Double Tap

Double Tap Canada is unapologetically Apple this week as the team discuss the recent October Apple Event. Will any of the 3 new products tempt Steven, Tim & Shaun to part with any cash?

First up is the Macbook Air, with it's Retina display and an unbelievable reduction to its already tiny dimensions, surely it must be the hit of the event? Well, there's something about it that the team really aren't happy about. The price.

Next we have the Mac Mini, described by Shaun as ""gadget sexy"" the Mini may still be the best way to get onto the Mac ecosystem.

Finally, the iPad Pro. With a new ""full screen"" design, more power then you could possibly need and a move away from the lightning port to USB C. Have Apple finally made an iPad that could replace your laptop? And if so, should we as visually impaired users, be worried by the possible dominance of touch interfaces?

Double Tap Canada gets heated this week as the team argue their way through this weeks tech news. Steven Scott has finally got around to unboxing his new Amazon Echo Dot 3 and is more than impressed with it's audio performance. So much so in fact, that he states it is as good as the original Echo. This of course leads to a lively discussion on the pros and cons of the Amazon smart speaker line up.

Next up is the Apple October Event. With expected updates to products such as the iPad Pro, Macbooks and Mac Minis, is there anything to get excited about. Tim Schwartz says no, Shaun Preece says yes and no, and Steven comes up with a theory on just who Apple are aiming this event at.

Staying with Apple, the team move on to the iPhone XR. With nearly all the features of the iPhone XS & XS Max but at a lower price, has Steven got buyers remorse after buying his 512GB iPhone XS? Surprisingly not, as his experience of using the OLED display has meant less eye strain and headaches. But is that enough to justify the extra cost? And will Shaun and Tim be picking up the XR when it's released on the 26th of October?

First up is the announcement that the popular social app Vorail may soon move to a subscription model.  Shaun went to the Vorail community and asked them directly for their thoughts on the idea.

Next, we take a look, or rather, a listen to the new Amazon Echo Dot 3.

AMI-audio's very own Kelly McDonald from the Kelly and Company reports from the National Braille Conference in Toronto. A 2 day conference that definitely debunks the myth that braille is dead. In fact, in all facets of work, study and play, braille is alive and kicking. 

Finally, the team look through the weeks tech news including Googles ChromeCast, FlickType on the Apple Watch and a new text to speech feature for the popular Pocket service.

Double Tap Canada is a man down this week as Steven calls in sick leaving it to Tim Schwartz and Shaun Preece to trawl through the highlights of this weeks tech news.

Up first for discussion is of course the recent Google event. With so many tech events held recently did Google do enough to interest a jaded Tim and Shaun? And will the new Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL be on any of the teams shopping lists? They also look at the new Google Slate and Google Hub and try to figure out just who these devices are aimed at?

The always talked about Tims Bits makes a return this week, with Tims top 5 features of iOS12 which leads into a discussion of when is the best time to buy the latest smartphone. And with Steven not here to keep the geek level under control, they dig into their new favourite waste of time, Siri Shortcuts.

Finally, with Facebook recently showing off their new hardware devices called Portals, is this something that people really want in their homes?

The Double Tap Canada team of Steven Scott, Tim Schwartz and Shaun Preece discuss a wide range of topics as usual in their own inimitable style.

Steven tells us about teaching his wife JAWS and the difficulties learning new software.

The team takes a look at the beta release of JAWS 19 and discusses the new features and improvements, including its handling of Office 365.

With the Made by Google event coming up on October 9, the team talks about what might be on the revel list.

"Steven Scott kicks off this episode of Double Tap Canada in a poetic mood which does nothing but confuse Shaun, but after a brief explanation the team jump straight into this weeks tech news. With Oculus announcing the new Quest wireless virtual reality headset is there really anything a visually impaired or blind person can get from this fast growing technology? Also, with new updates to Mac OS and Windows is there any new features to get excited about and is it time for Microsoft to give up with Narrator and buy a screen reader like Jaws or NVDA to bundle in with Windows?

Next thanks to Stevens long suffering credit card we hear about his latest tech toys. His shiny new iPhone XS has 512GB of storage and more performance then he needs but do we detect some buyers remorse. Definitely no regrets when it comes to his new Series 4 AppleWatch though. Great performance & features but will Walkie Talkie and a bug in WatchOS5 put his radio career in jeopardy?

Finally Shaun gets excited about the recent Amazon event which revealed updates to the existing Echo smartspeakers plus some new additions such as a subwoofer, microwave and wall clock. Is this the start of Amazons Alexa taking over every device in your house? Shaun certainly hopes so."

Double Tap Canada takes a look at the house of tomorrow, or should that be today, as Steven, Shaun & Tim discuss internet of things and smart devices. After a few false starts and lots of promises it does seem that truely useful smart devices such as lights, plugs cookers and other household appliances are finally here. Are these products now really useful or is it all still technology for technology sake? And just what impact does it have when it comes to accessibility?

In a turn of events that shocked absolutely no one, Steven tells us all what he has ordered from Apple. Did Apples shiny new iPhone XS with its new dual sim feature lure him away from his whirlwind romance with Android? Spoiler, yes, of course it did.

In other news we discuss Samsungs patant on a method to enter braille on a smartwatch. It's an interesting idea but is it really practical and why won't Steven say thank you?

We wrap up this weeks show talking about what technology we have bought that disappointed us. Cue yet another rant from Steven. This time he has the Apple Airpods in his sights... or, erm, ears. And he isn't happy.

In Double Tap Canada this week there is only one topic up for discussion and that of course is the recent Apple event. Oh, and as ever with Steven, a quick detour to discuss chips and candy. He's quickly brought back on topic byu the rest of the team however and we take a look at Apples latest products.

The new Apple Watch series 4 now has a thinner, sleeker design and still manages to fit in a bigger screen. With the ability to detect when it's wearer has fallen over and also ring a designated contact if you don't get back up in a specific time it could be a great help to some.  Also it's the first over the counter consumer product to include sensors capable of taking an ECG to check your heartbeat for any irregularities. Is the Apple Watch now more than just a fitness monitor and more of a medical device?

Apple also unveiled 3 new iPhones. The XS, XS Max and XR. Building on last years iPhone X design with no home buttons and full size screens there's no denying they look great and with the new A12 cpu and Neural Engine they certainly have plenty of power but is that enough to justify the price tags? And just which phone is the best option for the visually impaired or blind?

Join Steven, Shaun, Tim and Kayaker as they argue, laugh and talk their way through all these questions and more.

The Double Tap Canada team are against the clock this week as they try to get the show on air in time and also challenge each other to see whos smartphone can navigate the web in the fastest time. With Shaun in Apples corner and Steven fighting for Androids reputation, who will come out on top?

Also we hear from a user of the new Horizon glasses system from Aira to find out of this much anticipated upgrade to Airas fantastic service lives up to expectations. Kayaker joins the team to let us know.

Finally, with Apples keynote just a week away is there anything about the event we don't already know? We'll talk about the latest leaks which means of course Tim will be getting more excited about the expected Apple Watch 4.

On this weeks show Steven Scott and Shaun Preece talk about all of the rumours surrounding Apple’s big event coming up in September. The guys also talk about the new soundbars and smart speakers that have just been announced from Bose.