In this weeks show, David and Stephen catch up with Rob and Rebecca from Quantum RLV (Reading Learning vision).

Rob gives us a run down on the Mercury 12 Windows Video Magnifier

https://www.quantumrlv.com.au/mercury-12-laptop-tablet-magnifier-with-ocr-speech.html

And Rebecca updates us on the Mountbatten Whisperer Brailler, Embosser, and all round fantastic device for school and beyond

https://www.quantumrlv.com.au/mountbatten-whisperer-bluetooth.html

Ok Big News, I or My Wife Actually Now Has a Brand New Shiny Subaru Forester I-S 2019 SUV

Great for our family to have a new car, and of course, I did a podcast on it:

Using Car Play with the Subaru Forester I-S 2019.

https://davidwoodbr.podbean.com/e/demo-of-using-apple-car-play-using-voiceover-on-our-familys-shiny-new-red-subaru-forester-i-s-2019-suv/

Also for me some great features like using Car Play in particular, using voice recognition in the Car to adjust temperature/fan speed in the cabin, rear 2 charging ports for my boys, and of course the very nice sun roof which gives me a bit of outside environmental noise without having to much wind noise coming in to the car if we had the windows down.

Interview with Jamie Kelly from the Vision Australia Library about the Envoy Connect

As of December 20 2018, the Vision Australia Library will stop distributing CDS.  As part of this process, Vision Australia has introduced a new, cheap, solar powered daisy player.

To find out more and to get more info use this following link:

https://www.visionaustralia.org/community/news/ways-to-access-vision-australia-library

Microsoft Confirms that Microsoft Edge Will Be Moving To Chromium

This will be the same rendering engine that the Google Chrome Browser is based upon.  Hoping for screen reader developers this should make a huge difference.

https://www.ghacks.net/2018/12/06/microsoft-confirms-that-edge-will-use-chromium/

Voice Dream Reader app Now Supported on the Apple Watch

You can now listen to your documents via Bluetooth head phones on your Apple Watch using Voice Dream Reader.

Using Skype on the Amazon Echo.

Linking up Skype to your Amazon Echo is a great feature.  Its even more great if you pay for the function that allows you to call land lines or mobile phones Via Skype, in this way, you can call anyone Via Skype from your amazon Echo.

Last weeks show focused on general tech gift ideas for Christmas.

This time around, Stephen and I will be going through some gift ideas from the Vision Australia Store itself.

To find any of the below products or any other products, you can visit a Vision Australia office, email [email protected], give us a ring on 1300 847 466 or shop online at:

https://shop.visionaustralia.org

Now for the Tech Gift Ideas

Orbit Reader 20 - low cost 20 cell refreshable Braille display and note taker.

Sunu Band - wearable ultra sound obstacle detection device.

Talking Induction Hob - only Induction Hob (hot plate) around that actually talks smile.

Talking Microwave - like the name says, a microwave that talks, really pleased that one of these is back on the market for the last year or so: I miss my original LG Talking Microwave from the late 90s.

Apple Pay

Whilst we’re talking about the Vision Retail Store, I recently got around to setting up Apple Pay with my bank (ImB), and found out that pretty much most EFTPOS machines work with Apple Pay from my Apple Watch including Aldi, Taxi, and most Exciting Vision Australia Retail Store purchases smile.

So you can go in to a vision Australia office or one of our flagship Vision Australia offices in NSW, WLD or Vic with our Vision Store high Tech Hub and use Apple Pay on your iPhone or Apple Watch.

Merry Christmas to all from Stephen, David, and the VA Radio staff that make this at all possible.

We’ll be back as usual next week, and we have some great Talking Tech Shows for you coming  up over the Christmas and new year period.

Tech Christmas Present Ideas (and no, not to expensive - mostly under $500)

Before we launch in to the tech present ideas, I’d like to point you to a trial of me doing a Facebook live video from the Vision Australia Parramatta Store on the 23rd of November discussing some Christmas ideas.  We’re (me) are thinking of at least doing one of these a month to get more information out to customers of the VA Store in particular: sort of me doing a video based podcast smile.

At any rate, here is the link and enjoy:

https://www.facebook.com/VisionAustralia/videos/531767470625205/?__xts__[0]=68.ARClkRGWWQuBqihvMphEqUsL6bRWU49j6IleAXPYolAlF9nHX8TuT9diVVEPi47_zzYRqo3no0ELi0ZF2ExtDkUau6MW_ms5Fvygooa7msgmHbidNfKd92S4x71zwRemXIN6ay5AD5vQ-dT4LWwfT-7DFD5SIscsKeb_l0W7OiEtXLTIxxO06yEQFNYd7O-1e2TKSdB5ZYAUTrvLeqLcEX9ni9jZQh0OrtdJLPKdBV8OUNuljkTWDAEl47iF4JiEuPY32oobjLyepRLTxwl4URglmUj7mYj8vXN0rdA-wlDXrrBoMdZaZK7w4IOMgXxOgVj9psfb3UfdSzfXO0TSpw&__tn__=-R

Ok Presents.  Main stream first for this weeks show and and then some assistive specific products from the Vision Australia Retail Store next week.

I have to put my Apple favourite products first smile.

AirPods. 

Apple Magic Keyboard.

Apple TV 4th Gen.

Apple Watch Sports (GPS).

HomePod.

iPhone 7 32GB.

iPad 9.7 WiFi 32GB.

And two  3rd PartP Related Apple Products

Belkin Boost Up Charging iPad (wireless charging for iPhone 8 and iPhone X), and

to go with the iPad, where would the iPad be without a case with a keyboard (this is for the iPad 9.7 recommended above):

Logitech Slim Line Folio Case with Integrated Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad.

Aftershokz Bone Conduction Head phones.

Amazon Echo Dot.

Amazon Echo Show.

Google Home.

Google Home Mini.

Samsung TV Range of Smart TVs.

Samsung Powerbot Vacuum Cleaner.

Portable charging power banks.

UsB Outlet adapters with 2 or 4 USB ports.

Don’t Forget Gift Cards to shops, Audible, Amazon, Apple (iTunes) etc.

Using The Assistive Touch Menu for people having issues with the iPhone X VoiceOver gestures for Home, App Switcher etc.

Another podcast from me regarding a great feature in iOS 12 where you can use your AirPods and iPhone as a remote listening device, great for listening to your wife read out a menu in a noisy restaurant.

Revisiting AccessWorld for November 2018

I think my stand out article from AccessWorld for November 2018 is the amazing job that Microsoft has done with Narrator in the October 2018 release of Windows.  Truly a screen reader now in its own wright.

The 2nd article that spurred my imagination was Christmas gift ideas including Amazon Echo Dot, Google Home Mini, Power Banks, The Tile Tracking System and others.

http://www.afb.org/afbpress/pubnew.asp?DocID=aw1911toc

Whilst We’re Talking About Gift Ideas: Vision Store is launching a relationship with The Good Guys

I’ll be talking about this in the coming weeks.

Finally, the article concerning iOS 12 An Accessibility Overview is a good reminder of what exactly iOS 12 gave us.

http://www.afb.org/afbpress/pubnew.asp?DocID=aw191105

Tip For Entering the Apple iOS Universe

A great reminder, to enter the iOS world, starting from entry level,  is still reasonably affordable (Au dollars) - iPod touch $299, iPad $469, iPad mini 4 $579, and iPhone 7 $749.  All work well with VoiceOver