Double Tap

Google is keeping the Chromebook and adding a pricier Googlebook line running Aluminium OS, built on Android 17 with Gemini baked in at system level. Steven Scott and Shaun Preece work out what that means for screen reader users, and Marc Aflalo finds out how Schlage's ultra wideband locks open the door before you reach for a key.
The Chromebook is not going away. Google is holding that brand at the affordable end, aimed squarely at schools, while the new Googlebooks start around $999 and chase the same buyer who might otherwise pick up a MacBook Air. The bigger change is underneath. Aluminium OS is Android at heart, so Android apps run properly rather than through emulation, and handoff between phone and laptop becomes part of the design.
That raises a question nobody has answered yet. ChromeVox is the screen reader for Chrome OS, but if the Googlebook is Android underneath, does TalkBack take over? With launch days away, Steven and Shaun note how little has been said about accessibility, and they wonder whether ChromeVox will ever support add-ons or scripting the way desktop screen readers do. Existing Chromebooks still get updates for up to ten years, and some hardware may be eligible to move across, though Google has not said which.
Marc Aflalo speaks with Tim from Schlage, the lock maker that has been around more than a century and spun out of Ingersoll Rand into Allegion in 2013. The conversation covers the jump from mechanical keys to Encode, Arrive and the new Sense Pro, which uses Schlage Converge technology and ultra wideband to read the angle and speed of your approach, then unlocks at the right moment when your arms are full.
Sense Pro ships with no keypad and no keyway, so the backup is a USB-C jump start port at the base of the lock that takes power from a phone or battery pack. There is also useful ground on scheduled access codes, firmware updates that add features to locks already installed, Matter support across Apple, Google, Alexa and Samsung homes, and the newer Aliro standard. To finish, a look ahead to Meta Connect on 23 and 24 September and the smart glasses rumours around it.
Chapters
0:00 – What's coming up
0:35 – Chromebook or Googlebook? Pricing, Aluminium OS and Gemini
4:52 – ChromeVox, TalkBack and the accessibility unknowns
6:06 – Which Chromebooks might transition
9:28 – Schlage's history, from mechanical locks to Allegion
11:09 – Encode, Arrive and the launch of Sense Pro
14:53 – Converge technology and ultra wideband at the door
17:12 – No keypad, no keyway, and the USB-C jump start
21:27 – Access codes, pet sitters and vacation rentals
26:40 – Meta Connect rumours
Tried a smart lock, or waiting to see what the Googlebook does for accessibility? Email feedback@doubletaponair.com and tell us. Like, subscribe and share to help more people find accessible tech coverage.
Relevant Links
Schlage Sense Pro: https://www.schlage.com/en/home/smart-locks/sense-pro.html
Allegion: https://www.allegion.com/corp/en/index.html
Aliro 1.0 standard: https://csa-iot.org/newsroom/introducing-aliro-1-0-a-unified-standard-to-transform-the-access-control-ecosystem/
Chromebook accessibility and ChromeVox: https://www.google.com/chromebook/accessibility/
Accessible Learning Lounge: https://accessiblelearning.gumroad.com
Meta Connect: https://www.meta.com/connect/

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About Double Tap
Hosted by the insightful duo, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, Double Tap is a treasure trove of information for anyone who's blind or partially sighted and has a passion for tech. Steven and Shaun not only demystify tech, but they also regularly feature interviews and welcome guests from the community, fostering an interactive and engaging environment. Tune in every day of the week, and you'll discover how technology can seamlessly integrate into your life, enhancing daily tasks and experiences, even if your sight is limited.
"Double Tap" is a registered trademark of Double Tap Productions Inc.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Discover how Lumin, a voice‑first email app for iPhone, is transforming email management for the blind and low‑vision community. Learn how AI and audio‑only design bring speed, precision, and independence to your inbox.
This episode is supported by Pneuma Solutions. Creators of accessible tools like Remote Incident Manager and Scribe. Find out more at https://pneumasolutions.com/
Shaun Preece sits down with Sriram Ganesh, founder of Lumin, to explore the journey from video game programming to creating a fully voice‑controlled email client.
This episode dives into:
⁃ The development of Lumin as a voice‑only, AI‑powered email app.
⁃ Real‑world challenges of managing email with low vision and how Lumin solves them.
⁃ Live demo showing how to read, reply, archive, and manage email entirely by voice.
⁃ Key insights into privacy, cloud security, and data control for users.
⁃ The roadmap for future features, expansion to more platforms, and accessibility goals.
Sriram Ganesh is a lifelong builder whose career spans high-stakes entrepreneurship and profound personal resilience. In his early 30s, Sriram was diagnosed with cone-rod dystrophy, an incurable condition causing progressive central vision loss.
As he struggled to adjust to his new reality, Sriram confronted a world where accessibility tech lagged far behind innovation. This led him to create Lumin, a voice-first AI assistant designed for the blind and low vision community.
Social Links
• Lumin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talktolumin/
• Lumin TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talk_to_lumin
• Lumin X: https://x.com/TalkToLumin
• Lumin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/talktolumin
• Sriram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsriramg/
• Sriram TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamsriramg
• Sriram X: https://x.com/sriramganesh
Sriram LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sriramganesh/
Relevant Links
Lumen App: https://trylumen.ai/r/doubletap

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About Double Tap
Hosted by the insightful duo, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, Double Tap is a treasure trove of information for anyone who's blind or partially sighted and has a passion for tech. Steven and Shaun not only demystify tech, but they also regularly feature interviews and welcome guests from the community, fostering an interactive and engaging environment. Tune in every day of the week, and you'll discover how technology can seamlessly integrate into your life, enhancing daily tasks and experiences, even if your sight is limited.
"Double Tap" is a registered trademark of Double Tap Productions Inc.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

NASA is hosting its first webinar built for blind and low vision audiences, and Christine Malec is on the panel. She joins Steven Scott and Shaun Preece to explain what the October 2 session covers, how sonification changed the way she experiences space, and why signing up matters even if astronomy has never felt like your thing.
The two hour Zoom event focuses on the RS-25 engine that powers the Artemis missions. It includes an audio described video of an engine test, which is new territory for NASA, a Q&A with Artemis engineers, two of whom are blind, and a panel on accessibility in space science. Christine consulted on making the event, and the way it was marketed, genuinely welcoming to the blind community. Registration closes September 25 and also gets you the recording afterwards.
Christine traces how she got here through sonification, the practice of turning astronomical data into sound. Her point lands hard: the images NASA publishes are constructs too, built from X-ray and infrared data that no human eye can see. Sound and tactile models are the same data in a different format, not a lesser substitute. She also makes the case that no question at the Q&A is too basic, because education is the entire point.
Before the interview, Steven takes aim at the global Braille survey and its startlingly low response numbers, arguing we cannot keep debating whether Braille is dead while refusing to supply the data. Fill it in even if you only use Braille screen input.
Then there is the BrailleSense 7 and its protective top layer that owners are peeling off before they reach the manual. That sparks a wider argument about out of box experience in assistive technology, and why a device costing thousands should offer a spoken welcome wizard and a keyboard help mode instead of assuming you will read the documentation.
Chapters
0:00 – Blind people in space and Jakob Rosin's Artemis II tracker
4:11 – The global Braille survey and why the numbers matter
11:32 – BrailleSense 7, peel-off layers and manuals nobody reads
18:41 – The case for an on-device welcome wizard
23:28 – Christine Malec on NASA's accessible Artemis webinar
27:34 – How sonification opened the door at NASA
34:59 – Describing space through sound, touch and awe
41:30 – Why no question is too basic for the Q&A
49:45 – Talk Description to Me and the Air Canada episodes
53:16 – The AI that mistook Steven for a biscuit tin
Relevant Links
NASA webinar details: https://www.nasa.gov/general/nasa-hosts-virtual-artemis-webinar-for-blind-low-vision-community/
Webinar registration form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAgtokLIPaZ-FCpdjz0JPtBrTOmKu5xwjYPz4hGg3MKrJxzg/viewform
Artemis II Live Tracker: https://artemis.jakobrosin.com
Talk Description to Me: https://talkdescriptiontome.buzzsprout.com
Chandra sonifications: https://chandra.si.edu/sound/
SYSTEM Sounds: https://www.system-sounds.com
BrailleSense 7: https://www.himsintl.com/en/blindness/list.php
AMI scholarship: https://ami.ca/scholarship

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About Double Tap
Hosted by the insightful duo, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, Double Tap is a treasure trove of information for anyone who's blind or partially sighted and has a passion for tech. Steven and Shaun not only demystify tech, but they also regularly feature interviews and welcome guests from the community, fostering an interactive and engaging environment. Tune in every day of the week, and you'll discover how technology can seamlessly integrate into your life, enhancing daily tasks and experiences, even if your sight is limited.
"Double Tap" is a registered trademark of Double Tap Productions Inc.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Blind listeners share how they really use Meta Ray-Ban glasses, OOrion, smart locks and braille. Steven Scott and Shaun Preece also take a hard look at Siri AI in iOS 27 and ask whether the iPhone 18 is worth buying.
Gavin in Edinburgh talks about using smart glasses carefully after the privacy stories, and points out how often mainstream coverage mentions blind users. Ross, who is new to sight loss, explains how he uses OOrion on his Meta glasses to warn him about lampposts, parked cars and doorways. Shaun gives an update on OOrion and the connection problems with Meta's Wearables Device Access Toolkit.
Steven has updated his main iPhone and isn't impressed. Siri AI can search his messages but can't set a reminder, and it hangs around after opening apps. That leads to a debate about why Apple gets so much slack, why you might want to hold off on iOS 27, and whether anyone needs an iPhone 18.
Tim Dixon explains how his Nuki smart locks mean he never has to fumble for a key. An assistive tech teacher in America makes the case for braille and tactile graphics, which starts a conversation about stock footage and how the media shows blind people. Cody explains why the original Nintendo Switch is being retired in the EU, and Gary Eadie sets the record straight on the AltGr key.
Chapters
0:00 – Welcome and upcoming Microsoft and Meta Connect events
2:07 – Gavin on Meta Ray-Ban glasses and privacy
5:13 – Ross on using OOrion with Meta glasses
13:04 – Siri AI, iOS 27 bugs and the iPhone 18
28:48 – Tim Dixon on Nuki smart locks
35:56 – Braille, tactile graphics and how the media shows blind people
47:52 – Cody on the Nintendo Switch and accessible gaming
52:01 – Gary on the AltGr key
55:21 – Wrap up
Relevant Links
Double Tap: https://doubletaponair.com
OOrion: https://www.oorion.fr/en
VoiceVista: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/voicevista/id6450388413
RNIB: https://www.rnib.org.uk
Nuki: https://nuki.io/en
Monarch by HumanWare: https://www.humanware.com/monarch/
Hadley: https://hadleyhelps.org
The Braillists Foundation: https://www.braillists.org
AMI Research Panel: https://www.ami.ca/panel

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About Double Tap
Hosted by the insightful duo, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, Double Tap is a treasure trove of information for anyone who's blind or partially sighted and has a passion for tech. Steven and Shaun not only demystify tech, but they also regularly feature interviews and welcome guests from the community, fostering an interactive and engaging environment. Tune in every day of the week, and you'll discover how technology can seamlessly integrate into your life, enhancing daily tasks and experiences, even if your sight is limited.
"Double Tap" is a registered trademark of Double Tap Productions Inc.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Microsoft has set 7 October for a Windows and Surface event built around local AI, and the rumoured Surface Laptop Ultra with NVIDIA RTX Spark silicon could finally give Windows a proper answer to the MacBook Pro. Steven Scott and Shaun Preece work through what that means for price, build quality and blind users, then turn to the home network tools that keep solving real problems.
The Surface conversation covers more than specs. Shaun makes the case for the Surface Pro form factor, Steven pushes back on using one on a train, and both land on the same point: build quality matters, and the cheap end of the Windows laptop market has quietly got worse while prices went up. Steven's hands-on with the MacBook Neo sets the benchmark that Microsoft now has to meet.
Allison Sheridan of the NosillaCast writes in with a Tailscale feature worth knowing about. An exit node turns one always-on machine at home into your personal VPN, so your traffic tunnels home and back out as though you never left. That leads into why Tailscale is so hard to explain and so easy to use once it clicks, including the moment Steven had to edit himself out of an old episode to hear the explanation properly.
Steven also walks through the Raspberry Pi 5 running Pi-hole on his network, set up entirely by asking Claude to do it. Ad blocking turns out to be an accessibility feature, since pages load faster and articles stop trapping a screen reader in ad after ad. There is a serious note too, on the 415,000 attacks logged against one unremarkable web domain in a single month.
Scott from Sydney corrects the record with a full demo of port forwarding on eero, which is not behind the eero Plus paywall after all. Barry has thoughts on calendars, Robbie from Ohio defends the new Notepad, and Shaun explains exactly why he does not.
Chapters
0:00 – Microsoft confirms a Windows and Surface event for 7 October
3:03 – Surface Laptop Ultra, NVIDIA RTX Spark and local AI
5:56 – Build quality: MacBook Neo, Surface and Pixel
11:28 – Satya Nadella on slowing down, and Copilot falling behind
13:26 – Building your own apps with AI and the fear of releasing them
18:35 – Allison Sheridan on Tailscale exit nodes
24:09 – Pi-hole, the Raspberry Pi 5 and ad blocking as accessibility
32:42 – Double Tap Live launches 30 September
43:29 – Scott from Sydney demos port forwarding on eero
50:29 – Robbie from Ohio on language, Notepad and the Franklin Language Master
Relevant Links
Double Tap: https://doubletaponair.com
Tailscale: https://tailscale.com
Pi-hole: https://pi-hole.net
eero: https://eero.com
Microsoft Surface: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/surface
Lumin: https://trylumin.ai
Podfeet Podcasts and the NosillaCast: https://www.podfeet.com
RØDECaster Pro II: https://rode.com/en/interfaces-and-mixers/rodecaster-series/rodecaster-pro-ii
AMI Scholarship: https://www.ami.ca/scholarship

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Subscribe to the Podcast:
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About Double Tap
Hosted by the insightful duo, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, Double Tap is a treasure trove of information for anyone who's blind or partially sighted and has a passion for tech. Steven and Shaun not only demystify tech, but they also regularly feature interviews and welcome guests from the community, fostering an interactive and engaging environment. Tune in every day of the week, and you'll discover how technology can seamlessly integrate into your life, enhancing daily tasks and experiences, even if your sight is limited.
"Double Tap" is a registered trademark of Double Tap Productions Inc.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.