Double Tap

• The Realities of Blind Employment and Assistive Tech

  Explore the real-world debate on JAWS vs NVDA for blind computer users, the costs and support challenges, and the broader conversation on blind employment, self-employment, and assistive tech. Steven Scott and Shaun Preece share listener emails on training programmes, screen reader licensing, and how blind people navigate work, tech, and life.This episode is supported by Pneuma Solutions. Creators of accessible tools like Remote Incident Manager and Scribe. Get $20 off with code dt20 at https://pneumasolutions.com/ and enter to win a free subscription at doubletaponair.com/subscribe!In this lively Double Tap discussion, Steven and Shaun dive into community reactions about the JAWS screen reader, NVDA, and Narrator. Listeners share candid experiences about software licensing, support, and the realities of using screen readers at home and in the workplace. The conversation evolves into a broader look at employment for blind people, including the challenges of training programmes, self-employment, and workplace accessibility. From stories about guide dog training and Apple Watch heart monitoring to debates over Be My Eyes navigation and safety, the episode blends tech insights with humour and honest reflection on living blind today. Relevant LinksBe My Eyes: https://www.bemyeyes.comNVDA Screen Reader: https://www.nvaccess.orgJAWS Screen Reader: https://www.freedomscientific.com/products/software/jaws/Double Tap Newsletter: https://doubletaponair.com/subscribeRamblio App: https://ramblio.com Find Double Tap online: YouTube, Double Tap Website---Follow on:YouTube: https://www.doubletaponair.com/youtubeX (formerly Twitter): https://www.doubletaponair.com/xInstagram: https://www.doubletaponair.com/instagramTikTok: https://www.doubletaponair.com/tiktokThreads: https://www.doubletaponair.com/threadsFacebook: https://www.doubletaponair.com/facebookLinkedIn: https://www.doubletaponair.com/linkedin Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://www.doubletaponair.com/appleSpotify: https://www.doubletaponair.com/spotifyRSS: https://www.doubletaponair.com/podcastiHeadRadio: https://www.doubletaponair.com/iheart About Double TapHosted by the insightful duo, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, Double Tap is a treasure trove of information for anyone who's blind or partially sighted and has a passion for tech. Steven and Shaun not only demystify tech, but they also regularly feature interviews and welcome guests from the community, fostering an interactive and engaging environment. Tune in every day of the week, and you'll discover how technology can seamlessly integrate into your life, enhancing daily tasks and experiences, even if your sight is limited. "Double Tap" is a registered trademark of Double Tap Productions Inc. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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• JAWS 40-Minute Mode: Frustrations, Fairness, and Real-World Impact

  Explore the heated debate around JAWS screen reader pricing, subscriptions, and 40-minute mode as Steven Scott and Shaun Preece respond to passionate listener feedback. Hear real frustrations, funny tech stories, and a hands-on demo of the Hark podcast discovery app.Aira is proud to sponsor Double Tap, supporting a community that values independence, access, and real solutions for blind and low vision users. Aira is an app that gives you on-demand visual interpreting through trained professionals who can describe surroundings, read information, or guide you using your phone’s camera. It also includes Access AI, a feature that provides instant image descriptions with the option to confirm details with a live visual interpreter. Aira works with major companies, airports, universities, and retailers that offer the service for free as Access Partners, and the platform is approaching ten million calls while remaining available on both iOS and Android. In this episode of Double Tap, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece dive deep into the ongoing conversation around JAWS screen reader licensing and the frustrations it causes blind users. Listener Callum shares a detailed story about the challenges of subscription renewals, 40-minute mode, and slow workplace procurement processes that can leave users locked out of essential tools. The hosts debate fairness, accessibility, and whether a better middle ground exists. Alongside the discussion, Lena delivers another brilliant demo – this time of Hark, a free podcast discovery app that curates short “Harklets” to help you discover new shows. The episode also features a hilarious viral story from Capital FM about a sighted commuter mistaking a mop for a cane, reminding everyone that misunderstandings can be unintentionally funny. Relevant LinksHark App: https://www.harkaudio.comJAWS Screen Reader: https://www.freedomscientific.com/products/software/jawsAira Explorer: https://www.aira.io Find Double Tap online: YouTube, Double Tap Website---Follow on:YouTube: https://www.doubletaponair.com/youtubeX (formerly Twitter): https://www.doubletaponair.com/xInstagram: https://www.doubletaponair.com/instagramTikTok: https://www.doubletaponair.com/tiktokThreads: https://www.doubletaponair.com/threadsFacebook: https://www.doubletaponair.com/facebookLinkedIn: https://www.doubletaponair.com/linkedin Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://www.doubletaponair.com/appleSpotify: https://www.doubletaponair.com/spotifyRSS: https://www.doubletaponair.com/podcastiHeadRadio: https://www.doubletaponair.com/iheart About Double TapHosted by the insightful duo, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, Double Tap is a treasure trove of information for anyone who's blind or partially sighted and has a passion for tech. Steven and Shaun not only demystify tech, but they also regularly feature interviews and welcome guests from the community, fostering an interactive and engaging environment. Tune in every day of the week, and you'll discover how technology can seamlessly integrate into your life, enhancing daily tasks and experiences, even if your sight is limited. "Double Tap" is a registered trademark of Double Tap Productions Inc. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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• The VoiceOver Learning Lounge: Making the Mac Accessible for Everyone

  Discover how the VoiceOver Learning Lounge empowers blind and low vision users to master the Mac and iPhone with ease. Learn how Charmaine Co’s accessible training and audio lessons can transform unused Apple devices into powerful tools for work and life.Steven Scott and Shaun Preece welcome Charmaine Co, an assistive tech instructor from Vancouver, to explore her innovative VoiceOver Learning Lounge. This resource offers flexible, remote training for blind and low vision users who struggle to get started with Mac or iPhone accessibility.Charmaine shares her journey from teaching JAWS and Braille to developing on-demand lessons and live coaching sessions that help learners confidently use VoiceOver, Excel, Word, web browsers, and more—without feeling like they’re back in school. She also highlights the importance of practical, bite-sized lessons that prevent expensive tech from gathering dust.The episode also features listener emails about guide dogs, mobility, and PC refresh habits, along with requests for step-by-step TailScale tutorials.Relevant LinksVoiceOver Learning Lounge: https://linktr.ee/VoiceoverGuideEmail Charmaine: [email protected] Tap Feedback: [email protected] Find Double Tap online: YouTube, Double Tap Website---Follow on:YouTube: https://www.doubletaponair.com/youtubeX (formerly Twitter): https://www.doubletaponair.com/xInstagram: https://www.doubletaponair.com/instagramTikTok: https://www.doubletaponair.com/tiktokThreads: https://www.doubletaponair.com/threadsFacebook: https://www.doubletaponair.com/facebookLinkedIn: https://www.doubletaponair.com/linkedin Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://www.doubletaponair.com/appleSpotify: https://www.doubletaponair.com/spotifyRSS: https://www.doubletaponair.com/podcastiHeadRadio: https://www.doubletaponair.com/iheart About Double TapHosted by the insightful duo, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, Double Tap is a treasure trove of information for anyone who's blind or partially sighted and has a passion for tech. Steven and Shaun not only demystify tech, but they also regularly feature interviews and welcome guests from the community, fostering an interactive and engaging environment. Tune in every day of the week, and you'll discover how technology can seamlessly integrate into your life, enhancing daily tasks and experiences, even if your sight is limited. "Double Tap" is a registered trademark of Double Tap Productions Inc. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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• Exploding Laptops, Lady A+ Woes, and Accessible Tea

  Steven Scott and Shaun Preece dive into a hilariously chaotic yet insightful episode, tackling listener emails, dodgy laptops, accessible tea-making, Lady A+ quirks, and the joys and frustrations of modern tech for blind users.In this lively episode, Steven and Shaun take listeners through a mix of tech talk and personal stories. They field listener emails about Dell and Lenovo laptops failing spectacularly, discuss why budget devices often fall short, and share their own laptop-shopping dilemmas. The pair also cover Amazon’s Lady A+ complications, the challenges of smart home integration, and the rise of AI assistance like Be My Eyes and Google Gemini. Leannda weighs in on accessible living, from cutting up meals to the “right” way to read Braille, sparking a candid conversation about gatekeeping in the blind community. Meanwhile, CC calls in with frustrations about Dynamic Island and alarm labels on iOS 26, leading to a humorous rant on Apple’s design choices. The episode wraps with a listener update on Bard library tech issues and a teasing segue into alien conspiracies, AI curiosity, and the lighter side of blind life.Enjoying the show? Share your thoughts or stories! Email [email protected], leave a voicemail at 1‑877‑803‑4567, or send an audio/video message via WhatsApp to +1‑613‑481‑0144. Relevant LinksBe My Eyes: https://www.bemyeyes.comApple Accessibility: https://www.apple.com/accessibility Find Double Tap online: YouTube, Double Tap Website---Follow on:YouTube: https://www.doubletaponair.com/youtubeX (formerly Twitter): https://www.doubletaponair.com/xInstagram: https://www.doubletaponair.com/instagramTikTok: https://www.doubletaponair.com/tiktokThreads: https://www.doubletaponair.com/threadsFacebook: https://www.doubletaponair.com/facebookLinkedIn: https://www.doubletaponair.com/linkedin Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://www.doubletaponair.com/appleSpotify: https://www.doubletaponair.com/spotifyRSS: https://www.doubletaponair.com/podcastiHeadRadio: https://www.doubletaponair.com/iheart About Double TapHosted by the insightful duo, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, Double Tap is a treasure trove of information for anyone who's blind or partially sighted and has a passion for tech. Steven and Shaun not only demystify tech, but they also regularly feature interviews and welcome guests from the community, fostering an interactive and engaging environment. Tune in every day of the week, and you'll discover how technology can seamlessly integrate into your life, enhancing daily tasks and experiences, even if your sight is limited. "Double Tap" is a registered trademark of Double Tap Productions Inc. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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• Guide Dogs, Glide, and the Future of Blind Mobility

  Discover the realities of guide dog eligibility, shared ownership, and new assistive tech like Glide, as Steven Scott and Shaun Preece share candid experiences from their own lives insights from blind tech users visiting Sight Village London.Steven opens up about being declined for a guide dog due to low daily activity levels, revealing the emotional impact and the surprising alternative offered. The discussion explores the practicalities, responsibilities, and emotional rewards of guide dog ownership and how shared partnerships work in the UK. The episode then moves into the future of assistive navigation, featuring conversations with Mark and Mustafa, early adopters of Glide, an AI-powered mobility device dubbed “a dog with a plug.” They share hands-on experiences, the evolution of Glide’s design, and how it complements rather than replaces guide dogs or canes. Mustafa also explains why he relies on an iPad as his primary computer for university studies, highlighting generational shifts in tech use and accessibility. Like what you hear? Share your guide dog stories or your thoughts on Glide!Subscribe for more conversations where blind people talk tech, and leave a comment to join the discussion.Relevant LinksGuide Dogs UK: https://www.guidedogs.org.ukGlide Mobility: https://glidance.io #GuideDogs #AssistiveTech #BlindCommunity #Accessibility #GlideDevice Find Double Tap online: YouTube, Double Tap Website---Follow on:YouTube: https://www.doubletaponair.com/youtubeX (formerly Twitter): https://www.doubletaponair.com/xInstagram: https://www.doubletaponair.com/instagramTikTok: https://www.doubletaponair.com/tiktokThreads: https://www.doubletaponair.com/threadsFacebook: https://www.doubletaponair.com/facebookLinkedIn: https://www.doubletaponair.com/linkedin Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://www.doubletaponair.com/appleSpotify: https://www.doubletaponair.com/spotifyRSS: https://www.doubletaponair.com/podcastiHeadRadio: https://www.doubletaponair.com/iheart About Double TapHosted by the insightful duo, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, Double Tap is a treasure trove of information for anyone who's blind or partially sighted and has a passion for tech. Steven and Shaun not only demystify tech, but they also regularly feature interviews and welcome guests from the community, fostering an interactive and engaging environment. Tune in every day of the week, and you'll discover how technology can seamlessly integrate into your life, enhancing daily tasks and experiences, even if your sight is limited. "Double Tap" is a registered trademark of Double Tap Productions Inc. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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