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This week I’m joined once again by freelance copy editor, student of accessibility and 2021 candidate for the Holman Prize, Charles Hiser. Charles helps me break down the weeks news. We also discuss his entry for the 2021 Holman Prize.    In the news:   HIMS announces the new Braille Sense 6.   AIRA announces partnership with Starbucks. Additionally, AIRA is now offering up to 30 free minutes  to assist with COVID-19 vaccine related activities.   Comic book app for the visually impaired being developed by WSU professor.   NVDA 2020.4 has been released.   Microsoft announces information about their upcoming Ability Summit.   Library of smells to open in Poland.   Put on your headphones:   Next up, I demonstrate the popular new game for iOS, Blind Drive.   “Blind Drive is an audio-based, black comedy arcade action game. You’re blindfolded and going against traffic. Cars rushing past, angry drivers yelling at you. Cops on your tail. And you can’t see a thing. Can you do it?   The entire game is experienced through your ears. Play as Donnie, trying to make a quick buck in a scientific study but quickly finding himself in over his head, cuffed to the wheel and driving blindfolded. Plus he’s late for dinner with Grandma.”   Blind Drive does include adult language that I have bleeped out for the podcast. Navigating without a cane?   I close the show this week by speaking with Diego Roel from Strap Technologies.   From the Strap Tech website: “STRAP Technologies is on the verge of delivering a revolutionary tech-forward alternative to the white cane: a lightweight, chest-worn strap that guides the blind and visually impaired by calculating the proximity of physical environments.”   Diego tells me how the product works and what he feels it can do for people who are blind or visually impaired. Thank you for listening to the Life After Blindness Podcast. If you have questions or comments, please send your emails to tim@lifeafterblindness.com   Join me again next time as we continue our journey together to find that there truly can be a life after blindness. The post Latest News, Accessible Comic Books,Library of Smells,Blind Drive on iOS and Interview with Strap Technologies appeared first on Life After Blindness.

It’s March, 2021 and that means that assistive technology conference season is upon us once again. Moving from the crowded conference rooms and exhibit halls, this year each conference was completely virtual. So what was that experience like and what did we learn from each conference? I’m joined by Rose Morales and Charles Hiser to break it all down. Rose is a former trainer with Apple who now works as a lead tester for an online education platform and Charles is a free-lance editor and student of accessibility. He has recently submitted an entry for the Holman Prize. Please watch his video and like it to give him your vote.   Rose and Charles begin by explaining what exactly CSUN and Axe-con are. They also describe how each conference is different this year due to being completely virtual. Each conference had its pros and cons but overall they seemed to offer a positive experience.   As we dive deeper into each conference, Rose and Charles explain what was presented during many of the live and pre-recorded presentations. Topics from these presentations include captioning, audio description and the accessibility of apps and websites, both from the perspective of a company as well as the consumer. Also discussed was self advocacy, artificial intelligence and the future of disability lawsuits and negotiations.   If you have any questions or comments, please send your emails to: tim lifeafterblindness.com.   Please join me again next time as we continue our journey together to find that there truly can be a life after blindness. The post 2021 Coverage of CSUN and Axe-con. But don’t quote me on that… appeared first on Life After Blindness.

In 2009, Google implented Talkback into their Android smart phones. Talkback for Android is a screen reader designed for use by the blind or visually impaired. Similar to Voiceover on the iPhone, Talkback uses a variety of swipes and special gestures to aid in navigating the phone. If you would like to support Life After Blindness and receive exclusive perks, become a patron. Thanks! Talkback Updates: First up I’m joined by Ed Green from the Blind Android Users Podcast and BlindAndroidUsers.com. Ed begins by explaining what Talkback for Android is and how it helps people who are blind or visually impaired.   In summer of 2020, Android Accessibility Suite 8.2 and Talkback 9.0 were released as part of Android 11. The update brought support for multi finger gestures similar to voiceover on iOS. Some of the new gestures include the 2 finger double tap which is used to play and pause audio as well as answer and hang up phone calls. Also included are gestures for switching apps, going home or back, viewing notifications, accessing quick settings, scrolling and much more.   In addition to discussing these new features, Ed also tells me about Talkback 9.1 which is the latest update for Talkback. Ed says that the multi-finger gestures have been “broken” with this update. There is a way to “roll back” your version of Talkback depending on your method of upgrade. Ed tells us how to downgrade in order to enable the multi-finger gestures again. Today’s Tech Tip – Shortcut Automations: In this weeks tech tip, I show you how to use the Shortcuts app on the iPhone to setup automations to help you with various tasks or apps. In this example, I show you how to automatically have ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode turn on and then off when openning or closing an app. Patreon Accessibility: Next, I speak with Journalist, author and activist, Robert Kingett. Robert has been working on structured negotiations with the membership platform, Patreon. Patreon is a way to get paid for creating the things you’re already creating like WebComics, videos, songs, podcasts, etc.. Fans pay a few dollars per month and then you get paid every month or every time you release something new. Until recently, Patreon was not very accessible to blind or visually impaired people using a screen reader.   Working with disability rights lawyer Lainey Feingold, Robert brought Patreon to the table to negotiate how to fix the inaccessibility of their app and website. In my interview with him, Robert tells us about these negotiations and what is happening with Patreon now and into the future.   If you have any questions or comments, please send your emails to: tim@lifeafterblindness.com. You can also leave me a voicemail by calling (201)588-5221 Please come back and join me again as we journey together to find that there can truly be a life after blindness. The post Updates to Android TalkBack, iPhone Shortcut Automations and Patreon Accessibility appeared first on Life After Blindness.

Audio games are interactive games played on a computer or smart phone that usually have very little or no graphics. Audio games can have the simplest of interfaces that utilize a screen reader. They can also be fully immersive and interactive with 3-D sound effects, actors and musical scores. If you would like to support Life After Blindness and receive exclusive perks, become a patron. Thanks! Before the Games On this weeks episode of the Life After Blindness Podcast, I begin by talking about some of the things that have been happening to me over the past year during the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, I share several stories from listeners about the issues they’ve had navigating the pandemic as someone who is blind or visually impaired. Shall We Play a Game? Next up, I interview Liam Erven from L-Works Games. Through L-Works, Liam produces affordable computer games for those with visual impairments.Liam and I talk about what audio games are and how he got into creating them. Liam also talks about some of the games he has developed and gives his opinion on the future of audio gaming. If you have any questions or comments, please send your emails to: tim@lifeafterblindness.com The post Audio Games Discussion with Liam Erven and coping with the Pandemic appeared first on Life After Blindness.

Have you ever wondered about the experiences of someone who has been blind since birth? This week, Tim Schwartz and Maria Johnson will be exploring many things about being blind since birth with Holly Anderson and Darcy Bernard from the Maccessibility Roundtable Podcast. A Blind Point of View is a new roundtable podcast where people who are blind or visually impaired come together to have a deep dive conversation about all things related to blindness. In this roundtable, Holly and Darcy describe a variety of situations related to being blind since birth. They both talk about their childhood experiences and how things they “lost out on” are similar to the “loss” someone might feel from losing vision later in life.   They also describe whether they can see or not in their dreams as well as what colors really mean to them.   A lot of fruit analagies are brought up here.   Tim, Maria, Holly and Darcy discuss some of the more politically correct (or not) words and phrases associated to people who are considered blind or visually impaired and whether these terms really matter or not.   The conversation gets really deep as everyone speculates that no matter when you became blind, we are all in it together.   If you would like to be a part of the conversation or have an idea for a future roundtable, please get in touch with either Tim or Maria. Thank you so much for listening to A Blind Point of View! The post A Blind Point of View – Experiencing Blindness from Birth appeared first on Life After Blindness.

It’s an audio description extravaganza on the Life After Blindness Podcast! First, I speak with audio description narrarator and voiceover artist, Roy Samuelson about the creation process and the current state of audio described content. Then, I show you how to turn on the audio described track within 5 of the top video streaming services. And finally, I share my thoughts on the availability of audio description, accessibility and the future of AD. If you would like to support Life After Blindness and receive exclusive perks, become a patron. Thanks! A Conversation about audio description. Roy Samuelson is a voiceover artist and audio description narrarator who has lent his voice to well over 500 national network episodes and blockbuster films. This includes NCIS, Lethal Weapon, Star Trek Picard, 1917, Spiderman Far from Home and Spiderman Homecoming, . Roy is also known for his voiceover work on many popular video games and television commercials. Roy begins our conversation by talking about what audio description is by comparing it to color commentating on a live sports event. He then describes the process of creating an audio description track beginning with the writing, the recording and editing. He explains the maticulous planning and creativity that goes into producing an audio described track. Roy discusses his excitement over how much audio description has grown in recent years. He is particularly excited about new streaming services as well as work behind the scenes that will continue the growth of and access to audio description. Roy is a big believer in advocacy. We talk about consumers asking for audio description for The Dark Crystal series and Daredevil on Netflix. In each case, the community spoke up and they got results. Next, Roy tells me about how he got started doing voiceover work and how that has affected how he narrators an audio description track. Roy played a gangster in the former Great Movie Ride at Walt Disney World where he was really able to sharpen his acting and narration skills. Roy has a passion for storytelling and connecting to an audience. In this interview, Roy definitely demonstrates that passion and the dedication that it takes to create an audio description track. He continues to learn as well as teach, conducting occasional workshops for other narrators. I am so grateful that Roy took some time to speak with me for this interview. He tells so many great behind-the-scenes tidbits and anecdotes. It was such a joy to speak with him! If you would like more information about Roy Samuelson, you can visit his website, and follow him on Facebook and Twitter. Additional resources for audio description that we discussed are:The Audio Description Project from the American Council of the Blind. (ACB)Audio Description Discussion Facebook GroupOn Twitter, follow the hash tags AudioDescription KnowYourNarrator and NothingAboutUsWithoutUs Todays Tech Tip Continuing the audio description extravaganza, I show you how to activate the AD track within 5 of the top video streaming services. You will hear me navigate through the player controls of Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV+, Netflix, Disney+ and CBS All Access. I demonstrate this on my iPhone 7 using iOS 13.3.1. As a little bonus, I show how accessible most of these apps are and how one in particular is not so accessible. Just my two cents about AD To close out the show, I spend a few minutes talking about the current state of audio description and where I hope it will progress to in the future. I also share my displeasure with the way that AD tracks are licensed and distributed. Overall, I think that the future of audio description looks good. It’s just that the road to get there might be a bit rocky. But as long as we keep advocating for accessibility and inclusion, we will hopefully get there faster and together. If you have any comments or questions, please send your emails to: tim@lifeafterblindness.com. You can also leave me a voice mail by calling, 201-855-5221. Please join me again next time as we continue our journey together to find that there truly can be a life after blindness. The post An Audio Description Extravaganza! Conversation with Voiceover Artist Roy Samuelson, Activating AD and a Bit of a Rant appeared first on Life After Blindness.

The Life After Blindness Spotlight is where I interview someone about their journey with a life after blindness. This week, I interview Maxwell Ivey from TheBlindBlogger.net. Max grew up working for his family carnival business, sold amusement equipment and now has his own blog and podcast.   Max has appeared as a guest, an interview subject, and a motivator on many different sites and podcasts. Through his work, Max has helped others by encouraging them to take steps towards their ultimate goal, or to continue on the path they have started.   Additionally, Max is an entrepreneur and motivational speaker.   In this Life After Blindness Spotlight, I talk with Max about growing up in the carnival business, joining an all blind Boy Scouts troop, becoming an Eagle Scout and much more. We talk about the various transitions throughout his life and how he persevered despite his diagnosis of Retinitis Pigmentosa at a young age.   Max then tells me about getting into blogging and starting his podcast, “The What’s Your Excuse Show?“   We wrap up by talking about the positive things that have occured in Max’s life because of his blindness.   If you have any questions or comments, please send an email to: tim@lifeafterblindness.com or leave a message by calling: 201-855-5221 If you would like to support Life After Blindness, please donate here. Thanks! The post Life After Blindness Spotlight Interview with The Blind Blogger, Maxwell Ivey appeared first on Life After Blindness.

Envision AI is a smart phone app that allows people who are blind and visually impaired to scan text, bar codes, objects, faces and so much more. This week, I speak with one of the founders and developers from Envision, Karthik about bringing the app to google Glass. I also share a new ‘Because of My Blindness story from “The Blind Blogger”, Maxwell Ivey. If you would like to support Life After Blindness, please donate here. Thanks! The show opens this week with a brand new musical theme featuring an introduction from my wonderful daughter Alyssa. Please email me and let me know what you think. In the News: 1. Flicktype Keyboard ranks third overall in paid iPhone apps. The developers of the popular app Flicktype Keyboard have announced a new pay structure for the app. Also, they announced a new app for the Apple Watch. In addition to it’s free version that requires copy and pasting of text, Flicktype previously had a monthly cost of $0.99 to allow the keyboard to integrate with your onscreen keyboard anywhere on your smart phone. This also included a version of Flicktype on the Apple Watch. Now, Costa and Ashley Eleftheriou, who develop Flicktype, have changed the cost to a one time payment of $1.99. They have also released an Apple Watch only app called Flicktype Watch Notes that costs $2.99. This app allows you to make notes on your Apple Watch and then share them any way you like. 2. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and National Braille Press is back with a variety of gifts for your sweetheart. You can shop at NBP for jewelry, magnets, books and of course, Valentine’s Day cards. The Braille cards have a decoder on the back so that if you share it with someone who does not know Braille, they can decipher it. 3. En-Vision America has us covered when it comes to reading prescription bottle labels. The long awaited ScripTalk app has finally been launched on the  iPhone. Previously only available for Android, ScripTalk allows you to scan a special bar code on your prescription that will provide you with all of the important information you need to know about that particular script. If you would like to find out if any pharmacies in your area have ScripTalk available or just want to get further information from En-Vision America, you can contact them at: 1(800)890-1180.  4. Voting in elections is a right and a privilage. Recently, United States Senators Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Bob Casey from Pennsylvania, introduced the Accessible Voting Act. The Accessible Voting act would help ensure the full process of voting – from registering to vote, to casting a ballot in person or by mail. Here is what each Senator had to say about the bill: “The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy, but exercising that right is not possible for too many Americans. Inaccessible polling places and voting booths, limited access to transportation, insufficient options for casting ballots, and inaccessible voter information websites are all obstacles to voting for millions of Americans,” Klobuchar said. “The Accessible Voting Act would help ensure that we remove barriers to voting for citizens with disabilities, the elderly, Native Americans, and those with limited English proficiency. Our democracy works best when all citizens can make their voices heard at the ballot box.” “The right to vote is one of the fundamental pillars of American democracy, but that right is under threat due to barriers that prevent or make it hard for older Americans and people with disabilities to cast their ballots,” Casey said.“ 5. Dogs are not just man’s best friend, they are also a state mascot? That’s right. The state of New Jersey has unanimously voted to make there state dog, the seeing eye dog. Of course, Morristown, New Jersey is home to the United States longest running guide dog school – The Seeing Eye. Over the years The Seeing Eye has paired over 17,000 people with a visual impairment and a guide dog. Because of My Blindness with The Blind Blogger, Maxwell Ivey.   Each week I like to share a story from a listener that I call, Because of My Blindness. This is your chance to talk about something positive that has happened in your life that might not have otherwise happened if you had not been blind. This could include something you have learned or someone you have met or an experience you have had. This is a way to find the silver lining of a cloud that can be very dark. This week, we hear from Maxwell Ivey, aka The Blind Blogger. Listen as he shares some lessons that he has learned along the way. Be sure to listen to next weeks episode for a longer spotlight interview with Max. Envision AI works with Google glass and more. Karthik joins me next from Envision AI. Envision AI is an app for both iPhone and Android that “empowers blind and low vision users to be independent by speaking out the visual world around them.” You can use it to scan short text, full page documents, bar codes, objects and much more. Due to be released at CSUN in March 2020, the first version of Envision Glasses will have Envision AI working on a Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2. It will incorporate all of the same functionality of the Envision AI app without needing a phone in your hand. Karthik also notes that Envision AI won’t be limited to just Google Glass. He hopes to bring it to other platforms as they become available.  Thank you so much for listening to the Life After Blindness podcast! If you have any questions or comments, please send your emails to: tim@lifeafterblindness.com or leave a voicemail by calling: 1(201)855-5221 The post Interview with Envision AI about Smart Glasses, Because of My Blindness with Maxwell Ivy Plus News about ScripTalk, Accessible Voting and more appeared first on Life After Blindness.

Coping with vision loss. A Blind Point of View is a new roundtable podcast where people who are blind or visually impaired come together to have a deep dive conversation about all things related to blindness. In this first episode, Maria Johnson from GirlGoneBlind.com and Derek Daniel from LifeAfterSightLoss.com join Tim Schwartz to talk about coping with vision loss. The trio begins by discussing their hopes for this roundtable podcast going forward. Then, each takes a turn at describing their own journey with sight loss. Tim and Derek explain how sight loss affected and even interrupted their lives at a younger age. However, Maria describes a different experience due to losing her vision later in life. Derek, Maria and Tim not only talk about the many ways that sight loss changed their lives but share the variety of ways they have coped with it over the years. They each describe different people, groups and other experiences that have helped them. If you would like to be a part of the conversation or have an idea for a future roundtable, please get in touch with either Tim, Derek or Maria. The post A Blind Point of View – Coping with Sight Loss appeared first on Life After Blindness.

Maria Johnson from Girl Gone Blind joins me on Life After Blindness for the entire show this week. We discuss Blindness Awareness Month, Accessibility news from Google as well as our experiences with a special bluetooth device called Sleep Phones. If you would like to support Life After Blindness, please donate here. Thanks! Commiserating on cruising In October, I went on a big family cruise to the Caribbean. As the show opens, Maria and I commiserate about vacationing on cruises. On this recent cruise, Carnival provided me with a large print event calendar that was almost 6 feet long. They also had audio description playing on their information TV channel in my cabin. Maria and I go on to discuss other aspects of our cruising experiences that have been fun and accessible. On episode 33 of the Life After Blindness podcast, I interviewed the Senior Cruise Director for Carnival Cruise Line John Heald about the accessibility of cruising. October is Blindness Awareness Month. Throughout the month, Life After Blindness has been sharing submissions from listeners about things they would want others to know about blindness. Whether you are blind or visually impaired or a person who is sighted who knows someone blind, these stories are meant to inform and educate others about blindness. This week, we hear from three people with very similar messages. They want people to know that just because you are blind, you are not helpless. However, if you are blind, they suggest that you should not be afraid to ask for help. They say it is also important to communicate with others about your level of vision. Following the listener comments, I ask Maria for her perspective. She references an article entitled, “5 Things Blind People Shouldn’t Have To Justify To Anyone.” How do you feel about what Maria the listeners and myself had to say? What else would you want others to know about blindness? Please comment below or send us an email. You can also leave a voicemail by calling 1-201-855-5221. in the news. Google has announced a couple of new updates. First, Google has added more specific walking directions for their popular Maps app. This update will provide you with more detailed information about intersections and your proximity to things. The other update from Google is within their Chrome Browser. They have added a feature that will attempt to describe images online. Discussion about Sleep Phones. Since February or so, we have both been using a product by Acoustic Sheep called Sleep Phones. Sleep Phones are headphones that are found inside a comfortable headband and are soft and flexible. They connect to any device that uses bluetooth and come in various colors and fabrics. Maria and I give examples of using Sleep Phones to listen to nature sounds or meditations as well as podcasts, music or anything else that will help you get to sleep. The Sleep Phones tie into a final story about a recent study. The study states that severe sleep apnea is a risk factor for developing diabetic macular edema, a complication of diabetes that can cause vision loss or blindness. A Blind Point of View. Also in this episode, we tease an upcoming roundtable podcast we are working on. This special conversation is a deep dive into coping with blindness. Maria, Derek Daniel from Life After Sight Loss and myself will share our experiences with losing vision and talk about ways that we have coped with sight loss. If you have any questions or comments, please send your emails to: tim@lifeafterblindness.com The post Listeners Share for Blindness Awareness Month, Google Accessibility News And Sleep Phones Discussion with Maria Johnson appeared first on Life After Blindness.

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On Monday October 7, the United States Supreme Court decided which cases they would consider for their fall session. The Court chose to deny a petition from Domino’s Pizza to hear whether its smart phone app and website is required to be accessible to people who are blind or disabled. This leaves in place a lower court decision against the company. A blind man named Guillermo Robles had sued Domino’s after he was unable to utilize the companies app and website to successfully order food while using a screen reader. Screen reading software is commonly used by the blind and visually impaired as a tool that provides voice feedback about what is showing on a computer or smart phone screen. A screen reader can be used to navigate computer operating systems, apps, games and websites using a variety of keyboard commands. In court papers, Attorneys for Robles argued that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires businesses with physical locations to make their websites and other online platforms accessible to those with disabilities. A panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Robles, writing that the “alleged inaccessibility of Domino’s website and app impedes access to the goods and services of its physical pizza franchises—which are places of public accommodation.” Attorneys for Domino’s, backed by a variety of business groups, had argued that the ADA does not apply to online platforms that were not envisioned when the law was passed in 1990. And, they said, no clear rules exist for how to make their platforms properly accessible. Robles’ attorney, Joe Manning, said in a statement Monday that the decision by the Supreme Court was “the right call on every level.” “The blind and visually impaired must have access to websites and apps to fully and equally participate in modern society – something nobody disputes,” he said. “This outcome furthers that critical objective for them and is a credit to our society.” Domino’s released a statement saying that it was disappointed in the Supreme Court’s decision, but “we look forward to presenting our case at the trial court.” “We also remain steadfast in our belief in the need for federal standards for everyone to follow in making their websites and mobile apps accessible,” the company said. Disability advocates have argued that if businesses do not have to create and maintain accessible websites, disabled people could be effectively shut out of substantial portions of the economy. There has been an increasing number of lawsuits  filed over website accessibility in recent years. In 2017, more than 2,200 such suits were filed in federal courts, according to the accessible technology firm  UsableNet. That nearly triples the number from 2016.                       The post US Supreme Court Declines to Hear Domino’s Pizza Accessibility Case appeared first on Life After Blindness.

Maria Johnson from Girl Gone Blind joins Tim this week on Life After Blindness to discuss the recent news from the blind and visually impaired community. In the last episode, Tim spoke with Derek Daniel about the most recent announcements from Apple. Following up on that discussion, Tim and Maria break down IOS 13 and the newest accessibility features that have been made available for the blind and visually impaired. This includes customization options for voiceover gestures, keyboard commands, braille input devices and much more. ‘Dark Mode’ is also discussed as well as the potential of the new ‘Voice Control’ for people who have motor skill issues, whether they are visually impaired or not. Next up, the conversation turns to Domino’s Pizza in the possibility of the supreme court hearing their case. Domino’s claims that the Americans with disabilities act does not include websites and smart phone apps when it comes to accessibility for the blind and visually impaired. Whether the Supreme Court hears this case or not could have a major impact on the accessibility of websites and apps going forward. Then, Tim and Maria close out the show by talking about Be My Eyes and the recent partnerships with pentene and clear blue. They also talk about AIRA and their announcement about offering free access to their agents. If you have any questions or comments, please send your emails to: tim@lifeafterblindness.com The post News about iOS 13 features for the blind, Domino’s and the Supreme Court, Be My Eyes partnerships and 5 minutes free from AIRA appeared first on Life After Blindness.

On this special episode of the Life After Blindness podcast, Tim is joined by Derek Daniel to discuss the announcements Apple made at their 2019 fall event. You can find out more information about Derek by visiting his website, Life After Sight Loss. Join Tim and Derek as they discuss the upgrades and new cameras for the iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max. They also discuss the other hardware announcements related to Apple Watch and iPad. Despite being visually impaired, Derek is a photo and video enthusiast who is very excited about the new iPhone cameras. Tim isn’t as excited but they can both agree that the price points for all these products are a really good move on Apple’s part. Is it worth it to upgrade to any of these new products m. Tim and Derek share their thoughts for my blind persons point of view. Next, the conversation turns to Apple Arcade and Apple TV+. The guys agree that there may not be a big interest within the blind and visually impaired community for Apple Arcade however they do feel that Apple TV+ could be quite popular. Especially since it comes in at a monthly price of $4.99. Tim then talks about a press announcement from Apple that says every TV show and movie available on Apple TV+ will have audio description in 8 languages at launch. Then, Tim talks to Derek about the things that were not announced at this year’s Apple event. Including the rumors surrounding a possible tracker or tile type device as well as augmented reality glasses. Hopefully these rumored products will be announced in the near future. Each could be very popular and helpful to people who are blind and visually impaired. If you have any questions or comments, please send your emails to: tim@lifeafterblindness.com The post 2019 apple Fall Event discussion with Derek Daniel appeared first on Life After Blindness.

You had better hold on tight! This special episode of the Life After Blindness Podcast will send you on a roller coaster ride of emotions ranging from silly to serious, funny to slightly hostile. Join the conversation as Tim speaks to his good friends and co-hosts of Double Tap Canada, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece. Recently, it was announced on an episode of RNIB Tech Talk that Tim and Shaun would no longer co-host the show. Tim sits down with Steven and Shaun to discuss the decision behind this departure and what it means for the future of Tech Talk. RNIB Tech Talk can be heard each week on RNIB Connect Radio at 8 AM Eastern time or wherever you listen to podcasts. Join Steven Scott and his new cohost Robin Christopherson as they discuss the weeks tech news. The guys also talk about how this decision affects their other project, Double Tap Canada. This is a show that can be found on AMI Audio in Canada every Thursday at 8 PM Eastern or wherever podcasts can be found. Ultimately, it is felt that this decision will enable both shows to grow and get better. So, sit back and relax and enjoy the sneak peek behind the scenes into this decision making process. If you have any comments or questions about this or any other episode of the Life After Blindness podcast, please send your emails to: tim@lifeafterblindness.com The post Steven Scott, Shaun Preece and Tim Schwartz discuss the future of RNIB Tech Talk and Double Tap Canada appeared first on Life After Blindness.

Steven Scott and Shaun Preece join Tim this week on Life After Blindness to discuss the latest tech news. They begin by talking about the new features for blueprints available for Amazon Echo and Apple Music coming to Google Home. Speaking of the Amazon Echo, Steven tells Tim about a great new skill by Virgin Trains. They wrap up the news with Tim asking the guys about a new wireless device designed for the blind and visually impaired that allows you to send payments to others securely around the world. Paul from Kenya shares a “Because of My Blindness” story. And then to close out the show, emails! Please visit the websites of two of the emailers who got in touch this week: The Blind Traveler Blog Tor 94 FM You can get in touch by emailing: tim@lifeafterblindness.com The post News about Virgin trains, Amazon Echo and Google Home with Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, Because of My Blindness from Kenya and Emails appeared first on Life After Blindness.

Did you know that President Theodore Roosevelt was blind? Did you also know that cruising on a Carnival ship is accessible? This week on the Life After Blindness podcast, Tim will tell you about how President Roosevelt lost his vision. And later, he will interview John Heald who is the Brand Ambassador and Senior Cruise Director for Carnival Cruiseline. John describes to Tim all the ways that Carnival has made cruising accessible. From screen readers that are installed on their onboard computers, to audio and accessible app versions of their daily events and food menus, to braille and large print versions of those as well. Carnival has made great strides for their blind and visually impaired passengers. They even have a designated place for guide dogs to play and relieve themselves. Tim also shares a new “Because of My Blindness” story provided by Hans Wiberg. Hans is the creator of the volunteer assistant app, Be My Eyes. Listen as he describes the opportunities afforded to him despite his blindness. And check out episode 32 of the Life After Blindness podcast for a full interview with Hans where he talks with Tim in more detail about Be My Eyes. In this weeks edition of “Tim’s Tech Tip” or T3, Tim explains how to better navigate and organize tabs in your internet browser. A lot has been going on in the news lately. First up is a story from the UK about a woman who is the very first to receive a genetic treatment for Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Next, Tim provides an update on the ratification of the entry of the United States into Marrakesh Treaty. Then, in audio game news, Tim talks about 3 games that have recently been released. The first is a first-person shooter from My True Sound called GoldGun. Next is a new game from Marty Schultz called BlindFold Bobsled. And then, a new game from Jonathan Mosen for the Amazon Echo called Blind Technology Trivia. The news then turns to tech with 2 new product announcements. The first is a new Braille Note Touch from Humanware. The second, a new, smart VR headset from NuEyes called the E2. Finally, a word about our friends behind the game, Dice World. The developers have started an Indiegogo campaign to raise money to bring their popular dice game to the Amazon Echo. If you have questions or comments about the show or anything else, please send your emails to: tim@lifeafterblindness.com Take care! The post Accessible Carnival Cruises with John Heald, Because of My Blindness with Hans Wiberg, News About Treating Macular Degeneration, The Marrakesh treaty, new audio games and so much more! appeared first on Life After Blindness.

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Welcome to Life After Blindness! A podcast that is dedicated to the exploration of an enabled life with blindness. In this weeks news, the Marrakesh VIP Treaty was passed by the United States House of Representatives. It was also ratified by the European Union. Next, a new study indicates that a Mediterranean diet could have an effect on age related Macular Degeneration. Also in the news, a visually impaired woman named Danelle Umstead was the first blind person to appear on Dancing with the Stars. And finally, Face Book has announced they are working on a process to detect text in images and Memes. Tim then announces that the radio show/podcast that he’s been a co-Host on for the last year, Double Tap Canada, has just launched a new website. The site, doubletap.online, is your newest and best resource for technology news that affects the blind and visually impaired. Next up, Tim interviews Steven Scott from the RNIB. Steven talks about his recent experience with driverless vehicles. Then Tim and Steven talk about how autonomous vehicles may one day affect people who are blind and visually impaired. In this weeks T3, Tim tells you about his five favorite new features available in Apple’s new mobile operating system, iOS 12. If you have any questions or comments about the show or anything else, please send your emails to: tim@lifeafterblindness.com Thank you very much for checking out the Life After Blindness podcast! Please come back again next week as together we find that there truly can be a Life After Blindness. Take care everybody. The post Marrakesh VIP Treaty News, Mediterranean Diet and AMD, blind Woman on Dancing with the Stars, Autonomous Vehicles with Steven Scott and iOS 12 Features in T3 appeared first on Life After Blindness.