Living Blindfully

Latest Episodes:

Episode 116:Tim Cumings demonstrates the Zoom Podtrak P4 from a blindness perspective Apr 21, 2021

Show notes

Podcasting is fun! If you’d like a new piece of equipment to help you do some of the trickier things more easily, like recording multiple local or remote guests, having a portable device to carry around offering multiple mic and headphone sockets and even allowing you to use your smartphone as a telephone hybrid, then you’ll be very interested in this demo by Tim Cumings of the Zoom Podtrak P4. For its cost, it does a lot, and a blind person can become familiar enough with it to use it well. If you are interested in these sorts of topics, be sure to subscribe to our Blind Podmaker Creator’s group by sending a blank email to creators-subscribe@TheBlindPodMaker.com

Episode 115:A recap of Apple's Spring Loaded event from a blindness perspective Apr 20, 2021

Show notes

Apple has announced new products at its Spring Loaded event, including the much-awaited AirTags. Podcast subscriptions, a new iMac based on the M1 chip, and a new iPad Pro based on the M1 chip. We opened up the Mushroom FM club room in Clubhouse to get some instant reaction. Here’s a recap of the Apple event followed by some listener opinions.

Episode 114:Microsoft bought Nuance, what's the best text-to-speech in the world, getting vaccinated and more Apr 17, 2021

Show notes

Kia ora Mosen At Largers. A reminder that this podcast is indexed by chapter. If you listen with a podcast client that offers chapter support, you can easily skip between segments.

Here are the topics covered in this episode, and the time in the file for each. Join us for a post-Apple event recap onClubhouse,0:27 Microsoft buys Nuance and what's your favourite text-to-speech engine?,3:04 More ableist language thoughts and examples,22:53. Here’s the excellent article on ableist language from the BBC website. How is the vaccination process going?,44:37 Comments on meditation,1:02:04. Comments on various issues discussed this week,1:10:22 Dating blind,1:11:38 Demonstration of two audio news apps, curio and audm,1:17:17 iOS voice control,1:27:36 Headphones that work with behind the ear hearing aids,1:28:45 Looking for backup service recommendations and thoughts on podcatchers",1:30:44 Frustration with mainstream tech support,1:36:38 Contactless thermometers,1:39:38 Markdown and WordPress,1:40:39 Questions about creating headings in Constant Contact,1:44:03 PHP speech and Braille displays,1:47:00 Scribl is a source of audiobooks from independent authors,1:55:19

Episode 113:The many benefits of meditation, how I discovered them and how you can too Apr 14, 2021

Show notes

On this episode, I’m sharing something that’s very special to me and has radically changed my life for the better. I’ll discuss my journey to adopting a meditation practice, what the science says and what it has done for me. Most important, I’ll discuss what it can do for you and how to get started. I’ll even take you through a brief mindfulness meditation. I have a lot of resources including books, apps, and websites to help you on your journey. If you would like to access my list of resources, just send a blank email to meditation at Mosen dot org. It’s an automated system that within a few minutes will email you back my list. I am still very much a traveler on this journey, I am definitely no expert. If you also practice meditation and have stories to tell, techniques to share, books or apps to recommend, please do contribute to the podcast so we can all benefit from your experience. I wish you peace and improved well-being, and hope this episode helps.

Episode 112:New Cloudflare feature could put some blind people's jobs in jeopardy, attitudes towards knowingly bringing blind children into the world, high-quality Siri voices with iOS Speak Screen and more Apr 10, 2021

Show notes

Kia ora Mosen At Largers. A reminder that this podcast is indexed by chapter. If you listen with a podcast client that offers chapter support, you can easily skip between segments.

Here are the topics covered in this episode, and the time in the file for each. Intro,0:00 Cloudflare's new remote browser isolation is currently inaccessible and a threat to the jobs of blind people,0:28 The importance of children having blind adult mentors,20:27 Attitudes towards bringing blind children into the world,26:49 Comments on new Siri voices,40:08 Using the Speak Screen feature to get top quality Siri voices reading to you,42:23 Find My in iOS 14.5 has an Items tab,54:43 Braille with an uppercase B,56:19 Tape recorder memories,1:01:10 Word spell check alternatives?,1:03:32 misuse of the word blind,1:05:33 Blind culture and dating blind,1:14:05 Loving my Amazon Fire TV,1:23:00 New Zoom audio recorders with 32 bit float,1:24:44 Looking for iPhone microphone recommendations,1:25:52 Comments on Dell computers,1:29:50 Uber guide dog refusals,1:38:26 Helpful hints on handling cheques,1:39:56 The Bonnie Bulletin remembers Prince Philip,1:44:29 Closing and contact info,1:56:44

Episode 111:Thinking Cap Innovations, makers of the Alexa Skills Thinking Cap Math and Thinking Cap Spanish Apr 07, 2021

Show notes

What a difference a good teacher makes. Chances are you remember with fondness the lessons you learned from teachers who made learning interesting and even had the skills to turn learning into a game. Well, your Alexa-enabled device has the skills to do just that too. They’re skills from Thinking Cap Innovations. I speak with one of the co-founders, Misha Feigenson, about the two skills they have developed, Thinking Cap Math and Thinking Cap Spanish. Then I give you a taster of both skills. These skills are free to use, so just ask your Alexa device to enable them, and have fun.

Episode 110:New Siri voices, ableist use of the word "blind" in the media, cochlea implants, iOS hints and more Apr 03, 2021

Show notes

Kia ora Mosen At Largers. A reminder that this podcast is indexed by chapter. If you listen with a podcast client that offers chapter support, you can easily skip between segments.

Here are the topics covered in this episode, and the time in the file for each. Introduction and a preview of the new Siri voices in iOS 14.5,0:00 Feedback on the new Siri voices, the explosion of audio social networking, and blind dating,6:32 Subscribe to the Blind Podmaker podcast. The Apple Podcasts link is: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/the-blind-podmaker/id1560929891 and the link to the RSS feed is https://pinecast.com/feed/the-blind-podmaker,12:02 Two appalling examples of misuse of the word blind in the media,13:57 Daylight saving, love it or loathe it?,28:14 Cochlea implant and hearing aid comments,30:59 Editing with the touch screen in iOS,47:07 Creating custom voice commands in iOS,1:04:08 Some thoughts on politics, healthcare and other social policy,1:14:15 Talkback voice commands,1:27:42 Politics and podcast length,1:34:29 Reliability issues with Focus Braille displays,1:38:11 Looking for resources for learning how to code,1:45:26 Copying and pasting text on my iPhone, Apple couldn't help,1:46:11 A couple of JAWS issues,1:49:15 How best to communicate accessibility issues to developers?,1:54:14 The Bonnie Bulletin notes Uber has been seriously pinged in the US over guide dog refusals,1:58:11 Does Microsoft Edge have shortcut keys for pause and resume?,2:03:55 DJay for iOS,2:05:21 Issues with USB Braille displays and JAWS,2:09:37 Integrating Markdown into your workflow,2:10:57 How to get Alexa to play Mosen At large reliably every time, and other Amazon Echo feedback,2:14:57 Closing announcement and contact info,2:20:20

Episode 109:How to get high quality audio into Clubhouse Mar 30, 2021

Show notes

Kia ora Mosen at Largers.

Clubhouse is hot right now, but sometimes, the audio is not. If you're a content creator who cares about your brand, you don't want to be on Clubhouse with audio that doesn't meet your usual high standards. In this episode, I'm going to tell you how to get the audio from your pro audio gear into Clubhouse. Others also chime in to tell us about microphones and tools that can do a great job of lifting your quality. Plus, at the beginning of the episode, I provide a tip we all can use, even with the built-in mic of the iPhone.

Episode 108:New resources for blind podcasters, cochlea implants, blind culture and more Mar 27, 2021

Show notes

Kia ora Mosen At Largers. A reminder that this podcast is indexed by chapter. If you listen with a podcast client that offers chapter support, you can easily skip between segments.

Here are the topics covered in this episode, and the time in the file for each. Intro and Apple reaching a major podcast milestone,0:00 New initiatives on Clubhouse and elsewhere for blind podcast creators,2:03 A prominent member of our community is having a cochlea implant,8:19 Reactions to the idea of a blind culture,30:52 HBO Max has audio description but there's a catch,1:04:31 Dating when blind,1:06:08 Comments on AccessiBe,1:29:42 Article on the dangers of free assistive technology?,1:35:26 What are people's experiences withOrcam?,1:38:28 Podcasts with VLC,1:40:04 The Bonnie Bulletin with a good old daylight saving rant,1:42:07 We went to the symphony concert and enjoyed another guide dog refusal fromUber,1:49:51 Disabled New Zealanders marched on Parliament this week,1:53:10 Closing and contact info,2:00:09 Share your thoughts on these topics or any others. Drop me an email in writing or with

Episode 107:Is there such a thing as blind culture? Mar 24, 2021

Show notes

It is generally accepted that there is a Deaf culture, and it’s something in which Deaf people take a lot of pride. Do we have a blind culture? Amanda Gough, who long-time listeners will remember as my former wife then known as Amanda Mosen, thinks so. She’s socialized and worked with blind people throughout the years and believes a blind culture not only exists, but it’s something blind people should embrace and be proud of. She believes the benefits in doing so are considerable. Also, Bonnie is here with her bulletin which includes some reflections on the blind culture issue, as well as thoughts on Clubhouse and New Zealand’s epic Americas Cup win.

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