a tile, how name a tile, check volume level, set ring tone, locate tile with the Tile app or Siri.

For many in the blind community, Dean Martineau will be a household name. Prolific in the technology sphere, he’s perhaps best known for his Top Tech Tidbits newsletter, which has been published every Thursday for over ten years. In the past, he was also the voice behind the Sound Computing audio magazine, and delivered bespoke technology training under the brand of Top Dot Enterprises. Towards the end of 2018, he started a new initiative which uses a combination of audio tutorials, electronic braille files and the Orbit Reader 20 to deliver personalised, long-distance instruction in the braille code. We caught up with Dean to find out more about the project, as well as the person behind it, just after it launched. We didn’t manage to bring the interview to you at the time, but thought we’d bring it to you now. To contact Dean, please email topdot@gmail.com. In other braille news: The UKAAF AGM has been moved online The ICEB General Assembly has been postponed to the week of 19 October Visit www.braillists.org/staysafe for information related to Coronavirus for blind and partially sighted people

This episode features the last of the content that we recorded at the recent Sight Village South East exhibition. Namely, a seminar from the Braillists Foundation entitled "Making the Case for Braille in the 21st Century", the notes from which are included below. We also present a comprehensive demonstration of the Braille Screen Input feature on iOS. Chapter markers have been inserted throughout this episode to aid navigation. Making the Case for Braille in the 21st Century Abstract Braille is difficult to learn. Braille is expensive to teach. Braille is irrelevant now that we have assistive technology. Statements like these are all too familiar, but are they really true? In this seminar, we provide an alternative perspective by outlining the inherent advantages of braille and exploring practical applications of braille in modern day life. Outcome Attendees will become positive advocates of braille in their day-to-day lives and be equipped with the knowledge to be able to effectively champion braille in both a professional and personal context, recognising it as an integral component in a well-structured package of independence skills. Learning Objectives By the end of this seminar, attendees will be able to: Recognise the need for braille as a primary literacy medium Exemplify both traditional and modern uses of braille Understand how braille and technology complement each other Describe several ways of reading and writing braille at varying levels of difficulty and different price points Points in Favour of braille Literacy: a blind person who only uses speech output misses out on incidental reinforcement of: Spelling (n.b. it could be argued that contractions get in the way, but this is often due to the way they are taught - teach T-H-E rather than the) Grammar (subtle uses of punctuation, such as the semicolon and apostrophe; capitalisation, in particular of proper nouns which have become normalised (e.g. Post Office); paragraphing; quoting; etc) Typesetting (use of bold, italics, underlining; superscripts and subscripts (particularly in technical subjects); etc) Formatting (centred lines, right justified addresses, running headers, page numbers, tables, contents pages, etc) Independent judgement: a blind person who primarily uses speech output does not learn to doubt the pronunciation of his/her speech synthesizer. This is a particular challenge when dealing with text in a foreign language, including Welsh - many blind people would pronounce Cymru as "Sime-roo" instead of "Cum-ree", for example. If the same word was read in braille, its unfamiliarity would result in an increased likelihood that the braillist would ask for help pronouncing it. Efficiency of review: speech can read horizontally very easily but it is more difficult for a screen reader to be precise when reviewing vertically. Similarly, extra typographical information such as superscripts/subscripts, italics/bold/underline and change of colour can be extremely verbose when vocalised by a screen reader; the braille equivalent is often less obtrusive. It is often therefore more efficient to deal with subjects such as Mathematics in braille. Consider the following example equation: w=(12(s₁+s₂)÷52)+(b₁÷4)+b₂ Discreetness: there is a myriad of scenarios in which braille draws much less attention than speech, both personally and professionally. Straightforward examples include using a tactile watch to check the time as opposed to a talking watch. More complex examples include delivering a presentation from braille notes, either in hard copy or electronically. This is far preferable to wearing headphones so as to listen to notes spoken by a screen reader, partly because the latter method appears antisocial and partly because the presence of headphones impairs hearing. This, in turn, lessens the presenter's ability to detect audible queues (e.g. fidgeting, which could signify boredom; or people attempting to ask questions). There are very specific cases along these lines to be made for braille in performance environments, e.g. radio presenting, singing in a choir etc. Instantaneousness: once produced, no further technology is required to read hard copy braille, thus eliminating the need to, e.g. change batteries at an inopportune time. This makes it particularly suitable for labelling, both individually (e.g. labelling CDs or items of food) and corporately (e.g. braille labels on lifts, hotel room doors, etc). Social inclusion: braille offers an ideal solution for the modification of card games. Regular playing cards (Red, Blue, Large Print Red and Large Print Blue), as well as specific sets for, e.g. Happy Families, Uno and Bingo, are readily available in braille, and other cards can be easily brailled locally. The skills required to read braille also transfer to reading, e.g. Tactile Dice (Large Tactile Dice available here), which are readily available and which instantaneously offer access to many more games and activities. Preservation of residual vision: a person who is severely partially sighted may still be encouraged to read large print instead of braille for a multitude of reasons, largely centred around denial (not wanting to look "blind"). However, the resultant eye strain could lead to the person putting him/herself in significant unnecessary danger, e.g. by attempting to cross a road at the end of the day using tired eyes. It is also fair to point out that large print above roughly 24 point may in fact be more bulky than braille. Points Against Braille Braille is difficult to learn: cognitively, learning braille is no more difficult than learning, e.g. a foreign language or musical instrument. The argument is particularly common when addressing elderly people, and indeed in some cases it may be true, but it should not be the default position as it is clear that some elderly people are still able to learn. Braille requires too much tactile discrimination: again, this argument is heard most commonly when referring to elderly people, and again, it may be true in certain situations, e.g. for manual labourers. However, a significant body of older people do not fall into this category, e.g. office workers, musicians, salesmen etc. These people may have perfectly adequate tactile discrimination already, or certainly could be taught to develop it, so once again the argument should not be the default position. Braille is time-consuming and expensive to teach: whilst this is undoubtedly true, especially if a thorough mastery of the braille code is desirable, it need not be any more expensive or time-consuming than other forms of specialist intervention, e.g. mobility training. Indeed, mastery of IT and assistive technology is also expensive and time-consuming if done well, and rapid training in order to overcome a short-term problem nearly always results in poor performance later on which can only be remedied by additional training, which is often less opportune for the end user. The support requirements of braille are too onerous: often heard in education, where a Teaching Assistant is often required to learn braille alongside the student in order to transcribe work. Appropriate use of braille technology, e.g. a notetaker or braille display connected to a computer or tablet, minimises the requirement for human intervention particularly in the braille to print transcription process. However, there is no substitute for knowledgeable human intervention in any aspect of blindness education, not least braille. Blind people use computers very differently to their sighted counterparts and it is therefore a false economy to suggest that it is easier to support a computer-first approach to accessibility merely because the technology appears "normal", either because the technology will inevitably require repair which the TA is ill-equipped to perform, or because the TA will inadvertently teach bad habits which will need to be overcome by remedial intervention at a later stage. Braille is time-consuming and expensive to produce: the proliferation of high quality electronic resources in the mainstream, e.g. Amazon Kindle or Apple Books, results in a blind person being able to read most straightforward titles on a braille display connected to a tablet or computer with no additional human intervention, thus eliminating the time and expense of transcription altogether. The traditionally high initial cost of such a display can often be covered by grant funding, or modern, cheaper braille technology can be obtained instead, e.g. the Orbit Reader. For those who prefer hard copy braille, advances in automated braille transcription solutions and personal braille embossing technology take advantage of high quality mainstream output to vastly reduce transcription times and costs. Examples include RNIB Bookshare in education. Though human-transcribed braille is still desirable over automated alternatives, it is now most useful for technical subjects such as Mathematics, science, foreign languages and music, which is usually only a small subset of the amount of material that someone may need to access, and the expense in this instance may be offset against a reduction in support costs and higher retention and attainment levels resulting in a decreased potential need to, e.g. defer or retake examinations. For adults, the cost of transcription may be offset against the gains of employment and may usefully be covered either by schemes such as Access to Work or benefits such as Personal Independence Payment, with wages as a last resort. Braille is bulky and wastes resources: this is unfortunately inevitable for hard copy braille. However, care should be taken when comparing braille with other formats, as large print above 24 point also becomes bulky and may, in some cases, in fact occupy more shelf space than braille. It is also important to investigate all possible means of maximising available space, e.g. by embossing on both sides of the page (to reduce the number of volumes) and using braille paper which is wider than A4 (to increase the amount of braille which will fit on a shelf) - or, indeed, in certain situations, using braille paper which is A4 or smaller (so that it will fit through a letter box). Continuing advances in braille technology, such as the Canute, are increasingly rendering "soft" braille a viable proposition, where the equivalent of hundreds (if not thousands) of traditional hard copy braille volumes can instead be delivered via media such as an SD card. Modern technology renders braille obsolete: this is true in as far as modern technology also renders print obsolete. It is possible, for example, to receive bank statements and utility bills in hard copy braille, but nonetheless sensible for a blind person to instead access this information online (possibly using a braille display) if that is his/her preference, as is true for sighted people. However, there will still be a need for braille for as long as there is a need for print, and there will still be a need for hard copy braille for as long as there is still a need for a pen and paper. It is not fair to deny a blind person the choice to read braille, even refreshable braille, unless we are also prepared to deny a sighted person the choice to use their computer with a screen. It is also important to point out the reduced access that blind people have to incidental writing, e.g. text on street signs and product packaging. It is therefore imperative that blind people are afforded regular structured opportunities for reading in order to reinforce basic concepts of literacy. This is not achieved by exclusive use of speech access solutions. Who Should Learn Braille? Anyone who does not have enough vision to read print, unless physical or cognitive factors prevent this Anyone for whom serious sight loss is predicted in future, e.g. due to a deteriorating eye condition People with partial sight who may require a second reading medium, for instance because they can only read print at a reasonable speed above a certain font size (e.g. 36) or indeed below a certain font size (e.g. size 8 due to tunnel vision), or because their ability to read print is severely impacted by lighting conditions (e.g. night blindness or eye sight sensitive to glare) Sighted supporters of the above, in both a professional and personal context (e.g. QTVIs, rehabilitation officers, sight loss agency staff, friends and family (and colleagues, in some cases) of the braillist)

In this episode, we talk with Holly Scott-Gardner about studying Spanish, living abroad and the impact of braille on these pursuits. we also discuss: RNIB released the Orbit Reader 20 in the UK (product code HT358) on 8 August for £449, or £399 for Connect members. AFB Accessworld Review of the Brailliant BI-14: HumanWare’s Latest Step Toward Smart Braille Displays Apple iOS 12 introduces quick navigation in braille in web pages. To assign keys, go to Settings General Accessibility VoiceOver Braille (the name of your braille display) / More Info Braille Command Navigation Borivali has become the first railway station in mumbai with braille-friendly platform indicators Paper presented at the 4th General Assembly of the International Council on English Braille entitled “Considerations for Embosser Produced Tactile Graphics”: MS Word and Duxbury Braille National Braille Week is organised by Royal Blind and runs in the second week of October, coinciding with World Sight Day. Sight Village South East, London, Tuesday 6th and Wednesday 7th November 2018

On this episode of the #iACast, Michael, Aleeha, Chelsea and Scott discuss the applications of Braille in their lives. Before we got to the main topic, we discussed the recent news that Sprint and T-Mobile will be merging pending DOJ approval. During our discussion of Braille, we discussed several resources, including iAccessibility's own PocketBraille app for iOS, which will soon be receiving a major update to include Braille contractions. We also discuss the Hadley Braille course, offered by the Hadley School for the Blind, the National Reading Media Assessment for students, and our training program, which offers courses in Braille. We also discussed the transition to UEB, and how it is important to keep one's skills up. Some of the Braille displays mentioned in this episode were the Focus 40, Braile Edge, Brailliant BI 32, Orbit Reader 20, and NeoBraille. here are our picks for the week. Aleeha: Woven Words Scott: Weather Informant Chelsea: Math Robot Michael: Glitch Dash Don't forget to send any comments to feedback@iaccessibility.net or to our Twitter @iaccessibility1.

In this episode we hear from Scott Davert from the US. Scott is a braille advocate and deafblind specialist and sits on the Disability Advisory Committee of the Federal Communications Commission. As well as this, he actively promotes braille in the Applevis community, and has recently written a series of braille display reviews which have been published by Accessworld from the American Foundation for the Blind. In the UK, his expertise are shared through the RNIB Connect website. The conversation covers a wide range of braille issues including the state of braille, quality control issues faced by blind students, and a round-up of some recent braille products. Links of Interest Reach out and Touch the new Braille Features in iOS 11 Podcast on AppleVis New iOS 11 accessibility features for people with sight loss on RNIB Connect Feel This: Current State of Braille in Narratorfrom Access World magazine VarioUltra User Group on Free Lists Subscribe to the Orbit Reader 20 email list by sending a blank email to or20-subscribe@tech.aph.org FCC Disability Advisory Committee Help on installing and enabling BrailleBack from Android Accessibility Help on pairing a braille display with your Fire Tablet from Amazon Dot Watch APH product page for Orbit Reader 20 Braille Me Blitab Canute from Bristol Braille Technology CIC Actalino from Help Tech New Focus braille displays from Freedom Scientific New Brailliant braille display from Humanware Recent posts by Scott on AppleVis

In this episode Kim and Lisa remind us about the VarioUltra and Orbit Reader 20 comparison class on the 31st of August 2017. To learn more about the Mystic Access free classes click here. Kim tells us the “web site your way WordPress class is closed bu

In this episode, we have a detailed chat about the Orbit Reader 20, the long-awaited and eagerly-anticipated low-cost Braille electronic reading device. In Braille News: a variety of discounts and pricing information due to site village: Sight and Sound Technology have announced discounted pricing for VFO products for the duration of the exhibition season. Humanware have set the UK price for the Brailliant BI14 at £845.00 The price of the Duxbury Braille Translator is to increase as of August 1st, for the first time in over 20 years. Sporting Lisbon (the Portuguese football team) have unveiled a shirt with the club motto in Braille The European Parliament approved a new Copyright motion on July 7, eliminating the need for permission from publishers to be sought before making accessible copies of their written works. Paul Sullivan of the Braillists Foundation is hosting a small exhibition of historical Braille devices alongside a chance to get your Perkins Brailler cleaned and serviced. Perk up your Perkins takes place on 28th and 29th September in Bristol.

Dave Williams and guests catch up with all the latest news from last month's UKAAF AGM, explore issues facing blind students needing Braille in higher education, and we debate the value of the survey from the International Council on English Braille. In Braille News CNIB has begun shipping the Orbit Reader. APH and RNIB are expected to follow suit in the coming weeks. Another affordable Braille display is in the works - InnoVision have released the Braille Me refreshable Braille display. The Braille Institute in Los Angeles recently hosted the Braille Challenge Finals. Apple have released the first public beta of iOS 11 with some welcome enhancements for Braille users. CoolBlindTech have been finding out what's new. iOS 11 is expected to be officially released in the autumn. A Harvord graduate has invented a new device to help teach Braille to children. The Read Read by Alex Tavares uses tactile and speech feedback with movable Braille "tiles". July is the height of exhibition season in North America and Europe with 3 major conferences offering manufacturers the chance to showcase their developments. Please email us at news@braillecast.com with anything you've seen, want to see or heard about.