WEBVTT - Talking Tech 16th July 2024 0:00:21.228 --> 0:00:25.188 Hello everyone. Welcome to Talking Tech. This edition available from 0:00:25.188 --> 0:00:29.478 July the 16th, 2024. I'm Stephen Jolly. Great to have 0:00:29.478 --> 0:00:32.988 you with us listening maybe through Vision Australia radio, associated 0:00:32.988 --> 0:00:36.888 stations of RPA Australia or perhaps the Community Radio Network. 0:00:36.888 --> 0:00:39.708 There is also the podcast. To catch that, all you 0:00:39.708 --> 0:00:42.228 need to do is search for the two words talking 0:00:42.258 --> 0:00:44.658 tech and Dan. It can all come usually on a 0:00:44.658 --> 0:00:48.468 Tuesday afternoon just after it's been produced. Another option is 0:00:48.468 --> 0:00:51.408 to ask your Siri device or smart speaker to play 0:00:51.408 --> 0:00:56.748 Vision Australia Radio talking tech podcast Vision Australia Radio talking 0:00:56.778 --> 0:01:00.588 tech podcast with me, someone who can explain all this 0:01:00.588 --> 0:01:05.298 tech stuff really well. Vision Australia's national advisor on access Technology, 0:01:05.298 --> 0:01:09.708 David Woodbridge, and later we're going to hear from a 0:01:09.708 --> 0:01:15.398 guest from Quantum Reading Learning vision, Peter Cracknell. But before that, 0:01:15.398 --> 0:01:19.778 let's have our usual Product Minute segment. David, you've got 0:01:19.778 --> 0:01:21.818 a phone which we've talked about a number of times 0:01:21.818 --> 0:01:24.398 in the past, but it's worth reminding everyone about it 0:01:24.398 --> 0:01:27.788 that can be obtained from the vision store of Vision Australia. 0:01:27.818 --> 0:01:30.758 And I should probably also say quantum as well. And 0:01:30.758 --> 0:01:32.648 the other reason why I'm mentioning it too, is because 0:01:32.648 --> 0:01:34.808 I've got a little surprise for people coming up in 0:01:34.808 --> 0:01:37.388 about 3 to 4 weeks time. So stand by for 0:01:37.388 --> 0:01:40.238 that one with the blonde Jill classic two. But anyway, 0:01:40.238 --> 0:01:43.598 getting back to the blind shot classic two. It's a 0:01:43.598 --> 0:01:46.568 nice standard phone. And when I say a standard phone, 0:01:46.568 --> 0:01:48.458 it's actually got real keys on it. So you've got 0:01:48.458 --> 0:01:52.778 your traditional numeric keypad 12345 good old function keys at 0:01:52.778 --> 0:01:56.978 the top which are tactile a camera, a flashlight, a 0:01:56.978 --> 0:02:00.368 voice input button, volume up, volume down, and so on. 0:02:00.398 --> 0:02:04.148 So for people that used to have the old Nokia phones, 0:02:04.328 --> 0:02:07.358 if you remember those with that type of keypad and 0:02:07.358 --> 0:02:09.698 the function button above it, then that's actually what the 0:02:09.698 --> 0:02:12.728 Blind Shaw Classic two is actually based upon. And the 0:02:12.728 --> 0:02:15.848 reason why it's called Blind Shell is because it's running 0:02:15.848 --> 0:02:20.618 a set of custom software applications. So things like mail, 0:02:20.618 --> 0:02:25.658 internet radio, um, podcasts, lookout, out, which is the Google 0:02:25.658 --> 0:02:30.368 Lookout app, envision I, which is the envision AI assistant, 0:02:30.368 --> 0:02:33.308 and so on. But what really stands out for me 0:02:33.308 --> 0:02:36.158 is a couple of functions. One is the flashlight, one 0:02:36.158 --> 0:02:37.838 that I've already mentioned. So if you want to look 0:02:37.838 --> 0:02:39.398 in the pantry and you can't see stuff, you can 0:02:39.398 --> 0:02:43.118 use the the flashlight. Number two, it's actually got a 0:02:43.118 --> 0:02:46.118 real FM radio chip inside it. So you can pick 0:02:46.118 --> 0:02:49.438 up terrestrial radio, which when you're in the back of what? 0:02:49.438 --> 0:02:51.718 When you don't have any cellular or Wi-Fi connection, you've 0:02:51.718 --> 0:02:56.158 still got an FM radio. It's also got an SOS function. 0:02:56.158 --> 0:02:59.398 So it's got this big button on the back that 0:02:59.398 --> 0:03:02.908 if you need to, um, have the phone contact your 0:03:02.908 --> 0:03:06.448 emergency contact and give your GPS location. It can do 0:03:06.448 --> 0:03:09.088 that as well. And you can also use it both 0:03:09.088 --> 0:03:12.418 as a low vision phone. So it's got high contrast 0:03:12.418 --> 0:03:15.958 larger font and the or a different, you know, black 0:03:15.958 --> 0:03:18.508 and white, white on black, yellow on blue and so 0:03:18.508 --> 0:03:21.448 on contrast settings. So you can have the speech turned 0:03:21.448 --> 0:03:22.888 off or you can have the speech on. And of 0:03:22.888 --> 0:03:26.068 course you can have both things happening. So it's both 0:03:26.068 --> 0:03:30.268 a low vision phone and a quote blindness type phone. 0:03:30.328 --> 0:03:33.838 It's a really functional fantastic phone. 0:03:33.898 --> 0:03:34.858 How much does it cost? 0:03:34.858 --> 0:03:39.448 It's $990. So for a good, you know, smart phone, 0:03:39.448 --> 0:03:41.338 it works really well. And of course, like I said 0:03:41.338 --> 0:03:44.458 at the beginning, it's both available from the Vision store 0:03:44.458 --> 0:03:46.468 and quantum technology as well. 0:03:46.468 --> 0:03:50.848 The Blind Shell Classic two. We turn to our guest now, 0:03:50.848 --> 0:03:55.378 Peter Cracknell, who is manager Blindness and Low Vision Technologies 0:03:55.378 --> 0:03:58.348 with Quantum Reading Learning Vision. Good to have you with 0:03:58.348 --> 0:03:58.918 us Peter. 0:03:59.428 --> 0:04:00.958 Oh thank you Stephen. Good morning. 0:04:01.078 --> 0:04:02.128 Over to you David. 0:04:02.608 --> 0:04:05.698 So before we talk about our main one, which is 0:04:05.698 --> 0:04:08.578 my one of my favorite bits of technology, which is 0:04:08.578 --> 0:04:11.458 the Mountbatten or in this case, the Mountbatten tutor. Do 0:04:11.458 --> 0:04:14.518 you just want to allay people's fears about the Blondshell 0:04:14.518 --> 0:04:17.878 classic two not being available to switch over to the 0:04:17.878 --> 0:04:21.478 4G network? Because I believe with a setup it's all fixed. 0:04:21.628 --> 0:04:25.258 Thanks, David. Yes, so you may have seen some news 0:04:25.258 --> 0:04:30.078 about the 3G mobile network being shut down by Telstra. Um, 0:04:30.078 --> 0:04:32.208 and the impact that may have on phones that are 0:04:32.208 --> 0:04:38.268 not compatible with 4G and in particular the Vo LTE component. Now, 0:04:38.268 --> 0:04:41.298 what's going to happen is that phones that currently use 0:04:41.298 --> 0:04:45.018 3G for emergency dialing, they won't be able to use 0:04:45.018 --> 0:04:48.888 3G when the network shuts down. And only phones that 0:04:48.888 --> 0:04:55.308 are 4G VoLTE compatible will automatically switch to emergency dialing. 0:04:55.878 --> 0:04:59.958 Plus all the other 4G facilities. So the Blind Child 0:04:59.958 --> 0:05:04.908 Classic two is 4G compatible. It's very important, though, that 0:05:04.908 --> 0:05:10.698 people do perform a system update. Compatibility was ensured from 0:05:10.698 --> 0:05:13.908 February of this year. That's for all of the networks. 0:05:13.908 --> 0:05:18.438 That's for Vodafone, Telstra, Optus and so on. But you 0:05:18.438 --> 0:05:21.468 do need to make sure that you have updated your 0:05:21.468 --> 0:05:25.758 phone to the latest version. That's why I have put 0:05:25.758 --> 0:05:29.148 out some instructions about how to do that to our customers, 0:05:29.148 --> 0:05:32.328 but also through the various networks like the VIP list 0:05:32.328 --> 0:05:35.628 and so on. And our website has got step by 0:05:35.628 --> 0:05:37.878 step instructions. How how to do that. 0:05:37.878 --> 0:05:39.738 Yeah, I'll put that in the show notes as well. 0:05:39.738 --> 0:05:42.108 And it's you know, it sounds a bit scary, but 0:05:42.108 --> 0:05:45.288 it's it's very straightforward. And like Peter said, we've both 0:05:45.288 --> 0:05:47.328 got the instructions and there's a video on there as 0:05:47.328 --> 0:05:51.738 well if you do need sighted assistance set up. So, uh, 0:05:51.738 --> 0:05:54.048 moving on to our main topic, Peter, and I've loved 0:05:54.048 --> 0:05:56.928 the Mountbatten itself since 1991, which I think when it 0:05:56.928 --> 0:06:01.128 first came out. What's the main new whizzbang thing happening 0:06:01.128 --> 0:06:02.508 with the Mountbatten tutor now? 0:06:02.838 --> 0:06:07.928 Well, the Mountbatten tutor, which is manufactured by Harpo in Poland, 0:06:07.928 --> 0:06:11.798 we used to manufacture that in Rydalmere in in Sydney 0:06:11.798 --> 0:06:17.498 for many, many years after the LSE version, Harpo made 0:06:17.498 --> 0:06:21.668 The Whisperer, The Mountbatten Whisperer and now this new model, 0:06:21.668 --> 0:06:23.048 the Mountbatten Tutor. 0:06:23.498 --> 0:06:25.448 The essential purpose. 0:06:25.448 --> 0:06:28.118 Is much the same as it's always been, which is 0:06:28.118 --> 0:06:32.618 really focused around early braille learning, usually for children, but 0:06:32.618 --> 0:06:36.908 not always. And that purpose still remains. And in fact, 0:06:36.908 --> 0:06:41.258 all of the features and commands that people might have 0:06:41.258 --> 0:06:45.368 known previously for the other models also in the Mountbatten tutor. 0:06:46.028 --> 0:06:49.148 I guess one of the things that the new model 0:06:49.148 --> 0:06:52.898 does do is tries to put those sorts of commands 0:06:52.898 --> 0:06:56.888 and and settings into a menu system that's a bit 0:06:56.888 --> 0:06:59.738 more intuitive. You don't have to remember the commands. You 0:06:59.738 --> 0:07:03.128 can just go through a spoken menu system, which is 0:07:03.128 --> 0:07:08.978 just a conventional menu system to adjust margins and translation 0:07:09.098 --> 0:07:12.488 formats and so on. And that is also shown on 0:07:12.488 --> 0:07:15.878 a liquid crystal display actually on the body of the machine. 0:07:15.878 --> 0:07:19.598 So that's integrated into the Mountbatten Tudor. And that means 0:07:19.598 --> 0:07:24.158 that a teacher aide or a parent, they can actually 0:07:24.158 --> 0:07:28.748 navigate that. It also has spoken output of course, and 0:07:28.748 --> 0:07:33.968 to more intuitively make changes to settings to Braille, translation 0:07:33.968 --> 0:07:36.968 grade and that sort of thing. Whereas before they would 0:07:36.968 --> 0:07:40.568 have to remember a particular command which they would input 0:07:40.568 --> 0:07:45.388 through the keyboard. The keyboard has been modified, so on 0:07:45.388 --> 0:07:50.578 the older models they had various keys that perhaps are 0:07:50.578 --> 0:07:53.998 not so recognizable on a conventional keyboard, whereas with the 0:07:53.998 --> 0:07:57.538 Mountbatten Tudor keyboard it actually follows the pattern of a 0:07:57.538 --> 0:08:00.748 conventional keyboard with an escape key, a backspace key and 0:08:00.748 --> 0:08:04.078 enter key, a spacebar, and so on. Plus, of course, 0:08:04.078 --> 0:08:09.268 the traditional what we call the Perkins keys for typing Braille. 0:08:09.808 --> 0:08:13.828 And that keyboard is also detachable from the body of 0:08:13.828 --> 0:08:17.068 the Mountbatten Tudor, which gives just a lot more options 0:08:17.068 --> 0:08:23.038 for different configurations where perhaps, uh, a child couldn't actually 0:08:23.038 --> 0:08:25.708 line up as they straight on, they might want to 0:08:25.708 --> 0:08:29.848 have the keyboard at a slight angle, or perhaps it 0:08:29.848 --> 0:08:32.788 might be easier to operate if the child was in 0:08:32.788 --> 0:08:34.468 a wheelchair or something like that. 0:08:34.498 --> 0:08:37.648 So, Peter, I've got a few quick questions, I guess. 0:08:37.738 --> 0:08:40.258 Number one is, if you know how to use the 0:08:40.258 --> 0:08:43.048 earlier versions of the Mountbatten, which to me is a 0:08:43.048 --> 0:08:46.978 electronic brailler, which was actually very, very cool. I'm assuming 0:08:46.978 --> 0:08:49.018 if you know that, then you know how to basically 0:08:49.018 --> 0:08:50.548 use the new Mountbatten tutor. 0:08:50.638 --> 0:08:54.448 Yes, David, that's absolutely right. If you ever operated a 0:08:54.448 --> 0:09:00.028 previous model, there'll be absolutely no difficulty operating this one. Uh, 0:09:00.028 --> 0:09:02.068 it could be that you had remembered some of the 0:09:02.068 --> 0:09:04.858 commands like RFA command or something like that. And you 0:09:04.858 --> 0:09:08.248 can type that straight in and away you go. You 0:09:08.248 --> 0:09:10.918 can also plug in a regular keyboard as well. David. 0:09:10.918 --> 0:09:14.878 So just a regular Qwerty keyboard, USB, um, and operate 0:09:14.878 --> 0:09:16.798 it through the regular Qwerty keyboard. 0:09:16.798 --> 0:09:18.028 That was funny because that was going to be my 0:09:18.028 --> 0:09:20.778 second question. You beat me to it. So my third 0:09:20.778 --> 0:09:23.178 question then is, I remember in the old days we 0:09:23.178 --> 0:09:25.218 had the mimic, which was a little plug in, little 0:09:25.218 --> 0:09:29.358 LCD display. I'm assuming the LCD display in the Mountbatten tutor. 0:09:29.358 --> 0:09:32.208 Now that's also effectively your mimic, so you can see 0:09:32.208 --> 0:09:34.668 what's being brailled as well from a sighted person point 0:09:34.668 --> 0:09:35.148 of view. 0:09:35.268 --> 0:09:39.108 Absolutely. It has a mimic function. So a sighted person 0:09:39.108 --> 0:09:43.128 can actually review what's being typed in regular text. In 0:09:43.128 --> 0:09:46.698 addition to that, it also shows the menus in print 0:09:46.788 --> 0:09:50.808 so you can actually operate it with no knowledge of 0:09:50.808 --> 0:09:54.978 Braille through that LCD display. So yes, it's it is 0:09:54.978 --> 0:09:57.858 actually putting the mimic into the case. But in addition 0:09:57.978 --> 0:10:00.828 making it a display. Yeah, far more superior. 0:10:00.828 --> 0:10:03.678 Can you link it up to anything like a PC 0:10:03.678 --> 0:10:05.808 or an iPad and iPhone or an Android phone? 0:10:06.918 --> 0:10:09.408 Yes, in a couple of ways. You can look it 0:10:09.408 --> 0:10:12.798 up via USB to a laptop and run a program 0:10:12.798 --> 0:10:16.098 called MLB.com as we could on our previous models. That's 0:10:16.098 --> 0:10:18.618 for file transfer, and also to act as a basically 0:10:18.618 --> 0:10:22.578 an embosser from your computer. Um, but in addition to that, 0:10:22.578 --> 0:10:25.098 and I think perhaps in a more valuable way, you 0:10:25.098 --> 0:10:29.808 can connect an iPad or an Android device to the 0:10:29.808 --> 0:10:34.278 Mountbatten tutor just using a Bluetooth connection. And that will 0:10:34.278 --> 0:10:36.948 allow file transfer and embossing and that sort of stuff. 0:10:36.948 --> 0:10:41.538 But more importantly, it allows a non braille person to 0:10:41.538 --> 0:10:43.758 be able to type on the iPad, just tap on 0:10:43.758 --> 0:10:48.498 onto the iPad and have it immediately embossed in a 0:10:48.498 --> 0:10:51.528 proper grade your chosen grade on the Mountbatten tutor and 0:10:51.528 --> 0:10:55.428 vice versa. When the brailler is brailling, it will back 0:10:55.428 --> 0:10:59.198 translate into regular print on the iPad. And so you 0:10:59.198 --> 0:11:03.188 can have those back and forth conversations. You can study 0:11:03.188 --> 0:11:06.248 a particular article from on your iPad, and you can 0:11:06.248 --> 0:11:08.678 just paste it into the chat area and it will 0:11:08.678 --> 0:11:11.108 emboss on the on the Mountbatten tutor. 0:11:11.528 --> 0:11:14.888 Sounds fantastic. Um, now, if people are interested in finding 0:11:14.888 --> 0:11:17.558 out more about the Mountbatten or getting their hands on it, 0:11:17.588 --> 0:11:19.568 what's the best way to contact quantum? 0:11:20.228 --> 0:11:22.298 There's a couple of ways. Uh, ways. One would be 0:11:22.298 --> 0:11:26.828 to contact quantum and we can demonstrate we can also 0:11:26.828 --> 0:11:29.168 trial the unit. We have people who apply through it, 0:11:29.168 --> 0:11:33.128 through NDA, through NDIS. And they'll need to trial that 0:11:33.128 --> 0:11:35.618 of course to compare it to other options. And of 0:11:35.618 --> 0:11:38.738 course Virgin Australia through the Virgin Australia ATS teams and 0:11:38.738 --> 0:11:43.508 their occupational therapy teams. They can also demonstrate and assess 0:11:43.508 --> 0:11:45.158 people for the Melbourne tutor. 0:11:45.638 --> 0:11:49.058 Okay. And, uh, cost wise, how much is the cost out? Right? 0:11:49.628 --> 0:11:54.488 It's, uh, seven, 990. I should just say, David, that, um, 0:11:54.488 --> 0:11:57.758 we are due for a price increase across the board, 0:11:57.938 --> 0:12:01.388 so it may may go around about 8000. Yeah. Okay. 0:12:01.778 --> 0:12:03.878 Is there a landing page on the quantum website that 0:12:03.878 --> 0:12:06.128 people could type in a direct link to jump to 0:12:06.128 --> 0:12:08.588 information about Mountbatten, or is it just easier to search 0:12:08.588 --> 0:12:10.508 for Mountbatten on the quantum website? 0:12:11.108 --> 0:12:14.288 It's easier to search for Mountbatten on the quantum website. Yes, 0:12:14.288 --> 0:12:18.218 we do have it under the Our Blindness section, under 0:12:18.218 --> 0:12:22.268 Braille writers. Yes, we also sell the Tatra point as well, 0:12:22.268 --> 0:12:24.608 which is a mechanical Braille writer indeed. 0:12:24.608 --> 0:12:27.848 Yeah, love that little thing as well. All right, Steve, 0:12:27.848 --> 0:12:28.598 back to you. 0:12:28.808 --> 0:12:32.588 Thank you. David. David speaking there with Peter Cracknell from 0:12:32.588 --> 0:12:36.418 Quantum Reading learning Vision. David, just while we've got a 0:12:36.418 --> 0:12:40.258 few moments, the long awaited Apple Vision Pro has arrived 0:12:40.258 --> 0:12:41.158 in Australia. 0:12:41.188 --> 0:12:43.378 The Vision Pro was released last Friday as we go 0:12:43.378 --> 0:12:47.938 to air this week. It's basically a spatial computer, so 0:12:47.938 --> 0:12:51.448 it's very vision related, so if you're low vision, you're 0:12:51.448 --> 0:12:53.428 going to get some benefit out of it. If you're 0:12:53.428 --> 0:12:56.908 blind perhaps not. But let's just see what happens down 0:12:56.908 --> 0:12:59.428 the track. Um, if you want a demo and you 0:12:59.428 --> 0:13:01.588 want to look at all the accessibility functions in it, 0:13:01.588 --> 0:13:05.428 make an appointment at your local Apple, uh, reseller or 0:13:05.428 --> 0:13:07.528 Apple Store that sell the Vision Pro, and you can 0:13:07.528 --> 0:13:08.968 have a bit of a demo in a play. 0:13:08.968 --> 0:13:11.608 That's the Apple Vision Pro. And Samsung had an event 0:13:11.608 --> 0:13:12.388 last week. 0:13:12.718 --> 0:13:16.108 They did. So they had their unpacked event. We've now 0:13:16.108 --> 0:13:19.738 got the new Flip and Fold version six. Towards the 0:13:19.738 --> 0:13:23.428 end of July, we have a new Galaxy Watch Ultra, 0:13:23.428 --> 0:13:26.698 which looks very much like an Apple Watch. We have 0:13:26.698 --> 0:13:30.628 the new buds three version for the Galaxy Buds, which 0:13:30.628 --> 0:13:33.748 looks very much like an AirPod. The only thing that's 0:13:33.748 --> 0:13:35.998 different this time, which is coming out into this year 0:13:35.998 --> 0:13:39.178 or early next year in Australia, is the Galaxy Ring. 0:13:39.178 --> 0:13:41.788 So rather than having a Fitbit or an Apple Watch 0:13:41.818 --> 0:13:44.788 on your wrist, you wear this ring on your finger. 0:13:44.818 --> 0:13:48.418 Sounds fascinating. Before we go, a reminder of whether our 0:13:48.418 --> 0:13:50.668 details of what we've been talking about in this and 0:13:50.668 --> 0:13:52.108 previous editions of the program. 0:13:52.108 --> 0:13:55.558 You can check out my website, which is David Woodbury 0:13:55.558 --> 0:13:58.048 Podbean pod Cbn.com. 0:13:58.048 --> 0:14:03.388 David Woodbury Podbean pod b e a N.com to right 0:14:03.388 --> 0:14:04.168 to the program. 0:14:04.168 --> 0:14:06.178 You can write to me at Vision Australia where I work, 0:14:06.178 --> 0:14:10.138 which is David Woodbridge, how it sounds at Vision Australia. 0:14:10.348 --> 0:14:15.468 Org David Dot Woodbridge at Vision Australia. Org. This has 0:14:15.468 --> 0:14:18.648 been talking tech. Our guest has been Peter Cracknell from 0:14:18.648 --> 0:14:23.778 Quantum reading learning vision. Talking about the Mountbatten Tudor Braille device. 0:14:23.778 --> 0:14:27.318 With me has been Vision Australia's national advisor on access 0:14:27.318 --> 0:14:31.308 technology David Woodbridge I'm Stephen Jolly. Stay safe. We'll talk 0:14:31.308 --> 0:14:32.598 more tech next week. See you.