Double Tap

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

----
Follow on:
YouTube: https://www.doubletaponair.com/youtube
X (formerly Twitter): https://www.doubletaponair.com/x
Instagram: https://www.doubletaponair.com/instagram
TikTok: https://www.doubletaponair.com/tiktok
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.

Should blind and low vision users install iOS 27 right away? Steven Scott and Shaun Preece explain why VoiceOver users might wait a month. Then they open the inbox for listener emails on Meta glasses problems, the best smart glasses for reading, Luna AI, Siri dictation and the high cost of Braille displays.
Steven's yearly advice to hold off on iOS 27 got some pushback online, and the hosts explain the reasoning. If VoiceOver breaks, a blind user loses their screen. They cover reports of tinny speech, why the nerds should test first, and hidden code that could let Claude sit behind the Siri AI interface. They also get into cluttered screen reader navigation on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Dan in Preston says Meta glasses in the UK have stopped doing look and tell. Shaun has hit the same bug and shares a workaround. Steven gives an update on his locked Microsoft account. Donnie from Oklahoma wants to know whether the AGIGA EchoVision or Meta glasses read print better, which leads to a chat about Envision, OOrion and Google's glasses coming this fall.
Lena recommends Luna AI, an accessible voice tutor, and Shane in St. John's, Newfoundland gives Siri's new advanced dictation high marks, with one exception. Cheryl enjoys the Nicky voice for Kindle books. That sparks a look at Runa TTS pronunciation quirks and Stash and Jot, two apps Steven built with Claude. Leander closes by calling for payment plans, leasing or subscriptions to make Braille displays affordable.
Chapters
0:00 – Welcome and low expectations
1:43 – Why VoiceOver users should wait on iOS 27
11:11 – Facebook, LinkedIn and screen reader clutter
16:07 – Dan on Meta glasses failing in the UK
26:12 – Donnie asks about EchoVision vs Meta for reading
33:00 – Lena recommends Luna AI
37:00 – Shane reviews Siri AI dictation
41:37 – Sheryl on the Nicky voice and Runa TTS
47:33 – Steven's Stash and Jot, apps built with Claude
51:51 – Leannda on the cost of Braille displays
Relevant Links
Luna AI: https://trylunaai.com
AGIGA EchoVision: https://agiga.ai/
OOrion: https://www.oorion.fr/en
The Blind Life: https://www.theblindlife.net/
Runa TTS: https://accessmind.io/runa-tts.php
PiccyBot: https://piccybot.com/
AMI Scholarship: https://www.ami.ca/scholarship

----
Follow on:
YouTube: https://www.doubletaponair.com/youtube
X (formerly Twitter): https://www.doubletaponair.com/x
Instagram: https://www.doubletaponair.com/instagram
TikTok: https://www.doubletaponair.com/tiktok
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.

Is the AI industry sounding a real alarm, or is it about money? Tech journalist Will Guyatt joins Steven Scott and Shaun Preece to make sense of the AI pause warnings. Then it's a first look at Siri AI in the iOS 27 beta and a candid chat about Windows, the Mac and screen readers.
Will lays out three theories behind a chaotic news week. AI makers could be alarmed by how quickly their models are moving. Donald Trump wants no brakes in a race with China. Or AI companies short on funding may be delaying their IPOs and reshaping the story. He also points listeners to Ed Zitron, a sceptic of the AI business model.
Steven and Shaun then weigh up what "AI will kill humanity" really means. They cover rogue AI agents, an email assistant that forwarded a message nobody asked it to send, AI tools given credit cards, and why government regulation may be too slow to matter.
The mood lifts with hands-on impressions of Siri AI in the iOS 27 public beta, including the waiting list, the Dynamic Island and early bugs. There's a reminder to hold off on updating your daily phone, because banking apps and third-party apps may break, plus an inaccessible Barclays app.
The episode closes with Creative USB speakers that switch audio back to the laptop, and why Windows with NVDA or JAWS feels more logical than the Mac. Plans to learn grade 2 braille and use a webcam to give Claude eyes round things off.
Chapters
0:00 – Intro: is the AI warning nonsense?
1:40 – Will Guyatt on what's behind the AI pause
12:39 – Balance sheet or something bigger?
21:02 – AI agents, control and regulation
30:22 – Siri AI in the iOS 27 beta
35:18 – Why to wait before updating, and banking apps
39:49 – USB speakers and automatic audio switching
42:45 – Windows, the Mac and learning grade 2 braille
51:33 – Giving Claude eyes and final thoughts
Relevant Links
Will Guyatt: https://www.willguyatt.co.uk
Ed Zitron's Where's Your Ed At: https://www.wheresyoured.at
AppleVis: https://www.applevis.com

----
Follow on:
YouTube: https://www.doubletaponair.com/youtube
X (formerly Twitter): https://www.doubletaponair.com/x
Instagram: https://www.doubletaponair.com/instagram
TikTok: https://www.doubletaponair.com/tiktok
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.

Apple's Surprise and Shine event brought the foldable iPhone Duo, AirPods 5 and a quiet RAM boost for Apple Watch Ultra 4. Steven Scott and Marc Aflalo of YourTechReport pick out what matters, what could have been a press release, and whether the Duo can replace an iPad for someone who travels a lot.
Steven found most of the keynote boring. Marc liked more of it, starting with Live Rewind, which lets your Apple Watch catch the last 15 seconds of a conversation you missed. That raises questions about privacy, where the data lives, and why features like the expressive Siri AI voices leave out the iPhone 15 Pro. They also look at the Ultra 4 going from 2GB to 4GB of RAM, and Steven explains why VoiceOver has felt sluggish on his Ultra 3.
AirPods 5 bring active noise cancellation to the $129 model with no ear tips, and the wireless charging version adds volume control on the stem. Marc describes how the AirPods hearing features help him focus in noisy restaurants. Steven makes the case for wired USB-C EarPods when VoiceOver latency matters.
Then the iPhone Duo. Marc expects to buy one, because a 7.6-inch inner screen could let him leave his iPad at home. They cover the passport-sized design, Touch ID, the under-screen camera, MagSafe, and a closed thickness of around 11.2mm. iPhone Handoff, which lets two iPhones share one number, leaves open questions about carriers and cost.
The conversation ends on whether a Pro Duo is coming, why the iPhone Air will probably survive, and why the 17e is still a sensible pick for many buyers.
Chapters
0:00 – Intro and first thoughts on Surprise and Shine
1:44 – Live Rewind, audio intelligence and privacy
3:21 – Which devices get Siri AI features
4:36 – Apple Watch Ultra 4 RAM and the Series 12
7:53 – AirPods 5, noise cancellation and wired EarPods
12:52 – iPhone Duo first impressions and design
19:01 – iPhone Handoff and sharing one number
22:32 – MagSafe, cases and unconfirmed specs
24:18 – A Pro Duo, the iPhone Air and what to buy
Relevant Links
iPhone Duo: https://www.apple.com/iphone-duo/
AirPods 5: https://www.apple.com/airpods-5/
Apple Watch: https://www.apple.com/watch/
YourTechReport: https://yourtechreport.com/

----
Follow on:
YouTube: https://www.doubletaponair.com/youtube
X (formerly Twitter): https://www.doubletaponair.com/x
Instagram: https://www.doubletaponair.com/instagram
TikTok: https://www.doubletaponair.com/tiktok
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.

Honda Scenic Audio set out to describe the view from a car window for blind and visually impaired passengers, using computer vision and generative AI. Steven Scott and Shaun Preece revisit their 2024 conversation about the app, built with Perkins School for the Blind, and ask whether poetic AI scenery description is something blind people actually want.
This episode is supported by Pneuma Solutions. Creators of accessible tools like Remote Incident Manager and Scribe. Find out more at https://pneumasolutions.com/
Honda announced Scenic Audio in April 2024 as a beta. You hold your phone to the window, it works in any car, and it narrates the passing landscape in storytelling language instead of practical directions. Steven thinks back to a Rocky Mountaineer train journey from Banff to Vancouver where he'd have loved more description. Shaun wonders what it would make of an ordinary drive through town.
Shaun's bigger question is whether true real-time description exists yet. Steven points to the Be My Eyes demo of GPT-4o describing ducks on a pond, and argues this app sits alongside tools like Be My AI and Google Lookout.
Phil Hruska of Honda explains how the project grew out of Honda's focus on inclusivity, with guidance from Dr. Josh Loebner, who is blind himself, on involving disabled people from the start. Sandy Lacey of the Howe Innovation Center describes interviews with around 30 blind and low vision people, and why testers enjoyed details they hadn't realised they were missing. The Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind and Honda's Enable associate group also took part in beta testing.
Honda's R&D history comes up too, from ASIMO to office chairs that move out of your way, along with Shaun's wish for self-driving wheelie bins. Back in 2026, the hosts reflect on how much AI tools have changed since this was recorded.
Chapters
0:00 – Welcome and a classic from the archive
2:38 – Honda Scenic Audio explained
3:51 – Honda's launch video
5:27 – Would you use it? Scenic trips and everyday drives
8:12 – Real-time description and the Be My Eyes GPT-4o comparison
11:54 – The Honda and Perkins partnership with Phil Hruska
16:07 – Listening to blind users and Honda's R&D projects
19:56 – What testers said about the app
22:46 – The verdict: Honda Cynic
25:43 – Looking back from 2026
Relevant Links
Pneuma Solutions: https://www.pneumasolutions.com
Be My Eyes: https://www.bemyeyes.com
Lookout by Google: https://support.google.com/accessibility/android/answer/9031274

----
Follow on:
YouTube: https://www.doubletaponair.com/youtube
X (formerly Twitter): https://www.doubletaponair.com/x
Instagram: https://www.doubletaponair.com/instagram
TikTok: https://www.doubletaponair.com/tiktok
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.