WEBVTT - Talking Tech 30th January 2024 0:00:08.388 --> 0:00:12.618 Hello everyone! Welcome to Talking Tech. This edition available from 0:00:12.618 --> 0:00:16.848 January 30th, 2024. I'm Stephen Jolly. Great to have you 0:00:16.848 --> 0:00:20.328 with us. Wherever you're listening, perhaps through Virgin Australia Radio, 0:00:20.328 --> 0:00:25.218 Associated Stations of Australia or the Community Radio Network, there 0:00:25.218 --> 0:00:27.918 is also the podcast. To catch that, all you need 0:00:27.918 --> 0:00:30.828 to do is search for the two words talking tech. 0:00:30.828 --> 0:00:33.348 And then it can all come, usually on a Tuesday 0:00:33.348 --> 0:00:37.098 afternoon just after it's been produced. Another option is to 0:00:37.098 --> 0:00:40.848 ask your Siri device or smart speaker to play Virgin 0:00:40.848 --> 0:00:46.128 Australia Radio Talking Tech podcast, Virgin Australia Radio Talking Tech 0:00:46.128 --> 0:00:49.968 podcast with me, someone who can explain all this tech 0:00:49.968 --> 0:00:54.888 stuff really well. Vision Australia's national advisor on access technology, 0:00:54.888 --> 0:00:59.088 David Woodbridge David, let's start by talking about the Dean 0:00:59.088 --> 0:01:02.688 Blazey device, which started from the device that came out 0:01:02.688 --> 0:01:06.978 over 30 years ago. Now, the 21st century version we 0:01:06.978 --> 0:01:12.258 were talking about this last week, the BT Lasi technology speak. 0:01:12.408 --> 0:01:16.038 So as we talked about last week, uh, there's two 0:01:16.038 --> 0:01:18.018 versions of it. So it's the BT speak, which is 0:01:18.018 --> 0:01:21.318 the basic version, and there's the BT Speak Pro, which 0:01:21.318 --> 0:01:23.658 by the sound of it, yes, is the more professional, 0:01:23.658 --> 0:01:27.108 the pro version. Uh, and just as a reminder, the 0:01:27.108 --> 0:01:30.768 Pro version has everything in it that the BT speak does, 0:01:30.768 --> 0:01:34.098 plus a little bit more. And I was sort of 0:01:34.098 --> 0:01:37.878 speculating last week about the price. And I've actually ordered 0:01:37.878 --> 0:01:41.118 one of these and of course maybe me. I ordered 0:01:41.118 --> 0:01:43.578 the pro version. Now what I sort of forgot in 0:01:43.578 --> 0:01:46.158 the back of my mind was when I looked at 0:01:46.158 --> 0:01:49.518 the website to confirm the prices, the BT speak the 0:01:49.518 --> 0:01:55.668 basic version. The note taker was 795 US. Uh, the 0:01:55.668 --> 0:01:58.908 Pro version was 1195 US. And I thought, oh, well, 0:01:58.908 --> 0:02:01.278 you know, that's not too bad. But when it came 0:02:01.278 --> 0:02:04.128 to ordering it and getting it shipped to Australia, the 0:02:04.128 --> 0:02:09.168 shipping cost was actually $200 US. And given our current 0:02:09.168 --> 0:02:15.048 exchange rate, that ended up being just slightly over $2,100. 0:02:15.738 --> 0:02:19.218 So what I might suggest people might want to do 0:02:19.218 --> 0:02:21.648 is exactly what they're going to do with the Vision Pro. 0:02:21.948 --> 0:02:26.508 Let's let these, uh, first people that like to use, 0:02:26.508 --> 0:02:28.758 you know, get their hands on the first technology. So 0:02:28.758 --> 0:02:31.038 the Vision Pro, we're going to have a couple of 0:02:31.038 --> 0:02:33.888 months of looking at what the US people think about it. Well, 0:02:33.888 --> 0:02:37.818 when the BT speak and the BT C Pro starts 0:02:37.818 --> 0:02:42.078 selling direct properly in March 1st, uh, then people like 0:02:42.078 --> 0:02:44.238 me and lots of other people that have always wanted 0:02:44.238 --> 0:02:47.388 a modern day rail and speak, we'll have pre-ordered, we'll 0:02:47.388 --> 0:02:49.788 get our hands on it. And I'm certainly going to 0:02:49.788 --> 0:02:54.588 do lots of different types of audio demos, and you 0:02:54.588 --> 0:02:57.798 can base your decision based on that. But if you're 0:02:57.798 --> 0:03:00.678 not a diehard Roland Speak user and you just want 0:03:00.678 --> 0:03:03.438 a modern version of it, um, maybe just sit back 0:03:03.468 --> 0:03:05.988 a little bit and don't get too caught up in 0:03:05.988 --> 0:03:07.818 the hype and see what it's all about. 0:03:08.328 --> 0:03:11.418 Last week we went through a number of items that 0:03:11.418 --> 0:03:16.278 are available from the vision store of Vision Australia that 0:03:16.278 --> 0:03:19.458 might be of help to people, uh, at the uh, 0:03:19.458 --> 0:03:24.258 workplace or in study one area we didn't get around 0:03:24.258 --> 0:03:27.468 to but be good to cover is keyboards. 0:03:27.978 --> 0:03:30.768 That's right. So there's lots of different types of keyboards around. 0:03:30.768 --> 0:03:32.508 And of course, if we just break them down into 0:03:32.508 --> 0:03:35.598 the basic ones, you've literally got a wired keyboard and 0:03:35.598 --> 0:03:38.478 then a basically a Bluetooth keyboard. And there's different varieties 0:03:38.478 --> 0:03:42.828 of that as well. But what my main thing to 0:03:42.828 --> 0:03:45.738 remind people about is it's all well, good. And having 0:03:45.738 --> 0:03:48.558 a Bluetooth keyboard that you connect to your smartphone or 0:03:48.558 --> 0:03:53.358 your computer. But if that keyboard goes flat because they 0:03:53.358 --> 0:03:58.368 normally battery operated, um, then you need an alternative, either 0:03:58.368 --> 0:04:03.078 another Bluetooth keyboard or you buy yourself a very cheap 0:04:03.228 --> 0:04:07.188 basic USB keyboard. And yes, you can convert them to 0:04:07.188 --> 0:04:11.328 USB C with an adapter, which means you can then 0:04:11.328 --> 0:04:13.578 just plug them in and they literally run, if you like, 0:04:13.578 --> 0:04:16.488 off the power, off the the computer that you're using 0:04:16.488 --> 0:04:20.268 them on. Now just so happens that Virgin Australia sells 0:04:20.268 --> 0:04:22.578 are quite a few of these large print keyboards. So 0:04:22.578 --> 0:04:26.748 they're standard keyboards with larger characters on them. So the 0:04:26.748 --> 0:04:29.688 different versions of them, there's a black and white one, 0:04:29.688 --> 0:04:33.318 a white on black and a yellow on black, and 0:04:33.318 --> 0:04:36.018 they only cost about $19. Now, when you consider that 0:04:36.018 --> 0:04:40.218 most Bluetooth keyboards probably started about 70 or $80 and 0:04:40.218 --> 0:04:44.208 go up, having a back up keyboard for $19 is 0:04:44.208 --> 0:04:47.178 a really good idea. So even if you're not a 0:04:47.178 --> 0:04:50.238 low vision person like I am, uh, it's always a 0:04:50.238 --> 0:04:54.888 good idea to have a backup wired USB keyboard. And 0:04:54.888 --> 0:04:57.468 I've always said to my wife as well, because she 0:04:57.468 --> 0:05:01.308 uses a magic trackpad, which is, of course, Bluetooth again. Uh, 0:05:01.308 --> 0:05:05.148 we've also got a cable, of course, lightning bass that 0:05:05.148 --> 0:05:08.348 plugs that, um. Head into the back of the Mac 0:05:08.348 --> 0:05:10.808 as well. Um, although that one's a little bit different 0:05:10.808 --> 0:05:12.818 because it's got a built in battery, but it gets 0:05:12.818 --> 0:05:16.328 the charge off the off the Mac. So just be 0:05:16.328 --> 0:05:19.208 aware that there are benefits of having not only a 0:05:19.208 --> 0:05:21.248 Bluetooth keyboard, but a wide one as well. 0:05:22.208 --> 0:05:24.788 Might be a good time this week to talk about 0:05:24.788 --> 0:05:28.298 some of the hardware devices that you have that are 0:05:28.298 --> 0:05:31.178 probably not available through the vision store of Vision Australia, 0:05:31.178 --> 0:05:35.528 but they can be located around the place. Let's start 0:05:35.528 --> 0:05:39.338 with tags. You've got two kinds of tags. That's some 0:05:39.938 --> 0:05:42.758 ways of identifying where objects are. 0:05:43.178 --> 0:05:44.918 That's right. And the reason why I've got two is 0:05:44.918 --> 0:05:47.468 because the famous one, of course, is everybody knows about 0:05:47.468 --> 0:05:49.508 the tags where you put them in the little holder 0:05:49.898 --> 0:05:52.868 and you attach that holder to your keys, your baggage 0:05:52.868 --> 0:05:56.018 or in your purse and that sort of stuff. So 0:05:56.018 --> 0:05:57.878 that's all well and good. If you've got an iOS 0:05:57.878 --> 0:06:01.208 things such as an iPhone and iPad or a mac. Now, 0:06:01.208 --> 0:06:03.068 if you don't have that and you've got an Android 0:06:03.128 --> 0:06:07.208 system of some sort, um, then the toe tag is 0:06:07.208 --> 0:06:11.378 another one where it actually has a little hole drilled 0:06:11.378 --> 0:06:15.788 into the actual toe tag itself, so you can tag 0:06:15.788 --> 0:06:18.638 it straight to a keyring or a lanyard and everything else. 0:06:19.628 --> 0:06:21.488 Not only does it work on Android, but it's also 0:06:21.488 --> 0:06:24.098 iOS plus the fact it does something that the attacks 0:06:24.098 --> 0:06:27.458 don't do, and that is you can hold a little 0:06:27.458 --> 0:06:30.008 button down on the toe tag and it plays a 0:06:30.008 --> 0:06:33.728 little tune on your Android smartphone or your iPhone so 0:06:33.728 --> 0:06:35.828 you can find out where you put down your iPhone. 0:06:35.828 --> 0:06:38.378 So that's really nifty. So that's something that the AirTags 0:06:38.378 --> 0:06:39.188 don't do. 0:06:40.178 --> 0:06:43.598 So how do you identify other objects with it? What 0:06:43.598 --> 0:06:46.808 does it indicate to you if you're trying to find 0:06:46.808 --> 0:06:49.298 out where the device is, like a case or a 0:06:49.298 --> 0:06:50.138 bag or something. 0:06:50.138 --> 0:06:53.108 So the way it works is any AirTag or tile tag, 0:06:53.258 --> 0:06:56.138 you have a tile tag or an AirTag per item, 0:06:56.138 --> 0:07:00.578 and then in your tile app or your Find My 0:07:00.578 --> 0:07:04.088 app on your iPhone. Each one of those tags is labeled, 0:07:04.088 --> 0:07:08.498 so I've got things like David's keys, David's cane, and 0:07:08.498 --> 0:07:12.308 then you play the appropriate sound of whatever AirTag or 0:07:12.308 --> 0:07:13.658 tile tag you're choosing. 0:07:14.108 --> 0:07:17.828 The actual AirTag makes the sound it does. Okay, so 0:07:17.828 --> 0:07:22.928 that's tags. Let's talk now about the gaming headset that 0:07:22.928 --> 0:07:24.788 you've got, the steel series. 0:07:25.568 --> 0:07:28.328 So this one's been around for several years now. So 0:07:28.328 --> 0:07:30.338 the one that I've got is called the Steel Series 0:07:30.338 --> 0:07:33.758 three Gaming Headset. Effectively, what it gives you is two 0:07:33.788 --> 0:07:38.558 sound cards, one for chat, so audio and mic and 0:07:38.558 --> 0:07:42.428 one just for sound output. So what I can do 0:07:42.428 --> 0:07:46.448 on my Mac or my PC is, say, assign zoom 0:07:46.448 --> 0:07:48.938 to the sound card that supports both sound and Mike 0:07:49.178 --> 0:07:51.728 and the other one to voiceover. So at any stage 0:07:51.728 --> 0:07:54.368 during what I'm doing on my computer, I can turn 0:07:54.368 --> 0:07:58.418 one sound card up or down and vice versa. Quite handy. 0:07:58.688 --> 0:07:59.018 Hmm. 0:07:59.888 --> 0:08:02.528 You've also got a Bluetooth transmitter, so. 0:08:02.528 --> 0:08:06.338 These come in really handy when the device that you're 0:08:06.338 --> 0:08:11.408 using doesn't allow Bluetooth transmission. So normally we're thinking about 0:08:11.408 --> 0:08:15.068 things that only have a 3.5mm headphone jack, and that's 0:08:15.068 --> 0:08:18.548 about it. Or maybe an internal speaker. So you literally 0:08:18.548 --> 0:08:23.378 plugged this 3.5 mil Bluetooth transmitter into the headphone jack. 0:08:23.678 --> 0:08:28.418 It then transmits and then you connect your headphones, whether they're, 0:08:28.838 --> 0:08:32.138 you know, aftershocks or whatever else there might be to 0:08:32.138 --> 0:08:36.308 that Bluetooth transmitter. So effectively when you're playing audio out 0:08:36.308 --> 0:08:40.208 of the non Bluetooth device, because you've got the transmitter 0:08:40.208 --> 0:08:42.548 plugged into the headphone jack, it turns it into a 0:08:42.548 --> 0:08:46.388 Bluetooth transmitting device so that you can use your headset 0:08:46.388 --> 0:08:46.898 with it. 0:08:47.288 --> 0:08:52.058 Now let's talk about your zoom powered track P4. You've 0:08:52.058 --> 0:08:52.988 had that for a little while. 0:08:54.008 --> 0:08:55.808 I have I want to say I've almost had this 0:08:55.808 --> 0:08:59.468 for about 4 or 5 years now, and the reason 0:08:59.468 --> 0:09:02.888 why I like about it is because it's small, it's 0:09:02.888 --> 0:09:05.138 easy to use, and because I use a number of 0:09:05.138 --> 0:09:07.928 different devices, I've got them all running into the pod track. 0:09:07.928 --> 0:09:12.338 So normally I've got my two mics plugged in, I've 0:09:12.338 --> 0:09:14.408 got my PC or my Mac plugged in, and I've 0:09:14.408 --> 0:09:17.738 got my either my iPhone on my iPad plugged in. 0:09:17.738 --> 0:09:19.928 So it literally means that I can just use one 0:09:19.928 --> 0:09:23.858 device for switch between a few devices that are plugged 0:09:23.858 --> 0:09:27.158 into it, and it's just nice having this external unit 0:09:27.458 --> 0:09:29.888 that I can get better recording out of if you like. 0:09:30.428 --> 0:09:32.468 Yeah, and it's very small, isn't it? 0:09:32.798 --> 0:09:36.038 It is very small. It's not tiny. Tiny. Um, but 0:09:36.038 --> 0:09:38.738 you certainly can fit it in, like a little over-the-shoulder 0:09:38.738 --> 0:09:41.228 tech bag and doesn't take up much room at all. 0:09:41.408 --> 0:09:45.158 It's a very expensive, pretty round, about $300. 0:09:45.428 --> 0:09:49.538 Let's talk USB now. You've got a USB sound card 0:09:49.538 --> 0:09:50.828 and you still use it. 0:09:51.818 --> 0:09:55.088 I do mainly on poor old windows because for some 0:09:55.088 --> 0:09:58.808 reason or another, sometimes the sound card software on my 0:09:58.808 --> 0:10:03.668 Windows Surface Pro tends to go into nowhere land, and 0:10:03.668 --> 0:10:06.758 as soon as I plug in my little external USB 0:10:06.938 --> 0:10:11.018 sound card, uh, windows goes, oh, hello, I know what 0:10:11.018 --> 0:10:13.688 to do with that sound device. I'll start playing audio 0:10:13.688 --> 0:10:15.398 through it. So of course, as soon as I plug 0:10:15.398 --> 0:10:18.728 in a a little mic and a headset into the 0:10:18.728 --> 0:10:23.018 3.5mm headphone jack, I've got speech back via my screen reader, 0:10:23.018 --> 0:10:26.738 whether it's Nvda, narrator, or Jaws. So it's just a 0:10:26.738 --> 0:10:28.958 bit of a backup that if the sound goes on 0:10:28.958 --> 0:10:31.988 my windows computer, I've always got that as an alternative. 0:10:32.738 --> 0:10:35.918 Tell us about your usb-C port hub. 0:10:37.298 --> 0:10:40.418 So the port hub is when you're using a computer 0:10:40.418 --> 0:10:42.518 that may not have enough ports on it. So you 0:10:42.518 --> 0:10:46.058 might only have 1 or 2 usb-C ports, or you 0:10:46.058 --> 0:10:48.698 may not have like an SD card or a micro 0:10:48.698 --> 0:10:51.698 SD card slot, and so on. So what these port 0:10:51.698 --> 0:10:54.578 hubs do is they give you a number of these 0:10:54.578 --> 0:10:57.398 different types of ports, and the only thing you have 0:10:57.398 --> 0:11:00.098 to plug in to the computer is just one cable. 0:11:00.098 --> 0:11:02.588 So they're pretty little amazing cheap devices. 0:11:03.128 --> 0:11:06.608 Hmm. And you've got a USB hard drive. It's a 0:11:06.608 --> 0:11:07.658 usb-C one. 0:11:08.288 --> 0:11:10.928 This one's a USB, but I do have an adapter 0:11:10.928 --> 0:11:15.368 that converts it from USB to usb-C. And the reason 0:11:15.368 --> 0:11:18.248 why I mentioned this was because I always get worried. Like, 0:11:18.248 --> 0:11:20.348 I mean, I stole my stuff in the cloud, which 0:11:20.348 --> 0:11:24.398 like most people do. But there's something there's something about 0:11:24.398 --> 0:11:28.298 having a physical medium that you can actually physically touch 0:11:28.298 --> 0:11:30.848 and look at that you know, you've got your backups 0:11:30.848 --> 0:11:32.498 on as well. Now, it. 0:11:32.498 --> 0:11:36.398 Was some years ago when the HomePods came out from 0:11:36.398 --> 0:11:39.488 Apple that you got hold of a couple. You still 0:11:39.488 --> 0:11:40.088 use them? 0:11:40.868 --> 0:11:43.298 I do, so people might remember the big one. So 0:11:43.298 --> 0:11:46.688 the original HomePod, I've got about four of those. Um, 0:11:46.688 --> 0:11:49.688 when they updated to the new full size HomePod too, 0:11:49.688 --> 0:11:54.098 I didn't bother. But I also have several HomePod minis 0:11:54.098 --> 0:11:57.608 hanging around the house. And because primarily my house is 0:11:57.608 --> 0:12:01.508 an Apple house, it fits in very nicely. So, you know, 0:12:01.508 --> 0:12:04.058 if you happen to be a Google or an Amazon 0:12:04.058 --> 0:12:08.648 type household, then remember you can also get Google smart 0:12:08.648 --> 0:12:11.678 speakers and of course the Amazon Echo range of speakers 0:12:11.678 --> 0:12:12.248 as well. 0:12:12.578 --> 0:12:16.508 And for such a small speaker, they're pretty good quality 0:12:16.508 --> 0:12:16.928 aren't they? 0:12:17.888 --> 0:12:20.948 They are. So I've got quite a number of Echo Dots. 0:12:20.948 --> 0:12:23.528 I've got a few Google Minis or Nest Minis as 0:12:23.528 --> 0:12:26.948 they're called these days, and even the HomePod minis. They 0:12:26.948 --> 0:12:31.418 actually really do have good sounding stuff. So, you know, 0:12:31.418 --> 0:12:34.958 the days of wanting to use an Echo Studio or 0:12:34.958 --> 0:12:38.618 a full size HomePod or a full size nest, a 0:12:38.618 --> 0:12:42.368 full size nest Max hub, I think is pretty much 0:12:42.368 --> 0:12:47.078 gone by the wayside because a lot of these speakers now, um, yes, 0:12:47.078 --> 0:12:50.318 the speakers are tiny, but they produce some really great sound. 0:12:50.438 --> 0:12:51.008 Yeah. 0:12:51.398 --> 0:12:55.868 Very good. Um, so have you got advice for people 0:12:55.868 --> 0:13:01.058 that are wanting to really find out what's what's available? 0:13:01.208 --> 0:13:03.188 Like you can start with the vision store with lots 0:13:03.188 --> 0:13:05.918 of technology. And what about other things like what we've 0:13:05.918 --> 0:13:06.728 been talking about here. 0:13:07.058 --> 0:13:09.638 Yeah. Well you can always contact the IT helpdesk at 0:13:09.638 --> 0:13:12.488 Vision Australia. And that's of course main via the main 0:13:12.488 --> 0:13:20.798 one 308 4746 number and 308 4746. 0:13:20.798 --> 0:13:21.578 Yeah. Correct. 0:13:21.578 --> 0:13:23.948 And that the people on that helpdesk are all techie 0:13:23.948 --> 0:13:27.068 people like I am. And you know, they've probably got 0:13:27.068 --> 0:13:30.188 different devices than to what I've got but very similar. 0:13:30.188 --> 0:13:33.398 So it's you know it's one benefit is you're getting 0:13:33.398 --> 0:13:37.808 different opinions about different hardware. And they can certainly point 0:13:37.808 --> 0:13:39.638 you in in other directions as well. Or if you 0:13:39.638 --> 0:13:42.428 need more of an assessment to find out what you 0:13:42.428 --> 0:13:46.658 really need at home, study or work, then you can 0:13:46.658 --> 0:13:49.748 arrange an assessment with one of the technology consultants directly. 0:13:50.138 --> 0:13:53.558 Very good. Before we go, a reminder of weather, a 0:13:53.558 --> 0:13:55.838 details of what we've been talking about in this and 0:13:55.838 --> 0:13:57.398 previous editions of the program. 0:13:57.758 --> 0:14:00.488 You can always check out my blog site, which is 0:14:00.488 --> 0:14:05.468 David would be dot Podbean pad Bain comm. 0:14:05.468 --> 0:14:10.178 David would be dot podbean pod b e a incom 0:14:10.178 --> 0:14:11.468 to write to the program. 0:14:11.468 --> 0:14:13.568 You can write to me in Australia, where I work 0:14:13.568 --> 0:14:19.508 which is David Woodbridge heart sounds at Vision australia.org David. 0:14:19.508 --> 0:14:24.638 Dot Woodbridge at Vision australia.org. This has been talking tech 0:14:24.638 --> 0:14:27.998 with me has been Vision Australia's national advisor on access 0:14:27.998 --> 0:14:31.958 technology David Woodbridge I'm Stephen Jolley take care. We'll talk 0:14:31.958 --> 0:14:33.248 more tech next week. See you.