Double Tap Canada

Welcome to this week's episode of Double Tap Canada. Join Steven, Marc & Shaun as they dive into the world of tech. Oh, and the dangers of foxes and hedgehogs. A sickly Steven kicks off the show with a confession of his love for air fryers, but is there such a thing as a smart air fryer? And why does it seem to be that the kitchen is the dumbest room in the smart home? Next, if you have ever thought that your phone must be listening to you because it's suddenly showing you ads for the thing you were just talking about then don't worry, you're not alone. However, the truth may actually be more creepy. Let's talk about data brokers. In this week's tech news, we have the story of the police trying to stop a driverless car in San Francisco. There's no denying the technology is advancing at an impressive rate but just how far off are the true driverless cars that we can use as visually impaired pepole? The show wraps up with listener feedback, and Shaun tells us how to fix social media and the Internet in

This week its the usual mix of tech and not-so-techy conversation with Steven, Marc and Shaun. There’s a special guest too with Brian Fischler from That Real Blind Tech Show podcast joining us to discuss his part in AxeCon 2022, the digital accessibility conference for developers, coders and businesses who want to learn more about how accessible websites and services can benefit everyone. There’s also much discussion on the big tech stories of the week including the news that Elon Musk has bought shares in Twitter, whether unplugging our gadgets really makes a difference to our energy costs, and that now infamous Microsoft tweet about spring cleaning your computer which featured a lady in front of a shiny new iMac! Embarrassing! And of course there’s more of your feedback which we love to get. So send in yours for the next show by emailing feedback@ami.ca 

This week, the trio get together to discuss the big issues for blind and partially sighted people when it comes to tech - the Will Smith and Chris Rock controversy, of course. Seriously though, they do get down to business and discuss the latest and greatest alternatives to Apple’s new Studio Display, including the new Samsung M8 monitor, as well as Dell’s 27-inch monitor and Samsung's cheaper 24-inch monitor, which all have built in webcams, speakers and microphones. There’s also an extensive discussion about the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 that Steven has just bought - and is actually enjoying for once - in particular, the ability to open and close the phone to answer calls. All that, plus some other big tech stories of the week are discussed with Steven, Marc and Shaun.

This week on Double Tap Canada, not only do we have the welcome return of Steven Scott, but an uninvited guest shows up in Shaun's shed. I'm sure he'll handle it like a professional… Despite being ill, Steven has managed to cheer himself up this week thanks to the new iPhone SE 2022. With performance on par with the iPhone 13, 5G support, improved battery life, the Home button and Touch ID, what's not to like? Still, why did he feel the need to buy two? Next, we take a look at some of the more interesting products from the CSUN event in California. There's the Dot Pad, which describes itself as "the first real-time tactile graphics display for the visually impaired," a mysterious note-taker from Orbit called the Orbit Speak, and news of an upcoming desktop app from Aira. We wrap up the show with a quick reaction to the Sony LinkBuds, a new feature in Microsoft Edge to automatically tag images, and just why is Steven missing all his deliveries?

This week's Double Tap Canada sees Marc Aflalo in the host's chair as Steven Scott is off sick. But can Steven really keep away? Of course not… We kick off the show with the news that Tesla has increased their prices for their entire range of cars. With the recent rise in gas prices, whatever happened to Elon Musk's dream of everybody owning an electric vehicle? While Steven is away, Marc takes the opportunity to talk about his excitement for the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series coming to Disney+ in May. Shaun isn't quite as convinced, but maybe if Marc audio describes the trailer for him he'll change his mind. With so many streaming services available, is the Star Wars brand enough for Disney+ to get more subscribers? In more serious news, the hacking group known as Anonymous has declared cyber-war on Russia. They claim they have already disrupted state-run TV channels and websites, but just how effective can cyber-warfare be? Finally, the iOS 15.4 update has been released, but is there anything new to g

What else could we possibly talk about on this week's Double Tap Canada but the recent Apple event? With a new iPhone SE 2022, an M1 powered iPad Air and a whole new desktop class computer called the Mac Studio, was there anything that tempted Steven, Shaun or Marc to splash some cash?

Welcome to Double Tap Canada. This week, Steven and Shaun not only discuss all the latest tech news, but also ask the hard-hitting questions, such as do Canadians really live underground and has Steven bought the most pointless bit of Apple tech in the world? We finally have the official announcement that there will be an Apple Event on the 8th of March with rumours of a new iPhone SE, iPad Air and a new Apple silicon-powered Mac. Of course, Steven is excited by this, but it does lead to some questions on MagSafe charging, the benefits of Touch ID and is there any practical differences between an iPad and iPhone if you are blind? Next up, it's listener feedback with some very interesting questions regarding Tim Cook's $99-million bonus, the possibilities of Microsoft's new real-time captioning feature for Windows and should you be looking to AMD rather than Intel when it comes to choosing your next laptop? Finally, we are looking for your feedback on the recent news that bionic eye company Second Sight is

On this week’s episode, it’s all about power—yes, power—at home that often doesn’t work when the bad weather hits. But what can you do to save your beloved tech from being destroyed by surge power and fluctuating power sources? Steven, Marc and Shaun all discuss the growing use of UPS (uninterrupted power supplies) in homes across Canada and around the world, and how these devices can make it possible to keep the lights and Internet on as well as vital communication links when the power goes out. Steven has also been buying again, and using a recent power outage as the excuse! He’s bought a pile of new Phillips Hue bulbs, but how will the set-up experience be and will they work properly after a power cut, unlike his current IKEA bulbs? There’s also big news in the gaming world with Forza Horizon 5 bringing in a feature they announced a while back that lets Deaf users who sign get sign language feedback from the game, and there’s also news of a new voice coming to IOS 15.4 which comes from the LGBTQ+ commun

The tech trio are back together to discuss the big tech stories of the week, including big new updates for Windows 11, rumours of an upcoming Apple Event and what’s new with Google’s Chrome OS. Steven, Marc and Shaun also debate whether or not Marc is a doppleganger for Conan O’Brien and Steven offers his own unique advice to a listener with new PC problems - toss it straight into the trash! Share your feedback with the team by emailing feedback@ami.ca

This week on Double Tap Canada, Steven and Shaun discuss the latest news from Samsung’s Unpacked event, with the launch of new smartphones and tablets. But what does the blind community stand to benefit? We discuss. Plus, it’s White Cane Week, and the guys talk about using the traditional white cane versus newer smart canes. Also, there are lots of hints about ways to make your existing cane smarter and more functional. Share your thoughts on the topics discussed by emailing feedback@ami.ca.

This week Steven, Marc and Shaun get together for another chat on the big tech topics of the week.Following this week’s Double Tap TV episode on the subject of the Metaverse, guest Chris Matthieu joins the gang on the podcast to go more in-depth and answer some of the big questions around the future of the Internet. If you’ve always wondered what an NFT is, or how crypto currency could become part of our everyday lives, you must check out this episode.Plus, there’s more feedback from our audience, and talk of Microsoft’s latest accessibility features.Keep the feedback coming to feedback@ami.ca.

Steven, Marc and Shaun return for another hour of news, opinion and debate on the topic of tech. The show kicks off with a listener reprimand for Marc and his apparent love for Elon Musk. Should we be looking beyond the impressive technology of companies such as Tesla and Space X and concentrate more on the effects it may have on other areas of modern life? Next, do people really judge others by the type of phone they use? Google seems to think that the Green Bubble label given to those not using iMessage could be seen as a type of exclusion or even bullying. Should all messaging services and companies be forced to work with each other, or are people simply being too sensitive? This leads into a conversation on the future of the Internet and the power of the big tech companies that seem to control the majority of it. Does the answer lie with NFTs, crypto and Web 3.0? In Apple news, on January 26, 1984 - 38 years ago - they unveiled the first Mac computer. Just what effect did this have on the world of computi

It’s another busy week for the tech team at Double Tap Canada as Steven, Marc and Shaun discuss the big stories this week in tech, along with a healthy dose of nonsense. We start with an overly-excited Marc, who tells us about the amazing job being done to send rockets to space pretty much every couple of weeks these days as Steven and Shaun listen on with, let’s just say, less excitement! Steven is more interested in an email from listener Rebecca, who suggests the Matias Bluetooth keyboard as a replacement following the tragic death of Steven’s beloved Logitech MX Keys after a drowning incident involving a bottle of water and said keyboard. Shaun answers a listener email about how to use the new hand gestures on the Apple Watch and Steven does a pretty awful job at a live demo of the feature. (It actually is very good in real life, honest.) In amongst all the actual tech talk, the team discuss the future of civilization from the point of view of Baba Vanga, the infamous Bulgarian mystic who was blind, a

Prepare yourselves for a hour of your favourite tech talk, tech news and other ramblings. Steven Scott, Shaun Preece and Marc Aflalo are back with another episode of Double Tap Canada! After a brief discussion on COVID-19 and soggy keyboards, it’s time to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the iPhone. We take a look back at where it all started in 2007, and just what impact it had on not only accessibility, but also the entire tech world. Next, it’s on to the Consumer Electronics Show 2022. What with the current situation, this year's CES was a quiet affair, but was there anything that got the DTC team excited? Marc tells us about the new smart device protocol called Matter and Shaun is drooling over some impressively powerful laptops. Steven, as usual, finds something altogether more, erm, disturbing… The show wraps up with your emails, including discussions on braille displays and headset recommendations.

Happy New Year! Double Tap Canada is back with another hour of the latest tech talk, news and opinions. Shaun has been testing out the new hand gestures feature that was introduced with the latest Apple Watch OS update. It allows you to navigate and interact with your Apple Watch without actually touching the screen. Instead, you simply perform gestures, such as clenching your fist or pinching your fingers together, to move or select items on the Apple Watch. Very useful when using a long cane. In Apple news, Steven is excited by rumours of a new iPhone SE being released in 2022, but Shaun isn’t convinced. Also, will we finally see the end of the iPhone camera bump and screen notch with the release of the iPhone 14? Next, Steven is already eyeing up his first tech purchase of the New Year in the form of a braille labeler. The Logantech Braille Labeler certainly looks like a cool piece of kit, but just how many labels do you need to make in order to justify its $775 US price tag? The show wraps up with a l

Double Tap Canada is back! With the smell of Brussels sprouts in the air and gravy stains everywhere, there’s no denying we’re still in festive mood and what better way to celebrate than to open one of Steven’s parcels live on the show? In his never-ending quest to own every single bit of tech on the planet, Steven has bought himself something a little bit different this week. Throughout the show, we’ll be unboxing and trying to set up the Lenovo Smart Clock 2, a Google assistant powered clock. With its design and touch-screen display, this device seems very similar to the Amazon Echo Show but the important question is … can we get it to talk? Along the way, we’ll also be discussing the importance of Braille keys, what exactly Canadians eat for Christmas dinner, a new web browsing app for the Apple Watch and what we expect from the Apple Glasses. Thank you so much for listening, and we’d all like to wish you a very Happy New Year from everyone here at Double Tap and AMI-audio!

Happy Christmas from Double Tap Canada! In this festive episode, Marc, Steven and Shaun take a look at the tech they’ve bought over the last year, and what they would recommend to others. There’s computers, keyboards, headphones, speakers, smart cups and coffee machines, services and more. Steven has also found an interesting, or terrifying depending on your view, section of the Amazon app where you can see how many parcels you’ve ordered over the last year. There are no prizes for guessing which one of the team has ordered the most… Wishing you all a happy holiday season from all of the Double Tap Canada team!

Despite a sickly Shaun, a missing Marc and Steven destroying all his computers, another episode of Double Tap Canada is here. We kick off the show with the news that Steven is returning his Surface Laptop 4. What went wrong this time? Was it the stuttering speech or the furry fabric coating? Steven explains all. Next, it’s on to the news that Forza Horizon 5 has won the "Innovation in Accessibility" award at the recently held Game Awards 2021. The very fact that the category exists does seem to show that accessibility is being taken seriously by the video game industry, so why aren’t there more accessible games? In other news, Steven is about to start a Braille course, but can he convince Shaun to join him? And why does Shaun hate the Perkins Brailler? Also, there’s some exciting news for Canadians interested in getting hold of the Jaws screen reader. Matt Ater tells us all about the new Home Annual License program.

Looking for an hour of top tech talk and news? Well, you’re in luck because here’s another episode of Double Tap Canada. The show kicks off with Steven’s latest trip to the Apple Store, but surely there can’t be anything left for him to buy? He tells us why he’s returned his new MacBook Pro. Next, it’s on to Microsoft and their new Surface Adaptive Kit. Although designed for the Surface Pro and Surface Laptops, this kit could be useful for any device. It consists of various tactile "bumps" and stickers that you can use to mark and identify keys, ports or cables. Obviously, this is very useful for us as visually impaired people, but it could be equally useful for anyone who has spent time crawling around the back of a computer trying to find a cable. Sticking with Microsoft, there’s the news that the long unchanged app Notepad is to get a refresh in an upcoming update to Windows. Featuring the new Windows 11 design, dark mode and multi-level undo, should we be excited that it’s finally got some attention, or i

Marc Aflalo is back with Steven Scott and Shaun Preece for another episode of Double Tap Canada, but before we jump into this week’s tech there is an important question to be asked. Just what is the difference between a biscuit and a cookie? Steven has been at it again, and has a brand-new gadget to play with. The sleek, shiny Surface Laptop 4 is Microsoft’s example of how a Windows laptop should be. The design is top-class, but is it really the best option when it comes to a Windows computer? Next, Steven and Marc answer a listener email regarding the Rode Wireless Go 2 microphones. Consisting of two wireless microphones and a receiver that can be plugged into a computer and acts as an audio interface, this could be a great option for podcasters. But why is the software so inaccessible? Sticking with listener emails, the show wraps up with a discussion around the M1 and M1 Pro CPUs in the new Mac computers and just how capable they are. Also, what is the future of Windows on the Mac?