Double Tap

After some shocking revelations about Steven’s teeth, it’s time for another episode of Double Tap Canada. This week, Steven has been taking a look at Instagram. This brings up the question Is a social platform with photos & videos at it’s core be of any interest if you’re visually impaired? Why not let us know by taking part in our Twitter poll. You can find us on Twitter @DoubleTapCanada.

It seems there is no news story this week that isn’t talking about Clubhouse. Well, we’ve all somehow managed to grab an invitation and spent some time in this audio only app. Is this the future of social & educational online chat or is it all hype?

We’ve also been taking a look at Microsoft Edge’s Read Aloud feature. Steven & Marc love to sit back and have a news article or blog read to them using Microsoft’s excellent text to speech voices, but is there any reason to use this if you are a screen reader user?

We’ll also be discussing Steven’s latest toy, the Belkin Boost 3 in 1 MagSafe charger, the release of the new Echo Show 10 & the news that Mac OS has dropped below Chrome OS in the most used operating systems list.

If you want to have your say then please email us [email protected] or call us on 1844 971 1999.

How else would an accessible tech show start but with a discussion about root canals and school butlers? Of course, It can only be Double Tap Canada.

First up for discussion is the controversy surrounding Nike’s new Go Fly Ease sneakers. Designed so that you can put these on without using your hands, there was some concern that Nike seem to be avoiding using the word disabled in any marketing material. Is the word disabled a dirty word when it comes to promotion or are people simply being too sensitive?

In podcast news, I Heart Radio has announced they will be releasing a playlist of podcasts that are produced in 3D audio. Could this be the future of podcasting or is this just a gimmick that will go the same way as 3D television? Just how immersive does a podcast need to be?

The big news this week is that Steven is diving into the world of Android again. He’s grabbed a Pixel 5 phone and wants to see what Android has to offer. The problem is that Steven has been entrenched in the Apple echo-system for so long how easy will it be to transition? He’ll be looking what tools are available to help transfer your data from your iPhone to Android.

Of course, there’s a whole lot more news & discussion such as the demise of Skype for Business, some new training resources for the Jaws screen reader & a interesting survey from Microsoft aimed at screen reader users.

We start this weeks Double Tap Canada with a plea for help from a confused Steven Scott. He’s still looking for a gaming rig to play his beloved truck driving game on but with so many options out there, just what should he buy? Marc Aflalo will be pointing him in the right direction.

Sticking with gaming, we’ll be taking a look at the news that Google has closed it’s game studios for their Stadia platform. Does this mean the end for the short-lived gaming service? In other tech news, Apple has just released the developer beta of iOS 14.5 and there are 2 features that may be worth getting excited about. Also, Amazon have just launched the Alexa Guard Plus subscription service in the US & Canada. The Alexa Guard feature will listen out and notify you when your smartspeaker hears any trigger sounds such as breaking glass, smoke alarms etc. Just what extra protection do you get with the new Alexa Guard Plus feature and is it worth the $4.99 monthly subscription?

While we’re talking Alexa, Steven will be running through some skills & features that can be handy if you are working from home, or when you want to annoying your dog…

Finally, Steven takes a look at 2 smart lighting products, 1 from Phillips Hue & 1 from TP Tapo. Just how easy are they to set up? it’s on to your emails. After buying a new touch screen laptop, Bilal wants to know if the Jaws screen reader has touch screen support. If you have any questions, then we’d love to hear from you. You can email [email protected] or leave a voicemail on 844 971 1999

Despite Steven trying to burn the studio to the ground last week, Double Tap Canada is back with another look at this week’s tech news. Marc will be diving into some of the new products unveiled at the recent Samsung event, including the new S21 smartphones, smart tags & Samsung Buds Pro. Steven will be walking through his new studio equipment and the accessible way he labels his mountain of cables & Shaun explains why the recent uproar regarding WhatsApp privacy might not actually be as bad as we first thought…

Finally we’ll be running through your emails and a tragic tale of why it’s so important to keep track of your passwords.

As we see Trump banned from virtually all social media platforms, this weeks Double Tap Canada kicks off with a discussion around big tech, free speech, censorship & dis-information. Steven wants to know just why did it take companies such as Facebook & Twitter so long to act and are people now starting to question the usefulness of social media?

Talking of Facebook, this week saw a change to the term of service for the incredibly popular app WhatsApp. These changes mean that data such as who you are talking to and when you use the app will be shared with Facebook, with no option to opt out. With over 1 billion WhatsApp users around the world obviously this caused some concern. For those who aren’t happy, just what alternative apps are out there.

Finally, Marc will be telling us about CES 2021. Like nearly all event recently, CES 2021 is being held virtually and although this has seen a drop in the number of exhibitors, the number of people viewing the digital event is expected to be more than ever before. But just what tech is all the rage this year? Marc has been deep diving into CES, all from the comfort of his home, and will be letting us know what’s been going on.

All this and more including Steven setting his studio on fire. It can only be Double Tap Canada…

Welcome back to Double Tap Canada and what better way to kick off the new year then with an argument. Steven Scott & Marc Aflalo are excited about turning their Mac computers into gaming machines…but Shaun has different views on how excited they should be.

Moving to recent tech news, we take a look at the new World feature in Seeing AI. Using the new LIDAR sensor on the iPhone 12 Pro Max, the World feature allows you to scan a room and it will not only recognize objects around you, but also knows exactly how far away that object is. Obviously, for us as visually impaired people, having a feature that will tell you what objects or obstacles are around you and exactly where they are could be incredibly useful. Steven & Marc have been testing it out and will be letting us know how well it works.

Also, in Netflix news we discuss the importance of a new feature they are testing with a select few Android users. A new ‘audio only’ button that, when pressed, will turn off the video and turn on audio description allowing people to enjoy their favorite show without being chained to a screen. If Netflix can show people just how useful audio description can be then maybe, we’ll find lots more content being audio described.

Finally, it’s on to your feedback, can you help a listener find an easy & accessible way to sync his contacts? And just how much did Shaun enjoy playing Steven’s boss in AMI’s ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ audio production? Spoiler alert, he loved it…