Double Tap

Apple's new iPad mini has an 8.5 inch OLED screen, the A20 Pro chip and a thinner 5.4mm body. Steven Scott and Shaun Preece talk about what it offers blind and low vision users. Then they open a busy mailbag covering Braille watches, an accessible soundbar and a pro mixing console that talks.
The new iPad mini starts at £699 or $699 for 128GB. Shaun loves the size and thinks the brighter OLED display will matter to low vision users. Steven wonders where the iPad fits now that the iPhone Duo exists and the Mac might get a touchscreen. Both want multi-user profiles on iPad. They compare it with Amazon's new tablet, which now runs Android with full TalkBack, and Steven explains how his iPad Pro and Final Cut's recording app let him run an accessible multi-camera shoot.
Anne-Marie from Worcestershire wants talking watches to stop saying "the time is". She's also looking at Braille watches and recommends the thriller The Prometheus Code by Dan Stone. That leads into a debate over whether blind culture exists, an AI-discovered PHP security flaw that took websites offline, early app problems on the iPhone Duo, and whether it's now safe to update to iOS 27.
Claire asks why the mailbag is now read by an AI voice, and Steven explains why Laura stepped back. Greg in Pennsylvania praises DiGiCo for putting a screen reader on its mixing consoles. Elliot in Bournemouth found the Samsung HW-Q990F soundbar accessible out of the box thanks to Voice Guide. John Wells reports that Accessible YouTube Downloader has stopped working, which leads the hosts to argue that blind users should be allowed to build their own interfaces.
Chapters
0:00 – The new OLED iPad mini
8:49 – Amazon's tablet, multi-camera recording and user profiles
18:15 – Anne-Marie on talking watches, Braille watches and The Prometheus Code
29:30 – Is there such a thing as blind culture?
32:14 – PHP security flaw, iPhone Duo apps and updating to iOS 27
39:44 – Claire asks about the show's AI email voice
44:57 – Greg on DiGiCo consoles and vibe-coded accessibility
49:21 – Elliot on the accessible Samsung soundbar
53:10 – Accessible YouTube Downloader and building our own interfaces
Relevant Links
Apple iPad mini: https://www.apple.com/ipad-mini/
Samsung HW-Q990F Soundbar: https://www.samsung.com/us/audio-devices/soundbar/q-series-11-1-4-ch-soundbar-rear-speakers-sku-hw-q990f-za/
Sonos: https://www.sonos.com/
DiGiCo: https://digico.biz/
Dan Stone, author of The Prometheus Code: https://www.danstoneauthor.com/
Accessible YouTube Downloader Pro: https://github.com/sulaiman-alqusaimi/accessible_youtube_downloader_pro

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About Double Tap
Hosted 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.

Sean Randall has built Retro Reader, an open source book reader that brings classic speech voices like Eloquence, DECtalk and DoubleTalk to a pocket device costing about 22 pounds. Steven Scott and Shaun Preece also look at emergency preparedness for blind people when the power and the internet go down.
After recent storms and power cuts in the UK, Steven and Shaun ask what being prepared looks like for blind people. They cover battery packs you can't easily check the charge on, LED displays that OCR struggles to read, offline apps, big portable power stations, and the loss of long wave radio. They also mention Code Orange, a new emergency preparedness podcast from AfterSight that is coming to Double Tap Live.
In the news, Apple's expected Mac event is ahead of full coverage on Thursday. Shaun shares the mixed reviews of Microsoft's new Surface, and the hosts question why Withings now charges new users 100 dollars a year to sync their data with Apple Health.
Sean Randall then explains how Retro Reader runs on the Freenove Media Kit, a small ESP32 board with a five-way navigation button, a headphone jack and a microphone for voice notes. You install a voice from your browser, add books over Wi-Fi or a microSD card, and listen offline. Sean is open about the trade-offs: there's a slight hiss on headphones, a reset button that's easy to knock, and a battery you buy separately. He's working on a 3D printed back plate with a belt clip.
Sean also explains why synthetic voices still suit fast readers. He listens at around 730 words per minute, and he looks ahead to new projects, from a baby monitor to rebuilding the Franklin Language Master.
Chapters
0:00 – Coming up: going retro
2:44 – Emergency preparedness for blind people
15:43 – Code Orange from AfterSight
17:04 – Apple's Mac event and Microsoft Surface reviews
19:43 – Withings charges for Apple Health sync
22:38 – Sean Randall introduces Retro Reader
38:05 – Why retro voices still work for fast reading
43:56 – Setting up the Retro Reader hardware
50:27 – Baby monitors and the Franklin Language Master
54:34 – Vibe coding and wrap-up
Relevant Links
Retro Reader: https://retroreader.uk
Code Orange podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/code-orange/id1838769695
AfterSight: https://www.aftersight.org
Double Tap: https://doubletaponair.com

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Subscribe to the Podcast:
Apple: https://www.doubletaponair.com/apple
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RSS: https://www.doubletaponair.com/podcast
iHeadRadio: https://www.doubletaponair.com/iheart
About Double Tap
Hosted 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.

PresentAble is a new JAWS app that lets blind people create, check and fix PowerPoint presentations on their own. Lawyer and trainer Jonathan Simeone explains why he built it. Before that, Steven and Shaun cover a storm, an AppleVis health app debate and Alexa+.
A storm cut Shaun off from The Shed. Steven had to get home from the hospital across a busy road with no crossings, with the wind drowning out the traffic. Then an AppleVis thread about an app that uses the iPhone camera to check for blood in stool or urine starts a frank debate. Steven and Shaun weigh privacy and embarrassment, and ask whether health checks like this belong with AI or with trained people through a service like Aira.
Steven finally has Alexa+ after setting up Amazon's new tablet, and he reports on how it handles his heating and why its answers keep changing. Siri gets a rare win. They also look ahead to Wednesday's Apple event, the rumoured touchscreen MacBook and the iPhone Duo that Apple has loaned to Steven.
Jonathan Simeone is a blind lawyer who trains people for a living. He spent years struggling with PowerPoint and relying on sighted helpers who rarely told him what was wrong. He used vibe coding to build PresentAble with Hartgen Consultancy. It works with JAWS 2022 or later and can import Markdown, Word or existing PowerPoint files. It flags layout errors, and with an OpenAI API key it can review slides visually and create images.
The conversation goes further into employment, honest feedback and how much of the job blind people can do by themselves. PresentAble is available to pre-order now and launches on Thursday 29 October.
Chapters
0:00 – Storm knocks out The Shed
4:04 – AppleVis debate over a hygiene and health app
12:48 – Lights left off, lights left on and smart bulbs
15:11 – Alexa+ arrives with Amazon's new tablet
22:15 – Siri gets the clock change right
24:06 – Apple event, touchscreen MacBook and iPhone Duo
26:31 – Jonathan Simeone on building PresentAble
30:28 – Inaccessible tools and blind employment
39:05 – How PresentAble works with JAWS and PowerPoint
48:43 – Honest AI feedback, pricing and availability
Relevant Links
PresentAble from Hartgen Consultancy: https://www.hartgenconsultancy.com/presentable
Learning Blind Tech with Desiree Renae: https://desireerenae.com/
Aira: https://aira.io

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Subscribe to the Podcast:
Apple: https://www.doubletaponair.com/apple
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RSS: https://www.doubletaponair.com/podcast
iHeadRadio: https://www.doubletaponair.com/iheart
About Double Tap
Hosted 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.

Why is learning braille as an adult still so hard, and why does a braille display cost more than a laptop? Steven Scott and Shaun Preece dig into braille access and pricing. Then they meet Cazerny Bussey, the musician and founder of Even Though I'm Blind.
John in London wrote in about trying to learn braille as an adult. He found a box of course books he never opened, and braille displays he couldn't afford. Steven argues that mass adoption and patient learning have to go together. He points to Hadley, the Braillists and the Perkins Braille Bloom as signs of progress, and suggests a low-cost braille display built as a teaching device.
The talk then turns to pricing. Steven recalls Amos Miller of Glidance being told to charge several times more because governments would pay. He asks why there's still no real consumer price for blind people who are out of work or study.
Cazerny Bussey lost his sight at 15 and went on to graduate from the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts. His father was in Stetsasonic. His song Even Though I'm Blind grew into a nonprofit with a podcast, a 24/7 radio station playing around 45 blind artists, a yearly showcase and a directory of blind-led businesses.
Cazerny also talks about recording in Logic on the Mac, being open about using AI in music, a moment with Busta Rhymes, and plans for a documentary and charting records with BMG.
Chapters
0:00 – Welcome and human-made music
2:06 – Inbox: learning braille as an adult
10:29 – Why braille and assistive tech cost so much
18:15 – Meet Cazerny Bussey
23:34 – Music roots and finding the blind community
29:44 – The Even Though I'm Blind foundation and radio station
35:29 – Making music on a Mac with Logic
43:31 – AI-generated music and being open about it
48:31 – The directory, a documentary and big plans
53:49 – Wrap-up and weekend plans
Relevant Links
Even Though I'm Blind: https://eventhoughimblind.com/
The Braillists Foundation: https://www.braillists.org/
Hadley: https://hadleyhelps.org/
Glidance: https://glidance.io/
AMI-audio: https://www.ami.ca/ami-audio

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Subscribe to the Podcast:
Apple: https://www.doubletaponair.com/apple
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RSS: https://www.doubletaponair.com/podcast
iHeadRadio: https://www.doubletaponair.com/iheart
About Double Tap
Hosted 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.

Sky Sports is adding audio description and live captions to Premier League football. Then a listener's frustration with Sky Go shows how far the broadcaster still has to go. Steven Scott and Shaun Preece go through your emails and messages on TV accessibility, AI agents, accessible gaming and the smart home.
Gordon from Livingston, Scotland, wrote in about Sky Go. You can't watch live programmes with audio description on your phone, and the TV guide no longer tags any programme as having AD. Steven explains how the new Sky Go app for Sky Glass and Sky Stream handles it. The hosts then ask who should be pushing broadcasters on accessibility, how small accessibility teams really are, and why blind people need to be in the room at every level.
Gregory asked about OpenAI's Dots. Steven explains what these always-on AI agents can do, and Shaun makes the case that the basic Amazon Echo is still the most dependable assistant. Shaun also tries Freight Fate, an audio-first trucking game, and is impressed by its spatial audio.
Apple's HomeView could make setting up smart home devices much easier, and the hosts discuss what that means alongside Matter. Steven also covers people using AI to strip the bloat out of slow Android TVs, which could make a sluggish TalkBack experience faster. Along the way there's Shaun's Fargo rewatch with Seeing AI, the future of live TV, and the Clicks Communicator.
Chapters
0:00 – Welcome and Sky's Premier League audio description
4:28 – Rewatching Fargo without AD and the future of live TV
11:43 – Dumb phones, screen time and the Clicks Communicator
16:54 – Gordon on Sky Go and missing audio description labels
26:47 – Blindness organisations, accessibility teams and blind leadership
36:52 – Gregory's message and trying Freight Fate
40:26 – OpenAI Dots and why the Amazon Echo still wins
45:52 – Apple HomeView and easier smart home setup
51:57 – Debloating Android TVs with AI
55:02 – Wrap-up and how to get in touch
Relevant Links
Sky Audio Description: https://www.sky.com/help/articles/what-is-audio-description
RNIB: https://www.rnib.org.uk/
Seeing AI: https://www.seeingai.com/
Freight Fate: https://github.com/orinks-games/Freight-Fate
Clicks Communicator: https://www.clicks.tech/communicator
Apple HomeView: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/10/meet-apple-homeview-a-new-way-to-enjoy-entertainment-and-manage-the-home/

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Follow on:
YouTube: https://www.doubletaponair.com/youtube
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Instagram: https://www.doubletaponair.com/instagram
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Threads: https://www.doubletaponair.com/threads
Facebook: https://www.doubletaponair.com/facebook
LinkedIn: https://www.doubletaponair.com/linkedin
Subscribe to the Podcast:
Apple: https://www.doubletaponair.com/apple
Spotify: https://www.doubletaponair.com/spotify
RSS: https://www.doubletaponair.com/podcast
iHeadRadio: https://www.doubletaponair.com/iheart
About Double Tap
Hosted 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.