WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.258 --> 00:00:02.841 (bright music) 2 00:00:05.303 --> 00:00:06.150 Welcome to, "Hadley Presents." 3 00:00:06.150 --> 00:00:09.840 I'm your host, Ricky Enger, inviting you to sit back, 4 00:00:09.840 --> 00:00:13.650 relax, and enjoy a conversation with the experts. 5 00:00:13.650 --> 00:00:16.620 In this episode, Hadley staff join us 6 00:00:16.620 --> 00:00:19.020 to share their favorite, impactful, 7 00:00:19.020 --> 00:00:21.000 and accessible technology. 8 00:00:21.000 --> 00:00:22.860 Welcome to the show, everybody. 9 00:00:22.860 --> 00:00:24.153 Hey. Hey 10 00:00:24.153 --> 00:00:25.290 Hey, everyone. 11 00:00:25.290 --> 00:00:28.050 Wow, this is amazing. 12 00:00:28.050 --> 00:00:31.410 I can honestly not think of anything better 13 00:00:31.410 --> 00:00:34.800 than spending time with a few of my favorite people 14 00:00:34.800 --> 00:00:39.030 and discussing one of my big passions, which is technology. 15 00:00:39.030 --> 00:00:42.450 So before we kick things off 16 00:00:42.450 --> 00:00:45.360 and get into everybody's favorite picks, 17 00:00:45.360 --> 00:00:48.510 we'll do just quick intros for each of you. 18 00:00:48.510 --> 00:00:50.970 So first we've got Douglas Walker, 19 00:00:50.970 --> 00:00:54.420 who is our director of research and development, 20 00:00:54.420 --> 00:00:58.380 and he might sound kind of familiar to anyone 21 00:00:58.380 --> 00:01:00.510 who has checked out our Apple workshops. 22 00:01:00.510 --> 00:01:02.400 So welcome to the show, Douglas. 23 00:01:02.400 --> 00:01:04.680 Thanks, this is gonna be a lot of fun. 24 00:01:04.680 --> 00:01:08.610 Great, next up we have Jennifer Ottowitz, 25 00:01:08.610 --> 00:01:10.440 who is learning expert 26 00:01:10.440 --> 00:01:15.440 in the adjustment, independent living and recreation team. 27 00:01:15.510 --> 00:01:17.250 And you'll also be familiar 28 00:01:17.250 --> 00:01:19.800 with her from a few, "Hadley Presents," 29 00:01:19.800 --> 00:01:22.110 whatever the plural of that is. 30 00:01:22.110 --> 00:01:25.050 And also from the Resource Roundtable discussion group. 31 00:01:25.050 --> 00:01:26.310 Welcome, Jennifer. 32 00:01:26.310 --> 00:01:28.230 Hi, happy to be here. 33 00:01:28.230 --> 00:01:29.493 Great to have you. 34 00:01:30.802 --> 00:01:33.870 And next up then is Tiffany Mpofu, 35 00:01:33.870 --> 00:01:37.530 who is learning expert in assistive technology, 36 00:01:37.530 --> 00:01:41.190 has joined our team fairly recently. 37 00:01:41.190 --> 00:01:45.720 She used to be on the adjustment, independent living 38 00:01:45.720 --> 00:01:47.490 and recreation with Jennifer. 39 00:01:47.490 --> 00:01:50.580 And now we are happy to have snagged her 40 00:01:50.580 --> 00:01:54.090 for ourselves on the assistive technology team. 41 00:01:54.090 --> 00:01:57.300 You'll also know her from Get Up and Go! 42 00:01:57.300 --> 00:01:59.340 and Travel Talk discussion groups. 43 00:01:59.340 --> 00:02:00.570 Welcome, Tiffany. 44 00:02:00.570 --> 00:02:03.390 Hello, hello, I'm excited to be here. 45 00:02:03.390 --> 00:02:05.310 Great, so good to have you. 46 00:02:05.310 --> 00:02:06.750 And finally, Steven Kelley, 47 00:02:06.750 --> 00:02:09.570 you've been on a, "Hadley Presents," or two. 48 00:02:09.570 --> 00:02:13.503 Also learning expert in assistive technology. 49 00:02:14.874 --> 00:02:18.870 And people may have heard you on Get Up and Go! with Tiffany 50 00:02:18.870 --> 00:02:21.810 and our new Book Nook discussion group. 51 00:02:21.810 --> 00:02:23.070 Welcome, Steve. 52 00:02:23.070 --> 00:02:24.990 Hey, everyone, delighted to be here. 53 00:02:24.990 --> 00:02:25.823 All right, so with those introductions out of 54 00:02:25.823 --> 00:02:26.656 the way 55 00:02:29.730 --> 00:02:34.500 we get to move on to the fun bit of the program, 56 00:02:34.500 --> 00:02:36.810 which is to talk tech. 57 00:02:36.810 --> 00:02:40.980 It is so, so amazing to have you all here. 58 00:02:40.980 --> 00:02:42.570 We thought about doing this 59 00:02:42.570 --> 00:02:47.040 because we all have a lot in common, 60 00:02:47.040 --> 00:02:51.150 but we each approach things differently as well. 61 00:02:51.150 --> 00:02:54.870 And some of us love technology for its own sake. 62 00:02:54.870 --> 00:02:58.560 We love playing with all of those gadgets and gizmos 63 00:02:58.560 --> 00:03:02.910 and jumping right into the software and hardware. 64 00:03:02.910 --> 00:03:04.680 And some of us use technology 65 00:03:04.680 --> 00:03:07.650 because it's sort of a necessary thing 66 00:03:07.650 --> 00:03:10.020 and it finds a place in our lives. 67 00:03:10.020 --> 00:03:13.140 Even though we may not be in love with the concept 68 00:03:13.140 --> 00:03:17.040 of technology, the things that it can do for us, 69 00:03:17.040 --> 00:03:20.040 you know, that's where technology really shines. 70 00:03:20.040 --> 00:03:22.890 So I thought it would be really nice 71 00:03:22.890 --> 00:03:25.080 to just get everyone's perspective 72 00:03:25.080 --> 00:03:28.290 on how they use technology and what kinds of things 73 00:03:28.290 --> 00:03:33.120 each of us chooses to pick up on a daily basis. 74 00:03:33.120 --> 00:03:35.670 Kind of the things that we just adore 75 00:03:35.670 --> 00:03:37.230 and can't live without. 76 00:03:37.230 --> 00:03:40.620 I happen to know what each person 77 00:03:40.620 --> 00:03:44.310 has chosen for their favorite technology, 78 00:03:44.310 --> 00:03:47.520 but no one else on the panel here knows 79 00:03:47.520 --> 00:03:49.560 what each of the others has chosen. 80 00:03:49.560 --> 00:03:52.950 So, it'll be kind of a fun reveal here. 81 00:03:52.950 --> 00:03:56.100 First, I think, let's start with Tiffany. 82 00:03:56.100 --> 00:04:01.100 What did you choose for your can't live without technology. 83 00:04:01.590 --> 00:04:04.200 What did you choose and why did you choose it? 84 00:04:04.200 --> 00:04:06.600 How do you use this technology now. 85 00:04:06.600 --> 00:04:09.450 Well, Ricky, this is the hard part 86 00:04:09.450 --> 00:04:11.820 that I had with doing this 87 00:04:11.820 --> 00:04:16.740 because choosing just one favorite technology 88 00:04:16.740 --> 00:04:18.273 was so hard to do. 89 00:04:19.165 --> 00:04:24.165 I will say that my smartphone is one of my favorites. 90 00:04:24.750 --> 00:04:26.040 And it's my favorite 91 00:04:26.040 --> 00:04:28.770 because I can do so many things with it. 92 00:04:28.770 --> 00:04:33.420 I don't have to carry around so many other devices. 93 00:04:33.420 --> 00:04:37.020 I have an iPhone 8 Plus. 94 00:04:37.020 --> 00:04:41.670 So in the Apple world it is a ancient, but it works 95 00:04:41.670 --> 00:04:44.103 and it does what I need it to do. 96 00:04:45.121 --> 00:04:49.560 And with my phone, other than making phone calls 97 00:04:49.560 --> 00:04:52.230 and text messages, there's a few things 98 00:04:52.230 --> 00:04:54.210 that I enjoy doing on it. 99 00:04:54.210 --> 00:04:58.350 And one of them is doing online banking. 100 00:04:58.350 --> 00:05:02.610 Just being able to do that on the go is really nice. 101 00:05:02.610 --> 00:05:05.220 Also too, I use the camera. 102 00:05:05.220 --> 00:05:09.450 And not just to take pictures of scenery or selfies, 103 00:05:09.450 --> 00:05:12.360 but I use it for a mirror. 104 00:05:12.360 --> 00:05:16.170 Sometimes when you're out at a public restroom, 105 00:05:16.170 --> 00:05:19.920 like inside the mirror is mounted up on the wall 106 00:05:19.920 --> 00:05:23.280 and then there's maybe a sink in front of you. 107 00:05:23.280 --> 00:05:24.810 It's hard to get up close. 108 00:05:24.810 --> 00:05:27.600 So, I'll use the camera on my phone. 109 00:05:27.600 --> 00:05:30.450 I'll use it as a mirror just to make sure 110 00:05:30.450 --> 00:05:33.180 my lunch isn't showing in my teeth. 111 00:05:33.180 --> 00:05:36.450 My other go-to app is Visor. 112 00:05:36.450 --> 00:05:40.050 Visor is a, it's a magnifier app. 113 00:05:40.050 --> 00:05:43.023 And this app is my lifesaver. 114 00:05:43.950 --> 00:05:47.250 Like it turns my phone into a digital magnifier. 115 00:05:47.250 --> 00:05:51.450 So I can contrast the colors, adjust the magnification 116 00:05:51.450 --> 00:05:55.320 of course, and it also has a light function on it 117 00:05:55.320 --> 00:05:58.770 if I need to read printed material on the go. 118 00:05:58.770 --> 00:06:01.860 Or maybe I'm at a family member's house 119 00:06:01.860 --> 00:06:04.230 and I need to heat up something in the microwave 120 00:06:04.230 --> 00:06:06.690 and their microwave doesn't look like mine 121 00:06:06.690 --> 00:06:09.390 and it's not set up like how mine is, 122 00:06:09.390 --> 00:06:14.390 I can use my magnifier or Visor to adjust the settings. 123 00:06:14.820 --> 00:06:19.410 My phone is one of my favorites, but I do have a few others. 124 00:06:19.410 --> 00:06:22.320 So, next up is my iPad. 125 00:06:22.320 --> 00:06:26.430 I have a iPad Air, fourth generation. 126 00:06:26.430 --> 00:06:29.040 It has a 10.9 screen. 127 00:06:29.040 --> 00:06:31.560 So of course the screen is bigger 128 00:06:31.560 --> 00:06:35.400 and I'm able to do different things on my iPad. 129 00:06:35.400 --> 00:06:40.400 I use the Zoom feature on it and also on my phone too. 130 00:06:40.830 --> 00:06:43.020 I use Siri, Zoom and VoiceOver. 131 00:06:43.020 --> 00:06:45.780 So it kind of depends on what I'm doing on my phone. 132 00:06:45.780 --> 00:06:49.470 But on my iPad I mostly use Zoom. 133 00:06:49.470 --> 00:06:53.310 And I mostly use it for entertainment purposes. 134 00:06:53.310 --> 00:06:57.840 So like if I'm just kicking back, I'll be on social media 135 00:06:57.840 --> 00:07:00.720 or streaming Netflix and Hulu 136 00:07:00.720 --> 00:07:02.460 or playing a game or something. 137 00:07:02.460 --> 00:07:05.820 So, that's what I mostly do on my iPad. 138 00:07:05.820 --> 00:07:08.370 And I also do internet searches. 139 00:07:08.370 --> 00:07:10.740 But if I want to be more productive 140 00:07:10.740 --> 00:07:14.010 and really focusing in on what I'm doing, 141 00:07:14.010 --> 00:07:19.010 like if I'm doing more extended tasks, like extended reading 142 00:07:19.110 --> 00:07:23.763 and writing activities, I like to use my desktop computer. 143 00:07:24.720 --> 00:07:28.590 I have a 32 inch monitor, so I can split the screen. 144 00:07:28.590 --> 00:07:31.350 I also use my video magnifier too. 145 00:07:31.350 --> 00:07:34.170 So like when you were mentioning, Ricky, 146 00:07:34.170 --> 00:07:38.970 like about the discussion groups, sometimes we have learners 147 00:07:38.970 --> 00:07:43.650 who may make suggestions or provide resources 148 00:07:43.650 --> 00:07:45.240 or some helpful information 149 00:07:45.240 --> 00:07:49.710 that I can quickly jot down using my video magnifier 150 00:07:49.710 --> 00:07:52.680 and then be able to provide those and the resources. 151 00:07:52.680 --> 00:07:55.140 So, that's my technology. 152 00:07:55.140 --> 00:07:56.490 That's my favorite. 153 00:07:56.490 --> 00:08:00.330 What I so love about this is that you have 154 00:08:00.330 --> 00:08:02.010 all of these different devices 155 00:08:02.010 --> 00:08:04.380 and they all serve a different purpose. 156 00:08:04.380 --> 00:08:07.380 So, the larger screen for the iPad 157 00:08:07.380 --> 00:08:10.260 is great for entertainment or for, 158 00:08:10.260 --> 00:08:12.180 if you're doing a little bit of reading 159 00:08:12.180 --> 00:08:14.100 and you're using that larger screen 160 00:08:14.100 --> 00:08:17.160 and same of course for your computer. 161 00:08:17.160 --> 00:08:20.730 And then the phone, being able to use it 162 00:08:20.730 --> 00:08:24.570 as a magnifier is super cool because like you said, 163 00:08:24.570 --> 00:08:27.570 you don't have to carry around multiple devices. 164 00:08:27.570 --> 00:08:30.450 You can do a lot of things 165 00:08:30.450 --> 00:08:33.930 with this one single device in different apps. 166 00:08:33.930 --> 00:08:35.730 So very, very cool. 167 00:08:35.730 --> 00:08:36.870 I love it. 168 00:08:36.870 --> 00:08:39.300 I'm not sure why I think this, 169 00:08:39.300 --> 00:08:42.930 but something tells me that Doug Walker 170 00:08:42.930 --> 00:08:47.700 may have (chuckles) some similar things on his list 171 00:08:47.700 --> 00:08:51.483 being a self-professed Apple fan boy. 172 00:08:52.710 --> 00:08:54.090 Self-professed. 173 00:08:54.090 --> 00:08:56.130 Yeah, and I think everybody points at that. 174 00:08:56.130 --> 00:08:58.680 It's probably no surprise to anybody 175 00:08:58.680 --> 00:09:01.920 that my devices today are Apple devices. 176 00:09:01.920 --> 00:09:06.100 So the first one that I want to talk about 177 00:09:06.100 --> 00:09:09.240 is fairly new to Apple and this is the Apple AirTags. 178 00:09:09.240 --> 00:09:12.780 If you don't know what an AirTag is, it's Apple's device 179 00:09:12.780 --> 00:09:17.780 that's made for finding lost stuff or missing items. 180 00:09:18.180 --> 00:09:20.370 It's about the size of a quarter. 181 00:09:20.370 --> 00:09:24.420 It's really small, but Apple and lots of other people 182 00:09:24.420 --> 00:09:26.040 sell all these different accessories 183 00:09:26.040 --> 00:09:29.370 that you can buy to put your AirTag on or in. 184 00:09:29.370 --> 00:09:30.600 Like I have this thing 185 00:09:30.600 --> 00:09:33.120 that I put one in my wallet clips in there 186 00:09:33.120 --> 00:09:34.260 and I can slide it in my wallet. 187 00:09:34.260 --> 00:09:37.445 I also have a key chain that I can put one in. 188 00:09:37.445 --> 00:09:38.278 But they're kind of pricey. 189 00:09:38.278 --> 00:09:41.490 I mean you can get one for I think $29, 190 00:09:41.490 --> 00:09:43.740 but I went ahead and splurged for the four pack. 191 00:09:43.740 --> 00:09:45.630 Still not enough. I need more of them. 192 00:09:45.630 --> 00:09:48.840 So I have one in my wallet, one on my keys, 193 00:09:48.840 --> 00:09:50.010 I keep one in my backpack 194 00:09:50.010 --> 00:09:52.050 and then I have one on my white cane 195 00:09:52.050 --> 00:09:54.690 'cause I'm always putting my cane in a corner somewhere, 196 00:09:54.690 --> 00:09:57.480 propping it up in a, it's like, which corner is that? 197 00:09:57.480 --> 00:10:02.040 So it's really cool because you can use your Find My app 198 00:10:02.040 --> 00:10:05.835 then if you start missing one of these devices to find it, 199 00:10:05.835 --> 00:10:08.400 you can actually say, "Hey," or you can use Siri. 200 00:10:08.400 --> 00:10:10.837 So you can do the whole Siri thing and say, 201 00:10:10.837 --> 00:10:13.800 "Hey, find my keys," right? 202 00:10:13.800 --> 00:10:16.710 And then it starts chirping or playing a sound, 203 00:10:16.710 --> 00:10:18.090 so you can locate it. 204 00:10:18.090 --> 00:10:21.060 So a lot of times I don't have to go beyond that, 205 00:10:21.060 --> 00:10:24.330 but if you open your Find My app and you find that item, 206 00:10:24.330 --> 00:10:26.580 you can get it to play a sound from there. 207 00:10:26.580 --> 00:10:28.380 Or if you still can't hear it, 208 00:10:28.380 --> 00:10:31.440 there's a find button there that you can tap. 209 00:10:31.440 --> 00:10:34.050 It'll pop up on the screen and visually 210 00:10:34.050 --> 00:10:36.810 it sort of points an arrow to in the direction 211 00:10:36.810 --> 00:10:40.470 that your item is and says it's like 15 feet away, 212 00:10:40.470 --> 00:10:42.450 10 feet away as you get closer to it. 213 00:10:42.450 --> 00:10:44.730 Or if you happen to have VoiceOver running, 214 00:10:44.730 --> 00:10:48.120 it actually speaks that it's to the left or to the right 215 00:10:48.120 --> 00:10:50.790 and it's 10 feet away now it's eight feet away now. 216 00:10:50.790 --> 00:10:51.623 And then when you get close enough to it, 217 00:10:51.623 --> 00:10:54.270 you can have it play the sound and pinpoint it right there. 218 00:10:54.270 --> 00:10:56.130 So yeah, we have three workshops there. 219 00:10:56.130 --> 00:10:57.570 One that shows you how to set it up. 220 00:10:57.570 --> 00:10:58.403 So, no worries. 221 00:10:58.403 --> 00:11:00.330 It's super simple to set up. 222 00:11:00.330 --> 00:11:03.960 And then one that shows how to find items nearby 223 00:11:03.960 --> 00:11:07.350 and then one that shows how to find items further away 224 00:11:07.350 --> 00:11:08.490 that you can actually get walking 225 00:11:08.490 --> 00:11:10.320 or driving directions to find it there. 226 00:11:10.320 --> 00:11:13.050 So, it's pretty cool device. 227 00:11:13.050 --> 00:11:16.470 My other thing, Tiffany kind of hit on this already 228 00:11:16.470 --> 00:11:18.600 and it was so hard, Tiffany, for me too 229 00:11:18.600 --> 00:11:20.430 because I'm like, everything on the iPhone 230 00:11:20.430 --> 00:11:22.830 is my favorite thing, right? 231 00:11:22.830 --> 00:11:26.370 So, but I have one thing that I've actually probably used 232 00:11:26.370 --> 00:11:28.680 a half a dozen times already today. 233 00:11:28.680 --> 00:11:31.830 And that's the built-in magnifier that's on the iPhone 234 00:11:31.830 --> 00:11:36.830 and it's also on the iPad and on the iPod Touch as well. 235 00:11:36.960 --> 00:11:41.310 And it uses your devices back facing or as of late, 236 00:11:41.310 --> 00:11:45.120 your front facing camera too, to enlarge image images 237 00:11:45.120 --> 00:11:47.880 that are on your screen just like a magnifier would. 238 00:11:47.880 --> 00:11:52.860 The magnifier has actually been around for a while, 239 00:11:52.860 --> 00:11:54.030 I've been around with it. 240 00:11:54.030 --> 00:11:55.890 So I've been able to constantly see it 241 00:11:55.890 --> 00:11:57.150 improve over the years 242 00:11:57.150 --> 00:11:59.460 and it's really just gotten better and better. 243 00:11:59.460 --> 00:12:03.062 And iOS 15 just came out and had a lot of improvements. 244 00:12:03.062 --> 00:12:06.720 One interesting thing with iOS 15 is that it's no longer 245 00:12:06.720 --> 00:12:10.410 in the accessibility area of the phone. 246 00:12:10.410 --> 00:12:12.690 Apple has actually placed it right there 247 00:12:12.690 --> 00:12:14.580 on your home screen as an app. 248 00:12:14.580 --> 00:12:17.040 It's kind of crept outside of accessibility 249 00:12:17.040 --> 00:12:19.080 and sort of become a mainstream app 250 00:12:19.080 --> 00:12:20.490 on your home screen then. 251 00:12:20.490 --> 00:12:22.380 Yeah, and you can just open it right from there 252 00:12:22.380 --> 00:12:24.210 instead of, okay, I gotta go to settings 253 00:12:24.210 --> 00:12:26.490 and then I gotta go here and then I gotta go there. 254 00:12:26.490 --> 00:12:27.323 So, now you can still set the 255 00:12:27.323 --> 00:12:28.156 accessibility shortcut, 256 00:12:29.790 --> 00:12:32.190 you know, the triple click to the side button if you'd like 257 00:12:32.190 --> 00:12:33.660 to pull it up, which is what I do. 258 00:12:33.660 --> 00:12:35.550 And I use it from everything. 259 00:12:35.550 --> 00:12:37.320 This morning I checked the thermostat 260 00:12:37.320 --> 00:12:40.440 and it's gotten chilly here, so I turned the heat on. 261 00:12:40.440 --> 00:12:42.210 I use it for things like checking menus 262 00:12:42.210 --> 00:12:45.600 and price tags and signing receipts. 263 00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:47.490 And again, like Tiffany mentioned this with her app 264 00:12:47.490 --> 00:12:50.100 that she uses has a flashlight 265 00:12:50.100 --> 00:12:52.920 and all kinds of cool color filters in it. 266 00:12:52.920 --> 00:12:54.600 One thing that I don't use much, 267 00:12:54.600 --> 00:12:57.567 it has people detection in mine 268 00:12:57.567 --> 00:12:59.640 'cause I have the LiDAR sensor in it 269 00:12:59.640 --> 00:13:00.990 and I guess that would be good 270 00:13:00.990 --> 00:13:03.030 for social distancing and stuff. 271 00:13:03.030 --> 00:13:06.469 With iOS 15, if you have VoiceOver running now 272 00:13:06.469 --> 00:13:09.450 and you pointed at something in the view area 273 00:13:09.450 --> 00:13:11.490 and you touch that view area, 274 00:13:11.490 --> 00:13:13.770 it's going to do artificial intelligence 275 00:13:13.770 --> 00:13:15.630 and start trying to recognize that object 276 00:13:15.630 --> 00:13:17.760 and tell you what the objects are. 277 00:13:17.760 --> 00:13:19.440 It's doing a better and better job 278 00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:22.290 with recognizing the text that's there. 279 00:13:22.290 --> 00:13:23.880 And so, but if it won't read all the text, 280 00:13:23.880 --> 00:13:25.650 I've found that if I share it or save it 281 00:13:25.650 --> 00:13:28.800 to my camera roll like Tiffany's talking about, 282 00:13:28.800 --> 00:13:31.260 that it'll pretty much read all the text right there. 283 00:13:31.260 --> 00:13:33.360 So, I'm using my magnifier tons and tons. 284 00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:36.210 So yes, Apple products for me today, 285 00:13:36.210 --> 00:13:38.910 AirTags and the magnifier app. 286 00:13:38.910 --> 00:13:42.120 Not a surprise to anyone, but I love hearing how 287 00:13:42.120 --> 00:13:44.430 both of you use the same devices 288 00:13:44.430 --> 00:13:47.730 for similar things and for different things. 289 00:13:47.730 --> 00:13:51.152 So I mean it really speaks to the versatility of some 290 00:13:51.152 --> 00:13:54.150 of these smartphones and if you're listening 291 00:13:54.150 --> 00:13:57.900 and you have an Android instead of an iPhone, fear not, 292 00:13:57.900 --> 00:14:02.900 a lot of these features are also in Android phones. 293 00:14:03.690 --> 00:14:07.650 Next up, Jennifer, share with us your words 294 00:14:07.650 --> 00:14:10.110 of wisdom on your favorite tech. 295 00:14:10.110 --> 00:14:10.943 Okay, well first of all, I have to say that 296 00:14:10.943 --> 00:14:11.776 I'm more 297 00:14:13.020 --> 00:14:17.643 of an average technology user and an as needed user. 298 00:14:18.729 --> 00:14:21.480 So I like technology, I value all that it could do, 299 00:14:21.480 --> 00:14:25.020 but I honestly get kind of intimidated by it. 300 00:14:25.020 --> 00:14:26.850 Once I get over that initial anxiety, 301 00:14:26.850 --> 00:14:30.750 I find that I'm using it more and more in my everyday life, 302 00:14:30.750 --> 00:14:33.270 even if it's just to get started with things, 303 00:14:33.270 --> 00:14:35.160 'cause I do like to be off the grid, 304 00:14:35.160 --> 00:14:37.770 but it can be really helpful to just get started. 305 00:14:37.770 --> 00:14:40.680 And so my first pick is a good example of that 306 00:14:40.680 --> 00:14:42.660 and that's a money reader. 307 00:14:42.660 --> 00:14:44.550 And there are different options for this. 308 00:14:44.550 --> 00:14:46.350 I wanna talk about the iBill. 309 00:14:46.350 --> 00:14:49.260 Here in the U.S., our paper money 310 00:14:49.260 --> 00:14:53.640 does not have any actually distinct characteristics, right? 311 00:14:53.640 --> 00:14:55.770 It's all the size, same size, same shape, 312 00:14:55.770 --> 00:14:58.230 nothing super special that makes 313 00:14:58.230 --> 00:15:00.360 any one type of bill stand out. 314 00:15:00.360 --> 00:15:03.210 So these money readers and the iBill in particular, 315 00:15:03.210 --> 00:15:06.960 you just slide the end of your paper money into it, 316 00:15:06.960 --> 00:15:09.888 hit a button and it'll tell you what it is. 317 00:15:09.888 --> 00:15:13.140 And it'll say's a $1 bill, $5 bill. 318 00:15:13.140 --> 00:15:15.900 It has AAA battery and it's just a separate unit, 319 00:15:15.900 --> 00:15:17.820 it's not a part of a smartphone. 320 00:15:17.820 --> 00:15:20.010 So, it's really portable and nice to use 321 00:15:20.010 --> 00:15:22.680 if you don't have your smartphone with you. 322 00:15:22.680 --> 00:15:24.360 You can even get it to announce 323 00:15:24.360 --> 00:15:27.930 what the denomination is in a pattern of sounds 324 00:15:27.930 --> 00:15:29.760 or a pattern of vibrations. 325 00:15:29.760 --> 00:15:33.630 If you want some privacy or if it's a really noisy area too. 326 00:15:33.630 --> 00:15:36.360 It's available commercially, you can buy it. 327 00:15:36.360 --> 00:15:39.690 But if you're a U.S. citizen or a legal resident of the U.S. 328 00:15:39.690 --> 00:15:42.120 or U.S. Citizen living abroad, 329 00:15:42.120 --> 00:15:45.630 you can actually get a free iBill through a program 330 00:15:45.630 --> 00:15:49.590 offered by the US Bureau of Engraving and Printing. 331 00:15:49.590 --> 00:15:53.250 And we're actually gonna have a link to the application 332 00:15:53.250 --> 00:15:56.340 for this in the show notes for this podcast, right, Ricky? 333 00:15:56.340 --> 00:15:57.690 Yeah, absolutely. 334 00:15:57.690 --> 00:16:01.260 And if you don't have one, even if you do have a smartphone, 335 00:16:01.260 --> 00:16:03.900 I still carry mine because for me, 336 00:16:03.900 --> 00:16:07.080 it's quicker and easier honestly 337 00:16:07.080 --> 00:16:10.320 than unlocking the smartphone and making sure 338 00:16:10.320 --> 00:16:13.110 that there's enough light and all of that stuff. 339 00:16:13.110 --> 00:16:15.150 So, what a great tool. 340 00:16:15.150 --> 00:16:15.983 And if you are already using the 341 00:16:15.983 --> 00:16:16.816 Talking Book Service, 342 00:16:18.630 --> 00:16:21.060 you're automatically eligible to get one. 343 00:16:21.060 --> 00:16:22.920 You still need to fill out the application, 344 00:16:22.920 --> 00:16:24.780 but you just mark that on and you're good to go. 345 00:16:24.780 --> 00:16:26.820 Otherwise you can get a doctor 346 00:16:26.820 --> 00:16:29.460 or a vision rehabilitation professional to sign off 347 00:16:29.460 --> 00:16:31.920 that you're legally blind or visually impaired 348 00:16:31.920 --> 00:16:33.720 and they'll send it off to you. 349 00:16:33.720 --> 00:16:35.550 Just to note though, 'cause I know Doug 350 00:16:35.550 --> 00:16:40.170 did a wonderful workshop for Hadley on the Seeing AI app 351 00:16:40.170 --> 00:16:42.210 and that does have a money reading feature 352 00:16:42.210 --> 00:16:44.100 also built into it. 353 00:16:44.100 --> 00:16:46.410 And I use an app called the LookTel Money Reader 354 00:16:46.410 --> 00:16:48.300 and there may be some other apps out there too, 355 00:16:48.300 --> 00:16:50.670 but they're really, it's a really great option 356 00:16:50.670 --> 00:16:52.230 for technology. 357 00:16:52.230 --> 00:16:55.920 My second choice I think is just revolutionary. 358 00:16:55.920 --> 00:16:58.320 It really is in, in terms of managing health 359 00:16:58.320 --> 00:17:01.710 and that's a continuous glucose monitor. 360 00:17:01.710 --> 00:17:03.900 And my husband actually uses it, 361 00:17:03.900 --> 00:17:05.640 but there is a part that I use too 362 00:17:05.640 --> 00:17:07.710 that I'll talk about in just a sec. 363 00:17:07.710 --> 00:17:11.136 This technology will let somebody know 364 00:17:11.136 --> 00:17:14.430 their blood sugar levels throughout the day 365 00:17:14.430 --> 00:17:17.787 and night without having to stick their finger 366 00:17:17.787 --> 00:17:20.880 to get a drop of blood that they put on a strip 367 00:17:20.880 --> 00:17:23.250 that then they get those results. 368 00:17:23.250 --> 00:17:27.570 And it is truly liberating for anybody 369 00:17:27.570 --> 00:17:30.750 who uses insulin to treat your diabetes. 370 00:17:30.750 --> 00:17:32.350 Insurance will cover the cost of it. 371 00:17:32.350 --> 00:17:35.340 There are a couple different companies that offer products, 372 00:17:35.340 --> 00:17:38.940 but how it works, it has a sensor that's a little wire 373 00:17:38.940 --> 00:17:41.130 that inserts under your skin 374 00:17:41.130 --> 00:17:43.883 and that's held in place with an adhesive patch, 375 00:17:43.883 --> 00:17:46.470 that connects to a transmitter 376 00:17:46.470 --> 00:17:49.170 that's gonna rest on the surface of your skin. 377 00:17:49.170 --> 00:17:53.010 And it's about maybe an inch and a half by half an inch 378 00:17:53.010 --> 00:17:55.560 and about a quarter inch high. 379 00:17:55.560 --> 00:17:57.120 So, that's how high it would stick up. 380 00:17:57.120 --> 00:18:00.090 And you can put this sensor transmitter kind of combo, 381 00:18:00.090 --> 00:18:04.020 insert the sensor itself maybe in the back of your arm 382 00:18:04.020 --> 00:18:07.770 or in your abdomen and then you're gonna change that sensor. 383 00:18:07.770 --> 00:18:10.980 And where it's located about every 10 to 14 days, 384 00:18:10.980 --> 00:18:14.190 depending on which brand of CGM you're using, 385 00:18:14.190 --> 00:18:17.799 then that transmitter sends a signal to a receiver, 386 00:18:17.799 --> 00:18:22.380 which is a separate unit or to your smartphone. 387 00:18:22.380 --> 00:18:27.060 And those, the apps used for whichever company's product 388 00:18:27.060 --> 00:18:29.700 you're using are accessible with VoiceOver, 389 00:18:29.700 --> 00:18:30.600 which is really cool. 390 00:18:30.600 --> 00:18:32.520 So I can actually go on my husband's phone 391 00:18:32.520 --> 00:18:34.200 and check his readings, 392 00:18:34.200 --> 00:18:37.626 but even better they make companion apps. 393 00:18:37.626 --> 00:18:42.570 So I have an app on my phone where he shared his data 394 00:18:42.570 --> 00:18:45.750 with me and I can check his blood sugar levels. 395 00:18:45.750 --> 00:18:48.270 And you not only get the blood sugar reading, 396 00:18:48.270 --> 00:18:49.710 you get trend information. 397 00:18:49.710 --> 00:18:52.315 So are you steady, are you slowly rising, 398 00:18:52.315 --> 00:18:55.470 slowly falling, rapidly rising or falling 399 00:18:55.470 --> 00:18:57.870 and you can get set alerts to let you know 400 00:18:57.870 --> 00:19:01.020 if your blood sugar's too low or at a certain low point, 401 00:19:01.020 --> 00:19:02.370 a certain high point. 402 00:19:02.370 --> 00:19:04.830 And I'll get those alarms on my phone too 403 00:19:04.830 --> 00:19:06.750 if his blood sugar's at a certain low point, 404 00:19:06.750 --> 00:19:10.440 so I can help support him in whatever he needs. 405 00:19:10.440 --> 00:19:12.960 It's just so great because it really helps people 406 00:19:12.960 --> 00:19:16.140 make more informed decisions about 407 00:19:16.140 --> 00:19:18.030 how they're treating their condition. 408 00:19:18.030 --> 00:19:20.287 What's cool is with the one he has, he can even say, 409 00:19:20.287 --> 00:19:22.680 "Hey Siri, what's my blood sugar?" 410 00:19:22.680 --> 00:19:26.190 And she'll say, "Your blood sugar is," (chuckles) 411 00:19:26.190 --> 00:19:27.023 and let him know. 412 00:19:27.023 --> 00:19:30.180 So, it really is a game changer. 413 00:19:30.180 --> 00:19:33.060 Just one real quick disclaimer, we really encourage you, 414 00:19:33.060 --> 00:19:34.980 we're gonna share some links 415 00:19:34.980 --> 00:19:37.440 to learn more about the two different companies. 416 00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:39.780 Check with your doctor to make sure 417 00:19:39.780 --> 00:19:42.930 that this is an appropriate choice for you 418 00:19:42.930 --> 00:19:45.030 and to learn about the different options, 419 00:19:45.030 --> 00:19:46.530 maybe get a demo of them 420 00:19:46.530 --> 00:19:48.720 and definitely for training on them. 421 00:19:48.720 --> 00:19:49.553 Absolutely, and you're right when you 422 00:19:49.553 --> 00:19:50.386 said revolutionary. 423 00:19:52.524 --> 00:19:56.790 Just the ability to independently check your sugar 424 00:19:56.790 --> 00:20:01.140 and to do it easily and like literally painlessly. 425 00:20:01.140 --> 00:20:03.600 I mean that has to be so, so nice. 426 00:20:03.600 --> 00:20:08.520 All right, Steve, you are last but certainly not least. 427 00:20:08.520 --> 00:20:11.940 So, you're up to talk about your favorites. 428 00:20:11.940 --> 00:20:14.040 I loved the iBill when it first came out 429 00:20:14.040 --> 00:20:15.780 a couple of years ago, I got one. 430 00:20:15.780 --> 00:20:18.000 It seemed like I got it right through Talking Books. 431 00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:20.760 It was just so easy to get and it was great 432 00:20:20.760 --> 00:20:22.170 to share with clients. 433 00:20:22.170 --> 00:20:24.990 And the magnifier. I haven't tried it 434 00:20:24.990 --> 00:20:26.670 with the latest upgrade. 435 00:20:26.670 --> 00:20:29.520 I just upgraded yesterday on my iPad, 436 00:20:29.520 --> 00:20:32.370 but I use the magnifier all the time too. 437 00:20:32.370 --> 00:20:34.470 It is terrific and it's just gotten better 438 00:20:34.470 --> 00:20:35.610 and I love the fact now 439 00:20:35.610 --> 00:20:38.370 that it's right there on the home screen, 440 00:20:38.370 --> 00:20:40.590 so that's gonna make it so much easier. 441 00:20:40.590 --> 00:20:43.050 But with all that said, my top pick, 442 00:20:43.050 --> 00:20:45.090 and it's not gonna be a surprise to any of you guys, 443 00:20:45.090 --> 00:20:48.720 is actually kind a low tech device. 444 00:20:48.720 --> 00:20:52.890 It's the Talking Book player that you get free from NLS 445 00:20:52.890 --> 00:20:55.320 and that's one of the reasons I just love it. 446 00:20:55.320 --> 00:20:59.100 If you have a disability that affects your ability 447 00:20:59.100 --> 00:21:02.820 to read print, it's, you can get it at no charge. 448 00:21:02.820 --> 00:21:05.370 And if you don't mind, I'm just gonna give out the number. 449 00:21:05.370 --> 00:21:10.370 It's 888-NLS-READ, R-E-A-D. 450 00:21:10.890 --> 00:21:14.727 And that's 888-657-7323. 451 00:21:14.727 --> 00:21:17.490 And the great thing about the Talking Book player. 452 00:21:17.490 --> 00:21:20.640 It's not real high technology, but it's so cool 453 00:21:20.640 --> 00:21:25.500 because not only is it free, it is just so easy to use. 454 00:21:25.500 --> 00:21:27.150 I mean, you can pull it out of the box 455 00:21:27.150 --> 00:21:30.180 and in a couple of minutes you can get it going. 456 00:21:30.180 --> 00:21:32.790 And if you're not able to get it going, 457 00:21:32.790 --> 00:21:35.370 I know where you can get a little bit of training on it. 458 00:21:35.370 --> 00:21:38.070 We have two workshops on Hadley 459 00:21:38.070 --> 00:21:41.550 for both the standard player and the advanced player. 460 00:21:41.550 --> 00:21:44.340 And what's really cool I think for a lot of learners 461 00:21:44.340 --> 00:21:47.610 is maybe they don't have access to the internet. 462 00:21:47.610 --> 00:21:50.940 Maybe they're having difficulty seeing the computer screen 463 00:21:50.940 --> 00:21:52.590 the way that they used to. 464 00:21:52.590 --> 00:21:54.600 So, the whole internet thing 465 00:21:54.600 --> 00:21:56.850 is not available to 'em at the moment. 466 00:21:56.850 --> 00:21:59.220 And the cool thing about the Talking Book player 467 00:21:59.220 --> 00:22:02.790 is because it uses audio cartridges that are pretty simple, 468 00:22:02.790 --> 00:22:05.776 you just slip them in, you push the play button, 469 00:22:05.776 --> 00:22:08.698 you can get a lot of the workshops 470 00:22:08.698 --> 00:22:13.380 from Hadley on the Talking Book cartridges sent to you. 471 00:22:13.380 --> 00:22:17.790 So I see it as kind of a basic technology building block. 472 00:22:17.790 --> 00:22:21.060 The next device, which is kind of similar 473 00:22:21.060 --> 00:22:23.280 is the Amazon Echo. 474 00:22:23.280 --> 00:22:26.520 And I'm surprised none of you mentioned the Echo 475 00:22:26.520 --> 00:22:29.161 just because again, it's kind of, you know, 476 00:22:29.161 --> 00:22:32.430 once it's connected, you've gotta have Wi-Fi in the house. 477 00:22:32.430 --> 00:22:34.950 If you're not a technology person, 478 00:22:34.950 --> 00:22:37.560 just get that 12-year-old grandson 479 00:22:37.560 --> 00:22:39.990 or granddaughter in there to get it set up. 480 00:22:39.990 --> 00:22:42.900 And once it's set up, everything can be done by voice. 481 00:22:42.900 --> 00:22:47.010 And once you have the Amazon Echo set up, 482 00:22:47.010 --> 00:22:49.770 you can do so much cool stuff. 483 00:22:49.770 --> 00:22:53.520 I mean you can do the reminders and you can do the timers 484 00:22:53.520 --> 00:22:55.020 and all that other stuff. 485 00:22:55.020 --> 00:22:57.750 But one of the things that I really love about 486 00:22:57.750 --> 00:23:01.740 the Amazon Echo is that you can do things 487 00:23:01.740 --> 00:23:04.770 like get radio reading services 488 00:23:04.770 --> 00:23:07.170 and if you don't know what a radio reading service is, 489 00:23:07.170 --> 00:23:11.340 you are in for such a treat because oftentimes volunteers 490 00:23:11.340 --> 00:23:13.560 or human beings that read the newspaper 491 00:23:13.560 --> 00:23:17.250 or magazine in your local area or national area, 492 00:23:17.250 --> 00:23:20.250 and sometimes they even read books or play podcasts, 493 00:23:20.250 --> 00:23:24.240 but there's probably about 10 or 12 of them out there 494 00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:26.340 that broadcast on the internet. 495 00:23:26.340 --> 00:23:30.210 So, you can get those with the Amazon Echo. 496 00:23:30.210 --> 00:23:35.210 If you go to the section in the Hadley technology workshops 497 00:23:36.060 --> 00:23:38.490 and look up the Alexa. 498 00:23:38.490 --> 00:23:41.370 In one of those workshops, I believe it's the last one, 499 00:23:41.370 --> 00:23:46.260 it's the one on music podcasts and radio reading services. 500 00:23:46.260 --> 00:23:48.330 You'll find a great handout 501 00:23:48.330 --> 00:23:50.163 in addition to a wonderful workshop, 502 00:23:51.253 --> 00:23:54.360 but click on that resources section and you'll get a handout 503 00:23:54.360 --> 00:23:57.870 that lists all of those cool radio reading services. 504 00:23:57.870 --> 00:24:01.680 So you can just have your digital assistant start one up 505 00:24:01.680 --> 00:24:03.420 and you can listen to it during the day. 506 00:24:03.420 --> 00:24:05.190 So if you want to catch, The New York Times, 507 00:24:05.190 --> 00:24:08.220 Wall Street Journal or maybe your local paper, 508 00:24:08.220 --> 00:24:11.490 you can do that all with the Amazon Echo, 509 00:24:11.490 --> 00:24:13.440 which I just think is so cool. 510 00:24:13.440 --> 00:24:18.440 And last but not least, it's the Voice Dream Reader app. 511 00:24:18.967 --> 00:24:23.967 I'm a real reader and I use that app all the time, 512 00:24:24.240 --> 00:24:27.480 just about every night I have a book that's open 513 00:24:27.480 --> 00:24:30.930 and I'm using Voice Dream Reader app to read it. 514 00:24:30.930 --> 00:24:34.290 It's so cool because it's not just book share 515 00:24:34.290 --> 00:24:35.220 that you can use. 516 00:24:35.220 --> 00:24:36.870 You can use a wide variety of things. 517 00:24:36.870 --> 00:24:40.740 You can drag in a webpage, you can drag in a PDF file 518 00:24:40.740 --> 00:24:44.203 or a Word document or pretty much anything that you want 519 00:24:44.203 --> 00:24:47.940 and just have Voice Dream Reader read it to you. 520 00:24:47.940 --> 00:24:51.270 And the cool thing for low vision folks like myself 521 00:24:51.270 --> 00:24:54.360 is you can just change the background and foreground color. 522 00:24:54.360 --> 00:24:57.600 You can change the font size change, the speed, 523 00:24:57.600 --> 00:24:59.820 the voice, all of that stuff. 524 00:24:59.820 --> 00:25:01.890 And I think it's a $10 app. 525 00:25:01.890 --> 00:25:04.770 So, I cannot believe the value 526 00:25:04.770 --> 00:25:07.440 that I personally have gotten out of it. 527 00:25:07.440 --> 00:25:08.850 So, those are my three. 528 00:25:08.850 --> 00:25:11.220 Great choices I think, everybody. 529 00:25:11.220 --> 00:25:12.300 Yeah, I would agree. 530 00:25:12.300 --> 00:25:16.890 I love, Steve, how all of yours are related to books, 531 00:25:16.890 --> 00:25:18.510 which is no surprise given 532 00:25:18.510 --> 00:25:21.420 that you're a co-host of the Book Nook. 533 00:25:21.420 --> 00:25:26.420 So it's great to hear so many versatile choices 534 00:25:27.090 --> 00:25:29.160 for technology and just how each of you 535 00:25:29.160 --> 00:25:31.350 is using those things. 536 00:25:31.350 --> 00:25:36.060 I'm happy to have gotten the chance to listen to you all 537 00:25:36.060 --> 00:25:40.080 because even though I knew what your choices were, 538 00:25:40.080 --> 00:25:44.520 I didn't know exactly how you would explain those things 539 00:25:44.520 --> 00:25:47.070 and talk about how you use them in your daily lives. 540 00:25:47.070 --> 00:25:49.140 So it's been really, really nice. 541 00:25:49.140 --> 00:25:54.140 Any final words from anybody as we kind of wrap up this? 542 00:25:54.450 --> 00:25:55.530 I'll tell you what's fun for me 543 00:25:55.530 --> 00:26:00.360 is that I learned a lot today from Tiffany in the app 544 00:26:00.360 --> 00:26:02.070 that she mentioned, the magnifier app 545 00:26:02.070 --> 00:26:04.560 and the glucose thing that Jennifer shared. 546 00:26:04.560 --> 00:26:07.770 And, Steve, the Voice Dream Reader app 547 00:26:07.770 --> 00:26:09.120 is one of my go-to things too. 548 00:26:09.120 --> 00:26:11.415 So, a lot of fun. 549 00:26:11.415 --> 00:26:12.248 Well, and just to throw out 550 00:26:12.248 --> 00:26:15.099 and everyone else on the panel, including Ricky, 551 00:26:15.099 --> 00:26:16.710 is a testament to this, 552 00:26:16.710 --> 00:26:19.620 but for anybody that's a little intimidated by technology, 553 00:26:19.620 --> 00:26:23.460 just dive in, explore, figure things out 554 00:26:23.460 --> 00:26:24.510 from trial and error. 555 00:26:24.510 --> 00:26:26.130 They are just experts at it. 556 00:26:26.130 --> 00:26:27.630 They have a real passion for it. 557 00:26:27.630 --> 00:26:30.540 But even if you're not, you're just an average user, 558 00:26:30.540 --> 00:26:32.550 a little intimidated, technology can be 559 00:26:32.550 --> 00:26:35.220 a really helpful part of your everyday life. 560 00:26:35.220 --> 00:26:36.840 All right, thank you, everybody 561 00:26:36.840 --> 00:26:39.180 for spending a little bit of your time with me. 562 00:26:39.180 --> 00:26:42.150 It has been a delight, it's been a lot of fun 563 00:26:42.150 --> 00:26:43.680 and it's been really informative. 564 00:26:43.680 --> 00:26:46.710 So, thanks again for joining me for this. 565 00:26:46.710 --> 00:26:47.790 Great pleasure. 566 00:26:47.790 --> 00:26:48.873 Thanks, Ricky. 567 00:26:49.980 --> 00:26:52.800 Got something to say, share your thoughts about 568 00:26:52.800 --> 00:26:54.600 this episode of, "Hadley Presents," 569 00:26:54.600 --> 00:26:57.180 or make suggestions for future episodes. 570 00:26:57.180 --> 00:26:58.830 We'd love to hear from you. 571 00:26:58.830 --> 00:27:03.090 Send us an email at podcast@hadley.edu. 572 00:27:03.090 --> 00:27:08.090 That's P-O-D-C-A-S-T @hadley.edu. 573 00:27:08.370 --> 00:27:11.317 Or leave us a message at 847-784-2870. 574 00:27:14.760 --> 00:27:18.103 Thanks for listening. 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