Double Tap

Amazon's new Echo devices cost more than ever, and iOS 27.3 brings Siri Recap and Safari dark mode. Steven Scott and Shaun Preece go through what's new for blind tech users, explain the risk of using third-party WhatsApp apps, and ask whether you can run AI on a laptop without the cloud.
Shaun has a grievance with Amazon. He bought an Echo Dot Max to get early access to Alexa+, and he still doesn't have it. The iOS 27.3 beta brings Siri Recap, which listens all day so you can look back on conversations later. That leads into a talk about privacy, phones that seem to be listening, and when a recording device crosses a line. Steven is pleased to see per-site dark mode coming to Safari, and Siri shortcuts are arriving in the VoiceOver rotor.
Saqib Shaikh's TypeOver lets your Windows PC act as a Bluetooth keyboard for your iPhone. That sets off a comparison of the Logitech MX Keys and Keychron mechanical keyboards. Steven also explains the risk of using accessible WhatsApp clients such as WhatSnap. Meta's terms allow it to ban accounts that use them, so the developers aren't the problem. Meta's inaccessible apps are.
David Ward of the Echo Tips podcast covers four new Echo devices: the Echo Show 16, the Echo Time, the Echo Studio with camera, and the sixth-generation Echo Dot, which now costs twice as much. A listener asks about running local AI models on the ASUS ProArt PX13. Steven explains why RAM and the graphics card limit what you can do on the machine itself.
Chapters
0:00 – Intro and the Alexa+ early access frustration
3:41 – iOS 27.3 beta, Siri Recap and privacy
11:46 – Safari dark mode, Dark Reader and Siri shortcuts
15:15 – Image descriptions and the VoiceOver rotor
17:13 – TypeOver and the keyboard debate
23:07 – WhatSnap, WhatsApp bans and Facebook accessibility
28:45 – Clipboard sharing, Clipman and VoiceOver Ignore Groups on the Mac
32:45 – David Ward on Amazon's new Echo devices
46:56 – Listener email: local AI on the ASUS ProArt PX13
54:33 – Your midterm voting experiences and goodbye
Relevant Links
TypeOver: https://github.com/SaqibS/typeover
WhatSnap: https://github.com/aryanchoudharypro/whatSnap
Clipman: https://github.com/OnjLouis/Clipman
Dark Reader: https://darkreader.org
Echo Tips podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/echo-tips/id1396874548
Logitech MX Keys S: https://www.logitech.com/en-us/shop/p/mx-keys-s
Keychron: https://www.keychron.com
ASUS ProArt PX13: https://www.asus.com/us/laptops/for-creators/proart/proart-px13-hn7306/

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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.

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Vibe coding with Claude has taken over Steven Scott's spare time, and he and Shaun Preece think more blind people should try it. They explain how the setup works, why your files stay on your own computer, and whether building our own accessible tools lets big tech developers off the hook.
Steven explains how he builds iPhone apps with Claude and Xcode, then shows Records, a small app he made that scans letters, summarises them and adds appointments to his calendar. They also cover the privacy side of uploading documents to the cloud. Shaun announces a public beta of Claudio, his accessible Windows app for Claude Code. They talk about apps people have built for Plaud note takers, and why unofficial WhatsApp clients could get your account banned.
Next comes a grumble about iOS and Windows. Steven and Shaun talk about noisy iMessage group chats, FaceTime calls that won't start, and the latest VoiceOver bugs. They also cover the Windows start menu bug that Microsoft is now fixing on its servers.
In the inbox, Leander picks up on the jobs we'd have done if we weren't blind. Lindy from Australia asks whether Tailscale can link an iPhone with a Windows laptop. Shaun explains what Tailscale does, and suggests iCloud for Windows and Phone Link as easier ways to get the job done.
To finish, ET asks whether vibe coding takes accessibility off developers' plates. Steven argues that blind people should stop waiting for permission and build things themselves. He points to Saqib Shaikh and Seeing AI as proof of what can happen.
Chapters
0:00 – Welcome to the therapy session
0:45 – Can't leave Claude alone: building your own tools
5:05 – Inaccessible PDFs, privacy and the Records app
12:12 – Claudio, an accessible Claude Code client
13:51 – Plaud tools and WhatsApp client risks
16:01 – iMessage, FaceTime and iOS and Windows bugs
22:50 – The inbox: the jingle and Leander on dream jobs
29:15 – Lindy asks about Tailscale, iPhone and Windows
39:55 – ET: is vibe coding letting developers off the hook?
54:38 – How to get in touch and the Double Tap newsletter
Relevant Links
Double Tap: https://doubletaponair.com/
Claude: https://claude.com/product/overview
Claudio beta from Slight Perception: https://slightperception.com/beta
Tailscale: https://tailscale.com
iCloud for Windows: https://support.apple.com/en-us/103232
Phone Link: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/phonelink/phone-link-requirements-and-setup
Seeing AI: https://www.seeingai.com/

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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.

Can a blind player enjoy a mainstream video game as much as a sighted one? Steven Scott and Shaun Preece talk accessible gaming with Stefan Wilhelm, co-founder of Inclusive Gaming, a Leipzig studio building games blind and sighted people can play together.
Steven wants to play Grand Theft Auto and misses the CB radio banter of Euro Truck Simulator. Shaun isn't sure a game run by audio cues and assisted driving is any fun. Their debate sets up a bigger question: does accessible mean enjoyable?
Stefan, who is sighted, explains how a podcast with blind gamer Christian Ohrens, who plays Super Mario by ear, led him to start Inclusive Gaming. He talks about learning from the studio's community of blind players, why some prefer screen reader speech to recorded voices, and why playing with your eyes closed is no substitute for real users.
He also covers AVOS, an AI assistant in development that describes menus and scenes and uses fast object detection to help blind players with games that were never made accessible. Stefan builds in Unity with FMOD and Steam Audio, and he runs the Gaming Lab at SightCity in Frankfurt with support from Xbox.
Last up is Dinonid, a turn-based dinosaur puzzle game coming to Windows, iOS, Android and BlindShell, plus an update on the Double Tap website.
Chapters
0:00 – Intro and retro gaming memories
2:14 – Mainstream games, online communities and assisted mode
10:24 – Stefan Wilhelm and the founding of Inclusive Gaming
15:13 – Learning from blind players' feedback
18:41 – Designing games blind and sighted players can share
26:42 – AVOS: an AI assistant for inaccessible games
36:11 – Spatial audio with Unity, FMOD and Steam Audio
40:00 – Running the SightCity Gaming Lab
46:10 – Dinonid, BlindShell and where to find Inclusive Gaming
52:51 – The Double Tap website and your feedback
Relevant Links
Double Tap: https://doubletaponair.com
Inclusive Gaming: https://inclusive-gaming.de/en/
Dinonid demo: https://inclusivegaming.itch.io/dinonid-accessible
SightCity: https://sightcity.net/en/
Unity: https://unity.com
Steam Audio: https://valvesoftware.github.io/steam-audio/

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Subscribe to the Podcast:
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iHeadRadio: https://www.doubletaponair.com/iheart
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.

Is the iPhone Duo, Apple's first foldable iPhone, any use if you can't see the screen? Steven Scott and Shaun Preece are joined by David Nason of AppleVis to test it with VoiceOver and low vision. They cover the passport-sized design, how VoiceOver copes when the screen changes shape, and a Split View feature that might win over blind users.
David has RP and some peripheral vision. He describes the iPhone Duo as a squat, wide phone that opens into a small landscape tablet. The inner folding screen has a matte feel that takes some getting used to under your fingers, and Steven explains why he likes the crease: it gives you a tactile marker down the middle.
VoiceOver gestures like the four-finger tap to jump to the top or bottom still behave as before. Exploring by touch is harder, because the dock sits on the right, home screen pages shift sideways, and apps that haven't been updated for the Duo appear in a narrow strip with black bars either side. Steven found an odd quirk: you can touch home screen icons through those black bars.
The standout is Split View. Two apps run side by side, and VoiceOver handles each half on its own, so it feels like two iPhones joined together. The hosts also cover Touch ID on the power button, the missing Action button, setting the Camera Control to need a double click, weight and battery life, and the Deck-Man cassette Walkman app.
Chapters
0:00 – Introduction and David Nason joins
3:14 – Passport-sized design explained
6:55 – Folding screen feel, the crease and low vision views
13:25 – Home screen layout, buttons, Touch ID and speakers
23:21 – Hinge and build quality
25:35 – VoiceOver on the outer and inner screens
35:04 – Split View and two apps at once
41:41 – Weight, battery life and thickness
47:33 – Deck-Man and the first Duo apps
53:07 – Cameras and wrap-up
Relevant Links
Double Tap: https://doubletaponair.com
AppleVis Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/applevis-podcast/id478403062
Deck-Man: Cassette Player: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/deck-man-cassette-player/id6817070335

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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.

Apple's touchscreen MacBook Pro and Amazon's new Alexa+ devices arrived in the same week. Steven Scott and Shaun Preece go through the Echo Dot, Echo Time, Alexa Photo Frame, Echo Studio with Home Camera and Echo Show 16, and ask who these expensive gadgets are really for, including blind and low vision users.
Tech keeps getting more expensive. RAM and hard drive costs are pushing a decent laptop toward $3,000, and Apple's new 14 and 16 inch MacBook Pro with a PROLED XDR touch display starts at $2,899 in the US. It comes with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips and a Dynamic Island, and the glowing Apple logo is back on the lid. After an old Steve Jobs clip arguing against vertical touchscreens, the hosts look for a real use case. They welcome a new accessibility setting that turns the touchscreen off. There's also an M6 MacBook Pro and an M6 iMac, which keeps its Ethernet port on the power adapter.
On the Amazon side, Shaun is still waiting for Alexa+ on his Echo Dot Max while a new $99.99 Echo Dot arrives with a built-in smart home hub and an eero Wi-Fi extender. Echo Time is a $199.99 smart alarm clock with sleep sensing and no camera. The Alexa Photo Frame syncs with Amazon Photos and lets you attach voice notes to pictures. It's a small accessibility touch, but a useful one.
The Echo Studio with Home Camera, at $249.99, brings visual intelligence: hold something up and ask Alexa what it is, which takes the hosts back to Show and Tell. The Echo Show 16 starts at $499.99, and the stands cost extra. Coming up next: David Nason joins the show to compare notes on the iPhone Duo.
Chapters
0:00 – Intro and the rising cost of laptops and hard drives
3:14 – Apple's touchscreen MacBook Pro
19:13 – M6 MacBook Pro and the new iMac
24:41 – Amazon's new Echo Dot and the wait for Alexa+
31:13 – Echo Time smart alarm clock
35:35 – Alexa Photo Frame and voice notes on photos
44:17 – Echo Studio with Home Camera
50:31 – Echo Show 16
53:54 – Website updates and the iPhone Duo with David Nason
Are you buying any of this? Tell us at feedback@doubletaponair.com or on WhatsApp at +1 613-481-0144. Like, subscribe and share Double Tap with a friend who loves tech.
Relevant Links
Apple MacBook Pro: https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/
Apple iMac: https://www.apple.com/imac/
Amazon's new Alexa devices: https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/new-alexa-devices-2026
Double Tap: https://www.doubletaponair.com

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Follow on:
YouTube: https://www.doubletaponair.com/youtube
X (formerly Twitter): https://www.doubletaponair.com/x
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Threads: https://www.doubletaponair.com/threads
Facebook: https://www.doubletaponair.com/facebook
LinkedIn: https://www.doubletaponair.com/linkedin
Subscribe to the Podcast:
Apple: https://www.doubletaponair.com/apple
Spotify: https://www.doubletaponair.com/spotify
RSS: https://www.doubletaponair.com/podcast
iHeadRadio: https://www.doubletaponair.com/iheart
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.