AI-Generated Transcript
Speaker 1
Hello and welcome to Ask Bits for Saturday, January 17th, 2026. My name is Liz. I will be your facilitator for today’s call. I have several people who will be helping me from the Ask Bits team make the call run smoothly and I will introduce them in short order. However, before I do that, I have a few introductory things that I would like to take care of. The first of which is to thank both Ray and Holly. Ray for helping here in Zoom and Holly for helping in Clubhouse and on ACB Media 6 and in making sure that all of us can hear each other and interact with each other in the way that the platform of choice that you are choosing to listen in listening live will allow you to do that. Bits, Ask Bits is sponsored by Blind Information Technology Solutions or Bits, which is a special interest affiliate of the American Council of the Blind. I like to say that we meet people where they are on their technology journey and help them get to where they want to be. And we do that in many ways. And you can find out more about BITS and how we do that by visiting our website, which is bits-acb.org. And we also have an email address that you can get in touch with the Ask BITS team, which is ask-acb.org. And so those are two ways to get a hold of us. And I will mention a third. And so this call today, we are taking your tech questions and answering them in the best way we can. If the best way that we can answer them is in a more one-on-one setting, we may invite you to join us in a Bits Chat. They take place usually on Fridays and Saturdays in the evening, starting at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. And you can always email ask at bits-acb.org to get the information for how to join those if you do not already have that by being on the list where it is sent out. All right. I think this is all of the introductory material that I had, the last of which, though, is a question of the day. And so that question today is, what is one goal in 2026 that you have that you will be using technology to help you accomplish? And if that is learning some aspect of technology, that also counts. So for me, that will be traveling. There’s some upcoming travel that I will be doing and I will be using technology and already have used technology and certain aspects of planning the travel to help me just augment my experience in traveling. So I will pass it. So I’m with me today. We have Darcy as well as Marcy. So I will pass it to Darcy first. Darcy, how are you?
Speaker 2
I’m really, really good, Liz. and to answer the question, I have a sort of thing I want to learn this year. I really want to get a better grip on AI. I feel like I’m the last person to kind of get on the AI bandwagon and I feel like I keep getting further and further behind there. So I want to really kind of get a better understanding of AI and all that kind of thing.
Speaker 1
I can assure you that you are not the last person on that bandwagon. so there are there are many people i’m sure who are in that boat as well so you are in good company thank you darcy marcy how are you what is your goal in 2026 that you will have technology help
Speaker 3
you accomplish ray touched a little bit on the goal that i really wanted to do he talked about streaming for acb media so i say that i would like to get a little bit more familiar with my mac because I purchased it. I took a class and learned a lot of wonderful things about it, but I really need to get better and more familiar with it. So my Mac is something I’d like to get familiar with so that I can finally stream for ACB Media.
Speaker 1
Awesome. Well, thank you to all of you for answering the question of the day. We will now open it up to the audience. Ray.
Speaker 4
Doc, you daily. Go ahead, Doc.
Speaker 5
Well, to answer the question, I will be involved in Bible study using technology to get the information that I want and need. My question…
Speaker 1
Did you have a question for us?
Speaker 5
Yes, I do. Okay. On Windows and JAWS, how do I change how my name appears in Zoom?
Speaker 1
You would navigate in your Zoom. Are you signed into a Zoom account?
Speaker 5
Well, you know, I don’t know how to answer that.
Speaker 1
Okay, because that would be the first step. Because there’s a way, if you are signed into your Zoom account, to change it. There is a different way.
Speaker 5
Oh, yes, I am because I went to sign in again. They said I’m already signed in.
Speaker 1
Okay. It is in the settings. I, right this second, I’m blanking on the exact path within settings, but it has to do with changing your display name. That is actually something if, and I know you sometimes will come into chat. If you would come into a chat, I would actually be willing to help you myself with that, if that’s something that you, rather than struggle to answer your question right now
Speaker 3
and most likely get it wrong.
Speaker 1
I would as well, Doc.
Speaker 3
I know I see you a lot in chat, and I would as well be happy to help you change that.
Speaker 5
Okay. Thank you very much.
Speaker 1
But it can be done. Please know that. It definitely can be done.
Speaker 5
Yes, I know it can be done.
Speaker 1
Yes.
Speaker 5
Thank you, Doc. BVA did that, but the only skimmy did it for the Mac. They didn’t do it for Windows.
Speaker 3
We can fix you right up. We sure can. So David, what is your question, please?
Speaker 4
And Michael Babcock, you’re on deck.
Speaker 3
Thank you, Ray.
Speaker 6
I think for me, what I want to try to wrap my brain around the advanced stuff is JavaScript. I’m already learning working with JavaScript in the bits class I’m looking forward to that so that’s that and yes Doc glad to help you and sometimes we’re struggling with the answer because Zoom changes so often
Speaker 3
thank you David
Speaker 6
I don’t have a question
Speaker 3
Michael
Speaker 4
Raheel is next after Michael
Speaker 7
hello guys speaking of changes i noticed on webinar raised hand is now under more so if you’re not finding it you on mobile you may need to look under more just as a quick tip my technology thing that i want to or my goal that i want to use technology for is capturing a lot of analytics but streamlining that so how many people attend a zoom meeting the zoom webpage changes so much that I want to programmatically be able to go through and pull stats for zoom meetings and bring those all into one place so they’re easily digestible and I want to use cloud code to put that together it’s a tool that I have heard a lot about but have not played with so I’m excited to to meet that goal so thank you and no question today
Speaker 1
Awesome. Have fun. Raheel, please.
Speaker 8
Okay. My goal is to be learning, like getting more familiar with my Mac with the newest update with the Mac that I got in 2023. It’s the MacBook Air 2022. And I want to get more familiar with that. Janet, please.
Speaker 9
Hello. My technology is I want to use, I want to, I’m going to do some traveling. So I want to use some, learn how I want to navigate the Southwest Airlines app and stuff like that and learn more about my Braille sense. But my question is, has anybody heard of the app called Signal? Signal is like Telegram, pretty much.
Speaker 1
Yes, it is a social media app. I’ve not, or messaging app, I think is more appropriate. I’ve not actually used it, but I am aware that it’s supposed to be more secure.
Speaker 9
Yeah, that’s what I’ve heard. Yep.
Speaker 10
all right thank you sure thank you angel my answer is going to be actually a sunset moment that doesn’t have to wait for tomorrow on my call to be shared so i want to share this with you now that last sunday you missed my call that marty d broke the news that that in a few days i’m going to get a computer from computers for the blind so my goal is that’s right that’s right and uh and my goal is to learn how to use it because i don’t know the basics i know the basics of computer i only used it at lavelle school with a blind many years ago but i just need to learn a little bit more than that so i only know how to use talking type i know how to use matchbox and that’s basically it I don’t know how to log into the internet. You’re a step ahead of where you would be.
Speaker 1
So I’m excited for you.
Speaker 10
Yeah, but for me, it’s going to be the next step. I want to learn how to use email, how to navigate Zoom on there. And so my question is, how should I be able to get started? What should I do when I get the computer from Computers for the Blind? And also, my sister’s going to get an extension code or a PowerScript so she can plug it up and set it up.
Speaker 1
Well, I’m sure that the Computers for the Blind will be able to help you with any questions you may have. The one thing I will say, Angel, is the first step to doing anything on the computer, especially as a screen reader user, is to have a very strong foundational knowledge of the keyboard.
Speaker 10
Yes. Okay. I’m still learning. I basically really have to start with the basics. So you might have to show me. You might have to start with the basics. before I even get to all the email I’m not going to do it all it’s not going to be an overnight thing and my other question is
Speaker 1
let me stop you for a second Angel that right there you’re saying out loud that it’s not an overnight thing and letting yourself be willing to go back to basics that is the exact attitude that you should have that will set you up for success all the way around Karen
Speaker 11
hello 26 technology wise uh get that da2 learn it super well i actually i don’t even know how i did it got the wi-fi hooked up i found that but i need to work on that and my humanware e-reader i still uh i still need to work on that a lot and my brand new apple iphone voiceover i need i’m i’ve got a lot of technology to learn this year but I am inspired and I will do it I will get it learned
Speaker 3
they want to invite you to the braille calls that take place on the community at 6 p.m eastern on Sundays and Tuesdays they can send you to a breakout room with someone who has the e-reader of yours and they can teach you one-on-one with the simple basics with the getting started all the way to you know everything that you need to know about that e-reader yeah i forget
Speaker 11
i’ve been on it one time and they helped me um get the wi-fi on it okay so i can get wi-fi on
Speaker 3
anything but i can’t do anything and i i hear i hear people are telling me that they’re going to do some calls for the community on the da2 player so yeah i know there’s a video and stuff but i uh
Speaker 11
And I met the person from the NLS and that’s how I got my DA too. I said, I really want one. She showed it all to me, but her fingers were going so fast. And I’m going to learn it because I want to download some books.
Speaker 3
Absolutely. It’s my favorite thing. I take it everywhere with me. I’m always reading books. I love it a lot.
Speaker 11
Yeah. Well, I am. I am on learning. Now I’m learning the punctuations, basic punctuations. I’m still on 101 Braille basic Braille not uncontracted
Speaker 3
thank you for sharing your goals please come to those Braille calls to learn more about that e-reader and look forward to those community calls that are going to take place about the DA2
Speaker 11
okay great thank you
Speaker 3
my pleasure Allison hello hello one of my goals
Speaker 12
is to learn more about the FS companions I know what the keystrokes but I don’t exactly know how it works. And that is my goal for today, and thank you for letting me share. And I love my DA2 player. I have about 137 books on my bookshelf, and I don’t know how many books I got on my wish list, but I really love it.
Speaker 1
Well, thank you, Allison, and good luck with your goal. Omar. Hello, Omar.
Speaker 13
Hello. Can you hear me? How are you? Yes. I am well and blessed. I am your question. I am very excited for tomorrow morning because I’ll be going to a showroom to see assistant technology, especially for me because I can see a little bit. I have some little bit sight. I want to go check out the CCTV magnifiers. So looking forward to that. I’m excited.
Speaker 1
That’s exciting.
Speaker 13
Yeah, definitely. I’m excited for you.
Speaker 1
Definitely.
Speaker 13
Yes. My question is, I don’t know, maybe a little bit silly. I’m not sure. I don’t have a computer yet. Maybe in the future I’ll get one. But for now, I have my iPhones. I have two iPhones. So I like to use a Dropbox most of the time. And I like to sometimes put music there. And how do you put, like, as a playlist? I know you can put a folder full of all the tracks, but then how do you make them play automatically one by one? Because when I enter a track, it just plays that track, and then it doesn’t continue to the next track. I don’t know.
Speaker 3
Do you want to learn to create a playlist on your phone?
Speaker 13
Yeah, on Dropbox, I was wondering.
Speaker 3
What’s your media player of choice? What media player are you using to play?
Speaker 13
On Dropbox. On the app.
Speaker 3
On the iPhone.
Speaker 13
Is that possible? I don’t know. Because every time I play a trap…
Speaker 3
Let me research that because I know what you’re talking about. I know that playlists can be created to be played on different media players. but I don’t know about the Dropbox app
Speaker 2
I don’t know you can make a playlist for the Dropbox app I don’t know the mini player there is very basic right like it just
Speaker 13
yeah because can files play one another like dominoes you know or because I can just see now the track only plays one track you know and then you have to exit and then go to another track you know to another file
Speaker 2
I think you’re going to have to find another app that plays, that maybe connects with Dropbox. Like, VLC might. VLC on the phone might do that. I don’t, I haven’t used that extensively. But it wouldn’t surprise me if it would. But as far as the Dropbox app itself, I don’t think that’s something that it will do. But certainly if someone in the audience knows a way to achieve that with the Dropbox app, we’d love to hear.
Speaker 1
Thank you.
Speaker 2
Sincerely appreciate it.
Speaker 1
Very, very brief research that I did It says that there is no native way to do that, but you can connect it with third party apps. It mentions an app I’m not familiar with, but so it can be done. You just need to explore other options and third party apps.
Speaker 13
Thank you. Sincerely appreciate you. God bless you all. Thank you. Great hearing from you all. We’ll catch up in the chat. Peace. Bye bye.
Speaker 14
We do have somebody from clubhouse if you want to take them before we go.
Speaker 1
Sure. We’ll take them now. Thank you, Holly.
Speaker 14
Hi everyone.
Speaker 15
My name is Becky and my goal for 2026 is to continue my self-learning voiceover. I’m trying to conquer TikTok, which is quite a different app for me. And I want to start trying to make some type of content there to help me get out of my isolation. But my question is, how do I join ACB and the Zoom meetings over there with you guys?
Speaker 1
Are you specifically asking about the BITS chats on Friday and Saturday nights?
Speaker 15
um yeah or just like all the different zoom meetings the acb has are you talking about
Speaker 3
the community acb community yeah yeah because this is the first time i’ve heard you and i’m so glad
Speaker 2
you’re here yeah absolutely definitely welcome to community there’s a lot of great calls um every day and all you have to do to join is send a message to community at acb.org and just let them know who you are and that you want to be added to the mailing list for community. And every day, like usually it comes out at nighttime, you’ll get a list of all the things that will happen for the next day’s events. And they’re all on Zoom. A few of them are in Clubhouse, as you know. But there’s a lot of great, like I would, yeah, can’t recommend it enough. There’s probably, and just about anything you’re interested in, there’s probably a call for it. So just send them an email and they will be happy to sign you up.
Speaker 3
So just one more question for you, Becky. Are you learning voiceover on iOS or voiceover for the Mac?
Speaker 15
Right now, I’m just learning it on the iOS.
Speaker 3
Excellent. So please, yes, send that email to community at acb.org. And then if you want to learn how to join the Bits Chat, send another email to ask at bits-acb.org.
Speaker 15
Okay, thank you so much for the information.
Speaker 3
Thank you for being here. And much success in your goal in learning the voiceover.
Speaker 1
Indeed.
Speaker 16
Carla, how can we help? So my three goals for the year are, one, when my new computer comes to transition into Windows 11, get everything moved over, learn how to use it. Number two, my goal is I have to come up with a new GPS option because HumanWare is going to stop supporting the track and, you know, some of the GPS things that I’m doing are not working very well. And number three, and this is one that I really am going to ask my specific question on today, is I need to, I need to, for my business, for once and for all, come up with a method and master digital recording and sharing digital files and audio recordings. I’ve been struggling and struggling and struggling with it. So those are my goals. And to that end, unfortunately, yesterday I was in the hospital. was, you know, getting in the blood lab and I missed the, you know, Desiree’s call and it was on what I really wanted. But can somebody here give me some guidance? I’m thinking that at this stage of the game, I should probably get a digital recorder that you hook up to the computer. And we’ve talked a little bit, I’ve talked to you folks about, you know, the Zoom recorders that there and then this pod tracks P4 is that sort of the best of all worlds would that serve my needs the most and how do you spell it and where do you get it and so that’s what I would like to know I want to do some editing and some production and you know and things like that so so those are that’s my question and my goals
Speaker 3
so Carla are you going to do editing for just voice work or are you going to work with music and multi-tracks? No, there’s going to be music,
Speaker 16
multi-tracks and sound effects because I’m putting out educational material and I want to be able to
Speaker 3
do it professionally. Okay, because I was going to recommend APH’s studio recorder because that’s a really good way to learn to edit and to work with files. But I think that that’s just for voice. I don’t know if it’s for music. I just purchased a copy of Reaper and Gold Wave, and those are two that I’d like to learn more about. The PodTrack P4 is also a good solution, just as you were talking about. The Zoom recorders also. It’s just depending on what you’re willing to learn.
Speaker 16
So is the P4, it’s the newest one. It’s the P4 Next.
Speaker 3
It’s called the P4 Next.
Speaker 16
Next, okay. And it’s P-O-D-T-R-A-C-K-S or TRACK. Hold on. Let me grab that for you. Okay. And is it available from, you know, the same place where you get the Zoom from Zoom? You know, like the.
Speaker 2
I would assume any place that sells the Zoom recorders would have it. Like you could probably get it on Amazon.
Speaker 16
I want to go through the company because they give you phone support and, you know. I want somebody that’s going to give me some support if I do that. And is it sort of a compendium or a compilation of the Zoom recorders? I mean, would it give me the ability to maybe mix and to record? I mean, what would be the…
Speaker 2
It does have multiple microphone inputs. It does have different types of inputs that you can use. Honestly, I don’t know. See, it really depends on the kind of work you want to do. Like, I would almost think you’d be better off to just, at least to start with, just get like a USB microphone, plug it into your computer, or just use whatever you’re using now. Like, what are you talking to us on now?
Speaker 16
Well, okay, so I’m just talking on the computer’s microphone and to Zoom, okay? But that’s not allowing me to actually master the recordings and edit and do what I need to do to produce the educational materials and things like that. And I used to do it in analog, and analog was so much easier for me. I’ve experimented with a lot of different things that haven’t worked out for me. And I’m thinking that maybe a hardware solution with actual buttons and things might work better for me. but I don’t know.
Speaker 1
You could also try just doing a Zoom meeting, and if you want to share sound from your computer, do a screen share and record that and start with that. And if that doesn’t work, maybe start with the tools that you have. If they don’t work, then figure out something else. But you may have something already that will work for you, but you won’t know until you try. Exactly. If that makes sense.
Speaker 16
But the pod track is…
Speaker 3
And it is P-O-D-T-R-A-C-K and then P4 next.
Speaker 16
Okay, so P4 next. Okay. Yeah, okay. But I’ve done what I’ve, I think I’ve used up Zoom as far as what I can do, but I’m not sure about that. If I just get the audio that I, and I would like something with an effects box, you know, because my production studio or some way that I could hook my effects box up to it, you know, that I have in the production studio for analog. but okay well i’ll you know i’ll just have to look um is there any specs that you know of on the p
Speaker 3
the pod track or um you know i think it’s the only model of its kind um but i would i would do as said work with zoom because i can bring my screen reader into zoom so music and different things can
Speaker 1
be can be put into the recording okay all righty another one last thought i have as well if you just kind of want to get some more informational information that came out weird oh well uh you could call a company like sweetwater uh which is a music and gear company and they sell a lot of the recorders as well and you could ask that you could talk to someone there and explain your situation and ask them what they might recommend. And that’s where I purchased my P4 Next.
Speaker 16
Is that the one that gives you all the support and everything for the Zoom quarters? Yes. Yes. Oh, okay. So I should call, you know, I guess nobody has a number for that. I know I’m putting you on the spot, but…
Speaker 1
Not off the top of my head. Okay. All right. I’ll look forward. But however, if you write to ask at bits-acp.org, we can get that for you.
Speaker 16
Okay. I’ll look in my notes, too. But thank you so much, and keep up the good work. Thank you. Good luck.
Speaker 17
Okay, Tom. Well, my goals are to improve all the technology, but the most recent thing, about a week ago, I got the e-reader from NLS. So I’ll be looking at Sunday and Tuesdays. But a question I have is, with BART and the new Google addresses we’re given, is it possible to send mail to that Google address?
Speaker 3
Tom, did you mean with BITS and the new email addresses you’re given?
Speaker 17
Yes, that’s correct. I’m sorry.
Speaker 3
I was just like, wait, what are you talking about, BART and new email? Okay. BITS, yes, you can send email to those addresses, and you can send email from those addresses.
Speaker 17
oh really okay and it’s the short it’s the shortened one it’s not the one that ends in
Speaker 3
google it shows up on the right it’s the one at bits users.org yeah okay i’ll try it i’ll try it again so okay if you need any help please come join us in chat because we have specific breakout
Speaker 17
rooms for bits users okay email address well i’d like to ask one more question sure on zoom how can I get either the phone louder or Zoom softer? Because it’s almost impossible to listen to the screen when things are, you know, to find more, to find, join, you know. Is there any way that anybody knows about to equalize those volumes?
Speaker 2
One thing you can do is you can turn on – you’re talking about on your iPhone, and you’re talking about not being able to hear voiceover, correct? Correct. Okay. You can turn on the audio ducking where the voice and the sound – Okay, yeah. I’ve done that. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 17
The audio ducking will work with that.
Speaker 2
Okay, great. It didn’t used to, but it will now apparently. Oh, great. Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah, you definitely want to have that on with Zoom because you’re right. When Zoom is talking, it’s really difficult to hear voiceover. But if you turn that on. Outstanding.
Speaker 17
Thank you so much. That’ll brighten my day. I’m glad we could help. Thank you. Bye-bye.
Speaker 3
Thanks, Tom. David, please.
Speaker 6
For Carla or anybody else, I recommend in Zoom using the multi-track recording function. So if you do a screen share, it’ll put your screen share as well as you and every participant on a separate track. And you can go and manipulate that in an editor of choice. I do agree. I do like Gold Wave. I want to learn more Reaper. That’s another, I guess, one of my goals. And Studio Recorder. And Studio Recorder will work for music or voice. It just has tools more geared for voice, like when you’re editing different. You know, its functions are more geared for voice, but there’s no reason it wouldn’t work with music.
Speaker 4
Okay. Eric, you’re next, and Scott, you’ll be after Eric.
Speaker 1
Hello, Eric. How can we help Eric? Do you have an answer to the question or both?
Speaker 18
Oh, Marcy. Yesterday we were talking about putting the configuration into the e-reader for Barb. You didn’t tell me how to do it.
Speaker 3
Okay, get with me and chat and I will.
Speaker 18
Oh, in the biz. Okay. I forgot that’s tonight too. And to answer Carla’s question, yeah, I would start with what you have first and then progress from there. as far as recording. Because I have an Olympus. I’m not sure if they even make those anymore, do they?
Speaker 3
I’m sure Olympus is making some model of recorder. They’re a recorder company.
Speaker 2
You don’t really hear about them as much as you used to, but I’m sure there’s… No, you don’t. I mean, and as long as the way you have still works. You’re right.
Speaker 18
And of course, you know, I recommend of course my Mac guy, so you know Amadeus Pro is that still a thing? It is. It’s what I use all the time. Oh yeah. But you know, yeah, I would start with what you have and if that doesn’t work, just progress from there and see what you can get out of it. Yeah, and to answer this Tom question, yeah, the audio ducking does work on voiceover with the phone and the Zoom. So it does work. So I will highlight you later and have a good one.
Speaker 3
Thank you, Eric. You too.
Speaker 18
You too, Marcia.
Speaker 3
Scott, please.
Speaker 4
And after Scott, we will have Jean.
Speaker 3
Thank you, Ray.
Speaker 19
All right. To kind of expand on Carla’s question a little more, Sweetwater might, I’m thinking that Sweetwater might be the best way to go because they can send her any, she can add, you know, order a bundle of any, any, because it doesn’t, the P4 Next, if I understand it right, does not come with any kind of microphone included or built in. And you’re going to need at least one XLR microphone, which is a certain type of plug, a jack and so forth. So they could probably, I’m sure they could help her, assist her with a bundle, which would include a P4 Next and any additional microphones, cables, adapters, and what have you, I would think.
Speaker 1
Absolutely, Scott. Thank you for mentioning that.
Speaker 19
All right. That’s pretty much what I’m at.
Speaker 1
Do you have a goal for 2026 that technology will help you accomplish?
Speaker 19
I’ve been thinking. I can’t really come up with anything in particular at the moment, but I would say my goal is to continue to use Braille in the most high-tech way possible. So I do have a Mantis. And then I also, of course, have low-tech, one of those index card slates with a stylus, of course, and some index cards I often get from Walmart. They seem to work pretty well.
Speaker 1
Awesome. And both tools definitely serve a purpose.
Speaker 19
Yep.
Speaker 1
Thank you, Scott.
Speaker 19
Thanks.
Speaker 4
Okay. Gene. And after Gene, we will have Sabiha.
Speaker 20
Okay. I just wanted to say that last weekend, over the weekend, I successfully had mixed something with Gold Wave. I had this file that my half-brother and I did back in 1991. It was a radio show that we wanted to put together, and we had to do it all on a tape back then. And I separated him from the music. He had this album, and he wanted to pretend like everybody wanted to hear every single song off the album. But what I wanted to do with it was take it and mix it in, mix him into the introduction so that it would sound like he was talking over it and then moving out of the way just in time for everybody, you know, for him to start singing. And I just wanted to know, I successfully did that with Gold Wave. And it was really weird because I felt like the only way I could get it lined up was to reverse his file and the file with the music on it because I wanted it. He was going to have to be talking a little bit before the music started. And that seemed to work really well, but it was really trippy because then I was able to play it forward and stop the music where I wanted to and then do a paced mix and move. And what it did was I set my start marker where I wanted the music, where I wanted him to finish talking because everything’s backwards. And then I did a paced mix and was able to successfully get what I wanted out of it. So I just wanted to let everybody know that.
Speaker 3
excellent i’m so happy that you did that that’s great thank you for sharing yeah it was so
Speaker 20
i’ll tell you there was i went through a lot of frustration but i finally got it figured out
Speaker 3
so you’re ready to teach a gold wave class right yeah i actually um i got a i did find a very old
Speaker 20
tutorial and it showed me how to, you know, select and how to handle the problem. Because once you delete your selection, you have to adjust the start or finish marker a little bit. And then you have to start playing the file and then you can do a select all. And then that lets you go on and be able to listen to the rest of it without having to start over from the beginning.
Speaker 3
I’m so happy for you because I know that you brought that up on a call that was about technology.
Speaker 20
Yeah.
Speaker 1
In that you had a finished product that I hope you are proud of, am I correct to say that the frustration was worth it?
Speaker 20
Yeah. Oh, I know. Yeah, it was because in the end I got what I wanted.
Speaker 1
Fantastic. Thank you for sharing. Yeah. Did you have a question for us?
Speaker 20
Well, I did wonder something. If anybody else has had this issue, I must have turned, I know that iOS 26 has a feature where you can filter out unknown callers, you know, like a screener thing, you know, like where it’ll say, please state your name and all that stuff. And it seems like that when people call me that are unknown, that are not in my contacts, the phone will ring and the screen will freeze, even though it’s supposed to be able to let you navigate. And I can’t give voiceover. Siri, I think, is the one that announces the calls if you have it set to do that. And nothing will happen. And, you know, I’ll mess with it and I’ll have to kind of unlock the phone and then and then and I still can’t get the screen to do anything. And then I’ll try it. So I’ll just do a magic tap. And when I do that, it just practically sends it to voicemail. It doesn’t even let me answer it. And I didn’t know if anybody had experienced anything like that before or not.
Speaker 1
I have not experienced anything like that. However, my first question to you is when is the last time that you restarted your phone?
Speaker 20
um maybe maybe uh i think it was either yesterday or the day before but it seems like even then it still keeps doing it you know whenever somebody unknown calls i have not experienced that and it’s
Speaker 14
only with unknown calls yeah i have experienced it and i don’t know how to fix it but i have
Speaker 20
experienced it. I mean, you know, I went into, cause you know, by default, it likes to use the FaceTime audio to, to, to do the, you know, to, to handle the calls now. And, and there was a thing in there to filter unknown calls. I turned that off, but I don’t know what else there could be unless it’s hiding somewhere in the phone app itself. But, you know, it, it, it would seem like you wouldn’t even be concerning yourself with the phone app anymore. If it wants to default to FaceTime for handling cellular and all the calls.
Speaker 1
It might be something that Apple might want to know about in the hopes that if it’s not just you, which it seems like it’s not, it’s an issue that they may want to address.
Speaker 20
I would think so. I mean, that couldn’t be more annoying because like, you know, Courtney called me yesterday about my call and I had to call her back because it went right to voicemail and I tried to answer it. So that’s not good.
Speaker 1
Well, I would definitely report it to Apple Accessibility.
Speaker 20
Okay, I will.
Speaker 1
Off the top of my head, have that number. I should, but I don’t.
Speaker 20
Well, I’ve got it in my phone, so I’m good.
Speaker 1
Oh, fantastic.
Speaker 20
Yeah. All right. Well, thank you, Gene. Thanks a lot.
Speaker 3
All right. Tabiha.
Speaker 21
Okay, so first question. You were talking about ducking on the iPhone. Where’s that option for audio ducking?
Speaker 2
or voiceover and uh if if you go into your settings and then go into like you know accessibility and voiceover and stuff like that i think it’s under audio um but you can also where i find it useful is you can put it on your rotor um and if you add it to your rotor then you can turn it off and on kind of as you need it because i find i find i don’t need i don’t want ducking on most of the time but when I do want it on you know I want to be able to turn it on so I was
Speaker 21
on zoom settings but okay no no it’s a voiceover thing you can do it so if there’s other apps you
Speaker 2
use where you need like that make a lot of noise and you need them to duck down so you can your
Speaker 21
voiceover all right other than that I guess I am facing some difficulties with my computer I I somehow after I got the, what do I call it, the Fusion 2026, it’s been acting up, it’s been shutting down, and it’s crashing. And even the computer kept shutting down. But anyway, I switched to 2025. And even then, yesterday, I think Fusion just closed out. And then I, you know, start narrating or whatnot. So I called Microsoft and Freedom Scientific several times. I think Microsoft suggested that maybe I need a new computer anyway. I’m going to just observe it one or two more days. But anyway, the computer is old. A Dell, LAT, something, something. And they might do the firmware and hardware might all be not supporting. So I think I’m reaching out to computers for the blind, have to do the application, whatnot. And hopefully you can get all the things transferred over, like something. So, yeah, that could be a day’s work. Other than that, let me see what my goals are. There’s quite a bit I’m picking up from this call. Like, oh, there’s just so much. And it’d be nicer to take advantage of things one by one. Yeah, learning, continue to learn Braille. The e-reader is something that would really help speed things up. And now with the, I think there is just, what do you call it? Now you can write with it too. That’s what I’m excited about, right? Connecting a computer and whatnot. Have you, has anyone tried that?
Speaker 3
I haven’t tried connecting it to my phone or to my computer as I use it mostly for what it was designed for for me, is to read Braille books. But yes, I do see steps in the manual to connect it to a computer and to a phone. I have the Zoomaxi reader. I’m not sure which one you have.
Speaker 21
I have the HumanWare.
Speaker 3
The HumanWare one. Okay. Yeah. But I do see manual instructions that you can connect it to a phone and to a computer. So, I mean, I’m excited for you. And, you know, to see that happen would be great.
Speaker 21
Yeah. And then anytime I try to download something, audio, whatnot, say a book on Bookshare, whatnot, And then it will give me a list of all the native apps and then I’ll try one or the other and somehow still don’t work. So I think I need to work maybe in chat with somebody to see what works and what doesn’t. You can tell I did a lot of work I need to do.
Speaker 3
Yeah, I definitely have a lot of Braille calls because there they will definitely pair you up with somebody who has a humanware e-reader. I’ve been paired up with many people who have ZoomX e-readers and have worked with them through it.
Speaker 21
All right. All right, and more in chat.
Speaker 3
You can very likely find somebody who has one as well who can go into a breakout room with you. Okay, all right. Thank you, Marcy. My pleasure.
Speaker 4
All right. And it’s 55.
Speaker 3
You said DJ was next. How many hands do we have?
Speaker 4
This is, he’s the last hand. DJ’s the last hand. And it’s 55 after the hour. Perfect.
Speaker 22
Good morning. And thank you for taking my call, Marcy. I’m going to get with Steve on Monday after I do my call. My quick question is concerning doing three-way merging on my iPhone. Now, back in the day, just before this 26 was instituted, as I downloaded and installed, it was pretty easy getting to it, but it’s been hitting this with me more miss than anything. I’m wondering what steps do I need to take to do a three-way merge call And then as far as my goals are concerned, my goals are ultimately retooling myself with JAWS through the help of Computers for the Blind. And ultimately, I want to learn to do my own podcast and perhaps do some recording and production down the road. My first concern is about this three-way merger call.
Speaker 1
As far as making a three-way call on your phone, unless it’s changed, the steps are something like when you’re on the phone call and you want to add another call, you will first have to hide the keypad. There’s a button to hide the keypad. You will then be presented with other buttons on the screen, one of which should be add call, and you can then pick from your contacts, or I believe there might be a way to dial there from that screen as well. I can’t quite recall. But then there is a way to, once that call is connected, I believe there’s a way, there’s a button that will say merge calls. However, I could say it.
Speaker 22
Yeah, that’s the way it used to be, but now I see where it says add people. And I’m like, add people? Okay, so I pressed that, and then when I went to that, I saw where you can add the people, but when I go to that, and then what it would do is it would show me the keypad, and it has something on there also that says swap. And then when I do that, it ends up going back and forth between the two calls, but it doesn’t work.
Speaker 1
Feel free to either come into a chat, and perhaps someone would be willing to go into a breakout room and help, and or if you would like to email ask at bits-acb.org, someone could write back to you with the directions.
Speaker 22
Awesome. All right. Because it could very well have changed. you said that’s askacbbits or askbitsacb.org
Speaker 3
so it’s ask and then the at sign and then bits hyphen acb.org
Speaker 22
oh okay
Speaker 3
ask at bits hyphen acb.org
Speaker 1
or if it’s easier you could also write community at acb.org and ask to be put in touch with askbits and they can facilitate that alright thanks much Thank you. Have a great day.
Speaker 4
Likewise. That is your out of hands. And almost out of time.
Speaker 1
Indeed. Thank you, Ray. Thank you, Holly. Thank you, Darcy. Thank you, Marcy. Thank you to all of you who have joined us and make these calls what they are. It takes a village, as I say a lot, but I will continue to say it because that is very, very, very, very true. I hope that all of you have a good rest of your weekend doing whatever it is that you will be doing, maybe learning some of the things that you have mentioned on the call as your goals.
Speaker 23
And so I will close out and we are here as you need us. Watch your community schedule for the next Ask Bits. Thank you.