All Cool Blind Tech Shows
400 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 6 years ago - ★★★ - 14 ratingsYOUR SOURCE FOR THE BEST ASSISTIVE TECH NEWS, REVIEWS AND INTERVIEWS FROM TOP BLIND AND LOW VISION EXPERTS. AN ENTERTAINING AND TRUSTWORTHY DISCUSSION ON EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
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Episodes
Rooting Galaxy devices is not complicated, but will forever void warranties
May 23, 2015 14:10 - 17 minutes - 17.4 MBLet's talk about rooting Android devices. While previously we have discussed flashing a Nexus back to factory settings for tinkerers out there, we have not yet touched upon how most Galaxy devices are rooted. This podcast is applicable to non-newer Samsung's, anything S5 and below. For most of Samsung's flagships, the guide applies, although some might have different ways to boot into recovery or boot loader mode. This was tested personally to work on Galaxy S4 and S5 models, but the procedur...
How To Gift and Redeem Apps on iOS Using voiceover
May 20, 2015 02:38 - 12 minutes - 12.9 MBDid you forget to give a gift to that special person in your life? Well, Hugo is going to show you how to redeem yourself with an iOS app from the Appstore. He demonstrates on how to gift an app using voiceOver and then proceeds to redeem the app from a secondary iOS device. You can support the Cool Blind Tech Community By giving us a 5 star rating in iTunes. CBT would like to thank our loyal listeners for listening to this podcast by inviting you to join our Community, where you can submi...
Staying Fit With the Apple Watch – Move It Or Lose It
May 14, 2015 06:26 - 17 minutes - 17.6 MBIn this motivating demonstration, Justin introduces us to the fitness features on the Apple Watch, and shows us what we can do with them. He goes over the workout and activity apps on the watch, and the activity and health apps on the iPhone. You can support the Cool Blind Tech Community By giving us a 5 star rating in iTunes. Thank you for listening to this podcast.
Sounds and Haptics On the Apple Watch – No More Embarrassing Meetings
May 03, 2015 11:59 - 5 minutes - 6.94 MBIn this short demonstration, Justin takes us through the various sound settings for the Apple Watch. He shows us how to adjust the volume of the ringer, adjust haptic feedback as well as some other useful settings. You can support the Cool Blind Tech Community By giving us a 5 star rating in iTunes. Thank you for listening to this podcast.
Samsung S6 Edge Is Reinventing Accessibility For Android Users
May 02, 2015 17:16 - 33 minutes - 32.4 MBIn this podcast Hugo demonstrates some of the accessibility features of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. Samsung has developed their own version of TalkBack similar to Google TalkBack allowing you to navigate the screen with their own customized interface. Dark screen allows you to dim the screen. Turning the Accessibility shortcut on, enables you to long-press the power button, and then place two fingers on the screen for a few seconds to turn on TalkBack. permitting you to navigate the inter...
Installing Apps On the Apple Watch – As Long As They Don’t Fart
May 01, 2015 14:01 - 7 minutes - 8.01 MBIn this podcast, Justin goes over how to install and uninstall third party apps from the Apple App Store. He installs the app on the iPhone, displays it on the Apple Watch and then proceeds to uninstall and delete the app. You can support the Cool Blind Tech Community By giving us a 5 star rating in iTunes. Thank you for listening to this podcast.
The Android Crew: Want A Side of Droid With That?
May 01, 2015 01:34 - 57 minutes - 54.4 MBFor our second show, Greg Lopez, Leo Prazdnik, Tomi Geczy and Cory Martin meet to discuss the latest happenings in the world of Android. The crew kicks off the show with a discussion on Google’s TalkBack user survey and it’s results in the form of the Talkback 4.2 beta. Here’s some links to other items which were discussed: Microsoft reveals plans to expand further into the Android ecosystem with a partnership with Dell.Google expands Android's smart lock features with on-body smart lo...
Accessibility Settings On The Apple Watch – Access Granted
April 30, 2015 11:05 - 12 minutes - 13.2 MBIn this podcast, Justin shows us the accessibility settings on the Apple watch, from the iPhone and the watch itself. The Apple Watch includes the following accessibility features: • VoiceOver • Zoom • Grayscale • Bold Text • Reduce Motion • Reduce Transparency • On/Off Labels • Mono Audio • Left-Right Stereo Balance You can support the Cool Blind Tech Community By giving us a 5 star rating in iTunes. Thank you for listening to this podcast.
Communicating On The Apple Watch – I’m So Glad I Have A Social Life
April 29, 2015 09:51 - 18 minutes - 18.8 MBIn this episode, Justin demonstrates the various features of communicating with the stock apps on the Apple Watch. He shows us how to use Siri for Communication, the phone application, sending text messages, interacting with Apple Watch friends and the mail application. This episode is not recommended for children. Viewer discretion is advised. You can support the Cool Blind Tech Community By giving us a 5 star rating in iTunes. Thank you for listening to this podcast.
Demonstrating the Clock On the Apple Watch – Time At Its Best
April 29, 2015 04:36 - 10 minutes - 11 MBIn this demonstration, Justin walks us through the clock application on the Apple Watch. We learn how to change the clock face, customize faces and how to change settings for the Apple Watch clock on the iPhone. You can support the Cool Blind Tech Community By giving us a 5 star rating in iTunes. Thank you for listening to this podcast.
Glances On The Apple Watch – Quick Info At Your Finger Tips
April 28, 2015 09:12 - 10.7 MBIn this demonstration, Justin goes over how to use glances on the Apple Watch. He shows how to get to the glances section, to go to the next or previous glance, how to delete and reorder glances in the settings on the iPhone and how to add new glances through the iPhone settings. Justin also shows the Ping option allowing you to locate your iPhone using the Apple Watch.
Comcast Voice Guidance – It’s Actually A Reality
April 27, 2015 12:13 - 29 minutes - 28 MBIn this podcast, Raymond gives a brief demonstration of Comcast’s Voice guidance service and explains a little about how it works and the reasons why. Also, he points out the fact that Comcast is not charging for the accessibility. Coming soon to a screen near you! VOICE REMOTE Say it. See it. The voice remote provides a new level of independence to customers who have limited mobility or dexterity, or have a visual disability. By using simple voice commands, customers can change channels, s...
Apple Watch First Impressions – Where Time and Tech Merge
April 26, 2015 18:24 - 7 minutes - 7.97 MBIn this podcast, Justin proceeds to do a general overview of the Apple Watch including design, VoiceOver jesters that are new to it, and some of his favourite features. The Apple Watch was released to the public on April 24 and is available for order on Apple's online store, along with accessories and more. It includes the popular VoiceOver screen reader that is found on all of Apple's newer devices, as well as accessibility features for people with hearing impairments and low vision.
An Initial Look At Speech In Windows 10 – A Comparison of Windows 10 to Windows 7 and 8.1
April 23, 2015 11:00 - 18 minutes - 18.5 MBIn this episode Quentin gives a demonstration of the currant version of Microsoft’s Windows 10. He looks at the differences in TTS and other features in Windows 10 as compared to previous versions of Windows. It is advised when installation of any beta or technical preview software be installed on a secondary testing device as it may result in corruption or loss of data.
How To Flash Your Android
April 11, 2015 03:40 - 11.1 MBIn this podcast Leonid demonstrates a simple way to flash a stock Android rom on to a Google Nexus device. The factory images can be downloaded here. The following tools were used to flash the image: Download the 7-zip utility to extract the compressed image here. The ADB and Fastboot tools are used to flash the image on the Nexus device. Download the Minimal ADB and Fastboot installer here. Please be sure to back up any important data before proceeding!
Podcast Addict for Android: A quick introduction
April 08, 2015 17:13 - 5 minutes - 6.08 MBBrandon Cross gives a short introduction to Podcast Addict which is a podcast aggregator app for the Android operating system. He gives a brief overview of how easy it is to add a podcast via search engine. If you enjoyed this podcast and think this app might be something you will like, you can download it from the Google PlayStore. More from developer With Podcast Addict, manage all your audio & video Podcasts as well as your YouTube channels and RSS News feeds from your Android device. S...
Hartgen Consultancy Leads Innovation Towards Bringing The Star Trek Computer To Your PC
April 01, 2015 23:40 - 45 minutes - 43.3 MBOn this edition of Spotlight, Cory Martin meets with Mr. Brian Hartgen, owner of Hartgen Consultancy and a well-known leader in the Assistive Technology field who has brought amazing advancements to the way people with multiple disabilities use their computers. With Brian’s bridging product, J-Say, it is possible for a person to completely control their computer by voice alone, using both JAWS for Windows from Freedom Scientific and Nuance Dragon Naturally Speaking. While J-Say has been impro...
iOS 8.3 beta introduces new emoji diversity even for VoiceOver users
March 23, 2015 14:41 - 10.8 MBEmoji characters have taken off across the world in the last 5 years as an affective way of communicating through images. There are those who will tell their messages in pure Emoji fashion. With over 200 characters to choose from, what's not to love? An unfortunate limitation of Emojis was their lack of diversity. Different sexual orientations, skin tones, and other cultural aspects were not portrayed well within the tiny images. Apple started proposing changes to this last year, and the re...
The Android Crew Premiere – Metal Bodies and Virtual Magnets
March 20, 2015 20:57 - 57 minutes - 54.4 MBFor our first show, the Android Crew, Greg Lopez, Tomi Geczy, Brandon Cross and Cory Martin all meet to hash out the latest Android happenings, starting with new hardware announced at Mobile World Congress. The crew starts out with the Samsung Galaxy S6 by discussing the pros and cons of the drastic new design. Here are a few links to some of the items which they discussed: Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge reportedly facing touchscreen issues - SamMobile https://is.gd/Y7hOc1 Here is a ...
Sideloading Explained
March 19, 2015 22:31 - 7 minutes - 8.37 MBIn this episode we geek out with Cool Blind Tech’s own Greg Lopez as he introduces us to the basics of sideloading applications on Android devices, including why installing apps from outside the Google Play store isn't enabled by default and how to enable this before beginning the sideloading process. If you'd like to know more about sideloading, click here to read what Android Central says about the subject.
Travel is Easy and Accessible with Expedia
March 17, 2015 16:52 - 14 minutes - 15.1 MBIn this podcast, Cory Martin gives an overview of the Expedia app for iOS. He demonstrates how to locate flights, search for hotels and filter based on various preferences. At the time of this podcast, the iOS app from Expedia is extremely easy and accessible to use and highly recommended if you have the travel bug. Click here to download Expedia from the App store in Canada or Click here to download from iTunes in the US. Expedia is available in both the United States and Canada as well as...
The Revolutionary Reality of VR for everyone
March 13, 2015 14:25 - 11 minutes - 11.9 MBVR, or virtual reality, is still in its infant stages of development. Most use head-strapped gear, such as a headset, which track the movement of your body as you walk around. A lot of VR's benefits are visual, or so most would believe. Dolby, however, thinks otherwise. While they are well known for high-end audio systems, they are making an entry into this new market through a multitude of Android apps in partnership with Jaunt Inc. These previews are meant to simulate virtual reality envi...
Voice Search and Play Songs and Videos with “Say Play” for iOS
March 12, 2015 11:28 - 5.73 MBIn this episode, James Oates demonstrates the iOS app “Say Play”. This application allows you to dictate a song or video title, and then the app will find and play it. Here is the description from the developer: Play any song in the world by just saying its name. Say Play uses a powerful voice search and plays your desired song immediately. It's easy: 1. Just say a name of a song 2. Say Play will find your song and play it ****************** "Say Play iOS app makes music s...
The Freedom to Read: A Spotlight Interview with the Developer of Spotlight Text.
March 04, 2015 12:08 - 37.6 MBDr. Howard Kaplan, the developer of the iOS app, Spotlight Text, sits down with the team at Cool Blind Tech to discuss his amazing eBook reading app for people with low vision problems. Dr. Kaplan tells us the story of why he became a Retina surgeon, and how his concern for his patients led to him becoming an accessibility advocate. Many of his patients are dealing with Macular Degeneration, Retinitis Pigmentosis, or complications resulting from Diabetes. After the launch of Kindle eBook rea...
Unravel the enigma of NVDA Object Nav.
February 27, 2015 12:00 - 46 minutes - 44.2 MBIn this latest episode, Cory Martin takes a look at the latest NVDA 2015.1 and gives an explanation of NVDA Object navigation and how one can use it in a variety of ways. Cory shows using object navigation on the web, to manipulate dialogue boxes, to maneuver between different windows, copying text from on-screen and to check out object navigation in Microsoft Word. He also gives a hint of what is possible with touch screens or a traditional mouse/touchpad. Lastly, Cory gives a brief overvie...
Amazon Prime Music – Another Benefit for Amazon Prime Members.
February 25, 2015 12:00 - 10 minutes - 11.3 MBIn this episode, James Oates talks about Amazon Prime Music, which is one of several benefits provided to Amazon Prime members. In addition to free two day shipping, streaming instant video, and the Kindle lending library, Amazon Prime members can also stream free music. James demonstrates this benefit on an iPhone 5, using the Amazon Music app provided in the app store.
Introduction to Speakerphone Ex
February 24, 2015 12:00 - 8 minutes - 9.01 MBGreg Lopez introduces Speakerphone Ex, a speakerphone automation tool for Android. You can get either the free version here or the pro version for around $1.50 US here.
Finding Diamonds in the Rough – a Spotlight Interview with Brent Harbolt from the Harbolt Company
February 23, 2015 14:00 - 59 minutes - 55.7 MBHere at Cool Blind Tech it’s not just about technology, but also about people and today we had a unique opportunity to speak to a visually impaired entrepreneur, Brent Harbolt from The Harbolt Company, a store which focuses on unique and cool mainstream gadgets we can all use as blind or visually impaired individuals. We speak with Brent about his beginnings and how he started his store, we hear about some of the challenges that Brent has faced as a blind person starting his own business and ...
It’s Alive! Windows Setup Speaks.
February 20, 2015 16:09 - 10 minutes - 10.9 MBWe have shown you that Levtec Winstaller works with the latest Windows 10 Technical Preview Build 9926 from Microsoft, however that demonstration used the Winstaller driver to deploy the Windows image. Winstaller does support loading NVDA with the actual Windows setup. With this option enabled in the Winstaller image, a visually impaired person can use the same setup program that a sighted person would utilize. If you would prefer to use the setup program provided by Microsoft, such as if...
NPR One: a New Universal App for Windows.
February 18, 2015 13:16 - 3 minutes - 4.92 MBIn this episode, James Oates demonstrates “NPR One”, a universal app from National Public Radio, available on all Windows devices. He shows how to start playing NPR with just a simple key stroke on a PC, and a voice command on a Windows Phone. If you enjoy National Public Radio, you will love this app. NPR One is also available for iOS and Android.
Need Linux made Easy? Check out Vinux.
February 17, 2015 04:56 - 33.5 MBHave you been curious about Linux and were not sure how to start using it? Are you looking for a free alternative to traditional operating systems such as Mac or Windows with some great built-in productivity? This podcast is going to give a brief overview of one of the simplest ways to explore a complete free and open-source operating system, Linux. Vinux from Vinux Project is a great way to take Linux for a test drive without selling out on your current operating system. It offers everyth...
Hey Cortana: Welcome to the PC.
February 13, 2015 13:41 - 8.44 MBIn this episode, James Oates updates us on the status of Windows 10 Technical Preview Build 9926. In this build, Microsoft has added Cortana, an interactive personal assistant, to their operating system. It is currently limited and in its early stages, but it still is very impressive. He also uses Narrator as the primary screen reader, since NVDA and JAWS are still not currently able to work with Universal apps.
Vocalizer For Android: A Review
February 11, 2015 14:18 - 6 minutes - 7.48 MBBrandon Cross demonstrates the Vocalizer voices for Android in this edition of Cool Blind Tech. He shows off the performance of the Ava US English voice by moving through the home screen. Then, he demonstrates the voice by typing in an edit box on the Google Play store, opens the page for the Vocalizer app and allows the voice to read a short excerpt from the page. Brandon then arranges a display of various samples in the Vocalizer app. Click here to go to the Vocalizer app in the Play Store.
Lights! Cameras! Amazon!: Get Instant Access with the Amazon Instant Video App!
February 08, 2015 20:32 - 11.6 MBAmazon Prime members receive access to: Free Two-Day Shipping, Instant Videos & the Kindle Lending Library In this episode, James Oates demonstrates how to use the Amazon Instant Video app for iOS. This is one of the benefits listed above for Amazon Prime members. He shows us that it is completely accessible for Voice Over users, and how easy it is to find and play your favorite movies and television shows on an iOS device.
An Introduction to NVDA: Basic Navigation
February 07, 2015 19:38 - 10 minutes - 11.4 MBIn this edition of CBT, Brandon Cross shows new users of the NVDA screen reader how to navigate the basic elements of a web page. He describes the different ways one can move around, and demonstrates the feedback users can expect. Click here to navigate to NVDA’s home page.
Levtec Winstaller makes Windows 10 Chatty
February 07, 2015 00:02 - 111 MBWith a piece of software called Winstaller from Levtec, one no longer needs to use an answer file for unattended deployment of Windows operating system. This opens up huge opportunities for those of us who cannot see and wish to work in a professional IT setting, or just for fixing our home computers. While Winstaller has existed for some time, there have been a number of advancements in the software. One of the biggest of these is that Winstaller is able to deploy the latest version of Win...
LookTel Money Reader: An iOS Essential App:
February 05, 2015 14:20 - 2 minutes - 3.63 MBIn this episode, James Oates demonstrates LookTel Money Reader on an iPhone5 running iOS8.1.2. LookTel Money Reader instantly recognizes currency and speaks the denomination, enabling people experiencing visual impairments or blindness to quickly and easily identify and count bills. Point the camera of your iOS device at a bill and the application will tell you the denomination in real-time. Twenty one currencies are supported: the US Dollar, Australian Dollar, Bahraini Dinar, Brazilian Real,...
A Quick Look At Tweetings: Getting to Know This Twitter Client
February 04, 2015 10:51 - 7 minutes - 8.04 MBIn his first ever podcast with Cool Blind Tech, Brandon Cross informs Android users about a popular Twitter client called Tweetings. Though it is a mainstream client with images and video content, Tweetings is accessible to Talkback users. With Tweetings any Android user can enjoy all the facets of Twitter, and elements like lists, direct messages and mentions are separated into categories which can either be accessed through the navigation drawer or by swiping right or left with two fingers....
An Introduction to Talkback
February 03, 2015 14:31 - 9 minutes - 10.1 MBGreg Lopez gives us a basic introduction to Talkback, the built-in screen reader for Android devices. Download Talkback for your Android device via the Play Store by clicking here.
Safari is no longer alone in the iOS-verse, make room for Google Chrome
February 02, 2015 12:25 - 11 minutes - 11.7 MBWhile Apple is definitely making strides toward squashing those pesky bugs in Voiceover for iOS8, the infestation around Safari still remains rather strong, especially when it comes to focus issues. This gave me a mission, to find another alternative. Let's face it, a mobile device needs to be able to browse the web. What kind of a mobile device can't these days? Even though Safari works most of the time, there had to be another option for those situations when it didn't. I explored severa...
The official Microsoft Outlook App Designed For iPhone and iPad.
January 31, 2015 05:36 - 12.1 MBIn this episode, James Oates reviews Microsoft Outlook for iPhone and iPad. He demonstrates the email client and calendar features. He shows us how to access files on cloud services, open them with additional apps, and send them as attachments. He then proceeds to show how to send and view messages from your contact list. Finally, he walks us through the settings for the application. This is an incredibly complex and powerful application which will prove useful for many users of iOS. From th...
Windows Phone8.1 (Part III): Music, Netflix, and Tweetium:
January 30, 2015 10:39 - 10 minutes - 10.7 MBIn this episode, James Oates demonstrates how to stream music and play a radio station using an Xbox Music Pass subscription. He shows us how to play a movie on Netflix and pin a favorite TV show to the start screen. Finally, he reviews the accessibility of the popular Twitter client, Tweetium. Throughout the episode, James is relying heavily on Cortana, Microsoft’s personal assistant. Since Cortana is integrated into the Music and Netflix applications, it makes the experience quite simple.
Quit Smoking With The Help Of An E-Cigarette:
January 28, 2015 09:36 - 13.9 MBFor all of our listeners who have resolved to quit smoking this year: In this episode, James Oates talks about how to purchase the right E-cigarette. He reviews the different components of the device and how which ones are easier for a person with a visual disability to use. He emphasizes the importance of choosing a vapor liquid with the correct nicotine level. The products discussed in this episode can be found at: Beach Side Vapors.
Breaking in Windows Premiere – Windows 10 and a piece of Star Trek?
January 23, 2015 21:40 - 1 hour - 65.2 MBThe new year is also a fresh look for us! With that we are launching Breaking in Windows, a show dedicated to the discussion, review and demonstration of all things Microsoft and Windows related. What better a way to Break out our new show than to bring you what's new with Windows 10! It's almost straight out of Star Trek! James Oates brings Cory Martin, a recent addition to the CBT team on board to discuss the Microsoft event and to hash out what this could mean from an accessibility persp...
Announcing Voice Dream Writer. A Spotlight Interview.
January 21, 2015 05:22 - 46.2 MBWinston Chen, the developer of the iOS app, Voice Dream Reader, sits down with the team at Cool Blind Tech to tell the story of how having been inspired by a Ted Talk podcast, his departure from mainstream tech, life on an Artic island north of Norway, and how that led to the development of Voice Dream Reader. Mr. Chen describes the original intent for Voice Dream Reader, and how that later manifested into an app for educators, the blind, and dyslexic. Mr. Chen proceeds to announce the rele...
Googles Nexus Player – An Accessible Streaming Media Device.
December 01, 2014 21:36 - 18.1 MBIntroducing GoogleÕs Nexus Player, a streaming media and gaming device that displays content on your television by way of a Wi-Fi connection and a HDMI cable. In this episode, James Oates demonstrates how to perform a voice search using the remote controlÕs built in microphone. He shows us which applications come pre-installed, and how to download and install additional applications. Most importantly, he shows us how to activate and use Talkback, a built in screen reader for devices running A...
Windows Phone 8.1 – Part 2 – Staying Connected.
November 03, 2014 00:35 - 19.6 MBIn this episode, James Oates shows us how to add a Skype contact and make a Skype call using Cortana. He shows us how to compose a Tweet and check our timeline on Twitter. Finally, he demonstrates the functionality of the email application. Threw out the episode, he is using the built in screen reader, Narrator, on a Nokia Lumia 635 running Windows Phone 8.1.
Remapping your CapsLock key for use as the VoiceOver modifier keys.
October 26, 2014 00:44 - 24.5 MBIn this episode Garth demonstrates the installation and setup of the applications Karabiner and Seil to allow the remapping of your CapsLock key for use as the VoiceOver modifier key. He also shows you how to set up another keyboard shortcut to enable and disable capsLock. Go into System Preferences, Keyboard. In the keyboard tab of the dialog, activate the Modifier Keys button. In the table, find the CapsLock key option and assign “No Action”. From pqrs.org, download and install the appl...
Scanning Credit Cards Using Safari.
October 20, 2014 11:31 - 12.4 MBp>In this episode Hugo demonstrates how to scan credit cards using Safari.
Windows10 Technical Preview – Peering into the future.
October 17, 2014 11:43 - 13.7 MBIn this episode, James Oates tells us about Microsoft's new operating system coming in 2015. He shows us the new Start Menu, Task Viewer, and the Virtual Desktop Viewer contained in the current version of Windows10 Technical Preview.