Blind Bargains Audio: Featuring the BB Qast, Technology news, Interviews, and more

It has been a long time since we ve welcomed back Earl Harrison, and HIMS, to our BBQ convention coverage microphones. A lot has happened since ATIA20, and a lot has happened to Earl specifically. JJ chats with Earl Harrison, National Account Manager for HIMS, about his return to the company after a scary bout with the virus in November of 2020. The pair then move along to a deep dive of the newly announced BrailleSense 6 notetaker. Topics discussed cover a wide range of questions that were sent in by our fans on Twitter. Tune in, or read below, to learn a physical description of the product and some of the general menu structure. Earl provides some insight into the new approach with the BS6, how this device differs from the Polaris, and he addresses the Android update elephant in the room directly. To learn more about the new BrailleSense 6, including transplant and trade-in options, visit the BS6 product page. Additionally, check out the HIMS YouTube channel as well for up-to-date information about the various lines of HIMS products.

The most articulate person in the world probably could not accurately describe a Despicable Me Minion character in great detail. Or at least not at a level that could be discerned at a quality that rivals the act of holding one in your hands. Caroline Karbowski, CEO and Founder of See3d, and Ian Matty, Manager Mountain Lakes Public Library Makerspace, sit down with J.J. to talk about how their organization lets people 3d print cartoon characters and so much more. See3d, with assistance from the OSU Innovation Center and the Mountain Lakes Public Library Makerspace, have created over 1400 3d models ranging from anatomy to astronomy and even famous geographical locations. Hear how the process works, or read the transcript below, for making a request for a design. And learn how others are working hard to make the tools involved with 3d printing better with access technologies. To make a request, or join the See3d community, visit their homepage

So, the title of this interview infers that there will be some discussion of audio description within this conversation. And there is, we promise. But can you really blame J.J. for being nostalgic when talking to the author of more than 14 NBP

The Etch A Sketch and Spirograph are some of the most successful toys available for introducing young people to the world of art. However, there are not many touch friendly equivalents for those searching for a tactile based option that would offer a similar experience to those classic toys. Daniel Seth Lubiner, Founder and CEO, and Brian K. Edwards, President and Chief Operating Officer, of TouchPad Pro Assistive Technology are out to change that by creating new products like the Braille Doodle and the TouchPad Pro. Hear the pair tell J.J. how these products were inspired by Braille students, transformed into an Indi Gogo project and how that process is leading to eventual product distribution. To learn more about the TouchPad Pro, visit this link to hear an audio described video of the introductory model. Additionally, to learn more about the company, visit the TouchPad Pro Assistive Technology website

Steven Scott proudly proclaims to J.J. that he is indeed a "serial podcaster" during this interview. And it is hard to disagree with that statement when you consider the circumstances that led him to the place he finds himself with his career so far. Hear, or read the transcript below, as Steven regales J.J. with highlights from his more than 20 years of speaking into a microphone. Plus learn what is next for the RNIB, Double Tap and all-around Blind guy who talks tech. To keep up with Steven, and to get more information on his new podcast, follow him on Twitter @TechTalkerSteve

Blind and Visually Impaired job seekers often must play a guessing game when it comes to the determination if a possible employment avenue will fit within their specific needs for access. That is why J.J. was eager to sit down with Roy Baladi, Founder at Jobs for Humanity, to explore how his organization is looking to build healthy bridges between employers and those interested in employment. Tune in, or read the transcript below, to learn where the drive to assist others came from and where the trajectory may lead to in the future. To know more about Jobs For Humanity, or to browse their postings, visit the Blind.Jobs website

J.J. notes at the top of this interview that the BBQast rarely interviews people within the Remediation and Testing sector of A.T. unless the subject of the interview stands out in a very crowded field. That is why he sat down with Samuel Proulx, Accessibility Evangelist for Fable, to discuss their unique approach to commercially available User Centric testing. In this chat you can hear how A.T. users of varying degrees of knowledge can embark on a pathway towards obtaining testing experience through resources provided by Fable. Additionally, those who are seeking something beyond automated testing can find a talent base curated by Fable from their growing community. To learn more about services offered by Fable, visit the company website or Follow them on Twitter @Makeitfable

There are products on the market that are so well recognized for what they do that they truly need no introduction to fans of this podcast. But even long-time users of a phentermine for sale product might not be aware some aspects of their favorite Assistive Technology can undergo a slight change during a yearly release cycle. Shelly sat down with Matt Ater, Vice President of Corporate Business Development at Vispero, to talk about some of the recent changes that are coming in an update to ZoomText 2021. The pair discuss the importance of the new Zoomy digital assistant, how user settings now migrate between updated versions of ZT and Matt then demos the functionality of Background Reader. To learn more about ZoomText, Fusion or any of Freedom Scientific's Low Vision products, visit the FS website. Also, be sure to check out the Freedom Scientific Training channel on YouTube as it has tons of great resources on various Vispero products.

Our virtual convention coverage is in full swing, with a deep dive into the happenings at Humanware. Joining J.J. in the simulated Exhibit Hall is Peter Tucic, Blindness Products Brand Ambassador, for his first interview in front of the BBQast microphones. The pair discuss all the features in the new Brailliant BI 20X and 40x units along with how they differ from the APH models. They then turn their attention to the Victor Reader Trek and its most recent GPS update. But that is just the tip of the iceberg as they cover more ground, including the recent service outage. To learn more, join the BI-X mailing list at brailliant-bi-x-users+subscribe@groups.io or visit the Humanware website

As we lead up to our exhibit hall coverage for 2021, we start with an extended interview and deep dive into GoodMaps. Thanks for listening.

Over the past decade, audio description has become much more prevalent for TV shows, movies, and streaming content. But often, current events, especially those that unfold live, don't get that same treatment. This is just one of the areas which is covered by Talk Description to Me, an informative, dynamic, and casual podcast from Christine Malec and JJ Hunt.

This is kind of funny. Our last show, episode 220 from December, was in 2020. And now BBQ 221 starts off 2021. Okay, it was funnier when we said it out loud during this show than in print. It s a good thing we have a couple of demonstrations of a new speaker and the Chromecast with Google TV to fall back on instead of us relying on calendar-based humor. There is even an actual honest to goodness real news section for the show this go around. Plus, there is a bit of Sound Off and we ignore all food based New Year s Resolutions in the Last Word . So, charge up those Bluetooth remotes and join us for a new installment of the BB Qast.

Behold, our 800th piece of audio content on the site. We originally planned this outlandish over the top celebration thingy, but 2020 being what it is, we have opted out of that and we shall just strike our best couch potato poses while binging out on some audio described content instead. Good thing John Sweet and Petr Kucheryavyy, Senior Managers of Accessibility at Charter Communications, are on hand this episode to tell us how we can start our A.D. feast with the free Spectrum Access app. Tune in to hear about the app, the Born Accessible approach the team is taking towards their services and hear demos of Spectrum Access and Spectrum News.

Last year David Bradburn, President of Zoomax USA, shared with us the launch specifics for Acesight. in our latest interview Joe gets an update on the progress of not only the Acesight, but a sneak peek at a new product in the wearable line. The duo also discuss the Snow 12 portable Video Magnifier and a quick log entry from the BBQ's unofficial Travel Correspondent. To learn more about the products mentioned in this interview, visit the Zoomax website.

Welcome to our 6th annual Blind Bargains Holiday Shopping Guide. Once again, we've brought the deals straight to your audio feed. Sit back and relax as some of your favorite merchants, or perhaps some that are new to you, tell you about their latest products and services as well as some holiday deals. We'd like to sincerely thank all of the companies who were apart of this show. Below you'll find information about each company in the order they appear in the show.