Mystic Access Podcast

By Chris Nova, Kim NovaTechnology Education How To

Mystic Access Podcast episodes

September 02, 2025 Security Scares, Gift Card Gimmicks, and Kim’s Big Oops
Today’s episode is a melting pot of cautionary tales and practical tips from our recent adventures. Our goal isn’t to scare you, but to remind you to stay careful and vigilant—especially while traveling.
In this episode, we cover:
•
Travel & Canes – A follow-up on our cane conversation from last time, sharing how our two-section telescopic canes performed during our flight home. Lots to recommend, but also one big concern.
•
Airport Security – A new and eye-opening experience before even boarding the plane.
•
Kim’s Scary Mistake – An unnerving incident in Buffalo that you’ll definitely want to learn from.
•
Transaction Monitoring – Why you should pay attention to those “annoying” notifications from services like Life Lock (we learned this the hard way).
•
Switching Phone Plans – Helping Kim’s mom move to a new provider came with its own set of complications—here’s what to watch out for when porting a number.
•
Verizon Home Internet Perks – We share why taking a gift card perk might not have been the best idea. (This story will have a sequel in a future episode!)
•
New Coffee Discovery – A brand we’re loving and think you will too.
•
Kim’s Product Demo – The Sticro Moist Heat Sinus Mask for sinus pressure relief. It has three heat settings, five timers, and options for both dry and moist heat. Kim swears by it! (Affiliate link included—thank you for supporting us when you purchase through it.)
As always, thanks for listening! We hope our rambling adventures offer something useful for your own journey. Until next time!
42 min
August 19, 2025 Telescoping Canes, Hurricane Tracking, Our New Safety Book, and More
Welcome to our final 2025 episode recorded in North Carolina! To kick things off, we brought you outside to experience some late-summer nature sounds. Unfortunately, the ambiance was interrupted by the air conditioner, so we moved the recording indoors. We hope the natural setting was a nice touch before the interruption!
In this episode, we’re picking up where we left off last time with our tease about canes. An unexpected situation at the ACB convention has led us to new discoveries, and we’re now the proud owners of some telescoping canes!
In This Episode:
•
Telescoping Cane Talk: We dive into two different telescoping canes we’ve recently tried out:
•
Ambutech’s Two-Section Graphite Cane: We’re big fans of Ambutech for their customizable options and top-notch quality. This cane is adjustable, making it a fantastic travel companion. However, we do have a small concern we share in the episode. Learn more about the cane and order yours by activating this link.
•
Sam Seavey’s Recommended Titanium Cane: You can find this sturdy option on Amazon (via our affiliate link). Sam from the great YouTube channel The Blind Life has a great review of it, and we share our thoughts on why it might be a fabulous travel buddy.
•
Classic Apps for the Blind: Chris takes us down memory lane with a discussion of two reliable Windows apps:
•
Remind-Me, and
•
Handy Address Book by Beiley Software
These apps are a throwback but are still packed with practical and helpful features. Best of all, this company cares about accessibility. We discuss how these terrific Windows apps stand the test of time.
•
Hurricane Tracker App: With Hurricane Erin making waves in the Atlantic, we introduce you to My Hurricane Tracker from jRustonApps. It’s a great, accessible tool for tracking hurricanes and tornadoes. We also share about the past hurricanes this app lets you explore—perfect for those who want to dig into storm history!
•
New Book Release: We’re excited to announce the release of our latest book from National Braille Press, Staying Safe: Tips And Tools For A Secure Home, Body, And Spirit. It’s filled with advice and tips to help readers stay safe in various situations, like building a secure home, while walking, using rideshare services, in airports, dealing with stress or anxiety, safety in romantic relationships, and more. We think this would also make a nice companion to our book about staying safe online. We feel this book would make a great addition to your library or as a thoughtful gift!
As always, thanks for tuning in! We’ll see you in September with more insights and updates.
44 min
August 05, 2025 Echos, Fire Tablets and Alexa+, Oh My!
Most of this episode is dedicated to all things Amazon. We have numerous demos and thoughts to share on several products. First, however, we’re announcing a twenty-five percent off sale to celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary on August 11. The sale runs from Friday August eighth through end of day Tuesday August twelfth, and you’ll save on all our audio documentation, including our new Audible Adventures product. We highly recommend it for all book-lovers!
We begin our look at Amazon products with a discussion of our new latest generation Echo. We share the sad circumstances that led us to purchase it, and through the magic of editing you’ll be there with us as we unbox and set it up. We also play some tunes to show you its sound quality.
On Prime day we also purchased new Fire tablets. This was yet another cool setup process. Chris talks about his, and Kim takes you through hers in close to real time so you can experience it, too.
Finally, we take you with us as we check out Alexa+. this demo was recorded in June, but it still gives you an idea of the differences between Alexa and Alexa+. Of course, we share our likes and dislikes.
Finally, we close by teasing an upcoming podcast topic we’ll discuss next time. Thanks, as always, for listening!
1 hr 27 min
July 22, 2025 Convention Adventures
In this episode, we discuss our travels to and from the ACB Convention.
Links coming soon. Stay tuned.
1 hr 10 min
July 08, 2025 Convention Season, Summer Sales, and a Walk with Voice Vista
This episode is a short and sweet one—many of us are busy enjoying both virtual and in-person convention fun!
Convention Season Sale
Our summer sale is live! From now through July 14, save 30% on all digital audio documentation.
•
We’re currently at the ACB convention in Dallas, then heading to our summer home in North Carolina, and will be back at our desks on August 25.
•
Hardware orders (like speakers and cables) will ship after we return to New York.
•
If you order physical media (thumb drives, SD cards, or NLS cartridges), we’ll do our best to ship from North Carolina, though some delays may occur.
•
Kim will personally reach out to anyone ordering hardware or physical media to keep you informed.
Activate this link to begin shopping.
Chris’s Walk with WeWALK and Voice Vista
Chris recently took a stroll using his WeWALK Smart Cane 2 along with the Voice Vista app for iOS. Sorry, Android users, there’s currently no equivalent app for you.
We chat about:
•
The origin of Voice Vista
•
Chris’s first impressions
•
Features he’s loving
•
What he’s excited to explore further
•
Hopes for future updates
Wishing everyone a joyful, safe, and inspiring convention season. Thanks for listening—we appreciate you!
15 min
July 04, 2025 Minisode – New Product announcement
Hi everyone,
We’re excited to share a brand-new episode with you! In this release, we introduce our latest product — Audible Adventures.
This comprehensive offering explores the accessibility of the Audible service across a variety of platforms, giving you a clearer picture of how to enjoy your favorite audiobooks no matter how you listen.
Thanks so much for tuning in and being part of our podcast community!
12 min
June 24, 2025 Summer Sales, Rural Internet Adventures, and a Tour of the Audiobooks.com App
In this episode, we’ve got a little something for everyone—from tech updates to travel logistics to summer savings!
Summer Convention Sale
We’re kicking things off with an announcement: our Summer Convention Sale is on! From June 24 through July 14, enjoy 30% off all audio documentation (hardware not included). If you’ve been interested in something from our catalog, now’s a great time to explore and purchase.
Please note:
•
We’ll be attending the ACB convention in Dallas, followed by time in North Carolina from July 5 to August 25.
•
Hardware orders will ship after we return, but we’ll do our best to ship physical media like SD cards and cartridges while in North Carolina. Note that there may still be delays, however.
•
Kim will personally email all customers who order hardware or physical media with shipping reminders.
Apple’s Latest Updates
We briefly discuss highlights from the recent WWDC Apple event, including some upcoming software features we’re excited to try. We also touch on Apple’s new naming convention—with a helpful article Chris found that breaks it all down.
Rural Internet Adventures
Next up, we dive into our search for internet service at our rural summer home. After a few hiccups (you’ll hear all about them!), we landed on Verizon LTE Home Internet.
In this segment, we share:
•
What equipment we received and a physical description
•
The setup experience
•
How it performs here in Western New York
Bonus: It even worked post-Hurricane Helene in North Carolina—a big win!
App Tour: Audiobooks.com
To round things out, Kim takes you on a tour of the Audiobooks.com app. She explains how the service compares to Audible, why she decided to give it a try, and what she likes (and doesn’t) about the iOS app. Android users, don’t worry—there’s a version for you too.
As always, thanks so much for listening. We’re grateful for your support!
46 min
June 10, 2025 A Smarter Way to Stay Safe: Exploring the X-Sense Talking Smoke Alarm
In this episode, we demonstrate the X-Sense Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm featuring voice location technology. Hear how it works, what sets it apart from traditional alarms, and why it might be a great addition to your home safety setup.
If you choose to purchase through our Amazon affiliate link above, we may earn a small commission
thanks for supporting the show!
—
38 min
May 27, 2025 Steps, Screens, and Speaking Coffee Machines
We hope you have as much fun listening to this episode as we had creating it! Come along as we walk a few steps (maybe more, maybe less—no judgment here!) through a mix of nostalgic tech, helpful tools, and safety tips.
In This Episode:
Blast from the Past: The Primula Talking Coffee Maker
We revisit our Blast from the Past series to chat about the quirky and charming Primula talking coffee maker from 2009—billed as “the world’s first talking coffee maker.” Chris gives a live demo and walks you through the speech prompts this unique machine offers.
StepUp App: A Fun Way to Track Your Steps
Next, we step into the world of modern health apps with StepUp, a free and fun step-counting app available for iOS and Android. We explore its features, settings, and why it makes walking a little more rewarding (even if our step counts are embarrassingly low… oops!).
Screen Protectors: Worth It or Not?
We share personal horror stories and practical advice about screen protectors. Spoiler alert: Yes, they’re worth it—and yes, quality matters! If you have a device with a glass screen, this section is for you.
Smoke Detectors & Safety Tips
Finally, we discuss the now discontinued Google Nest Protect smoke detectors and our plan to refit our home with new ones after all these years. We also share a super important tip: Smoke detectors expire after ten years! This segment is part teaser, part public service announcement—we want you to be safe!
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss our upcoming demos and discussions.
38 min
May 13, 2025 200 Dollars Saved, 100 Hours of Music, and a Whole Lot of Rattling
In this episode, we kick things off with a travel tip that recently saved us $200—and it just might save you money too! Whether you’re booking flights, rental cars, or hotel stays (especially via Expedia), this simple trick is worth knowing. While we haven’t found an equivalent for train travel yet, we hope this helps with your summer plans!
Next, we’re thrilled to share our official plans for ACB Dallas in July! If you’re attending, come say hi—we’d love to meet you while wandering the exhibits.
With over 30 hours of train travel ahead, we decided it was time for some helpful new headphones. Enter the Tagry wireless headphones—featuring a 100-hour battery life, active noise cancellation, and great comfort. Kim unboxes them and demos pairing, voice prompts, and music playback. Chris shares his impressions after a few days of use.
If you purchase from the above link, we will earn a small commission.
To wrap up, Kim talks about a recent earthquake near her hometown. We introduce and briefly overview two accessible apps—My Shake and My Earthquake Alerts—that help track seismic activity in real time and are friendly to screen reader users. Both these are available for iOS and android.
Thanks, as always, for listening and spreading the word. we appreciate you.
51 min

About Mystic Access Podcast

From the publisher's feed

The Mystic Access Podcast features discussions on assistive technology, as well as products and services we’re excited about. We focus on empowering people who are blind or visually impaired with…