iACast

By The iACast TeamNews Education Tech News

iACast episodes

March 20, 2023175 – CSUN AT 2023 Wrap Up
Show Description
On this episode of the iACast, Michael talks with Taylor Arndt, and Jeff Bishop about the following topics.
News
Be My Eyes adds virtual Volunteer with GPT 4 features to interpret images.
Optima modular Braille laptop from Orbit
Magna Magnifier from Orbit Research
Aira Explorer App replaces Aira Legacy
Google Glass 2 enterprise discontinued.
WayAround 4.2 released witht new translations and Android bug fixes.
Picks
Jeff: Ninite Pro
Taylor: iPad Air for note-taking
Michael: Star Trek Picard Season 3 episode 5
Providing Feedback
We love hearing from you, so feel free to send an email to [email protected]. You can follow us on Facebook, and Twitter. You can also find us on Reddit, and all around the web. Also, don’t forget to check out our YouTube page, and for all things iACast, check out our iACast page. If you’d like to help support us, you can do so via our and Patreon pages.
55 min
March 06, 2023174 – How to Research Technology Purchases
Show Description
On this episode of the iACast, Michael talks with Michael Babcock, Marty Sobo, and Debbie Hazelton about the following topics.
News
Bing AI gives incorrect information or gives outrageous answers
Netflix looks at rausing prices for users that share passwords.
We discuss what can happen if you are reported on Mastodon
Ad
The iACast Network Live Stream
Topic
Technology is expensive, and so it is important to research technology before spending your money on it. This episode goes over some techniques for making informed choices when buying a technology based device.
Picks
Michael: Servant on Apple TV+
Marty: iOS Access for All by Shelly Brisbin
Debbie: OKO by Ayes on the App Store Neck pouch – Guide Lights and Gadgets
Michael: Star Trek Picard Season 3
Providing Feedback
We love hearing from you, so feel free to send an email to [email protected]. You can follow us on Facebook, and Twitter. You can also find us on Reddit, and all around the web. Also, don’t forget to check out our YouTube page, and for all things iACast, check out our iACast page. If you’d like to help support us, you can do so via our and Patreon pages.
1 hr
February 19, 2023iACast 173 – Mainstream Versus Assistive Technology
Show Description
On this episode, Michael speaks to Marty, Debbie, and Michael about the following topics.
Twitter removes access to their api for free users.
Google and Microsoft implement their own GPT AI solutions as The New Bing and BARD
Ad
Check out Debbie’s podcast, This Time Around.
Topic
This week we discuss whether theblind community should purchase mainstream devices, or look at new assistive technology solutions. Devices that are mentioned include:
Victor Reader Stream 3rd generation,
BlindSHell Classic 2
Ruby by Freedom Scientific
Compact 10 by Optelec
iPhone
iPad
Picks
Marty Peak Designs Tech Pouch
Michael Babcock: Vocaster 2
Debbie Mantis Q40 and Zoom Podtrak P4
Michael Doise: All New HomePod
Providing Feedback
We love hearing from you, so feel free to send an email to [email protected]. You can follow us on Facebook, and Twitter. You can also find us on Reddit, and all around the web. Also, don’t forget to check out our YouTube page, and for all things iACast, check out our iACast page. If you’d like to help support us, you can do so via our and Patreon pages.
58 min
February 15, 2023 iACast UnboxCast – 2023 HomePod
Description
In this episode, Michael unboxes the 2023 HomePod with Michael, Debbie, and Jason.
Providing Feedback
We love hearing from you, so feel free to send an email to [email protected]. You can follow us on Facebook, and Twitter. You can also find us on Reddit, and all around the web. Also, don’t forget to check out our YouTube page, and for all things iACast, check out our iACast page. If you’d like to help support us, you can do so via our and Patreon pages.
Transcription
[0:00] Music.
[0:16] And welcome to another unboxing on the IACast network. All right, we’ve got a few folks with us today.
I’m just going to go through names because some folks are here, but listening and they’ll come in in a bit.
We have Michael Babcock, we have Debbie Hazelton, and Jason Castingway.
Did I say that right, Jason?
Jason You did. Jason Great.
And we have Lauren Flinner listening out on Team Talk. We’re back on team talk, folks. Imagine that.
So we’re here to unbox a new thing. And I’ve been excited about this. I got it yesterday.
I have put off unboxing it for a day, which is amazing for me.
So it’s a home pod. It’s a white home pod.
And the shipping box, I took it out of the shipping box, but it was interesting.
The shipping box from Apple doesn’t have tape, guys.
It just has a little cardboard pull tab that you pull apart and then the box just splits down both sides. You pull it down.
I was like, wow, that’s cool.
[1:30] I think my iPhone, I think my 14 Pro might have been that way.
And it looked like it would look like it was in a flat rate box, but it wasn’t.
Right. interesting, isn’t it? Yeah. And then, you know, Apple started putting these pull tabs, on all of their products. It’s very interesting. And so there’s no tape. And all you got to do is just find one of these pull tabs and yeah, gotta love that binaural sound right there. You know, oh yeah, Apple packs things in such a way that I often say they could pack my lunch. I wish they would. I would love for Apple to pack my lunch.
[2:13] You guys are hearing this in binaural audio, or you should be. If you’re not wearing good headphones, I would. So I just pulled these two pull tabs off, and that’s all I had to do. Like no tape, no nothing, just pull tabs. Then I turned the box over to be right side up because the pull tabs are on the bottom and then all I have to do is lift up and the top part of the box comes off and there’s a home pod underneath. The inside of the top part even has some supports to hold the home pod in place so it doesn’t move around in there too. Now the top of the home pod where the screen is so it is, is definitely indented and it has a little pull tab.
You pull the little protective area off.
And the difference on this HomePod is I’ve heard that it has two volume buttons, but I can’t see those.
[3:16] Hmm. It says they’re engrained or engraved or something, but I can’t visually see those.
But it’s definitely in, like, it’s in the screen is definitely like indented into the machine, into the HomePod. And it is definitely shorter. It’s not as tall.
[3:42] Okay, so that’s interesting. And the bottom also has a pull tab as well.
Now I have heard reports, there we go, just something satisfying about that.
I have heard that these home pods have a different base to them.
So they’re not supposed to leave a white ring on wooden surfaces.
However, I’ve heard that after a day or so they still do.
But this is definitely a bit smaller. It’s still pretty heavy, but it has two less speakers and two less microphones and a slower processor and Wi-Fi.
Maybe not so a processor, but an older Apple watch processor.
So below the home pod, we have where it sits in the box.
We have a little removable plate and the power cable is wrapped around this little area.
Under the box, like where the instructions would normally go.
[4:41] So you just open this up and I don’t want to rip this because I don’t like ripping Apple boxes. There we go.
You do that and then you have the power cable, which is completely detachable by the way, folks.
It does not come attached to the HomePod. And what I like is it’s very easy, once you get everything out, to put everything back in the box, way it belonged. That’s really nice because sometimes boxes you get stuff out and it’s just difficult to put back in. Also, yes one thing that’s interesting, that’s true, is there’s no twist ties or cable ties on this cable.
[5:28] The other thing that’s interesting is this cable looks like it belongs like when you plug it in, the end of it looks like it’s built into the home pod so it’s to mimic how it looked on the previous home pod. Kind of like they would do with the iMacs too the the cable was molded in such a way that, when it was plugged into the iMac it would look like one piece. Right. They’re so smart.
There are Apple.
Does this go in? They are.
Now it does appear to only go in there one way so you cannot reverse it. It will go in, from what I can tell, only one way. Yeah.
[6:20] Yeah. But you plug it in and it just feels like it belongs with the HomePod.
[6:27] Okay. Very nice. So I mean, it’s smaller.
Let’s see. I’m going to put this down and I’m going to go try to get the other HomePod if my headphones once we’ll let me go that far.
[6:47] And it’s interesting, you can squeeze it and it does have some give.
[7:00] Oh, that’s interesting. The base on the old one is…
…declined. Like, it’s inset.
[7:13] And the cable feels very similar. And this one’s quite old and it looks a little off white with age.
And are they using a power cable that looks proprietary or at least it’s not USB-C I’m guessing right? No it’s kind of that figure eight kind of look. Oh okay. So I’ve, officially stacked two home pods one on top of the other to compare them and the.
[7:56] They are very similar in size they really are. The old one has a screen on on the top, like it just looks like they slapped a plastic, piece down on top, whereas the new one, it’s kind of inset into the device.
The old one has more of a hole at the bottom, kind of like you would expect, like a subwoofer to kind of have that little area to kind of breathe bass out of.
The new one does not.
So I think that the reason why I’ve heard the old one is a little more bassy, is because it has that room to have that base come through.
Have that base come through. The old one is definitely heavier, which is interesting.
[8:49] Also, interestingly, the mesh has a little more give on the new one than the old one does.
Like, if you press on it, it will kind of give a little more.
Hmm. Hmm. But the bottom of the old one is definitely heavier.
That’s very interesting.
Okay, so…
We’re gonna see if we can plug these things in. Have you ever heard two HomePods together, like two of the originals together?
I’ve heard that’s really cool. I have not.
I’m never gonna.
[9:32] I have not heard that yet.
Jason, you don’t have one, do you? I don’t, unfortunately.
Okay, so we’re going to plug in the new one first and we’re going to set it up.
Oh, can’t wait to hear the sounds. I know.
It’s all about the sound. It’s booting up.
[10:29] Okay. Did y’all hear that? Yep. Yes. That very bassy sound.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
[10:44] We’ve got so many cables over here for work management and all tha…
37 min
February 04, 2023iACast 172 – All About AI
Show Description
On this episode, Michael speaks to Marty, Lauren, and Michael about the following topics.
Twitter bans 3rd party apps.
Microsoft makes Soundscape open source.
Ad
Check out the Unmute Presents podcast also on the iACast Network.
Topic
This week we discuss the latest in AI, which include Auphonic, DALL-E 2, Whisper AI and ChatGPT
Picks
Marty Play for macOS
Michael Babcock: Launchbar 6 for Mac
Lauren Adjustable Laptop Stand from Amazon
Michael Doise: The Last of Us on HBO
Providing Feedback
We love hearing from you, so feel free to send an email to [email protected]. You can follow us on Facebook, and Twitter. You can also find us on Reddit, and all around the web. Also, don’t forget to check out our YouTube page, and for all things iACast, check out our iACast page. If you’d like to help support us, you can do so via our and Patreon pages.
58 min
January 21, 2023iACast 171 January 2023 Apple Event
Show Description
On this episode of the iACast Michael Doise, Michael Babcock, Lauren Flener, Marty Sobo, and Taylor Arndt discuss CES and the latest items from Apple that were announced this week.
Resources from this episode:
MacBook Pro 14 and 16 inch refresh
Mac Mini
New HomePods
Picks
Michael Babcock: Hazel for Mac
Lauren Flener: HEB Coffee
Taylor Arndt: ATR2100-X microphone
Marty Sobo: Lookup for iOS
Michael Doise: The Last of Us on HBO
Providing Feedback
We love hearing from you, so feel free to send an email to [email protected]. You can follow us on Facebook, and Twitter. You can also find us on Reddit, and all around the web. Also, don’t forget to check out our YouTube page, and for all things iACast, check out our iACast page. If you’d like to help support us, you can do so via our and Patreon pages.
1 hr
January 14, 2023iACast 170 – 2023 Tech Predictions
Show Description
On this episode of the iACast Michael introduces Marty Sobo, and Michael Babcock who discuss their podcast called Unmute Presents, which is joining the iACast Network.
During this episode, we discuss the removal of Microsoft Soundscapes from the app store, and the fact that it is now open source.
Microsoft Soundsape on GitHub
One interesting news topic that we discuss is the new AI voices for Apple Books.
Digital narration for Audiobooks – Apple Books
Out last news topic was that Amazon may evaluate what Echo devices they sell as Alexa costs them $10 Billion a year.
We also discuss our tech predictions for this year in this episode.
Picks
Marty Sobo: AirBuddy for Mac
Michael Babcock: BARD Mobile for BlindShell Classic 2
Lauren Bradford: DCanes
Michael Doise: ChatGPT
Providing Feedback
We love hearing from you, so feel free to send an email to [email protected]. You can follow us on Facebook, and Twitter. You can also find us on Reddit, and all around the web. Also, don’t forget to check out our YouTube page, and for all things iACast, check out our iACast page. If you’d like to help support us, you can do so via our and Patreon pages.
55 min
January 06, 2023iACast 169 – OrCam and Envision Glasses
Show Description
On this episode of the iACast recorded in September of 2022, Michael Doise, Michael Babcock, Taylor Arndt, Leslie Dickson, and Jim Barbour discuss the latest tech news, and compare the OrCam devices to the Envision Glasses.
Links
OrCam
Envision
Providing Feedback
We love hearing from you, so feel free to send an email to [email protected]. You can follow us on Facebook, and Twitter. You can also find us on Reddit, and all around the web. Also, don’t forget to check out our YouTube page, and for all things iACast, check out our iACast page. If you’d like to help support us, you can do so via our PayPal and Patreon pages.
1 hr 2 min
September 08, 2022 iACast Special – iPhone 14 event
Episode Notes
Show Description
On this episode, Michael and Taylor discuss Apple’s event. The Apple Watch 8 and altra , iPhone 14, new airpods pro, and more were all anounced.
Providing Feedback
We love hearing from you, so feel free to send an email to [email protected]. You can follow us on Facebook, and Twitter. You can also find us on Reddit, and all around the web. Also, don’t forget to check out our YouTube page, and for all things iACast, check out our iACast page. If you’d like to help support us, you can do so via our PayPal and Patreon pages. If you wish to interact with us during our podcasts live then please do join us on our Slack channel.
32 min
November 24, 2021iACast 168 – Unleashed
Show Description
On the latest IA Cast episode, Taylor Arndt, Michael Babcock, and Michael Doise talk about the week of tech events in October while going in depth with thoughts on the new Macbooks.
Links mentioned in this episode
◄ Samsung Galaxy Unpacked recap
◄ Pixel 6 event recap: Android 12’s release, Tensor chip, 5G and more – CNET
◄ Pixel Pass, an all-in-one subscription for Pixel – Google Store
◄ HomePod mini is available in bold new colors starting today – Apple
◄ Introducing the next generation of AirPods – Apple
◄ Apple unveils game-changing MacBook Pro – Apple
◄ Matter is the foundation for connected things.
◄ Beats announces Fit Pro earbuds with wing tip design and $200 price – The Verge
Taylor Arndt’s Contact information and Pick
● AirTag – Apple
● @Taylor_arndt22 on twitter
● @taystechtalks on Twitter
● Taylor’s Tech Talks Community
Michael Babcock’s Contact information and Pick
● AKG K240 Studio Circumaural Stereo Headphones | zZounds
● @Payown on Twitter
● The Your Own Pay Podcast Network
Michael Doise Contact information and Pick
● Foundation | Apple TV+
● @Mikedoise on Twitter
● Techopolis – YouTube
Providing Feedback
We love hearing from you, so feel free to send an email to [email protected]. You can follow us on Facebook, and Twitter. You can also find us on Reddit, and all around the web. Also, don’t forget to check out our YouTube page, and for all things iACast, check out our iACast page. If you’d like to help support us, you can do so via our PayPal and Patreon pages.
Resources
Techopolis YouTube Channel
Taylor’s Tech Talks
46 min