Mystic Access Podcast

We begin this episode with a few event reminders. Coming up on Thursday, September 17 is our latest free virtual event, When Not to Rely on AI. If possible, AI is an even bigger hot-button topic than ever in the news cycle, and while we feel there are positives, this event focuses heavily on the negative aspects of AI and how it affects us, what it does poorly, and what it doesn’t do at all. We’ll share stories, examples, and open it up for your thoughts, too. Visit this link to register your free seat. If you can’t come live, please save the seats for those who can attend. The event will be recorded and put up on our free downloads site ASAP. We’re super excited to be offering an event on GPS the following week. Chris has finally agreed to put his 20+ years of GPS knowledge into an event that anyone can enjoy. Whether you’re scared of GPS, new to it, stressed by it, or just curious about it, this event will answer many questions, provide lots of vocabulary, and give you a better idea of how GPS works and what it can and cannot do for you. This is a two-session paid event; the second session will exclusively be Q&A from participants. We’ve kept it super affordable so almost anyone can learn with us. Learn more and register at this link. Chris introduces a great new site feature for existing customers; you can now tell when you’ve purchased an item right on the page. For those who are interested in our You’ve Got YouTubbe event, but missed it love, we’re happy to share that it’s now available to everyone as a product on the site, complete with even more audio content as well as a written resouce document. Check it out here. Finally, we discuss Patreon and take a quick tour of the iOS version of the app. The website is also very intuitive and simple to use. Purchasing a Patreon membership is a nice way to say a monetary “Thank you” to those creators who offer the service, and it’s easier to use Patreon than you may think. Thanks, as always, for listening! We’ll talk with you again at the end of September!

A Little Admin, a Near Kitchen Disaster, GPS, AI, and Getting Structured! In other words, there’s a lot going on in Mystic Access Land this time around! We’re sharing several important announcements, talking about a serious AI-related experience that nearly led to a kitchen nightmare, previewing upcoming events, and wrapping things up with a look at a handy app designed to help get your day—and your tasks—under control. Yes, it’s a bit of a smorgasbord. Grab a snack and settle in! A Heads-Up About Physical Media For years, Mystic Access has offered the option of purchasing audio documentation on physical media, including SD cards, USB flash drives, data CDs, and NLS cartridges at an additional cost. Recently, however, the cost of physical media has been climbing dramatically. Chris recently found an SD card selling for roughly double what he was accustomed to paying for the same size and class of card—and decided that price was simply too high. We don’t want to pass unreasonable prices along to you. Nothing is changing right now, but if prices continue to rise and we can no longer obtain SD cards and flash drives at reasonable prices, we may temporarily stop offering physical media until prices come back down. We know that isn’t ideal for those who find it inconvenient to transfer digital downloads to physical media themselves. However, we’d rather give you the option of purchasing the documentation digitally and getting assistance putting it on media you already own than charge you an outrageous amount for the media itself. We think that’s better for you—and better for your wallet. We’re sharing this now so there are no surprises, particularly as we get closer to the holiday season. An Update on You’ve Got YouTube Our recent You’ve Got YouTube event turned out to be even bigger than we originally planned! The sales copy estimated approximately two and a half hours of content. As it turns out, the event contains more than four hours of material. We even extended the event by an additional week so we could spend time answering participants’ questions. Registration for the live event is now closed, but we’re not finished with it yet. We’ll be adding even more content, including questions from the live attendees, and turning You’ve Got YouTube into a product that anyone can purchase. Interested? There’s currently a wait list on the event page. Sign up, and you’ll be among the first to know when the finished product becomes available! A New Free Download: Our Library Event Have you visited Mystic Access Downloads lately? Our June virtual event about local libraries and the services they offer is now available as a free download! We discuss the amazing resources your local library may have available, including services such as Libby and Hoopla, which can make it possible to enjoy ebooks, audiobooks, and other materials from the comfort of home. If you weren’t able to join us live—or simply want to revisit the discussion—be sure to check it out. And while you’re there, take some time to explore. There are hundreds of hours of free audio material waiting for you! When AI Nearly Caused a Kitchen Nightmare Now for a much more serious topic. We recently had an experience in which a faulty AI response nearly led to something going very wrong in the kitchen. AI can be useful. It can save time, provide ideas, and help answer questions. But it can also be wrong. Very wrong. We share what happened, what nearly went wrong, and why this experience was an important reminder that there are situations in which blindly trusting an AI response can have serious consequences. Free Event Coming Soon: When Not to Rely on AI Our kitchen experience leads directly into our next free virtual event, open to everyone. When Not to Rely on AI will explore some of the problems that can arise when AI gives incorrect, incomplete, or otherwise unreliable information. While AI can be a fantastic tool in some circumstances. In others, it can create more work—or potentially more serious problems. We’ll discuss questions such as: * When do you find AI genuinely useful? * When do you find yourself correcting it? * When have you had to clean up after an AI response? * When should you stop and look for another source of information, or just not use AI in the first place? We’ll also open the event up for plenty of group discussion. We don’t have an exact date yet, but we’ll announce it in our Events newsletter first and here on the podcast as soon as it’s scheduled. Look for it around the time of our next podcast episode in mid-September! Kim Finally Twists Chris’s Arm: A GPS Event Is Coming! For months, Kim has been trying to convince Chris to teach a class covering the basics of GPS. And at long last… She’s mostly succeeded. We’re planning an affordable, two-session event covering GPS basics. This won’t be a highly technical class. Instead, we’ll focus on helping clear up some of the confusion surrounding GPS and navigation. Topics will include: * What GPS is. * How GPS works. * What GPS can do. * What GPS can’t do. * What you can reasonably expect from navigation technology. * And much more. Chris has spent years working with, testing, and being involved in the GPS and accessible navigation industry, so we thought it was time to put some of that experience to good use! There will also be plenty of time for questions and discussion. This event takes place beginning September 22, and the second session is September 29. You can learn more and register your seat right away by visiting this page. Getting Your Day Organized With Structured After all those announcements, perhaps you’re wondering how to keep track of everything you need to do without feeling overwhelmed. Chris recently found an app that may help! Structured is a planner available for both iOS and Android, designed to help you organize your tasks and events into a manageable schedule. Kim takes us on a tour of the iOS version, with a particular focus on the Timeline tab and the many things you can accomplish there. During the demonstration, we: * Set up an event. * Explore the Timeline. * Take a brief look at the Inbox. * Check out the AI tab. * Visit the Settings tab. We’re excited about this neat organizational tool and hope you’ll enjoy learning more about what it can do. Thanks for Listening! Whew! That’s a lot of announcements, events, technology, AI, GPS, and general Mystic Access business to pack into one episode! Thanks, as always, for listening—and for sticking with us even when we throw a whole bunch of admin information your way. We’ll be back with more fun midway through the month. Have a wonderful September, and we’ll talk to you soon!

New Updates, YouTube Fun, Talking Books & Lawn-Care Adventures! This episode is a bit of a smorgasbord—and we think you’ll find plenty to dig into! We kick things off with a reminder about You’ve Got YouTube, then celebrate a major update to the National Library Service’s digital Talking Book player. And because no episode is complete without a little everyday-life adventure, we wrap things up with some lawn-care talk and a few of Chris’s amusing stories. You’ve Got YouTube — It’s Not Too Late! Our two-part virtual event, You’ve Got YouTube, begins August 18, 2026, but there’s still time to sign up! If you happen to miss Session One, you can join us live for Session Two on August 25. Both sessions will be recorded, so you won’t miss out if your schedule doesn’t cooperate. We’ll visit some of what makes YouTube such a useful and surprisingly accessible resource—from navigating the platform and finding content to discovering channels, creators, and all sorts of things worth watching. And yes, we’re pretty excited about showing you just how much there is to explore! A Big Update for the NLS Digital Talking Book Player Next up, we’ve got some genuinely exciting news for fans of the National Library Service digital Talking Book player. The player can now do more than play books from BARD. With the update, you can also access: * Magazines and newspapers from NFB-NEWSLINE® * Content from Bookshare.org * A particularly exciting new feature for headphone users * And more! We take you through the new features in our demo and review several options so you can get a better sense of what’s possible. One quick audio note: we found that the volume on our players was sometimes a little softer than we’d prefer. We did our best to compensate during post-production, and we hope our explanations and descriptions help if some portions of the demo are difficult to hear. Sorry about that! Lawn Care: The Great Seasonal Cleanup Finally, we’re turning our attention outdoors. Depending on where you are, you’re either heading toward fall or spring, which means lawn cleanup may be moving up your to-do list. We talk about our own experiences finding lawn-maintenance services, what we’ve learned along the way, and some of the things to consider when deciding what kind of help is right for you. And, naturally, Chris has a few stories to tell. Because somehow with us even lawn care can become an adventure. Whether you’re looking for occasional cleanup, regular maintenance, or simply trying to figure out what services are available, we hope our experiences give you some useful ideas. Thanks, as always, for listening! We’ll talk to you in September!

Today’s episode begins… well, we’ll let you figure out the surprise about that beginning. It leads us into a discussion of AI, how it both hurts and helps, and a few cool things we as blind and low vision folks do with it that others may never consider. Kim also discusses why, particularly as a musician, she is torn about using AI for music. Chris also shares a cool experience he just had using AI in a weather app. The majority of our episode takes place with a guest in our magic castle. Rachel Ramos, Blind Product Specialist at HumanWare, joins us to talk about the BrailleNote Evolve. How is it similar to previous BrailleNote models? What features make it new and different? We have a well-rounded and lively discussion that we think you’ll find interesting and entertaining. And Chris and Kim also have a big announcement to share about halfway through. To learn more about the BrailleNote Evolve, activate this link. There’s also a link on that page to get on the waiting list for the QWERTY version, which all three of us are super excited about. To reach the Evolve support documentation, visit this page. We’ll be back in two weeks after celebrating our fifth wedding anniversary. Where does the time go? Have a great start to your August, and we’ll talk soon! Thanks, as always, for listening!

YouTube, Tech Talk, Weather Apps & Little House? Yep…It’s One of *Those* Episodes! This week, we have a delightful smorgasbord of topics, so grab your favorite beverage and come hang out with us! You’ve Got YouTube! We’re kicking things off by telling you all about our upcoming two-part virtual event, You’ve Got YouTube! If you’ve ever wondered whether YouTube has anything to offer someone who is blind or has low vision, we think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Whether you’re looking for educational content, nostalgia, travel, technology, gardening, music, laughs, or just something relaxing to enjoy, YouTube has something for just about everyone. During Week One, we’ll cover the nuts and bolts: * Using YouTube on iPhone, Android, Windows PCs, Smart TVs, and more * Accounts, navigation, subscriptions, YouTube Premium, and other essentials Week Two is where the treasure hunt begins! We’ll show you how to: * Find great creators and channels * Search for exactly what you want * Interact with creators and videos * Discover even more content you’ll love We’ll also explain what this event **doesn’t** cover—we won’t be teaching you how to create YouTube videos or download and convert them. For all the details and to reserve your seat (at a fantastic price!), be sure to visit the event page. And don’t forget—our site-wide sale continues through the end of July, making this a great time to save! Screen Reader-First Apps & AI Coding Next, we dive into a fascinating conversation about screen reader-first app design and how accessibility can shine when it’s considered from the very beginning. We also chat about how AI is changing software development, helping developers build applications faster than ever before. Along the way, we discuss several interesting apps and projects, including: * QuickMail * Jeff Bishop’s Quill and Quill Radio * The upcoming QuillCast * Simulcast (still waiting in the wings and not yet publicly available) Smoky Skies & Staying Weather Aware Living in the Northeast lately has meant keeping one eye (and ear!) on the smoky skies. We talk about how we stay informed when the weather gets interesting and share some of our favorite weather resources, including: * Weather Gods * Carrot Weather * The Weather Channel * Weather Guardian, a newer app offering screen reader access to weather radar * Weatherology for audio forecasts * And, of course, our trusty voice assistants How do *you* keep up with the weather? We’d love to know! Little House…on Netflix! Finally, because why not? We wrap things up with a chat about Netflix’s new Little House on the Prairie series. We compare it with Laura Ingalls Wilder’s beloved books, revisit the classic 1974 television series, discuss the audio description, and share our thoughts on how this new adaptation measures up. Thanks for Listening! Listen Until the End! As always, thank you so much for spending some time with us. We have some funny bloopers at the end of this one, so stay tuned. And we’ll be back in early August with an episode featuring a little girl power in the castle! Stay tuned…we can’t wait to share it with you!

Did you notice a recent surprise bonus episode in your podcast feed? Before joining Mystic Access, Chris was part of Sendero Group, one of the pioneers in accessible GPS technology. That episode is a special retrospective that takes a walk down memory lane while catching up with several former Sendero team members to learn what they’re doing today. If you haven’t listened yet, be sure to give it a spin! In this episode, we’re making your kitchen smell like your favorite neighborhood bakery—with almost no effort! We introduce you to the Wildgrain subscription service, explain how it works, and share our own experiences after sampling a variety of its breads, cookies, and other baked treats. Spoiler alert: everything we’ve tried has been absolutely delicious! Kim also gives you an overview of the website and demonstrates what the experience is like once you’re signed in. Next, we explore Duck.ai, the AI chat service from DuckDuckGo. If you’ve been curious about trying different AI models without creating an account or giving up more personal information than necessary, this service may be worth a look. Kim first discovered Duck.ai after repeatedly seeing television commercials and decided to check it out on her iPhone using Safari before sharing a demonstration with everyone using Microsoft Edge on Windows. We’ll show you what the free experience is like and see how it performs in everyday use. Whether you’re in the mood for warm bread, new technology, or both, we hope you enjoy spending some time with us. As always, thanks so much for listening! We look forward to catching up with you again later in July. Happy Summer!

In this special bonus episode of the Mystic Access Podcast, we’re delighted to share a memorable piece of history from the “The People Make the Places — Mike May and Friends podcast.” With Mike’s generous permission, we’re featuring this episode here because Sendero Group played such a meaningful role in Chris’s life and in the evolution of accessible GPS for blind and low‑vision travelers. This presentationis a joyful stroll down memory lane, offering a glimpse into where we were twenty years ago and how far accessible navigation has come since those early days. Whether you lived this history alongside us or are discovering it for the first time, we hope you enjoy revisiting these moments as much as we did.

In this episode, return with us to the email simplicity of yesterday… or at least, a couple decades ago. Chris is demoing Quickmail, a public beta Windows program developed by Kelly Ford. It’s a screen reader first program, and there’s a lot we love about it. Here are a few things to know. • Multi-account — connect any number of IMAP/SMTP accounts simultaneously • Unified inbox — all mail from all accounts in one sorted view • Conversation view — threads grouped by subject with collapsible tree • Keyboard-first — full navigation, reply, forward, and delete. • Secure credentials — passwords stored in Windows Credential Manager, never in plain text To use it, you must have Windows 10/11 x64. Download your own copy by activating this link. You can find the user manual on this page. We’re excited to watch this program continue to develop, and we hope you find it interesting, too. We have a lot of goodies to share soon, so stay tuned for our next episode. Talk in July!

If you enjoyed our last episode, you’re in luck! This one continues the theme with more helpful tools, fun discoveries, and practical demos to make everyday life a little easier—and a lot more enjoyable. Don’t Forget Our Library Event! Before we dive into today’s topics, here’s a friendly reminder that we’re headed to the library—virtually, of course! Join us on Thursday, June 11 at 8:00 PM Eastern Time for a free community event all about making the most of your local library. We’ll discuss: How to find your local library How to get a library card How to access audiobooks, ebooks, magazines, and more Whether your library offers services like Libby and Hoopla How those services work Ways to take advantage of both in-person and online library offerings Bring your questions, experiences, and favorite library stories to share. We’d love to hear them! Activate this link to register your free seat. Can’t attend live? No worries, and no need to register. We’ll post a recording for everyone within about a week, so you won’t miss any of the fun. A Berry Helpful Kitchen Find For those who love practical products you can actually hold in your hands, Kim has a new favorite to share. This episode features a demonstration of a set of nestable fruit and vegetable storage containers with built-in colanders. Note that this is our affiliate link and we receive a small commission if you purchase using our link. Rinse your produce directly in the colander, place it in the container, seal it for freshness, and stack it neatly in the refrigerator. We’ve been especially impressed with how well they work for berries. Our blackberries stayed fresher much longer, making these containers an easy recommendation from us. We’ll explain why we love them, how we use them, and why they may earn a permanent spot in your fridge. Meet VAL, a Highly-Customizable Audio Clock Next, we explore the new VAL clock app for iOS. If you heard our discussion of Steve’s Clock in the previous episode, some of the sounds in VAL may seem familiar. That’s because you can import clock sounds directly from Steve’s Clock into VAL. Listen along as we: Sample several clock sounds Explore the app’s many customization options Demonstrate how it works Share our impressions of this brand-new app Since VAL is so new, we wanted to give it a little well-deserved attention and introduce it to listeners who enjoy accessible audio utilities. Add Sound to Your Browsing with Finch Finally, we return to the web to explore the Finch browser extension by Akash Kakkar. Available for both Chromium-based browsers and Gecko-based browsers like Firefox, Finch adds subtle, informative sounds to your browsing experience. These audio cues can make navigation feel more intuitive while providing useful feedback as you move around the web. In this segment, we: Demonstrate several of Finch’s built-in sounds Show you how to configure the extension Discuss how it enhances everyday browsing Share why we’ve both become fans Sometimes the smallest additions can make a surprisingly big difference, and Finch is a great example. Thanks for Listening As always, thank you for spending part of your day with us. We appreciate every listener who tunes in, shares an episode, or tells a friend about the podcast. We’ll catch you again later in June with more demos, discussions, and discoveries!

Welcome to today’s episode, featuring: Tabs, Time, and Techy Goodness! If you browse the web on a desktop or laptop, we’ve got tips, tools, and fun discoveries to make your online life smoother and more productive. But before we dive into demos, we have two exciting announcements for our community! Join Our Virtual Library Event — June 11 Did you know you can borrow books from your local library without ever leaving home? You absolutely can, and we’re going to show you how! Join us on Thursday, June 11 at 8:00 PM Eastern for a free virtual event all about discovering the amazing digital resources your local library offers. We’ll talk about: Researching your local library Accessing digital audiobooks and ebooks Supporting your library while expanding your reading options Learning about library programs, guest speakers, and events Reconnecting with the community during a fun virtual evening together We’ve missed gathering with everyone and look forward to connecting again after so many months away. Be sure to register your free spot! Meet the Our Special Magazine Team — June 3 Kim also shares news about a special event for readers of the Our Special magazine from National Braille Press! Join Kim, NBP editor Natalie, and several columnists on Wednesday, June 3 at 8:00 PM ET for a virtual conversation open to both current and former subscribers. During this hour-long event, you’ll: Learn more about the magazine Explore the women’s-interest topics it covers Hear about a brand-new feature added this year Share your feedback and ideas for the magazine’s future Meet the people behind the publication To attend, email editor at NBP dot org (replace with the @ sign and period and remove spaces), or check your inbox—and maybe your Spam folder too—for meeting details sent by Natalie last week. HelloTabs Demo—Tame Your Browser Chaos Next up, we explore a browser extension that may completely change how you manage tabs: HelloTabs. If your browser currently looks anything like Kim’s—dozens upon dozens of tabs open at once —this tool could become your new best friend. We demonstrate: Jumping instantly between tabs with keyboard shortcuts Smarter tab organization Customization and configuration options Better time management while working and browsing Faster navigation with less frustration You’ll even hear Kim flying effortlessly from tab to tab like a browser wizard. It’s available for Chromium-based browsers and Firefox alike. Steve’s Clock Returns! Speaking of time management, Chris introduces an old favorite: Steve’s Clock. This classic talking clock application for Windows may be old-school, but it still delivers plenty of charm and usefulness. In this demo, you’ll learn: How the talking clock works Ways to configure announcements and settings How it fits into a modern Windows workflow Why talking clocks are still surprisingly delightful Yes… it really was “a great time had by all.” we couldn’t resist the pun. Thanks for Listening! As always, thank you so much for spending your precious time with us. We appreciate every listen. We’ll see you in June!

Something exciting is brewing in the podcast world! We kick off this episode with a sneak peek at a brand-new podcast client for iOS that Chris has been beta testing. While we’re keeping the app under wraps for now, there’s already plenty to be excited about. We share some early impressions, favorite features, and why even longtime podcast app loyalists may want to keep this one on their radar. Better yet, the developer will be joining us in the magic castle when the app officially launches, so this is only the beginning. Then we head somewhere a little more classic… the library! Whether you love wandering the stacks in person or borrowing books while curled up in pajamas at home, today’s libraries offer far more than many people realize. We take a nostalgic trip through some of our library memories before talking about recently signing up for new library cards ourselves. After a quick house ad (they’re back, OG listeners), Kim gives a beginner-friendly overview of the Libby app and then walks through the basics of Hoopla, including how to sign up and start exploring what your library has available digitally. And if you’d like to dive deeper with us, we’re excited to announce our very first virtual event of 2026! Join Us Live — Thursday, June 11 at 8:00 PM ET. During this free virtual event, we’ll talk more about: * Getting and using library cards * The Libby and Hoopla services * Searching for and borrowing ebooks and audiobooks * Tips for getting started * Making the most of your local library resources We’ll also open things up so everyone can share favorite library services, reading discoveries, and tips of their own. If your talking book library doesn’t always have the titles you want—or you’re tired of long wait times—your local library might become your new favorite resource. Register for free by visiting the linked page above. As always, thanks for reading… we mean listening! We appreciate every single one of you.

Episode Overview This episode kicks off with a little bit of magic—literally—as we head to the “magic castle” for a fascinating conversation with a special guest from HumanWare. We’re joined by Mathieu Paquette to explore a device that’s been generating serious buzz: the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. Are these glasses just a flashy gadget, or do they offer real value for people with low or no vision? We dig into what makes them stand out, share some real-world stories, and highlight some very cool features. Whether you’re tech-curious or already intrigued, there’s a lot here to spark your imagination. And don’t blink—there’s a special announcement tucked into this segment about some exciting upcoming audio from us! Tiny Speaker, Big Sound Keeping the Bluetooth theme rolling, Kim takes the spotlight with a hands-on look at the Tribit Pocket Go speaker . Don’t let the size fool you—this little speaker packs a punch. You’ll get a full tour of the device, hear what makes it stand out, and of course, enjoy some audio samples so you can judge the sound quality for yourself. If you’re on the hunt for something portable without sacrificing performance, this might be your new favorite travel buddy. If you purchase from the above link, we may receive a small commission. In This Episode, You’ll Discover: What makes the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses unique—and who they’re really for Real-life use cases and standout features from our chat with HumanWare A special announcement you won’t want to miss A detailed demo of the Tribit Pocket Go speaker Why “small but mighty” is the perfect description for this compact device Final Thoughts From futuristic eyewear to pocket-sized audio powerhouses, this episode is all about tech that fits into your life—and maybe even enhances it in ways you didn’t expect. Thanks so much for spending some time with us. We’re glad you’re here.

This episode is truly out of this world—and not just metaphorically. We kick things off by diving into the excitement surrounding the recent Artemis II mission, NASA’s bold step toward returning humans to the Moon. We share our personal experiences following the mission, how we stayed connected to the action, and what it sparked in our imaginations. Along the way, we explore the question: what would it be like to be blind in space? — Stay Connected to Space If you’ve ever wanted to keep up with space exploration without needing to rely on visuals, we’ve got you covered. Here are some of our favorite resources: The NASA app –A fantastic way to follow missions, read updates, and explore space content NASA’s YouTube channel – Surprisingly engaging even without the visuals The podcast Houston We Have a Podcast The daily space bites from StarDate The ever-fascinating 365 Days of Astronomy We were genuinely surprised by how much we could enjoy and learn from these historic moments—no telescope required. — A New Chapter in Reading Next, Kim introduces a service she’s seriously excited about: Everand. This platform offers: * Ebooks * Audiobooks * Podcasts We walk through how the subscription works, what you can expect from the app, and why it might just become your next favorite reading companion. — Then vs. Now: Reading Through the Years We wrap up with a nostalgic (and eye-opening) look at how reading has evolved over the years—especially in terms of accessibility. From older devices to today’s on-demand digital libraries, it’s amazing to reflect on just how far things have come. — Final Thoughts Whether you’re gazing at the stars, diving into a new book, or reminiscing about the way things used to be, this episode is all about discovery—of the universe, and of the tools that help us explore it. Thanks so much for listening—we appreciate you more than words (or rocket launches) can say!

In this special episode, we’re doing something a little different… we’re telling a story—our story. But before we hop in the time machine, we’ve got an exciting announcement that longtime listeners (and newcomers!) won’t want to miss… — Special Announcement: A Classic Returns! We’re thrilled to share that the very first piece of audio documentation Chris and Kim ever created together—the Victor Stream 2 tutorial —is now completely free! This is the recording that helped put Mystic Access on the map back in 2015, and now you can experience a little piece of history (and maybe a few nostalgic smiles at how we sounded back then ). Still using a Stream 2? This tutorial remains an incredibly valuable resource to help you get the most out of your device. Head over to our Free Downloads site to grab the MP3 version (and don’t worry—a DAISY version is available there too!). — The Main Event: Our Origin Story April 1 marks the anniversary of Mystic Access, and we’re celebrating by going all the way back to the beginning. In this episode, we share: * How Mystic Access first came to life * The inspiration behind what we do * Why we’ve made the choices we have along the way * And how our journey has shaped the products we offer today Whether you’ve been with us since day one or just found us recently, you’ll come away with a deeper understanding of who we are—both as people and as professionals. — Thank You for Being Here Your support means everything to us, and we’re so grateful to have you as part of the Mystic Access community. Enjoy this walk down memory lane with us—and we’ll see you in April for more!

If you love curling up with a good book from the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, this episode is especially for you. We recently received our brand-new Digital Advanced Players (DA2) from the library, and of course we couldn’t resist taking them for a thorough spin. We start by sharing our first impressions of the player and giving you a friendly tour of the hardware. From the layout of the controls to how everything feels in your hands, we walk through what makes the new player different and why we’re so excited about it. Then it’s time for the fun part: a full demo. You’ll hear two of the built-in text-to-speech voices, follow along as we download a book, explore the wish list feature, check out settings, and more. While there are still a few things we’d love to see improved, we’re already big fans of the functionality—and especially the hardware design. If you’re curious about the DA2 player or wondering whether you might want one, this demo should give you a helpful preview. In the second half of the episode, we shift gears to a slightly less delightful discovery involving our new Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. After picking them up during the holidays, we recently ran into an unexpected change that may impact some blind and visually impaired users. We talk about what happened, what we think about it, and why it might matter if you rely on accessibility when using Bose products. As far as we know, this doesn’t affect all Bose hardware, but it’s definitely something some users may encounter. Thanks as always for listening! And if you’re tuning in on release day, we hope your St. Patrick’s Day luck is going strong. We’ll talk to you again on the last day of March!

Do you love an episode that gives you a little bit of everything? High tech, low tech, practical info, and a dash of surprise? Yes, please. WiFi That Thinks It’s Invincible? In this episode, we kick things off with a deep dive into the Invincible Wifi internet Package from Spectrum. Chris walks you through: * What’s actually included in the package * What the equipment offers (and who it’s best for) * A fun little surprise he discovered during the unboxing After a few days of real-world use, we share our honest impressions—what’s working well, what’s interesting, and what you might want to consider before upgrading your own setup. If you love hearing about tech from the perspective of people who actually live with it, this one’s for you. — A Cleaner Way to Search, Shop, and Book Let’s be real: the modern web can feel like an obstacle course, especially for screen reader users. Cluttered layouts. Mystery buttons. Popups everywhere. No thanks. That’s where InnoSearch comes in. This service aims to simplify the experience of: * Shopping online * Ordering food * Booking flights Chris takes the Android version of the InnoSearch app for a spin and explores how it behaves with a screen reader. Then, Kim shares what the AI-powered phone interface experience is like—you’ll hear how it sounds, discover how intuitive you think it is, and learn whether it lives up to the promise of less clutter and more clarity. If you’re curious about accessible alternatives to traditional websites, this segment is packed with insight. For even more on InnoSearch, check out this recent Tek Talk presentation. — Until Next Time… Thanks, as always, for being part of our community. We appreciate you showing up, listening in, and exploring new tools with us. We’ll see you again closer to St. Patrick’s Day—maybe with a little extra luck on our side.

This episode is a delightful mixed bag—in the best possible way. We’ve got two very different low-tech demos, a juicy tech update for the gadget lovers, and one topic that surprised even us. Think of it like Kim’s column in Our Special from National Braille Press—something for every skill level. So buckle up. This ride has range. Low-Tech Fun: The BrailleDoodle We kick things off with a hands-on (literally) demo of the BrailleDoodle —a creative tactile board that’s equal parts braille learning tool and STEM art canvas. We spotted it in Dallas last year and Kim immediately knew one had to come home. It’s refreshingly low tech. No batteries. No updates. Just tactile creativity and skill-building magic. Whether you want to sharpen your braille, explore spatial concepts, or secretly unleash your inner artist, this little product delivers. We demo it live and share our impressions. Curious? Find tutorials and videos at the link above: TouchPadProFoundation.org/instructions. Winter Gloves… But Make Them Techy Yes, we’re talking about gloves. It’s been *that* cold. We recently picked up some cozy wool gloves with touchscreen capability, and they’ve been a total game changer. But—and this is important—not all touchscreen gloves are created equal. There’s one key thing you absolutely need to check before buying if you want them to actually work well with your phone or tablet. We break it down so you don’t end up with warm hands and frozen frustration. Android 16 + Braille Displays = Big Win Chris recently updated his Samsung phone to Android 16 and TalkBack 16, and there’s a very exciting accessibility perk: support for HID-compliant braille displays. That’s right—plug and play just got easier. We also chat about the Samsung braille keyboard, which feels a lot like Braille Screen Input on iOS. If you’re a braille user curious about what’s new on Android, this segment is for you. Demo: CVS Spoken Rx To wrap things up, Chris demos the Spoken Rx prescription reader from CVS Pharmacy. You can access Spoken Rx through the CVS app, but we focus on the standalone hardware version—which is free, simple, and incredibly convenient. If managing prescriptions independently is important to you (or someone you love), this is worth a look. We walk through how it works and provide some useful tips. Learn more and register at the above link. — Thanks so much for spending time with us. We appreciate you. Catch you in March!

We hope you’re in the mood for some hands-on learning, because this episode is packed with not one, but TWO demos that run under Windows 10/11—plus a cozy bonus to help you survive winter in style. Demo #1: FastPlay Media Player for Windows Chris kicks things off with a walkthrough of FastPlay, a free Windows-based media player that comes with some pleasantly unexpected features. In this demo, we: * Tour the menus and layout * Explore handy keyboard commands * Learn how to control and manage music playback * Discover a few cool touches that make this player stand out If you’re looking for a lightweight, accessible media player, FastPlay might be your new favorite. Download it directly free from GitHub by activating this link. Demo #2: BlindRSS Feed Reader Next up, we dive into BlindRSS, another free Windows program—this time designed to help you keep up with your favorite websites and blogs. Not sure what RSS is? No problem! We explain: * What RSS feeds are * How RSS readers organize content for you * Why this can be a game-changer for staying informed Chris demonstrates how to: * Read articles from feeds * Add items to favorites * Navigate your subscriptions If you love efficient, distraction-free reading, BlindRSS is worth a look. Grab it directly from GitHub using this link. Cozy Pick of the Episode Since it’s been extra chilly here in Western NY (brrr!), we wrap things up with a winter comfort recommendation: a high-quality blanket that keeps you wonderfully toasty — and includes a fun little surprise that Chris shares in the episode. You can check it out through our Amazon affiliate link. Using this link helps support Mystic Access at no extra cost to you. As always, we only share products we genuinely love. Happy February! Stay warm, stay curious, and thanks so much for listening. We’ll be back with another episode in two weeks!

You may be relieved to know that today’s episode gives hospitals and medical talk a well-deserved rest. Instead, we’re cozying up with ideas to keep you entertained, informed, and moving through the coldest months of the year. Grab a blanket—let’s dive in. Reading, Reimagined What kind of reader are you? In this episode, we take a nostalgic stroll down Memory Lane while exploring different reading formats—some beloved, some… controversial. We chat about: * The **perils and pitfalls of abridged books** * **Free TTS narration** and when it shines (or doesn’t) * **Dramatized audiobooks, original audio series, and where to get them** Along the way, we share recommendations and tips on how to research and discover formats that best match *your* reading style. Our hope is to introduce—or reintroduce—you to new ways to enhance your reading pleasure. (Yes, we noticed the irony of talking about reading while being a podcast. Roll with us.) Lights, Camera… Audio Description! If you know us, you know we’re huge fans of audio described movies and TV shows. Good news: the free streaming service Pluto TV is slowly but surely growing its collection of AD content. In this episode, we: * Show you how to **find and access AD titles on Pluto TV** * Talk honestly about the current (still small) selection * Celebrate the fact that it *is* expanding Progress is progress—and we love to see it. Move It (Even When It’s Freezing Outside) When winter weather makes the outdoors uninviting, staying active can be a challenge—but not an impossible one. We share: * **Chris’s love of Zombies, Run! —a perfect blend of exercise and dramatized storytelling * **Kim’s return to Walk at Home, an app she mentioned long ago and is happy to revisit Best of all? Accessibility has improved significantly in both apps, which gives us hope that more fitness and wellness apps will continue to follow suit. Thanks for Listening As always, thank you so much for spending part of your day with us. We truly appreciate you and your support. Stay warm, stay curious, and we’ll talk to you again in two weeks!

In this episode, Chris and Kim share even more adventures from their daily lives. They kick things off by talking about Chris’s We-Walk cane —and the mystery of why it decided to walk away on its own. Next, they discuss and demonstrate a talking blood pressure monitor that connects to a smartphone app via Bluetooth, sharing their thoughts and experiences with it. They also chat about a cool pill organizer they picked up on Amazon and how it fits into their routine. Some links on this page are our Amazon affiliate links. Purchasing from this page we may receive a small commission. To wrap things up, Chris and Kim send heartfelt thanks to everyone who reached out with kind words and well wishes. As always, thank you for listening and for being part of the podcast community. —