Double Tap

Steven Scott, Shaun Preece, Steven Scott, Shaun Preece
  • 4.5 (39)
  • Technology
  • Daily

Double Tap is the show where blind people talk tech! If you’re blind or partially sighted and have an interest in technology, this is the show for you. Everyone is welcome no matter how old you are or how much or how little experience you have with technology. Each week the team will help you better understand how technology can help your everyday life, even if you have little or no sight.

  1. 10h ago

    Braille Literacy, Siri Blunders and Meta's Muse Agent: Your Feedback

    Does reading braille define literacy for blind people? Steven Scott and Shaun Preece work through listener feedback on learning braille later in life, what it means to be literate, and AI assistants like Siri, Gemini and Meta's Muse that still trip over plain requests. Larry, 74 and learning braille through Hadley, asks whether Olly Richards' language immersion method could work for braille. That leads into fatigue, the efficiency gap between braille and audio, and the move from magnification to a screen reader. Kevin pushes back on a Zero Project guest's claim that blind people who don't read braille aren't literate. Steven explains why he is pro-braille and still argues that price and access to teaching are the real problems. Ron Peterson introduces STEP Navigation, a free indoor navigation app from Professor Paul Ruvolo, who also made Clew. It has a Start Outside feature and AI scene descriptions. Negative Julian finally gets Gemini to place phone calls, but only when he says "call" and keeps digits out of contact names. Callum asks Siri for a hospital department's number and ends up being put through to 999. Allison uses Meta's Muse agent to track US policy changes and gets summaries with sources by email. The hosts talk about AI becoming a real productivity tool, Grok, and Europe and the UK waiting for Meta features. Chad Rohr shares his first iPhone Shortcuts, including Blind Mode, Sighted Mode and a Log a Pain Point note. Steven then gives an update on living with the iPhone Duo. Chapters0:00 – Intro0:52 – Larry on learning braille later in life8:33 – Kevin on braille, literacy and the Zero Project debate20:15 – Ron on the STEP Navigation indoor navigation app22:52 – Negative Julian on Gemini phone calls and smart speaker frustrations32:22 – Callum on Siri calling emergency services40:04 – Allison on Meta's Muse AI agent46:56 – Chad's iPhone Shortcuts for VoiceOver users50:47 – Living with the iPhone Duo55:05 – Wrap up Relevant LinksHadley: https://hadleyhelps.orgAt Your Fingertips - Braille Then and Now: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/at-your-fingertips-braille-then-and-now/id1841245814Zero Project India: https://zeroproject.org/about/zero-project-indiaSTEP Navigation: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/step-navigation/id6448701994Meta Muse: https://about.fb.com/news/2026/09/introducing-muse-personal-ai-agent/ ---- 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/linkedinSubscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://www.doubletaponair.com/appleSpotify: https://www.doubletaponair.com/spotifyRSS: https://www.doubletaponair.com/podcastiHeadRadio: https://www.doubletaponair.com/iheartAbout Double Tap Hosted 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.

  2. 1d ago

    Amazon's New Echo Devices, Siri Recap and Accessible WhatsApp Risks

    Amazon's new Echo devices cost more than ever, and iOS 27.3 brings Siri Recap and Safari dark mode. Steven Scott and Shaun Preece go through what's new for blind tech users, explain the risk of using third-party WhatsApp apps, and ask whether you can run AI on a laptop without the cloud. Shaun has a grievance with Amazon. He bought an Echo Dot Max to get early access to Alexa+, and he still doesn't have it. The iOS 27.3 beta brings Siri Recap, which listens all day so you can look back on conversations later. That leads into a talk about privacy, phones that seem to be listening, and when a recording device crosses a line. Steven is pleased to see per-site dark mode coming to Safari, and Siri shortcuts are arriving in the VoiceOver rotor. Saqib Shaikh's TypeOver lets your Windows PC act as a Bluetooth keyboard for your iPhone. That sets off a comparison of the Logitech MX Keys and Keychron mechanical keyboards. Steven also explains the risk of using accessible WhatsApp clients such as WhatSnap. Meta's terms allow it to ban accounts that use them, so the developers aren't the problem. Meta's inaccessible apps are. David Ward of the Echo Tips podcast covers four new Echo devices: the Echo Show 16, the Echo Time, the Echo Studio with camera, and the sixth-generation Echo Dot, which now costs twice as much. A listener asks about running local AI models on the ASUS ProArt PX13. Steven explains why RAM and the graphics card limit what you can do on the machine itself. Chapters 0:00 – Intro and the Alexa+ early access frustration3:41 – iOS 27.3 beta, Siri Recap and privacy11:46 – Safari dark mode, Dark Reader and Siri shortcuts15:15 – Image descriptions and the VoiceOver rotor17:13 – TypeOver and the keyboard debate23:07 – WhatSnap, WhatsApp bans and Facebook accessibility28:45 – Clipboard sharing, Clipman and VoiceOver Ignore Groups on the Mac32:45 – David Ward on Amazon's new Echo devices46:56 – Listener email: local AI on the ASUS ProArt PX1354:33 – Your midterm voting experiences and goodbye Relevant Links TypeOver: https://github.com/SaqibS/typeoverWhatSnap: https://github.com/aryanchoudharypro/whatSnapClipman: https://github.com/OnjLouis/ClipmanDark Reader: https://darkreader.orgEcho Tips podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/echo-tips/id1396874548Logitech MX Keys S: https://www.logitech.com/en-us/shop/p/mx-keys-sKeychron: https://www.keychron.comASUS ProArt PX13: https://www.asus.com/us/laptops/for-creators/proart/proart-px13-hn7306/ ---- 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/linkedinSubscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://www.doubletaponair.com/appleSpotify: https://www.doubletaponair.com/spotifyRSS: https://www.doubletaponair.com/podcastiHeadRadio: https://www.doubletaponair.com/iheartAbout Double Tap Hosted 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.

  3. 2d ago

    Listener Inbox: Tailscale, Dream Jobs and the Case for Vibe Coding

    Vibe coding with Claude has taken over Steven Scott's spare time, and he and Shaun Preece think more blind people should try it. They explain how the setup works, why your files stay on your own computer, and whether building our own accessible tools lets big tech developers off the hook. Steven explains how he builds iPhone apps with Claude and Xcode, then shows Records, a small app he made that scans letters, summarises them and adds appointments to his calendar. They also cover the privacy side of uploading documents to the cloud. Shaun announces a public beta of Claudio, his accessible Windows app for Claude Code. They talk about apps people have built for Plaud note takers, and why unofficial WhatsApp clients could get your account banned. Next comes a grumble about iOS and Windows. Steven and Shaun talk about noisy iMessage group chats, FaceTime calls that won't start, and the latest VoiceOver bugs. They also cover the Windows start menu bug that Microsoft is now fixing on its servers. In the inbox, Leander picks up on the jobs we'd have done if we weren't blind. Lindy from Australia asks whether Tailscale can link an iPhone with a Windows laptop. Shaun explains what Tailscale does, and suggests iCloud for Windows and Phone Link as easier ways to get the job done. To finish, ET asks whether vibe coding takes accessibility off developers' plates. Steven argues that blind people should stop waiting for permission and build things themselves. He points to Saqib Shaikh and Seeing AI as proof of what can happen. Chapters 0:00 – Welcome to the therapy session0:45 – Can't leave Claude alone: building your own tools5:05 – Inaccessible PDFs, privacy and the Records app12:12 – Claudio, an accessible Claude Code client13:51 – Plaud tools and WhatsApp client risks16:01 – iMessage, FaceTime and iOS and Windows bugs22:50 – The inbox: the jingle and Leander on dream jobs29:15 – Lindy asks about Tailscale, iPhone and Windows39:55 – ET: is vibe coding letting developers off the hook?54:38 – How to get in touch and the Double Tap newsletter Relevant Links Double Tap: https://doubletaponair.com/Claude: https://claude.com/product/overviewClaudio beta from Slight Perception: https://slightperception.com/betaTailscale: https://tailscale.comiCloud for Windows: https://support.apple.com/en-us/103232Phone Link: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/phonelink/phone-link-requirements-and-setupSeeing AI: https://www.seeingai.com/ ---- 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/linkedinSubscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://www.doubletaponair.com/appleSpotify: https://www.doubletaponair.com/spotifyRSS: https://www.doubletaponair.com/podcastiHeadRadio: https://www.doubletaponair.com/iheartAbout Double Tap Hosted 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.

  4. 3d ago

    Can Every Game Be Accessible? Stefan Wilhelm on Inclusive Gaming

    Can a blind player enjoy a mainstream video game as much as a sighted one? Steven Scott and Shaun Preece talk accessible gaming with Stefan Wilhelm, co-founder of Inclusive Gaming, a Leipzig studio building games blind and sighted people can play together. Steven wants to play Grand Theft Auto and misses the CB radio banter of Euro Truck Simulator. Shaun isn't sure a game run by audio cues and assisted driving is any fun. Their debate sets up a bigger question: does accessible mean enjoyable? Stefan, who is sighted, explains how a podcast with blind gamer Christian Ohrens, who plays Super Mario by ear, led him to start Inclusive Gaming. He talks about learning from the studio's community of blind players, why some prefer screen reader speech to recorded voices, and why playing with your eyes closed is no substitute for real users. He also covers AVOS, an AI assistant in development that describes menus and scenes and uses fast object detection to help blind players with games that were never made accessible. Stefan builds in Unity with FMOD and Steam Audio, and he runs the Gaming Lab at SightCity in Frankfurt with support from Xbox. Last up is Dinonid, a turn-based dinosaur puzzle game coming to Windows, iOS, Android and BlindShell, plus an update on the Double Tap website. Chapters 0:00 – Intro and retro gaming memories2:14 – Mainstream games, online communities and assisted mode10:24 – Stefan Wilhelm and the founding of Inclusive Gaming15:13 – Learning from blind players' feedback18:41 – Designing games blind and sighted players can share26:42 – AVOS: an AI assistant for inaccessible games36:11 – Spatial audio with Unity, FMOD and Steam Audio40:00 – Running the SightCity Gaming Lab46:10 – Dinonid, BlindShell and where to find Inclusive Gaming52:51 – The Double Tap website and your feedback Relevant Links Double Tap: https://doubletaponair.comInclusive Gaming: https://inclusive-gaming.de/en/Dinonid demo: https://inclusivegaming.itch.io/dinonid-accessibleSightCity: https://sightcity.net/en/Unity: https://unity.comSteam Audio: https://valvesoftware.github.io/steam-audio/ ---- 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/linkedinSubscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://www.doubletaponair.com/appleSpotify: https://www.doubletaponair.com/spotifyRSS: https://www.doubletaponair.com/podcastiHeadRadio: https://www.doubletaponair.com/iheartAbout Double Tap Hosted 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.

  5. 6d ago

    Duelling Duos: Two New iPhone Duo Users Discuss The Pros And Cons Of Apple's New Foldable Phone

    Is the iPhone Duo, Apple's first foldable iPhone, any use if you can't see the screen? Steven Scott and Shaun Preece are joined by David Nason of AppleVis to test it with VoiceOver and low vision. They cover the passport-sized design, how VoiceOver copes when the screen changes shape, and a Split View feature that might win over blind users. David has RP and some peripheral vision. He describes the iPhone Duo as a squat, wide phone that opens into a small landscape tablet. The inner folding screen has a matte feel that takes some getting used to under your fingers, and Steven explains why he likes the crease: it gives you a tactile marker down the middle. VoiceOver gestures like the four-finger tap to jump to the top or bottom still behave as before. Exploring by touch is harder, because the dock sits on the right, home screen pages shift sideways, and apps that haven't been updated for the Duo appear in a narrow strip with black bars either side. Steven found an odd quirk: you can touch home screen icons through those black bars. The standout is Split View. Two apps run side by side, and VoiceOver handles each half on its own, so it feels like two iPhones joined together. The hosts also cover Touch ID on the power button, the missing Action button, setting the Camera Control to need a double click, weight and battery life, and the Deck-Man cassette Walkman app. Chapters0:00 – Introduction and David Nason joins3:14 – Passport-sized design explained6:55 – Folding screen feel, the crease and low vision views13:25 – Home screen layout, buttons, Touch ID and speakers23:21 – Hinge and build quality25:35 – VoiceOver on the outer and inner screens35:04 – Split View and two apps at once41:41 – Weight, battery life and thickness47:33 – Deck-Man and the first Duo apps53:07 – Cameras and wrap-up Relevant LinksDouble Tap: https://doubletaponair.comAppleVis Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/applevis-podcast/id478403062Deck-Man: Cassette Player: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/deck-man-cassette-player/id6817070335 ---- 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/linkedinSubscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://www.doubletaponair.com/appleSpotify: https://www.doubletaponair.com/spotifyRSS: https://www.doubletaponair.com/podcastiHeadRadio: https://www.doubletaponair.com/iheartAbout Double Tap Hosted 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.

  6. Oct 29

    Touchscreen MacBook Pro and Amazon's New Alexa+ Echo Lineup: Who Are They For?

    Apple's touchscreen MacBook Pro and Amazon's new Alexa+ devices arrived in the same week. Steven Scott and Shaun Preece go through the Echo Dot, Echo Time, Alexa Photo Frame, Echo Studio with Home Camera and Echo Show 16, and ask who these expensive gadgets are really for, including blind and low vision users. Tech keeps getting more expensive. RAM and hard drive costs are pushing a decent laptop toward $3,000, and Apple's new 14 and 16 inch MacBook Pro with a PROLED XDR touch display starts at $2,899 in the US. It comes with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips and a Dynamic Island, and the glowing Apple logo is back on the lid. After an old Steve Jobs clip arguing against vertical touchscreens, the hosts look for a real use case. They welcome a new accessibility setting that turns the touchscreen off. There's also an M6 MacBook Pro and an M6 iMac, which keeps its Ethernet port on the power adapter. On the Amazon side, Shaun is still waiting for Alexa+ on his Echo Dot Max while a new $99.99 Echo Dot arrives with a built-in smart home hub and an eero Wi-Fi extender. Echo Time is a $199.99 smart alarm clock with sleep sensing and no camera. The Alexa Photo Frame syncs with Amazon Photos and lets you attach voice notes to pictures. It's a small accessibility touch, but a useful one. The Echo Studio with Home Camera, at $249.99, brings visual intelligence: hold something up and ask Alexa what it is, which takes the hosts back to Show and Tell. The Echo Show 16 starts at $499.99, and the stands cost extra. Coming up next: David Nason joins the show to compare notes on the iPhone Duo. Chapters 0:00 – Intro and the rising cost of laptops and hard drives3:14 – Apple's touchscreen MacBook Pro19:13 – M6 MacBook Pro and the new iMac24:41 – Amazon's new Echo Dot and the wait for Alexa+31:13 – Echo Time smart alarm clock35:35 – Alexa Photo Frame and voice notes on photos44:17 – Echo Studio with Home Camera50:31 – Echo Show 1653:54 – Website updates and the iPhone Duo with David Nason Are you buying any of this? Tell us at feedback@doubletaponair.com or on WhatsApp at +1 613-481-0144. Like, subscribe and share Double Tap with a friend who loves tech. Relevant LinksApple MacBook Pro: https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/Apple iMac: https://www.apple.com/imac/Amazon's new Alexa devices: https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/new-alexa-devices-2026Double Tap: https://www.doubletaponair.com ---- 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/linkedinSubscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://www.doubletaponair.com/appleSpotify: https://www.doubletaponair.com/spotifyRSS: https://www.doubletaponair.com/podcastiHeadRadio: https://www.doubletaponair.com/iheartAbout Double Tap Hosted 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.

  7. Oct 28

    New OLED iPad mini, Braille Watches and an Accessible Samsung Soundbar

    Apple's new iPad mini has an 8.5 inch OLED screen, the A20 Pro chip and a thinner 5.4mm body. Steven Scott and Shaun Preece talk about what it offers blind and low vision users. Then they open a busy mailbag covering Braille watches, an accessible soundbar and a pro mixing console that talks. The new iPad mini starts at £699 or $699 for 128GB. Shaun loves the size and thinks the brighter OLED display will matter to low vision users. Steven wonders where the iPad fits now that the iPhone Duo exists and the Mac might get a touchscreen. Both want multi-user profiles on iPad. They compare it with Amazon's new tablet, which now runs Android with full TalkBack, and Steven explains how his iPad Pro and Final Cut's recording app let him run an accessible multi-camera shoot. Anne-Marie from Worcestershire wants talking watches to stop saying "the time is". She's also looking at Braille watches and recommends the thriller The Prometheus Code by Dan Stone. That leads into a debate over whether blind culture exists, an AI-discovered PHP security flaw that took websites offline, early app problems on the iPhone Duo, and whether it's now safe to update to iOS 27. Claire asks why the mailbag is now read by an AI voice, and Steven explains why Laura stepped back. Greg in Pennsylvania praises DiGiCo for putting a screen reader on its mixing consoles. Elliot in Bournemouth found the Samsung HW-Q990F soundbar accessible out of the box thanks to Voice Guide. John Wells reports that Accessible YouTube Downloader has stopped working, which leads the hosts to argue that blind users should be allowed to build their own interfaces. Chapters 0:00 – The new OLED iPad mini8:49 – Amazon's tablet, multi-camera recording and user profiles18:15 – Anne-Marie on talking watches, Braille watches and The Prometheus Code29:30 – Is there such a thing as blind culture?32:14 – PHP security flaw, iPhone Duo apps and updating to iOS 2739:44 – Claire asks about the show's AI email voice44:57 – Greg on DiGiCo consoles and vibe-coded accessibility49:21 – Elliot on the accessible Samsung soundbar53:10 – Accessible YouTube Downloader and building our own interfaces Relevant Links Apple iPad mini: https://www.apple.com/ipad-mini/Samsung HW-Q990F Soundbar: https://www.samsung.com/us/audio-devices/soundbar/q-series-11-1-4-ch-soundbar-rear-speakers-sku-hw-q990f-za/Sonos: https://www.sonos.com/DiGiCo: https://digico.biz/Dan Stone, author of The Prometheus Code: https://www.danstoneauthor.com/Accessible YouTube Downloader Pro: https://github.com/sulaiman-alqusaimi/accessible_youtube_downloader_pro ---- 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/linkedinSubscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://www.doubletaponair.com/appleSpotify: https://www.doubletaponair.com/spotifyRSS: https://www.doubletaponair.com/podcastiHeadRadio: https://www.doubletaponair.com/iheartAbout Double Tap Hosted 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.

  8. Oct 27

    Retro Reader, Emergency Preparedness and the Withings Paywall

    Sean Randall has built Retro Reader, an open source book reader that brings classic speech voices like Eloquence, DECtalk and DoubleTalk to a pocket device costing about 22 pounds. Steven Scott and Shaun Preece also look at emergency preparedness for blind people when the power and the internet go down. After recent storms and power cuts in the UK, Steven and Shaun ask what being prepared looks like for blind people. They cover battery packs you can't easily check the charge on, LED displays that OCR struggles to read, offline apps, big portable power stations, and the loss of long wave radio. They also mention Code Orange, a new emergency preparedness podcast from AfterSight that is coming to Double Tap Live. In the news, Apple's expected Mac event is ahead of full coverage on Thursday. Shaun shares the mixed reviews of Microsoft's new Surface, and the hosts question why Withings now charges new users 100 dollars a year to sync their data with Apple Health. Sean Randall then explains how Retro Reader runs on the Freenove Media Kit, a small ESP32 board with a five-way navigation button, a headphone jack and a microphone for voice notes. You install a voice from your browser, add books over Wi-Fi or a microSD card, and listen offline. Sean is open about the trade-offs: there's a slight hiss on headphones, a reset button that's easy to knock, and a battery you buy separately. He's working on a 3D printed back plate with a belt clip. Sean also explains why synthetic voices still suit fast readers. He listens at around 730 words per minute, and he looks ahead to new projects, from a baby monitor to rebuilding the Franklin Language Master. Chapters 0:00 – Coming up: going retro2:44 – Emergency preparedness for blind people15:43 – Code Orange from AfterSight17:04 – Apple's Mac event and Microsoft Surface reviews19:43 – Withings charges for Apple Health sync22:38 – Sean Randall introduces Retro Reader38:05 – Why retro voices still work for fast reading43:56 – Setting up the Retro Reader hardware50:27 – Baby monitors and the Franklin Language Master54:34 – Vibe coding and wrap-up Relevant Links Retro Reader: https://retroreader.ukCode Orange podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/code-orange/id1838769695AfterSight: https://www.aftersight.orgDouble Tap: https://doubletaponair.com ---- 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/linkedinSubscribe to the Podcast: Apple: https://www.doubletaponair.com/appleSpotify: https://www.doubletaponair.com/spotifyRSS: https://www.doubletaponair.com/podcastiHeadRadio: https://www.doubletaponair.com/iheartAbout Double Tap Hosted 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.

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4.5
out of 5
39 Ratings

About

Double Tap is the show where blind people talk tech! If you’re blind or partially sighted and have an interest in technology, this is the show for you. Everyone is welcome no matter how old you are or how much or how little experience you have with technology. Each week the team will help you better understand how technology can help your everyday life, even if you have little or no sight.

Information

  • Creator
    Steven Scott, Shaun Preece, Steven Scott, Shaun Preece
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    600
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Double Tap Productions Inc.
  • Show Website
    Double Tap

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