What do the Clicks Keyboard, Ember Mug, Monarch braille display, and AirPods Pro 2 all have in common? They’re all in the inbox this week on Double Tap!

Steven and Shaun dive into your messages, starting with Mallory’s reflections on Clicks and warm drinks, to Daisy’s deep dive into the Monarch’s potential—and price tag. You’ll hear honest takes on smart glasses like EchoVision, plus a listener story about using AirPods Pro 2 as hearing aids (and one almost lost at Burger King). And in true Double Tap fashion, things go hilariously off track with accidental disco rants, talk of cigarette-scented hospital doorfinding, and a legendary Scottish passive-aggressive takedown on a public bus.

From accessibility insights to laugh-out-loud commentary, this episode captures exactly what makes Double Tap so beloved—and why the community keeps growing.

[Chapters]
00:00 – What day is it? Time for emails
02:15 – Message from Mallory: Clicks Keyboard & Ember Mug
04:45 – Is the Clicks Keyboard worth it? Bulk, buttons & thoughts
07:50 – Tech for blind coders: Start your podcast!
09:22 – Monarch feedback from Daisy in Nebraska
13:10 – Why the Monarch matters (but is still out of reach)
16:20 – Are high costs keeping us from better tech?
20:30 – Should price come first in a review?
22:50 – Orbit Reader questions & alternatives
24:00 – Gregory’s smart glasses: Celeste vs. EchoVision
27:15 – Why do so many companies chase the same idea?
29:30 – Smart glasses: Designed for blind people, or just usable?
32:05 – Could OpenAI take over this space?
34:20 – What’s the perfect mix of tech and real-world tools?
38:50 – Hetty’s AirPods Pro 2 as hearing aids (and ear tip issues)
43:40 – Using earbuds in noisy environments
45:50 – Meta Ray-Bans and adaptive audio in action
48:10 – Public transport disco and hospital soundscapes
50:18 – Chris McCausland praise & TTS audio description debate
52:35 – The future of AD: More content, fewer humans?
55:10 – Why writing the description script matters most

⸻

[Key Quotes]

“We do need to have a range of voices. And if they were all the same, it wouldn’t really be very good for the community, right?” — Steven Scott

“If it works for you, and it’s amazing, then the money kind of becomes irrelevant—you’ll find a way to pay for it.” — Steven Scott

“Smart glasses don’t need to be ‘for blind people.’ They just need to work well for everyone.” — Shaun Preece

[Relevant Links]
Clicks Keyboard: https://clicks.tech
Ember Mug: https://ember.com
HumanWare Monarch: https://www.humanware.com
Meta Ray-Ban Glasses: https://www.ray-ban.com/meta
Apple AirPods Pro 2: https://www.apple.com/airpods-pro/
Be My Eyes (partnered with OpenAI): https://www.bemyeyes.com

👉 Got a tech question or comment? Email us at feedback@doubletaponair.com or leave a voice note on WhatsApp at +1-613-481-0144. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more unfiltered takes on accessible tech!

#AssistiveTechnology #SmartGlasses #DoubleTapPodcast

Find Double Tap online: YouTube, Double Tap Website

Join the conversation and add your voice to the show either by calling in, sending an email or leaving us a voicemail!

Email: feedback@doubletaponair.com

Phone: 1-877-803-4567

Today on Double Tap, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece open the listener inbox and tackle a wide range of accessible tech topics, real-world product experiences, and your feedback.

We kick off with Steven’s first impressions of the Stellar Trek GPS device from HumanWare, praising its high-quality speakers and intuitive voice selection interface. Then, we shift gears into a conversation about the Meta Ray-Ban glasses and updates from Meta’s LlamaCon event, including the rebranding of the MetaView app to Meta AI.

Chapter Markers:
00:00 Introduction
02:51 Meta Ray-Ban Glasses and AI Developments
06:11 Google I.O. and Hardware Expectations
09:03 AI Competition: Google vs. Meta vs. Apple
15:04 Listener Feedback and Community Engagement
17:54 Discussion on BT Speak Pro vs. Orbit Speak
36:11 Comparing BT Speak Pro and OrbitSpeak
39:30 Exploring Built-in Applications
44:46 Community and Support for Users
49:11 User Experience and Preferences
52:35 Orbit Player Overview

Next, the discussion heats up around the future of smart glasses, speculating on Google's upcoming announcements at Google I/O and potential new hardware launches. We also touch on the evolving landscape of AI tools, the growth of Gemini, Copilot, and ChatGPT, and frustrations around poorly communicated app updates.

From there, we dive into listener feedback, covering accessible glucose monitors, a surprising redemption for Samsung's Bixby assistant, frustrations with AI voice apps needing a “stop listening” command, and a call for better website access to Double Tap content.

Special guest Lisa Salinger joins to deliver an in-depth, real-world comparison between the BT Speak Pro and the Orbit Speak. If you've been considering these devices, Lisa shares critical differences, user experiences, and practical advice to help you decide which one could best fit your needs.

Get in touch with Double Tap by emailing us feedback@doubletaponair.com or by call 1-877-803-4567 and leave us a voicemail. You can also now contact us via Whatsapp on 1-613-481-0144 or visit doubletaponair.com/whatsapp to connect. We are also across social media including X, Mastodon and Facebook. Double Tap is available daily on AMI-audio across Canada, on podcast worldwide and now on YouTube.

Find Double Tap online: YouTube, Double Tap Website

Join the conversation and add your voice to the show either by calling in, sending an email or leaving us a voicemail!

Email: feedback@doubletaponair.com

Phone: 1-877-803-4567

Today on Double Tap, Steven Scott and Sean Preece react to Google’s announcement that it will discontinue cloud support for the first- and second-generation Nest thermostats — a major accessibility blow for blind users. They discuss the implications for smart home reliability and urge companies to prioritize accessibility from the start.

We also celebrate the 20th anniversary of Apple’s VoiceOver, sharing personal reflections and hearing from Mike Shebanek, who helped bring built-in accessibility to Apple products.Finally, Aaron Linson joins Steven to give an in-depth user review of the Stellar Trek from Humanware. Learn how this standalone navigation device compares to smartphones, how it handles GPS directions, traffic signals, and even reads short texts and doors with its AI features. If you’ve ever wondered whether dedicated tech still has a place alongside smartphones, this conversation is for you.

[Chapters]
0:00 – Intro: Nest Thermostat Accessibility Outrage
2:15 – How Smart Home Devices Risk Becoming Inaccessible
5:40 – Why Accessible Design Must Be Baked In
7:08 – Apple’s VoiceOver Turns 20
9:23 – Mike Shebanek on VoiceOver’s Origin at Apple
14:06 – How the iPhone Changed Accessibility Forever
18:32 – Accessibility Features in Early iPhones
20:44 – Introducing the Stellar Trek
22:45 – Why Apps Alone Aren’t Enough for Navigation
25:13 – How the Stellar Trek Works for Blind Travelers
29:56 – Real World Navigation with Stellar Trek
32:19 – How Stellar Trek Provides Richer Location Info
36:58 – New AI Traffic Light and Bus Stop Detection
39:21 – Should You Still Buy a Pro iPhone for LIDAR?
44:05 – Affordability, Technology Reliance, and Spread the Load
47:40 – Book Reader and Short Text Features on Stellar Trek
50:01 – Why Dedicated Devices Still Matter
54:33 – The Value of Environmental Awareness When Traveling
56:58 – Wrapping Up: More Stellar Trek User Q&A to Come

[Key Quotes]
“Accessibility has to be in everybody’s mind at all times.” — Steven Scott
“If one update breaks accessibility, that’s it — you’re stuck.” — Aaron Linson
“VoiceOver being built in changed everything — no extra cost, no extra software.” — Kelly MacDonald
“The Stellar Trek lets me explore what’s around me, not just navigate point-to-point.” — Aaron Linson

[Relevant Links]
Humanware Stellar Trek: https://www.humanware.com/en-usa/home
Learn more about Apple VoiceOver: https://www.apple.com/accessibility/vision/

#DoubleTap #AccessibilityTech #BlindTechnology

Find Double Tap online: YouTube, Double Tap Website

Join the conversation and add your voice to the show either by calling in, sending an email or leaving us a voicemail!

Email: feedback@doubletaponair.com

Phone: 1-877-803-4567