Parallel

Google I/O and Microsoft Build are in the rear view mirror, but what did each dev conferences have to tell us about accessibility? And which of their tent pole technologies are being used to power the next generation of fancy tach for people with a variety of disabilities? And also gaming!

I talked with two iOS developers who have a lot in common. They're independents who produce series of popular apps. And without really meaning to, they have each earned a reputation for thoughtful accessibility.

Each spring, all the accessibility tech nerds go to the CSUN Assistive Technology Conference in Southern California. At the end, a bunch of us do a wrap-up podcast for Blind Bargains, which covers the show from soup to nuts, Braille to navigation. I'm bringing you that show in hopes that it gives you some insight into how what's happening in accessible tech matches up with the wider world.

Last Monday, Apple announced Apple News +. And I'm breaking usual format to give you a first look and demo, complete with extra accessibility sprinkles.

Darcy Burnard, a friend and longtime podcast collaborator, talks with me about making podcasts accessibly. Which tools work, which ones don't, and which can be made to do our bidding?

Every tech-savvy person ends up helping some portion of her or his family get the printer working, software installed, or spam banished. I wanted to find out how others do it, so I talked to fellow family tech supporters, who have also done this work professionally.

Can you turn an iPad into your primary computer, and if you do that, is it the best choice you can make, or a stunt to talk about on podcasts? I pose these blunt questions to my iPad-dominant guests. And give you a bushel of links, too.

I wanted to celebrate the end of another year by bringing listeners a few gifts from past Parallel guests. And as it turned out, there's great stuff for users of iOS, Android, macOS and Windows. And games!

Which is more fun; a thorough-going discussion of home automation tech, or Allison and Mikah geeking out on any subject? Fortunately, it's not necessary that you make a choice.

Shortcuts, not just the Siri ones, have the potential to change the way people use iOS. I talk with a couple of shortcut-makers. The enthusiasm is infectious.

We gather to mourn the demise of the FilmStruck streaming service, a lifeline for cord-cutting fans of classic and art film, and a way to pass film history on to new generations. We also offer you an amazing array of links.

Smart speakers have very much been a part of this fall's tech product announcement season. On this episode, we kick the various speakers and virtual assistants around, and give some thought to their place in our lives.

"What this operating system needs is a real dark mode." Many have made that declarative statement at one time or another. But what is dark mode, or what should it be? How have the various mobile and desktop OS makers actually implemented the mainstream version – read much better version – of what users with visual disabilities have known for years as inverted colors?

I let the fall Apple event soak in for a couple of days before rounding up some folks to talk about it. Watches, phones, and new iOS features are all on the bill of fare. And Mikah and David share their Apple addictions.

When you make and sell software, a lot of the challenges of running a business have to do with managing projects and people, and finding effective ways to communicate with customers and potential customers. I'm talking to two CEOs who run small tech companies, and who, for my money, excel in communicating about what they're doing in honest, transparent ways.

The Parallel breaks format for a special episode with the man behind Mac automation at Apple, Sal Soghoian. It's one of those encore presentations, but well worth your time! For almost 20 years, Sal made sure automation was a part of the Mac, whether it meant advocating personally with Steve Jobs, or building tools like Automator that allow users to customize their machines, and make them do exact...

We're describing audio description with audio. How do movies or TV shows acquire audio description? Which streaming services are heroes, and which fall short? Who describes, and how does description work? And how can you find described content?

Personal computers have been around long enough that many of us have fond memories of a formative device, a technology, or an operating system. Some of us collect obsolete hardware; others recall the history because they were a part of making it.

Parallel is a tech podcast with accessibility sprinkles. It's new on Relay FM. Meet the show, meet the host, and find out what comes next.