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Access On

National Federation of the Blind

Hosted by Jonathan Mosen, Access On features breaking technology news , product demonstrations, reviews, comparisons, and interviews about the fast-changing world of technology. We also welcome contributions from our listeners.
Follow Access On for news about computers, smartphones, AI, accessible appliances, blindness-specific devices including Braille displays, and more.
Whether you’re a tech expert, or you’re trying to make sense of it all, Access On has something for you.
Access On listeners benefit from the resources of the National Federation of the Blind, including our Center for Excellence in Nonvisual Accessibility, our extensive networks in the technology sector, and our many members with specialist knowledge of technology.
When it comes to access technology, Access On breaks the news, and makes the news.

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  • 23 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 1 hr 7 min
  • English

Episodes 23

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  • #90
    Wednesday · 1 hr 4 min

    Using principles of structured discovery when learning technology

    We return to the National Federation of the Blind's national convention to bring you a seminar conducted by our Accessibility Excellence team on applying principles of structured discovery to learning technology. This helps you problem solve, and adapt when you encounter a change in a favorite application. Here's what you can here and when. Introduction and seminar 0:00:00 Caution about relying too much on AI 0:56:13 Closing and contact info 1:02:52

  • #89
    August 19 · 1 hr 2 min

    Concluding our AI seminar, and we take you to the technology vendor showcase

    We return to national convention for the conclusion of our AI seminar. Then, we take you for the first time this year to our Vendor Showcase. Here is what you can hear, and when. Attend our Access On webinar, Design with ScreenReader users in Mind 0:00:00 Using AI to assist with note taking 0:02:30 Visual interpretation 0:17:26 Introduction to Vendor Showcase 0:23:02 Envision America 0:25:30 HumanWare 0:28:48 Democracy Live 0:31:19 AT Guys 0:32:47 A Cubed Design 0:35:20 Aira 0:37:12 National Braille Press 0:38:40 Agiga 0:41:14 Benetech 0:46:28 Blindshell 0:49:08 Visual-eyes Access 0:54:15 Touchpad Pro Foundation 0:57:14 Dot 0:59:00 Closing and contact info 1:01:36

  • #88
    August 12 · 58 min

    More from our AI seminar

    We return to our national convention in Austin, Texas, for the next part of our AI seminar. Charles Hiser, Ron Miller, and Kennedy Zimnik discuss using AI to assist with personal and professional writing projects and working with images. Here is what you can hear, and when. Introduction 0:00:00 AI to assist with writing 0:03:21 AI in the enterprise 0:21:45 AI and Tactile graphics 0:39:54 AI and Image recognition 0:47:01 Thoughts on BrailleNote Evolve 0:53:40 Closing and contact info 0:57:47

  • #87
    August 5 · 1 hr 3 min

    Making music with AI, and AI-assisted coding

    This week's episode of Access On takes you for our first visit to the National Federation of the Blind's 2026 national convention in Austin, Texas. We bring you the first part of a seminar delivered by our Accessibility Excellence team, with a little help from knowledgeable federationists. here is what you can hear, and when. Introduction 0:00:00 Making music with AI, and a 2026 convention song 0:01:37 AI-assisted coding 0:17:06 Not impressed with Alexa Plus 0:54:32 Dreamwidth, and Riverside 0:55:30 Closing and contact info 1:01:51

  • #86
    July 29 · 58 min

    Listener feedback from around the world

    On this week's Access On, we delve into our busy email box for a selection of contributions from listeners around the world. A reminder that we index our episodes by chapter, so if your podcast app supports it, it's easy to skip between segments. Here are the topics our listeners discuss, and when you can hear them. Monarch discount available for NFB members 0:00:00 New Amazon Kindle app for Windows 0:02:48 Thoughts after the GPS navigation Access On webinar 0:04:24 BrailleNote Evolve 0:07:52 Tailscale 0:22:26 Review of the Sony BRAVIA Theater U Wearable TV Speaker for use with navigation apps 0:23:51 Making audio description personal 0:28:32 Certification and lived experience 0:31:32 My Waymo experience 0:39:48 Current accessibility status of Sonos 0:45:22 National convention feedback 0:47:41 Inaccessible age verification 0:50:27 Not happy with my Zoom H1Essential 0:54:29 Closing and contact info 0:57:21

  • #84
    July 15 · 1 hr 9 min

    Part Two of our Look at Creating Websites

    This week, we continue our series on creating websites, with a look at two of the most popular content management systems. WordPress 0:00:00 Drupal 0:38:45 Closing and contact info 1:08:40

  • #83
    July 8 · 56 min

    Part One of our Look at Creating Websites

    The building blocks of the web 0:01:02 The importance of semantic structure 0:24:38 Introduction to content management systems 0:43:47 Closing and contact info 0:54:51

  • #82
    July 1 · 1 hr 1 min

    Summarize podcasts with Snipcast, getting a Waymo in Austin, and are people getting the screen reader that best meets their requirements?

    This week on Access On: Getting a Waymo in Austin 0:00:00 Summarize and transcribe podcasts with Snipcast 0:02:46 Apple won't refund my subscription to an inaccessible app 0:27:56 Microsoft said to be dropping SMS authentication 0:30:15 More discussion on detecting deep fakes 0:35:57 WhatsApp for Windows accessibility regression 0:37:34 Giving consumers the best choice based on need, not price 0:38:53 Thoughts on WWDC 0:47:47 Comment on recent episodes and webinars 0:51:44 Number Pad Commander in MacOS 0:53:36 Accessibility developments at Microsoft 0:55:19 Tech Tip, use Gemini to recognize handwriting 0:57:45 Closing and contact info 1:00:04

  • #81
    June 24 · 1 hr

    Looking ahead to #NFB26, and listener feedback

    This week on Access On: Register for our Access On gaming webinar 0:00:00 Technology-related events at #NFB26 0:01:35 Brett Boyer, president of the NFB's Assistive Technology Trainers Division 0:16:25 BBC radio outside the UK 0:29:32 Saving recordings in Ootunes 0:30 Thoughts on AI 0:31:23 Comments on Speaky AI 0:33:16 Bose abandoning voice prompts 0:37:14 Is the increasing call for certification in access technology training locking out capable blind people? 0:38:46 Network attached storage devices 0:42:06 My new wonderful kitchen assistant 0:45:19 Putting an audio setup together for live NFB events 0:46:02 Comments on recent Microsoft and Apple announcements 0:51:46 Perplexity 0:53:44 The Tovala smart oven 0:54:57 Missing tones on Alexa devices 0:58:34

  • #80
    June 17 · 2 hr 3 min

    The BrailleNote Evolve from HumanWare

    This week's Access On features a comprehensive review and demonstration of BrailleNote Evolve, the latest generation of BrailleNote from HumanWare running Windows 11 Pro. here are the segments in the episode, which you can skip to using the chapter feature of your podcast player or app. Looking ahead to our gaming Access On webinar 0:00:00 What is BrailleNote Evolve 0:02:13 The evolution that led to BrailleNote Evolve 0:06:11 BrailleNote Evolve with JAWS 0:12:22 Hardware 0:15:25 Dimensions and portability 0:24:38 The keyboard 0:28:13 Setup 0:33:02 Starting, and the Main Menu 0:34:44 Testing the microphones 0:40:01 Word, BrailleNote Evolve, and NVDA 0:42:47 Options 0:58:18 Braille Editor 1:10:14 Victor Reader 1:11:54 File Manager 1:16:41 No Braille Terminal 1:18:16 Final thoughts 1:19:45 Andrew Flatres and Rachel Ramos from HumanWare 1:31:18 Closing and contact info 2:02:08

  • #79
    June 8 · 1 hr 29 min

    A recap of Apple's WWDC keynote from a blindness perspective

    This week on access On, Jonathan Mosen is joined by Judy Dixon, Heidi Taylor, and Michael Feir to discuss Apple's 2026 Worldwide Developers Conference keynote. We discuss the completely revamped Siri, other changes to Apple intelligence, and more.

  • #78
    June 3 · 1 hr 24 min

    Tips for creating well formatted Microsoft Word documents

    In this week's episode: Special Apple event coverage next week 0:00 We then move on to a look at creating great-looking word documents. topics include: Why good presentation and layout matter 2:13 Making lists 7:10 Bold text 23:03 Creating headings 29:12 tables of contents 39:14 Adding an image to a document 49:53 Adding links to a document 57:49 Adding page numbers 1:03:51 The power of Alt+Q 1:08:06 Detailed document proofing 1:10:26 Closing and contact info 1:23:37

  • #77
    May 27 · 1 hr

    Announcements from Microsoft, Google, and Apple, and how to spot deep fakes

    In this week's episode of Access On: Microsoft Ability Summit 0:00 Recap of Google IO 16:40 Apple previews some new accessibility features 34:48 Tips for spotting deep fakes 43:47 Possible Brava smart oven alternatives 47:32 Three utilities from Jamal Mazrui 51:39 Note that some of the links provided below are direct links to the installers. Microsoft Edge may warn taht the files are not commonly downloaded. 2HTM extCheck urlCheck Turning a print score into ABC notation 56:00 Closing and contact info 59:10

  • #76
    May 20 · 1 hr 1 min

    create your own private secure network with Tailscale, a new smart scale from Renpho, and moving apps on the Windows taskbar

    On this week's episode of Access On: Join us for an Access On webinar on outdoor wayfinding 0:00 Create your own secure private network with Tailscale 1:58 Apple memories, and making surround sound recordings 38:08 BBC domestic streams, and NFB Newsline with Alexa 42:27 The Renpho MorphoScan Nova smart scale 45:26 I just became an NFB member 51:31 DocuSign accessibility 52:43 New Windows-based Braille devices 53:47 John Ternus 55:33 Sonos blamed my blindness 56:18 Tech tip, moving apps on the taskbar using the keyboard 58:06 Closing and contact info 1:00:11

  • #74
    May 6 · 1 hr 14 min

    A look at some smartphone visual interpretation apps

    This week's Access On presents highlights from our Access On Webinar covering some of the smartphone AI visual interpretation apps. Here's what is covered, and when. Introduction 0:00 Seeing AI 2:30 The Be My AI feature in Be My Eyes 13:51 Google Gemini 17:36 ChatGPT 23:58 ScribeMe 30:50 Ally from Envision 41:11 AI services from Aira 55:11 Closing and contact info 1:13:19

  • #72
    April 22 · 1 hr 4 min

    More on the smart home, an inaccessible Ray-Bam meta repair experience, and iOS status cells explained

    This week on Access On: National Federation of the Blind expresses outrage at title 2 delay 0:00 Join us for our Access On webinar on document formatting 3:51 Smart security systems and doorbells 5:41 Smart devices for the kitchen 16:59 Media access 26:06 Smart health 40:45 Response to the Apple 50 episode 54:11 A difficult, inaccessible Ray-Ban Meta repair experience 56:53 Tech tip, the iOS Braille status cells 1:00:42 Closing and contact info 1:03:44

  • #71
    April 15 · 1 hr 7 min

    Beginning our series on the smart home

    On this week's episode of Access On: Our next Access On webinar on document formatting 0:00 Smart home defined 2:13 Google Assistant/Gemini and Apple Home 11:54 Amazon Alexa 21:58 Lighting and environmental control 44:33 Closing and contact info 1:05:55

Showing 1–20 of 23 episodes