Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, August 27, 2026 – Volume 1082

Finally, An Accessible Power Bank For Blind People! XO-10000 | The Blind Life | YouTube.com | August 22, 2026

Showcasing the XO-10000, The Blind Life demonstrates how its spoken battery updates and tactile status markers offer an alternative to LED-only power banks. The 10,000mAh unit also delivers up to 22.5W charging while weighing 208g, putting accessibility features into a compact daily-carry design.

Sponsorship Packages Currently Available: Join Industry Leaders in Supporting Free Access Technology News For Disabled Readers All Over The World While Increasing Traffic To Your Properties Each Week. Advertise in every issue. Or just one.

Join Top Tech Tidbits as a Sponsor today and begin reaching over 45,000 access technology subscribers each week, all while supporting the ongoing distribution of Top Tech Tidbits for those very same readers. Only $200 / month.

Key Newsletter Statistics:

• Subscribers: 45,000 + per week and growing.
• Open Rate: 46% (Average. Last 12 months.)
• Click Rate: 42% (Average. Last 12 months.)
• Bounce Rate: 1.1% (Average. Last 12 months.)
• Ad CTRs: 2-12% (Average. Last 12 months.)

Benefits All Sponsors Receive:

• One (1) Sponsor Profile on the Top Tech Tidbits website, for the duration of your sponsorship.
• One (1) Sponsor Profile in each weekly newsletter, for the duration of your sponsorship.
• One (1) Sponsor Wall Brand Advertisement on the Top Tech Tidbits home page + every page of the website (Right Side Bar: Sponsors), for the duration of your sponsorship.
• One (1) Sponsor Wall Brand Advertisement in each weekly newsletter, for the duration of your sponsorship.
• One (1) Classified Advertisement in each weekly newsletter, for the duration of your sponsorship.
• Membership in the PWD Media Co-Op, for the duration of your sponsorship.
• 50% Discount on all Sponsored Tidbit Advertisements, for the duration of your sponsorship.
• Free link tracking, for all time.
• Permanent SEO benefits. (All Sponsor Profiles are archived on the Top Tech Tidbits website at the close of Sponsorship. Driving traffic back to your properties for all time.
• Gratitude from over 45,000 blind, low vision, deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, neurodivergent and/or disabled professionals, educators, and enthusiasts, all over the world, along with the caregivers, companies and organizations that serve and support them, for keeping Top Tech Tidbits free to read each week.

With additional benefits for Sponsors who choose to pay quarterly or annually. Learn more about Sponsorship today.

👉 Submit a Tidbit for free here, with timing and placement determined by our editors.

👉 Submit a Sponsored Tidbit here, with timing and placement determined by you.

1.) Top 5 Most Clicked Tidbits From Last Week 📊️

A.) AirPods With Cameras? And More Of Your Feedback | Double Tap | YouTube.com | August 19, 2026

Sitting down with rumors swirling about Apple’s next move, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece weigh the implications of camera-equipped AirPods and the privacy debates they spark. The conversation weaves through listener feedback, unusual tech mishaps, and candid takes on whether Apple can keep pace in the accelerating AI wearables race.

B.) Innovation for Access: AI and Its Use as Assistive Technology for People With Disabilities | AFB.org | August 19, 2026

This American Foundation for the Blind report analyzes AI as assistive technology using survey data from adults with and without disabilities, focusing on AI-generated visual descriptions, automated captions and augmentative and alternative communication. Its recommendations cover setting realistic expectations of model capability, not censoring descriptions without consent, expanding language coverage and improving data transparency and on-device processing.

C.) JAWS Power Tip: How To Access Multiple Sheets in An Excel Workbook | Freedom Scientific via TopTechTidbits.com | August 20, 2026

A workbook in Microsoft Excel is a file that can contain multiple sheets, each used to organize related sets of information including statistics, calculations, or data tables. For example, in a single Excel workbook, you might have one sheet for sales data, another for expenses, and a third for summaries or charts.

D.) Blind Developer Creates Seamless Windows On Mac Experience | Double Tap | YouTube.com | August 18, 2026

In this analytical breakdown, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece probe the future of accessible virtualization on Apple Silicon by hosting Allison Melloy, who unveils the AVM project for blind users seeking a flawless Windows experience on macOS. They dissect feature gaps in mainstream tools and spotlight how accessible design, keyboard mapping, and AI collaboration are reshaping software development for the blind community.

E.) Meta Taps Disability Groups to Explore Uses for AI Glasses | DisabilityScoop.com | August 17, 2026

Meta is putting nearly $2 million into grants for 30 organizations across 18 states, a dozen of which focus on disability, to test how AI glasses can increase independence. Funded projects include documenting accessibility barriers in public spaces, hands-free job support and classroom access, with recipients including the American Council of the Blind and the Braille Institute of America.

August 27, 2026 📅️

2.) JAWS Power Tip: How To Adjust The Voice Rate Using Keyboard Commands | Freedom Scientific via TopTechTidbits.com | August 27, 2026

You can adjust the JAWS voice rate using keyboard commands so you can quickly make JAWS speak faster or slower as you work, without going into menus. This is useful if you want to speed up reading long documents or slow down for complex information.

August 26, 2026 📅️

3.) Allison Meloy Releases Early Beta of AccessTerm, a Terminal Client for Mac | Allison Meloy | August 26, 2026

Allison Meloy has released a very early beta of AccessTerm, a terminal client for the Mac. The project is hosted on GitHub.

4.) Be My Eyes Partners With Tracfone to Bring 24/7 Accessible Customer Support to Blind and Low Vision Users | BeMyEyes.com | August 26, 2026

Tracfone has joined the Be My Eyes Service Directory, allowing blind and low vision customers across the United States to reach trained Tracfone specialists by live video call at any hour. Support covers activating a new device or SIM card, refilling a service plan, setting up digital features, and troubleshooting network connectivity.

5.) Experimental NVDA Add-on AudioEQ 0.2.6 Adds a Stereo Pan LFO | Manolo | August 26, 2026

A new experimental test build of the Audio EQ add-on for NVDA adds a low frequency oscillator for stereo pan, with controls for pan, wave, rate, and depth, so synthesized speech can be moved through the stereo field. The developer reports that delay and reverb tails currently stop the moment speech ends, which keeps reading clear, and is investigating whether optional tails can be added for notifications and other special messages.

6.) Darvy, an AI Assistant That Runs Alongside NVDA | Darvy.ai | August 26, 2026

Darvy is a voice-activated AI assistant that runs next to NVDA rather than replacing it, reading scanned PDFs and untagged Word files, working through tables row by row and column by column, speaking equations and inserting editable versions into Word, describing charts and diagrams, and helping with browsing. Built by Ameen Darwish after watching his blind brother struggle with inaccessible documents, it offers a seven-day trial with no card required and lists a price of $57 per month on its pricing page.

7.) LibreOffice 26.8 Brings Professional Typography, Deeper Support for the World’s Writing Systems, and No Artificial Intelligence | The Document Foundation | August 26, 2026

The Document Foundation has released LibreOffice 26.8 for Windows, macOS, and Linux, adding a Paragraph Composer that balances word spacing across consecutive lines instead of one line at a time, native OpenType font variation support, and a large body of work on bidirectional and complex text. For screen reader users, Writer tables now report ARIA row and column index information and the special character selector is fully keyboard navigable. The release deliberately contains no generative AI features and sends no documents to remote services.

8.) NVDA 2026.2rc2 Available for Testing | NVAccess.org | August 26, 2026

The second release candidate of NVDA 2026.2 is available for download and testing and, barring critical bugs, will be identical to the final release. Highlights include a new built-in Magnifier with zoom and color filtering, expanded touch gestures with touch-based browse mode navigation for web content, custom speech dictionaries supplied by add-ons, automatic braille display scrolling, multi-button combinations on DotPad devices, and new Italian and Estonian braille tables. RC2 adds translation updates and fixes a bug that prevented launch for Hungarian users.

9.) New Card Games From Kelly Ford | Kelly Ford | August 26, 2026

Cribbage, hearts, euchre, and sheephead are now playable at The Card Place, against the computer or with invited players, and spades is expected shortly. Screen reader users can play with browse mode on or off, and with it off the games carry extensive keyboard commands, including n to continue, h to hear a hand, and t for the current trick.

10.) Your Feedback: Voice Control, Assistive Access, And The Best Apps For Blind Users | Double Tap | YouTube.com | August 26, 2026

Steven Scott and Shaun Preece sift through listener feedback on voice control, Assistive Access, and the accessible apps making daily technology more practical for blind and partially sighted people. The discussion covers church music platforms, AI lyric searches, smart-device smoke alarm detection, and community recommendations for Earshot, WeatherFast, and the Whoop fitness tracker.

11.) InDesign Accessibility With Colleen Gratzer | The Accessibility Guy Podcast | The Accessibility Guy | YouTube.com | August 26, 2026

Sitting down with Colleen Gratzer, Shawn examines how decisions made in Adobe InDesign determine whether an exported PDF works for people using assistive technology. The conversation covers styles, heading hierarchy, reading order, native tables, live text, contrast, PDF tags, and the limits of automation when final review is still essential.

August 25, 2026 📅️

12.) Airport Kiosk Accessibility: Requirements, Standards, and How to Comply | Vispero.com | August 25, 2026

Vispero walks through the regulations governing accessible airport self-service kiosks, including the Air Carrier Access Act, Title II of the ADA, and the European Accessibility Act, and explains what accessible kiosk hardware and software actually require. The piece also covers testing in real terminal conditions and building accessibility requirements into procurement and vendor contracts.

13.) BrailleSense 6 V3.2 Upgrade Announcement | Selvas BLV | August 25, 2026

Version 3.2 for the BrailleSense 6 and BrailleSense 6 mini adds Dot Pad support and integration, tactile viewing of images directly from the File Manager, and multi-line access to menus, lists, and text throughout the system. The update also folds the web TV add-on into the firmware, restores Shared Drive access in Google Drive, and adds support for Zoom recorders as USB recording devices.

14.) NVDA Add-on notepadMarkdownBrowseMode Brings Browse Mode to Markdown Files in Notepad | GitHub.com | August 25, 2026

A new NVDA app module for Microsoft Notepad provides standard browse mode navigation in Markdown documents, with single-letter movement by heading, list, list item, and block quote, number keys for specific heading levels, and NVDA plus F7 for an elements list. It requires NVDA 2019.3 or later, and on Windows 11 the file must be switched to Syntax view. The add-on has been submitted to the NVDA Add-on Store.

15.) Your Feedback: Sonos, Smart Glasses & The Digital Disability Tax | Double Tap | YouTube.com | August 25, 2026

Cutting through the hype around connected devices, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece examine listener reports on Sonos accessibility, Meta smart glasses, and AI-powered workarounds for blind users. The conversation weighs Wi-Fi and app frustrations against the broader concern that paid tools and inaccessible platforms can impose a digital disability tax.

August 24, 2026 📅️

16.) Fedra V0.5.0, a Mastodon Client for Windows, Released With Many New Features | Fedra | August 24, 2026

Version 0.5.0 of the Fedra Mastodon client for Windows adds a hotkey customization dialog covering every keybinding, a sent timeline option, page up and page down movement through timelines twenty posts at a time, and shortcut keys in the compose and media player dialogs. The release also fixes post copying in user timelines, markdown editing, and periodic refreshing on instances without web socket streaming.

17.) How I Actually Develop Apps Being Blind | Taylor Arndt | August 24, 2026

Taylor Arndt sets out an actual development workflow as a blind developer with ADHD, from learning Swift and SwiftUI to using ChatGPT projects to hold project context and keep scope from sprawling, and Codex to make changes, explain diffs in plain English, and inspect visuals that cannot be checked by ear. The piece argues that AI shortens the path from a decision to a working implementation without making the product decisions.

18.) Announcing BrailleBlaster 3.2.3 | BrailleBlaster | August 24, 2026

BrailleBlaster 3.2.3 improves NIMAS file loading, makes braille changes in the ASCII Math Hub in response to user feedback, and allows emphasis to be applied with the cursor in the middle of a word using Control plus B, Control plus U, Control plus I, and Shift plus Alt plus S. Most installations will pick up the release automatically.

19.) AI Audiobooks, Starting With A Screen Reader & Punching Tech | Double Tap | YouTube.com | August 24, 2026

Cutting through the hype around AI narration, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece compare TTS, Braille, and audiobook listening as tools for reading with vision loss. They also assess a Meta smart glasses update, including improved call audio, spatial sound, and the accessibility friction that can determine whether an app supports independence.

20.) How To Add Alternate Text To An Image In InDesign With Colleen Gratzer | The Accessibility Guy | YouTube.com | August 24, 2026

Showcasing an accessible InDesign workflow, The Accessibility Guy walks through how to assess whether an image needs alternate text and where to enter it alongside Colleen Gratzer. The discussion also flags the limits of AI-generated descriptions and points to automation options from Dax Castro and Callas.

21.) Ep 19 – Stephen Cluskey, Co-Founder & CEO Of Mobility Mojo | Accessibility and Gen AI | YouTube.com | August 24, 2026

Sitting down with Stephen Cluskey, Eamon McErlean and Joe Devon examine how a spinal cord injury propelled his work in accessibility and the creation of Mobility Mojo. They also cover assistive technology, travel, public speaking, and the business case for making physical spaces more accessible at scale.

August 23, 2026 📅️

22.) New Permanent Access Point for TifloAcosta Resources | TifloAcosta | August 23, 2026

TifloAcosta has set up a single page giving access to two collections of its shared materials, one in Spanish and one in English, replacing distribution that ran mainly through WhatsApp. The folders are updated regularly with guides, courses, and documents on accessibility and technology, and readers can add a shortcut to the relevant Google Drive folder inside their own account so new material appears automatically.

23.) WebAIM Opens Its 11th Screen Reader User Survey | WebAIM.org | August 23, 2026

The eleventh edition of the WebAIM screen reader user survey is open, gathering information on which screen readers people use and their opinions on web accessibility.

24.) Meta Glasses, AirPods Cameras & The Intel Gamer Days Giveaway | Double Tap | YouTube.com | August 23, 2026

Cutting through the hype around camera-equipped wearables, Steven Scott examines the privacy and accessibility stakes surrounding Meta smart glasses and rumored camera-enabled AirPods. Joined by Marc Aflalo, he also spotlights an Intel Gamer Days giveaway for an MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI laptop, with entries available through the Double Tap newsletter until September 13.

August 22, 2026 📅️

25.) TTJ Tech Services Announces Its 2026-27 Free Apple Training Season | TTJ Tech Services | August 22, 2026

TTJ Tech Services has published its 2026-27 schedule of free Apple training, offering more than 120 hours of instruction over Zoom by certified Apple instructors with no registration required this year. Courses include VoiceOver In and Out from September 28 through December 23, Spring Cafes covering Apple TV and smart home devices in January, and iPad For All Computing from February through May, with every session released as a podcast episode within a week.

26.) The Ramp, Not the Shortcut | Lanie.work | August 22, 2026

A response to the NVDA community’s argument about AI-assisted add-on development, written by a blind and multiply disabled developer who has published two add-ons to the NVDA store and put both through the same human review process. The piece accepts the security concern about unreviewed code while arguing that for some people AI is not a shortcut taken for ease but the only available route to building a tool nobody else was going to build.

27.) Ed Summers On GitHub Accessibility And AI Innovation | Double Tap | YouTube.com | August 22, 2026

In this insightful discussion, Steven Scott speaks with Ed Summers about how GitHub’s accessibility work and generative AI are expanding independent creative and technical work for disabled developers. Their conversation examines open-source participation, natural-language coding tools, and the effort to make software development more accessible to blind contributors.

28.) Finally, An Accessible Power Bank For Blind People! XO-10000 | The Blind Life | YouTube.com | August 22, 2026

Showcasing the XO-10000, The Blind Life demonstrates how its spoken battery updates and tactile status markers offer an alternative to LED-only power banks. The 10,000mAh unit also delivers up to 22.5W charging while weighing 208g, putting accessibility features into a compact daily-carry design.

29.) San Antonio Woman Wins International Braille Competition | SanAntonioReport.org | August 22, 2026

EmmaGrace Olech, 18, won the varsity division of the 2026 Braille Challenge, topping an international field that began with more than 2,000 competitors; 50 finalists traveled to USC in Los Angeles. Olech, who has blue cone monochromacy, will study biomedical science at Texas A&M University and hopes to become a medicinal chemist.

August 21, 2026 📅️

30.) An Update From Freedom Scientific and Vispero | Freedom Scientific | August 21, 2026

Freedom Scientific says its teams, technology, and accessibility expertise are being brought together under the Vispero name. Over the coming weeks the company will consolidate its social media channels so that product updates, accessibility resources, expert insights, and news all appear in one place.

31.) ATU795: Tovala Smart Oven With David Rabie | EasterSealsTech.com | August 21, 2026

Josh Anderson talks with Tovala co-founder and CEO David Rabie about the company’s countertop smart oven, which cooks prepared meals after scanning a QR code and offers screen reader support in its iOS and Android apps. The episode also covers assistive technology arriving at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport through a partnership with ReBokeh, and an app pick from BridgingApps.

32.) Dot Canvas Comes to Android, Expanding Access to Tactile Technology Worldwide | Dot Inc. | August 21, 2026

Dot Inc. has released Dot Canvas for Android, available through Google Play in 177 countries, letting users connect to a Dot Pad and work with tactile content from Android devices. The app offers 18 interface languages and braille translation in 32 languages, and runs on Android 8.0 or later, with an eight-inch or larger display recommended.

33.) ElevenReader Can Now Read Kindle Books | ElevenReader.io | August 21, 2026

ElevenReader can now open titles from a Kindle library and read them aloud with its AI voices, although braille display support and the table of contents remain limited. The app offers a free plan with ten hours of listening a month, an unlimited plan for a reader’s own files, and free access for NFB members through its Impact program.

34.) BrailleSense 7 Preorder Ending Soon | Selvas BLV | August 21, 2026

Selvas BLV says its preorder promotion for the BrailleSense 7 ends on August 31 at 11:59 PM, and that orders placed before the deadline are likely to ship in October. The braille tablet carries touch-sensitive braille cells, Android 15, integrated AI powered by Google Gemini, a user-replaceable battery, and braille-first productivity tools.

35.) Install Docker Desktop on Windows 11 With a Screen Reader | CodingBlindTech.com | August 21, 2026

A keyboard-only tutorial for installing Docker Desktop on Windows 11 with NVDA, covering the WSL 2 version check, choosing the correct architecture download, the per-user installation that needs no administrator rights, and verifying the result with docker version and docker run hello-world from both PowerShell and Ubuntu. The walkthrough includes the NVDA mouse-routing commands needed when the download control behaves as a hover menu, and where Docker Desktop stores its files.

36.) Ivan Soto Announces Accesspoint, a Web Site to List Various Accessible and Helpful Resources | Ivan Soto | August 21, 2026

Accesspoint is a new platform for sharing and discovering resources, which may be an app, a web site, a written guide, a job listing, or a place to sell used equipment. The site is open on the web now and is being seeded with community submissions, with dedicated mobile and desktop apps planned.

37.) Marco Salsiccia and Chancey Fleet Announce BopQuest, the New Word Search Feature for WordBopper | Marco Salsiccia | August 21, 2026

BopQuest adds a monthly themed word search to WordBopper, with a new set of words to find during any game mode. Each word found adds to a player’s overall ranking, and finding the whole list before the month ends earns a bonus equal to the number of words in it.

38.) NatWest Partners With Be My Eyes to Launch Pilot Project Aiming to Make Banking More Accessible for Blind and Low Vision Customers | BeMyEyes.com | August 21, 2026

NatWest is the first UK bank to join the Be My Eyes Service Directory, and a selected group of blind and low vision customers will be able to reach trained bank colleagues through a secure video call. The free pilot covers everyday banking tasks such as reading a letter or activating a new card, and its results will inform a possible wider rollout later in 2026.

39.) New Update for Mastodon and Bluesky Client FastSMRW for Windows, Mac and Linux | FastSMRW | August 21, 2026

The latest FastSMRW update lets users pick separate output devices for sound effects and for media on Windows, Linux, and the Mac, and adds a remembered media volume that the player’s up and down keys also move. New optional speech fields read the post a Bluesky reply is answering, mark posts that are part of a thread, and give the handle of whoever boosted a post, alongside fixes for post visibility reporting, clipboard line breaks, and two Linux startup problems.

40.) Quin Releases V0.3.1 of Taskmon, an Accessible Task Manager for Windows | Taskmon | August 21, 2026

Taskmon 0.3.1, a lightweight task manager replacement built for keyboard and screen reader users, adds 29 new columns covering peak memory figures, hard faults, CPU cycles, kernel and user time, I/O operations, elapsed time, efficiency mode, and more. The release also fixes lag when changing sort order from the keyboard and incorrect nesting in the process tree, rewrites the program from C to Zig, and switches the Windows installer to NSIS, shrinking it by around 95 percent.

41.) The Growing Need for DeafBlind Communication Access in an Aging Population | iCanConnect.org | August 21, 2026

As more older adults live with both hearing and vision loss, phone calls, text messages, email, and video calls can become difficult or impossible, and the result is often less contact and more isolation. The article explains why built-in accessibility settings alone frequently fall short, and describes how iCanConnect provides eligible people with distance communication equipment and individualized training at no cost, with instruction tied to the goals each participant actually has.

42.) Password Chaos, Braille Survey & Your Feedback | Double Tap | YouTube.com | August 21, 2026

Cutting through the hype around passwordless authentication, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece examine why Microsoft account recovery and passkeys can still become major barriers for blind users. The discussion traces inconsistent screen reader feedback across login screens, practical password-management workarounds, and new Braille surveys intended to inform more inclusive technology.

August 20, 2026 📅️

43.) Yes, Your Braille Computer Can Do That Now! – August 2026 | BlazieTech.com | August 20, 2026

Blazie Technologies highlights some of the changes added in the August update for BT Speak and BT Braille. The post is not a substitute for the official release notes, which the company links separately.

44.) Earshot Podcasts, a VoiceOver-First Podcast Player for iPhone | Earshot Podcasts | August 20, 2026

Earshot Podcasts is a new iPhone podcast player built VoiceOver-first and shaped by the blind community, with every screen, button, and gesture designed to work fully with VoiceOver. Developed by Michael Babcock, it is available in the App Store and is free for up to ten shows.

45.) A Wall Built Out of Sound | Lanie.work | August 20, 2026

An argument that the blind gaming community’s working assumption, that accessible games must be built out of spatial audio, shuts out players who cannot turn layered sound into a map of a room. The author, who has topographical agnosia, auditory processing differences, and the sensory side of autism, makes the case for text as a medium in its own right and points to MUDs and other text games as the form that actually works.

46.) TAVIP Career Talk With Léonie Watson | TAVIP | August 20, 2026

TAVIP has published a career talk with accessibility specialist Léonie Watson, co-founder and director of TetraLogical, chair of the W3C Board of Directors, co-chair of the W3C Web Applications Working Group, and a former chair of the organisation when it was the British Computer Association of the Blind. Hosted by TAVIP chair of trustees Tony Stockman, the conversation covers the route into technology, the assistive technologies in daily use today, and current interests including voice interfaces, the agentic web, and the use of AI at work, touching on WebMCP, OOrion, and ScribeMe. The recording is available on AudioBoom or as an audio download.

47.) The Invisible Barriers in Social Media | DASAT | August 20, 2026

Narelle Wright sets out the everyday barriers that keep people from reaching information on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram, from event details buried inside a flyer image with no alternative text to videos without captions, decorative fonts, poor colour contrast, all-lowercase hashtags, and long runs of emoji. The piece offers platform-specific fixes and argues that accessible posting needs no expensive software, only attention to how different people reach information.

48.) Preparing For Blindness And Embracing AI Tools | Double Tap | YouTube.com | August 20, 2026

Cutting through the hype around AI accessibility, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece examine how emerging tools are changing the practical and emotional realities of vision loss. They weigh local models, screen-reader workflows, OBS automation, and human services such as Aira against the broader push for greater independence.

Last Week 📅️

49.) I Stopped Hating VLC After Learning These 5 Essential Keyboard Shortcuts | HowToGeek.com | August 19, 2026

How-To Geek covers five sets of VLC keyboard shortcuts: jump keys that move three, ten, sixty, or three hundred seconds at a time, J and K for audio delay with G and H for subtitle offset, the bracket keys for playback speed, Control plus H for minimal interface mode, and Control plus E to reach the dynamic range compressor for movies with a punishing dynamic range.

50.) AdGuard VPN for Windows V2.10: Accessibility for Everyone | AdGuardVPN.com | August 19, 2026

AdGuard VPN for Windows 2.10 completes an accessibility effort begun in version 2.8 by making the last remaining sections, Web and App Exclusions, Statistics, and Advanced settings, fully accessible. Every key area of the app now supports screen readers and full keyboard navigation, with more predictable focus movement and correct announcement of element names, roles, and states.

51.) Braille for Ancient Languages | LivingBraille.eu | August 18, 2026

The Braille for Ancient Languages initiative, developed through Stanford University’s Digital Accessibility for Blind Scholars of Antiquity project, publishes braille codes, sample texts, and links to accessible digital resources for Sumerian and Akkadian transliteration, Classical and Biblical Hebrew, Classical and Koine Greek, and Coptic. The work includes new braille translation tables for LibLouis, the open-source engine used by NVDA, JAWS, and VoiceOver, along with guidance on activating multilingual tables in a screen reader.

52.) Let’s Glide: What an AI Guide Does That My Cane Can’t | WebFriendlyHelp.com | August 18, 2026

A first-impressions review of Glide, the self-guided mobility device from Glidance, written by a pilot participant after several walks indoors and around a familiar neighborhood. The piece explains the arrangement where the traveler sets the pace and Glide does the steering, describes street crossings and early clearance problems, and sets out where a cane still wins on finding an edge and recovering position. Glide currently costs $1,499 with a $30 monthly subscription.

53.) IBC Explores Diversity of Platforms | RadioWorld.com | August 18, 2026

Radio World reports from the IBC show on the widening range of platforms broadcasters now use to deliver their content.

54.) Radio Workflow Unveils AI-Powered Jingle and Imaging Creator | RadioWorld.com | August 18, 2026

Radio Workflow has launched Jingle Buddy, an AI platform for radio stations to produce advertiser jingles, station imaging, original songs, and music beds. The tool supports 21 jingle and imaging archetypes including station anthems, sweepers, and news themes, builds advertiser spots around supplied details such as business name and call to action, and offers individual stems and API access on qualifying plans.

55.) Revisiting MLB Opening Day and Purchasing MLB Tickets | TheIdeaPlace.net | August 18, 2026

The Idea Place examines what changed when Major League Baseball teams moved to a new ticketing platform that dropped the best-available-seat option and now presents a bare list of section numbers with no indication of where they sit in the ballpark. The post also introduces a text alternative covering thirty ballparks and 4,723 sections, giving each section’s level, ticket zone, distance and direction from home plate, row range, entry row, and which end of the row seat one is on.

56.) Draft of EPUB Accessibility 1.2 Explainer Released | Inclusive Publishing | August 17, 2026

The Publishing Maintenance Group at the W3C has released a draft group note explaining how to understand and evaluate the conformance requirements of EPUB Accessibility 1.2 against reflowable EPUB publications. The document is in three parts, covering WCAG success criteria, the additional EPUB objectives that WCAG does not address, and the practical problems of evaluating EPUB publications.

57.) Jonathan Mosen’s Reflections on Mushroom FM’s Ten Years of Four Decades of Magic Mushroom Memories and His Internet Radio Career | Mushroom FM | August 16, 2026

Jonathan Mosen looks back on the ten years since Mushroom FM narrowed its format to music from the 1950s through the 1980s, and traces an internet radio career that began with an experiment using SHOUTcast on New Year’s Eve 1998 and led to founding and managing ACB Radio from Wellington, New Zealand in December 1999. The piece describes why the format decision mattered, what a volunteer station needs to hold an audience, and the part familiar voices play for listeners.

58.) Claude Code 101, for Designers | Yaron Schoen | August 10, 2026

The first post in a series aimed at product designers explains what Claude Code is and defines the vocabulary that surrounds it, covering large language models, context windows, tokens, sessions, approval modes, commands, skills, agents, and the Model Context Protocol. Each term gets a couple of sentences, with nothing to install.

59.) Making Online Learning Accessible Through a Simple Phone Call | TheBlindGuide.com | August 10, 2026

Luna AI is a voice-first tutor reached by dialing a phone number, with no app to download and no visual interface to move through. Learners can review school subjects, prepare for exams, practice a language, or create a free account to upload PDFs, lecture transcripts, class notes, and course materials into a private study library. The service supports conversations in more than 100 languages and is currently free.

👉 Submit your event for consideration within this section here.

August 27, 2026 | Keep Reading Alive | Vision Support America

1:00 PM PT, 2:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM ET, 8:00 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America explores different ways to keep reading a part of everyday life, in whatever form works best now.

August 29, 2026 | Inaugural Young Birders United Conference | Taking Flight

8:00 AM PT, 9:00 AM MT, 10:00 AM CT, 11:00 AM ET
Taking Flight hosts the inaugural Young Birders United Conference, a free virtual gathering of young birder representatives to celebrate, connect and collaborate on establishing young birder chapters nationwide. Keynote speakers are Mackenzie Hollender, Isaiah Scott and Lorena Patricio, alongside state chapter presentations and workshops on building community and sustainability. Young birders with or without chapters, parents and supporters are all welcome, with no limit per chapter or state. Registration is due August 22 and everyone attending must register.

August 31, 2026 | Make Your Android Work for You | Vision Support America

10:30 AM PT, 11:30 AM MT, 12:30 PM CT, 1:30 PM ET, 5:30 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America introduces simple, confidence-building ways to make an Android phone more accessible.

August 31, 2026 | Orbit Research August Meeting | Orbit Research

9:00 AM PT, 10:00 AM MT, 11:00 AM CT, 12:00 PM ET, 4:00 PM GMT
Orbit Research holds its August user meeting on Zoom, hosted by Robert Carter. The meeting ID is 815 6334 1128 and the passcode is 491794.

September 1, 2026 | RESIST! Join the Launch of the Community Coalition for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion: A LinkedIn Live Event | DrKirkAdams.com

11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 7:00 PM GMT
There are moments in history when simply holding the line is not enough. This is one of those moments. Across the country, organizations, educators, businesses, nonprofits, public agencies, advocates, and community leaders who believe in diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging are facing unprecedented challenges. Programs are being dismantled. Funding is disappearing. Professionals are feeling isolated. Too many people who have dedicated their lives to building stronger, more inclusive communities are wondering where to turn next.

September 1, 2026 | Birdability Access Survey Closes | Birdability

Last day to complete the Birdability Access Survey. Birdability wants to hear from birders with disabilities, chronic illness or other health concerns about barriers encountered while birding and accommodations that have made a difference. Results directly inform Birdability’s future resources, advocacy and efforts to make birding more welcoming and accessible.

September 1, 2026 | A11yNYC Presentation: Building Slack’s Simplified Layout | A11yNYC

4:30 PM PT, 5:30 PM MT, 6:30 PM CT, 7:30 PM ET, 11:30 PM GMT
Chris Xu, Lena Wang, and Kaili Liang from Slack demonstrate Simplified Layout Mode, a preference that turns the desktop and web interface into a single column with fewer distractions. The session traces the feature from an accommodation request by an ALS advocacy group to a shipped product, and covers how partnerships with disabled and neurodivergent users shaped its design. Human captions are provided, and the talk is livestreamed on YouTube as well as held in person in Manhattan.

September 2, 2026 | Making Social Media Accessible: Alternative Text, Captions, and Platform Best Practices | Access Ingenuity

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
Michael Parker and Lauren from Access Ingenuity break down the practical steps for accessible social media content, covering how to write effective alternative text for images, add accurate captions to video, and structure posts so they work with assistive technology across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X. The session also looks at platform-specific tools and where manual effort is still required.

September 3, 2026 | Using AI Connectors To Bring Your Everyday Apps And Information Together | Freedom Scientific

9:00 AM PT, 10:00 AM MT, 11:00 AM CT, 12:00 PM ET, 4:00 PM GMT
Learn how AI connectors can bring email, calendars, cloud storage, documents, and other everyday services into a single conversation to simplify tasks and improve efficiency. This webinar demonstrates practical workflows for finding, summarizing, and combining information across connected apps, with ACVREP credits available to those who attend live.

September 3, 2026 | Preventing Falls and Using Stairs Safely | Vision Support America

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America shares simple techniques to help people with changing vision move safely and confidently around the home and beyond.

September 4, 2026 | Home Organization and Labeling | Vision Support America

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America explores easy ways to organize and label a home so it feels calmer, easier, and more predictable to navigate with changing vision.

September 7, 2026 | Lighting Tips for Everyday Life | Vision Support America

11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 6:00 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America shows how contrast, better lighting, and less glare can make a home easier to see and move through.

September 8, 2026 | Make Your iPhone Work for You | Vision Support America

1:00 PM PT, 2:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM ET, 8:00 PM GMT
In this free, step-by-step session, Vision Support America walks through simple ways to make an iPhone work better for changing vision, at a comfortable pace.

September 9, 2026 | Cooking Tips for Changing Vision | Vision Support America

1:00 PM PT, 2:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM ET, 8:00 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America leads a supportive conversation on small, practical steps toward feeling comfortable and confident in the kitchen again with changing vision.

September 10, 2026 | Virtual Career Fair | National Organization on Disability

9:00 AM PT, 10:00 AM MT, 11:00 AM CT, 12:00 PM ET, 4:00 PM GMT
The National Organization on Disability hosts a free virtual career fair connecting disability-inclusive employers with job-ready candidates, giving students and hiring teams alike the tools and direct access to succeed at inclusive recruitment.

September 10, 2026 | Keep Reading Alive | Vision Support America

1:00 PM PT, 2:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM ET, 8:00 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America explores different ways to keep reading a part of everyday life, in whatever form works best now.

September 14, 2026 | Leadership Council Open House | National Organization on Disability

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
In this free open house, the National Organization on Disability introduces its Leadership Council—a community of companies advancing disability inclusion in the workplace—and the partnership opportunities available to organizations ready to turn intention into measurable results.

September 14, 2026 | Make Your Android Work for You | Vision Support America

10:30 AM PT, 11:30 AM MT, 12:30 PM CT, 1:30 PM ET, 5:30 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America introduces simple, confidence-building ways to make an Android phone more accessible.

September 15, 2026 | Leadership Insights: Disability Inclusion Dialogues | National Organization on Disability

9:00 AM PT, 10:00 AM MT, 11:00 AM CT, 12:00 PM ET
A 90-minute virtual peer-focused discussion for senior-level NOD Leadership Council members on disability inclusion and workforce retention. The session features insights from Candee Chambers, Director of the Office of Public Liaison at the U.S. Department of Labor, who joins industry leaders to address strategic retention challenges.

September 16, 2026 | Birdability Book Club: Turning to Birds by Lili Taylor | Birdability

4:00 PM PT, 5:00 PM MT, 6:00 PM CT, 7:00 PM ET
The Birdability Book Club discusses Turning to Birds: The Power and Beauty of Noticing by Lili Taylor. Best known as an actor, Taylor is also a devoted birder, and this collection of essays explores what happens when we slow down long enough to really pay attention. A fitting read ahead of Birdability Week and its Bird Where You Are theme. Free; registration required. The club meets every other month on the third Wednesday.

September 16, 2026 | Focus 640 Braille Display: The Next Generation of High-Performance Braille Access | Access Ingenuity

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
Marisa Church and Ian Ramos are joined by Joe McDaniel from Vispero to walk through the sixth-generation Focus 640 braille display, covering its patented seamless cell cap, redesigned pin assembly, four-way D-Pad, expanded Scratchpad with contracted braille, multiple Bluetooth connections plus USB-C, and JAWS features including BrailleIn and Braille Study Mode. ACVREP continuing education credit is approved for teachers of the visually impaired.

September 17, 2026 | Preventing Falls and Using Stairs Safely | Vision Support America

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America shares simple techniques to help people with changing vision move safely and confidently around the home and beyond.

September 18, 2026 | Home Organization and Labeling | Vision Support America

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America explores easy ways to organize and label a home so it feels calmer, easier, and more predictable to navigate with changing vision.

September 20, 2026 | Birdability Week Offbeat Photo and Video Contest Closes | Birdability

Final day to enter Birdability’s Offbeat Photo and Video Contest, which celebrates the awkward, funny and unexpected side of birds. Six categories span photography and feeder-camera video: Wing and a Prayer (and Poop!), Autofocus Gone Wrong, Birds Doing Bird Stuff, Birds with Disabilities, BIRB, and Not BIRB. Free to enter and open worldwide, with one entry per category and no special equipment required – phones, point-and-shoots, adaptive technology and feeder cameras all welcome. Winners are announced at the Birdability Week closing social on October 25.

September 21, 2026 | Lighting Tips for Everyday Life | Vision Support America

11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 6:00 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America shows how contrast, better lighting, and less glare can make a home easier to see and move through.

September 22, 2026 | Tech It Out | Hadley

11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 7:00 PM GMT
Learn a few tips about everyday technology from a technology expert, ask your questions, and share your experiences.

September 22, 2026 | Make Your iPhone Work for You | Vision Support America

1:00 PM PT, 2:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM ET, 8:00 PM GMT
In this free, step-by-step session, Vision Support America walks through simple ways to make an iPhone work better for changing vision, at a comfortable pace.

September 22, 2026 | Road to the National Coding Symposium: BT Code | American Printing House for the Blind

12:00 PM PT, 1:00 PM MT, 2:00 PM CT, 3:00 PM ET, 7:00 PM GMT
APH opens its Road to the National Coding Symposium series with a look at BT Code, the built-in Python learning and development environment for BT Speak and BT Braille. The session covers guided lessons, games, and audio-based activities with an AI coding assistant, a braille-first development environment for building real Python projects, and the Code Store for sharing work with other blind coders.

September 23, 2026 | Cooking Tips for Changing Vision | Vision Support America

1:00 PM PT, 2:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM ET, 8:00 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America leads a supportive conversation on small, practical steps toward feeling comfortable and confident in the kitchen again with changing vision.

September 23, 2026 | Making Learning Modules and Online Courses Accessible: Quick Testing Essentials | Access Ingenuity

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
Access Ingenuity presents a digital accessibility webinar on quick testing essentials for making learning modules and online courses accessible.

September 24, 2026 | Keep Reading Alive | Vision Support America

1:00 PM PT, 2:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM ET, 8:00 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America explores different ways to keep reading a part of everyday life, in whatever form works best now.

September 28, 2026 | Make Your Android Work for You | Vision Support America

10:30 AM PT, 11:30 AM MT, 12:30 PM CT, 1:30 PM ET, 5:30 PM GMT
In this free session, Vision Support America introduces simple, confidence-building ways to make an Android phone more accessible.

September 30, 2026 | Learning Spanish Accessibly: Using JAWS and a Braille Display | Access Ingenuity

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
Marisa Church from Access Ingenuity explores the language features in JAWS, showing how students can read and write Spanish using one of the enhanced JAWS voices on the web and in Microsoft Word, and how Spanish text can be read on a braille display.

October 1, 2026 | Technology and the Disability Experience | National Organization on Disability

The National Organization on Disability convenes leaders from business, technology, and advocacy at its Times Center gathering in New York to explore how emerging technologies—including AI, extended reality, and smart devices—are reshaping accessibility and the future of disability inclusion in the workforce.

October 9, 2026 | EnAble Learning Office Hours | National Organization on Disability

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
In this free session, the National Organization on Disability walks employers through its EnAble Learning on-demand training and fields questions on building disability confidence, improving retention, and creating more inclusive, productive teams.

October 19, 2026 | Birdability Week 2026: Bird Where You Are | Birdability

Birdability Week returns October 19 through 25, 2026, with the theme Bird Where You Are – an invitation to notice birds in whatever way works best for you, whether that is from a window, a wheelchair, a car, a hospital room, a kayak or a favorite park bench. The week is a celebration of birders with disabilities and other health concerns, and includes a full schedule of free virtual events, the Offbeat Photo and Video Contest, and accessible outings hosted around the country. All virtual events include captions and ASL interpretation.

October 19, 2026 | Finding Balance: Self-Care While Birding – A Birdability Week 2026 Discussion | Birdability

4:00 PM PT, 5:00 PM MT, 6:00 PM CT, 7:00 PM ET
Birdability Captains Eric Clow and Jayme Boucher co-facilitate an open community roundtable on the many ways disabled birders care for themselves while spending time with birds – from birding while floating in a pool, to adaptive equipment that reduces fatigue, to choosing places where birds can be enjoyed without walking. Bring your own tips and hear practical ideas from others. Free. Virtual (Zoom). Captions and ASL interpretation provided; note additional access requests in your registration.

October 20, 2026 | Birding While d/Deaf or Hard of Hearing Panel | Birdability

4:00 PM PT, 5:00 PM MT, 6:00 PM CT, 7:00 PM ET
Birdability Captains, community members and past Accessible Birding Interns who identify as Deaf, deaf, hard of hearing and late-deafened share their birding journeys, the barriers they have encountered and the accommodations that have helped. The panel explores the distinction between Deaf as a cultural and linguistic identity and deaf as a term for hearing loss, the many ways people connect with birds beyond sound, and practical ideas for making bird walks, clubs and festivals more welcoming. Free. Virtual (Zoom). Captions and ASL interpretation provided; note additional access requests in your registration.

October 21, 2026 | Inclusive Nature Panel | Birdability

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET
Author and editor Lauren Pharr moderates a conversation with contributors to the upcoming book Inclusive Nature about creating outdoor spaces, conservation organizations and birding communities where more people truly belong. Drawing on lived experience and professional work, panelists explore how race, disability, gender and culture have shaped who has had access to nature, and identify actions individuals and organizations can take. Free. Virtual (Zoom). Captions and ASL interpretation provided; note additional access requests in your registration.

October 22, 2026 | Birding at the Intersections | Birdability

4:00 PM PT, 5:00 PM MT, 6:00 PM CT, 7:00 PM ET
Birdability Captains and community members with intersecting identities discuss how race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, culture and neurodivergence shape people’s experiences of birding and time in nature. Panelists explore how barriers to participation overlap and reinforce one another, and how belonging is created when communities recognize the whole person rather than a single aspect of identity. Free. Virtual (Zoom). Captions and ASL interpretation provided; note additional access requests in your registration.

October 23, 2026 | Birding With an Energy-Limiting Condition Panel | Birdability

4:00 PM PT, 5:00 PM MT, 6:00 PM CT, 7:00 PM ET
Many birders live with conditions that affect energy, stamina, pain, fatigue or post-exertional recovery. Birdability Captains share how they have adapted their birding to fit changing bodies and lives – birding closer to home, pacing themselves, and embracing rest, mobility aids and technology. They talk honestly about the emotional side of adjusting expectations and letting go of the idea that there is only one right way to be a birder. Free. Virtual (Zoom). Captions and ASL interpretation provided; note additional access requests in your registration.

October 24, 2026 | Birds and Brains: A Keynote Conversation About Traumatic Brain Injury and Healing With Birds | Birdability

1:00 PM PT, 2:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM ET
Birdability Week keynote speaker Day Scott (@TheWildernessGoddess) and Birdability Captain Emily Nichols talk about living with and recovering from traumatic brain injury, and the unexpected ways birds became part of the healing process. Drawing on lived experience and emerging science about the brain’s capacity to adapt and change, they reflect on how paying attention to birds can support healing, emotional well-being and a renewed sense of possibility. Free. Virtual (Zoom). Captions and ASL interpretation provided; note additional access requests in your registration.

October 25, 2026 | Birdability Week Wrap-Up Social and Photo and Video Contest Winners Announced | Birdability

1:00 PM PT, 2:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM ET
Birdability Week 2026 closes with a community celebration and the announcement of the winners of the 2026 Offbeat Photo and Video Contest. See this year’s finalist photos and videos, hear the stories behind them, celebrate the photographers and videographers, and share your own favorite Birdability Week memory. Free. Virtual (Zoom). Captions and ASL interpretation provided; note additional access requests in your registration.

October 27, 2026 | Tech It Out | Hadley

11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 7:00 PM GMT
Learn a few tips about everyday technology from a technology expert, ask your questions, and share your experiences.

November 8, 2026 | 18th Annual Dining In The Dark Fundraiser To Benefit The Blind | Florida Outreach Center For The Blind

1:00 PM PT, 2:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM ET, 9:00 PM GMT
Experience an unforgettable evening at the 18th Annual Dining in the Dark, where guests enjoy a three-course meal served in complete darkness by the PBSO SWAT Team using night-vision goggles. The night also features live entertainment, an inspiring guest speaker, and a silent auction supporting programs for the blind community in Palm Beach County.

November 18, 2026 | Birdability Book Club: Birdsong by the Seasons by Donald Kroodsma | Birdability

4:00 PM PT, 5:00 PM MT, 6:00 PM CT, 7:00 PM ET
The Birdability Book Club closes out 2026 with Birdsong by the Seasons: A Year of Listening to Birds by Donald Kroodsma, a lyrical guide to a year of sound. The book was chosen so readers could follow along month by month through the year and then gather in November to share reflections from twelve months of attentive listening. Free; registration required.

November 19, 2026 | Member-Only Event: Practices for Accessible Virtual Meetings | National Organization on Disability

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET
A 25-minute virtual session for NOD Leadership Council members focused on practical, hands-on strategies for making virtual meetings more inclusive and accessible to all participants. The full briefing is restricted to Council members; non-members can join the Leadership Council to attend this and similar exclusive members-only sessions.

November 24, 2026 | Tech It Out | Hadley

11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 7:00 PM GMT
Learn a few tips about everyday technology from a technology expert, ask your questions, and share your experiences.

December 17, 2026 | CEO Office Hours: Looking Back/Looking Forward | National Organization on Disability

10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 6:00 PM GMT
In a free, year-end CEO Office Hours led by Beth Sirull, the National Organization on Disability reflects on milestones in disability inclusion and looks ahead to the strategies that will shape the coming year.

December 22, 2026 | Tech It Out | Hadley

11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 7:00 PM GMT
Learn a few tips about everyday technology from a technology expert, ask your questions, and share your experiences.

👉 Submit your survey for consideration within this section here.

1.) Get Paid To Share Your Lived Experience: Geographic Atrophy (Macular Degeneration) Research With Rare Patient Voice And Dr. Kirk Adams

Rare Patient Voice is currently seeking patients and caregivers diagnosed with Macular Degeneration: Geographic Atrophy to share their experiences in a paid research study. Participants will take part in a 60-minute web-assisted phone interview focused on daily life with Geographic Atrophy, current treatments, and unmet needs, and will receive $120 in compensation for their time. To be considered, individuals must first join the Rare Patient Voice panel. After joining the panel, Rare Patient Voice will reach out directly to those who qualify with study details and scheduling information.

2.) Paid Study for People with Low-vision: Exploring Charts with AI | University of Tokyo | Deadline: August 28, 2026

Researchers at The University of Tokyo are recruiting participants for a paid online study on making data charts more accessible for people with low vision. We are looking for English-speaking adults aged 18 or older who use their residual vision to access visual content on a computer and have experience with screen magnification, browser zoom, or another enlargement method. The study will take place online via Zoom between August 3 and August 14, 2026, and will last approximately 90 minutes. Participants must use a desktop or laptop computer and share their screen during the session. The chart tasks must be completed visually; a screen reader cannot be used as the primary method for completing them. Participants will receive a gift card worth the equivalent of $45 USD. The study is led by Yotam Sechayk, a researcher who also has low vision. To indicate your interest, please complete a short survey.

1) Top Tech Tidbits App Directory | Submit

2) Top Tech Tidbits Game Directory | Submit

3) Top Tech Tidbits Listserv Directory | Submit

4) Top Tech Tidbits Podcast Directory | Submit

5) Top Tech Tidbits YouTube Directory | Submit

👉 List your new, gently-used or refurbished item in FOUR (4) consecutive issues of Top Tech Tidbits for just $5 USD.

1.) FOR SALE: One New OmniReader Text Scanner

Listing Date: 8/6/2026 | Price: $1500.00 USD | Condition: New | Description: Optical text scanner and reader. New in the box. The omniReader reads printed text to you by pressing a single button. You can follow the magnified text in high-contrast colors on the built-in screen, or simply listen as the omniReader reads text out loud. You can also use the screen to instantly magnify objects and see them more clearly. Thanks to its lightweight design, built-in handle, and long battery life, you can pick it up and use it wherever you want – even on the go. Accurately and instantly read and magnify text. Large, easy-to-use controls with profiles for low vision and blind users. Portable, and lightweight – ideal to take with you. Connect a headset to listen to documents privately. Magnify small objects and fine print in Live Viewing Mode, scan and read documents in portrait orientation, save multi-page documents, read from and save to a USB thumb drive. Scan material in 17 different languages and listen with multiple human-sounding voices. Contact: Dean at deanpodolsky@gmail.com 📧️.

2.) FOR SALE: One Buy, Sell or Trade Advertisement (Just like this one.)

Price: $5.00 USD | Description: List your new, gently-used or refurbished item in FOUR (4) consecutive issues of Top Tech Tidbits for just $5 USD.

We couldn’t do it without you! Thank you for your support!

Why: Top Tech Tidbits Supporters donate an amount of their choosing either one time or annually in order to assist with the ongoing distribution of the Top Tech Tidbits publication.

Benefits: All Top Tech Tidbits Supporters receive a listing within the “Our Supporters” section of each weekly newsletter, as well as a listing within the “Our Supporters” section of the Top Tech Tidbits website.

In addition, all Top Tech Tidbits Supporters automatically become Premium Subscribers as well, and therefore enjoy all of the benefits that a Premium Subscription has to offer.

One Time Donation: If you would like to become a Top Tech Tidbits Supporter by making a one time donation in an amount of your choosing to assist with the ongoing distribution of the Top Tech Tidbits publication, you may utilize this donate link, or scan the QR code to the right.

Annual Donation: If you would like to become a Top Tech Tidbits Supporter by making a small donation to assist with the ongoing distribution of the Top Tech Tidbits publication, we also offer the following options, all with our sincerest thanks, and most heartfelt gratitude for your ongoing support.

Support: In tandem with Our Sponsors, these are the people that make the ongoing distribution of Top Tech Tidbits possible.

Platinum Supporters:

Become a Top Tech Tidbits Platinum Supporter today.

1.) Gary Lee
Platinum Supporter since June 25, 2020

2.) Anonymous Donation
Platinum Supporter since July 9, 2020

3.) Pshon Barrett
Platinum Supporter since January 28, 2021

4.) Robin Millar
Platinum Supporter since April 6, 2023

Gold Supporters:

Become a Top Tech Tidbits Gold Supporter today.

1.) Howard Goldstein
Gold Supporter since June 4, 2020

2.) David Goldstein
Gold Supporter since June 12, 2020

3.) Katherine Crohan
Gold Supporter since January 14, 2021

4.) Neil Jarvis
Gold Supporter since April 28, 2022

Silver Supporters:

Become a Top Tech Tidbits Silver Supporter today.

1.) Timothy Gorbold
Silver Supporter since July 19, 2023

2.) Vojtech Polasek
Silver Supporter since December 29, 2023

Bronze Supporters:

Become a Top Tech Tidbits Bronze Supporter today.

1.) Steven Wettlaufer
Bronze Supporter since July 16, 2020

2.) Lions Clubs International
Bronze Supporter since July 13, 2020

One Time Supporters:

One Time Supporters donate an amount of their choosing — one time to assist with the ongoing distribution of the Top Tech Tidbits Publication.

Become a Top Tech Tidbits One Time Supporter today.

1.) Dane Trethowan
One Time Supporter on September 25, 2025

2.) Beth Wright
One Time Supporter on November 28, 2023

3.) Your name here.
One Time Supporter on …

Distribution: Sponsors, Supporters, Advertisers and Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd.

Distribution Since: 2004

As of June 4, 2020 the distribution of Top Tech Tidbits is made possible by our Sponsors, our Supporters, our Advertisers and Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd., a leading international provider of professionally outsourced marketing administration and consultation services.

Any time the Top Tech Tidbits Publication carries less than its Sponsor limit, Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. donates the remaining dollars necessary to keep the publication running.

Please help us to support the ongoing distribution of this publication. Learn more about the benefits of Sponsorship today.

Publisher: Aaron Di Blasi

Publisher Since: June 4, 2020

Location: Cleveland, Ohio

Time Zone: Eastern Standard Time (EST/EDT) (GMT-5/GMT-4)

In addition to serving as Publisher for Top Tech Tidbits Aaron also serves as Publisher for the Access Information News and AI-Weekly newsletters, PR-Director for the AT-Newswire Press Release News Distribution Service, and President and Senior Project Management Professional for Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd.

As Publisher Aaron oversees the weekly distribution of Top Tech Tidbits on behalf of Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd.

Aaron Di Blasi, PMP

Email: publisher@toptechtidbits.com 📧️
Toll Free: +1 (855) 578-6660 📱️

PR Director (2024-Present)
AT-Newswire 🌐
Access Technology’s Digital Newswire

Publisher (2024-Present)
AI-Weekly 🌐
The Week’s News in Artificial Intelligence

Publisher (2022-Present)
Access Information News 🌐
The Week’s News in Access Information

Publisher (2020-Present)
Top Tech Tidbits 🌐
The Week’s News in Access Technology

Sr. Project Management Professional (2006 – Present)
Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. 🌐
Innovative ideas. Solutions that perform.

Certified:

Digital Marketing Associate
Meta Certified (2022 – Present)

Social Marketing Professional
Hootsuite Certified (2020 – Present)

Email Marketing Professional
Constant Contact Certified (2019 – Present)

Specializing in:

Digital Strategy and Content Marketing
Social Media Advertising
Online Fundraising
ADA, WCAG and Section 508 Compliance

Editor: John Hanlin

Editor Since: June 4, 2020

Location: Boulder, Colorado

Time Zone: Mountain Standard Time (MST/MDT) (GMT-7/GMT-6)

In addition to serving as an Editor to Top Tech Tidbits John also serves as an Editor to the Access Information News and AI-Weekly newsletters and is also an attorney-at-law specializing in long-term disability claims for persons who are blind or low-vision.

John is also a long-time contractor and member of the Board of Trustees at Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd.

John Hanlin, Esq.

Editor (2024-Present)
AI-Weekly 🌐
The Week’s News in Artificial Intelligence

Editor (2022-Present)
Access Information News 🌐
The Week’s News in Access Information

Editor (2020-Present)
Top Tech Tidbits 🌐
The Week’s News in Access Technology

Board of Trustees (2006 – Present)
Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. 🌐
Innovative ideas. Solutions that perform.

Editor: Jenna Lang

Editor Since: June 4, 2020

Location: Des Moines, Iowa

Time Zone: Central Standard Time (CST/CDT) (GMT-6/GMT-5)

In addition to serving as an Editor to Top Tech Tidbits Jenna also serves as an Editor to the Access Information News and AI-Weekly newsletters and runs her own advocacy foundation.

Jenna also serves as a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) for Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd.

Jenna’s son was born blind and she is always seeking new and innovative ways to empower him through technology.

Jenna Lang, PMP

Editor (2024-Present)
AI-Weekly 🌐
The Week’s News in Artificial Intelligence

Editor (2022-Present)
Access Information News 🌐
The Week’s News in Access Information

Project Management Professional (2022 – Present)
Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. 🌐
Innovative ideas. Solutions that perform.

Editor (2020-Present)
Top Tech Tidbits 🌐
The Week’s News in Access Technology

Editor: Stephen (Alex) Marositz

Editor Since: October 7, 2021

Location: Los Angeles, California

Time Zone: Pacific Standard Time (PST/PDT) (GMT-6/GMT-7)

In addition to serving as an Editor to Top Tech Tidbits Alex is also the Accessible Technology Coordinator for California State University, Dominguez Hills. He has worked in accessibility in higher education since 2005, is certified by the International Association of Accessibility Professionals, and in his spare time plays for the San Gabriel Valley Panthers Beep Baseball Team. He can be reached on twitter at: @samarositz.

Stephen (Alex) Marositz

Editor (2021-Present)
Top Tech Tidbits 🌐
The Week’s News in Access Technology

Accessible Technology Coordinator
California State University, Dominguez Hills 🌐

Editor: Ben Moxey

Editor Since: January 1, 2022

Location: Newcastle, Australia

Time Zone: Australia Eastern Standard Time (AEST/AEDT) (GMT+10)

In addition to serving as an Editor to Top Tech Tidbits Ben is also an Access and Technology Advisor for Guide Dogs, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory (NSW/ACT).

Hi, Tidbits readers, my name’s Ben Moxey and I’m based in Newcastle, Australia. I’m really happy to be part of the Tidbits Team and look forward to supporting this valuable publication.

A bit about me and how I came to work in the BVI area. I grew up with very low vision in one eye due to retinal issues and relied on magnification and speech throughout school. They also tried to teach me Braille, but let’s just say that I wasn’t the best student! I was determined to use my remaining vision, no matter how impractical it was becoming.

When I was 20, the other retina came off and I’ve now been totally blind for about 21 years. This is when my love for assistive technology, and technology in general, really kicked in. I’ll be honest, I was a bit of a computer nerd anyway, but I could quickly see how technology was my key to enhanced independence and lifestyle. I embraced screen readers, early smart phones and mobility aids. I even finally realised the huge value of Braille and finished off the course, though I’m still pretty slow!

Long story short (not one of my strong points), I’ve worked in the BVI area for 12 years with much of that spent reviewing, recommending and teaching assistive technology that suits the individual. I’m currently a proud employee of Guide Dogs NSW/ACT where I was the Practice Lead for the assistive technology service, and I’ve now moved into an Access and Technology Advisor role. Basically, this involves a strong focus on accessibility and technology innovation.

Feel free to look me up on LinkedIn, but I’ll warn you in advance that I haven’t given my profile the recommended attention!

All the best and happy reading!

Ben Moxey

Editor (2022-Present)
Top Tech Tidbits 🌐
The Week’s News in Access Technology

Access and Technology Advisor
Guide Dogs, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory (NSW/ACT) 🌐

Editor: David Woodbridge

Editor Since: February 6, 2023

Location: Central Coast, New South Wales, Australia

Time Zone: Australia Eastern Standard Time (AEST/AEDT) (GMT+10)

In addition to serving as an Editor to Top Tech Tidbits David also serves as an Editor to the Access Information News publication and is also the National Commercial Assistive Technology Advisor for Vision Australia where he has worked since 1990. Over this time he has assisted people who are blind or vision impaired in their home, education, and work settings to take advantage of the benefits of using assistive and main stream technology.

In the last seventeen years, he has also been involved with evaluating technology for use by people who are blind or vision impaired covering both low and high tech equipment (including Microsoft, Samsung, Google, Amazon, and Apple). David is also one of the key spokespersons for Vision Australia relating to technology.

He has been an Apple Ambassador for Apple Australia since 2009 with a group of other Ambassadors / Apple Distinguished Educators (ADE)‘s covering the range of Apple’s Accessibility solutions throughout Australia.

David produces a range of podcasts (since 2011) covering Apple and other technologies which are distributed on his own podcast (http://davidwoodbr.podbean.com). In addition, he also has a regular Talking Tech program (since 2013) which can be heard every Tuesday at 4:30 Eastern Summer Time on Vision Australia Radio Melbourne (available online) or via https://omny.fm/shows/talking-tech-vision-australia-radio

David also runs a weekly Tech Monday where people can chat about assistive and main stream technology, share information, and any tips and tricks.

David lost his sight when he was 8 years old and had to learn Braille. Since then, he completed high school, went to Sydney University receiving a Social Work degree, spent 4 years drug and alcohol counselling, and then moved into his current job.

As a person who is blind, David believes that as a user of the technology that he recommends to others, that he is well situated to look at the strengths and shortcomings of the assistive technology that he comes across in both his professional and personal life, in particular, mainstream technology that is accessible.

In addition to his weekly contributions to Top Tech Tidbits and Access Information News, David’s regularly occurring activities are his weekly tech radio show, bi-monthly exploring tech webinars for Vision Australia, his iSee podcast when something of note grabs his attention, and the weekly Tech Monday chat sessions.

David Woodbridge

X (Formerly Twitter): @dwoodbridge
Mastodon: woody@dragonscave.space
iSee Podcast: https://davidwoodbr.podbean.com
Vision Australia Radio Talking Tech: https://omny.fm/shows/talking-tech-vision-australia-radio

Editor (2023-Present)
Top Tech Tidbits 🌐
The Week’s News in Access Technology

Editor (2023-Present)
Access Information News 🌐
The Week’s News in Access Information

National Commercial Assistive Technology Advisor
(1990 – Present)
Vision Australia 🌐
Live the life you choose. We’re here to support all Australians who are blind or have low vision.

Editor: Vicki Walton

Editor Since: January 9, 2026

Location: Benton City, WA

Time Zone: Pacific Standard Time (PST/PDT) (GMT-6/GMT-7)

IIn addition to serving as an Editor to Top Tech Tidbits Vicki also serves as an Editor to the Access Information News publication and works as a Web Accessibility Specialist / IT Quality Assurance Tester at Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.

Vicki Walton

Editor (2024-Present)
Top Tech Tidbits 🌐
The Week’s News in Access Technology

Editor (2024-Present)
Access Information News 🌐
The Week’s News in Access Information

Web Accessibility Specialist / IT Quality Assurance Tester
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges 🌐
Better Jobs, Brighter Futures, a Stronger Washington

Editor: Dr. Kirk Adams

Editor Since: June 8, 2025

Location: Seattle, WA

Time Zone: Pacific Standard Time (PST/PDT) (GMT-6/GMT-7)

Dr. Kirk Adams

Editor (2025-Present)
Top Tech Tidbits 🌐
The Week’s News in Access Technology

Dr. Kirk Adams, Ph.D. 🌐
Advocate, Leader and Keynote Speaker on Disability Inclusion & Leadership
Leading the Way to Accessible Innovation

Institute for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion (ISDI) 🌐
Executive Director
Strengthening individual and organizational capability for creating diverse, inclusive and equitable workplaces.

Innovative Impact, LLC Consulting 🌐
Managing Director
Impactful Workforce Inclusion Starts Here

American Foundation for the Blind 🌐
Immediate Past President & CEO
To create a world of no limits for people who are blind or visually impaired.

Subscription Information 📰️

ABOUT ♿️

Founded in 2004, Top Tech Tidbits is the world’s leading not-for-profit access technology publication that reaches over 45,000 blind, low vision, deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, neurodivergent and/or disabled professionals, educators, and enthusiasts, all over the world, each week, along with the caregivers, companies and organizations that serve and support them. Subscribe here. Review the most recent issues here. Access Technology broadly encompasses technologies that enable access to information and communication systems for persons with disabilities. Adaptive Technology is a subset of Access Technology designed to assist individuals in performing tasks that might otherwise be challenging due to their particular disabilities. Assistive Technology includes any device, software, or equipment that helps people work around their challenges. Top Tech Tidbits is a Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. Publication. Publisher: Aaron Di Blasi. Editors: John Hanlin, Jenna Lang, Stephen (Alex) Marositz, Ben Moxey, David Woodbridge, Vicki Walton, Sarah Massengale and Dr. Kirk Adams. Top Tech Tidbits is a sponsor, reader and advertiser supported publication.

RELEASE SCHEDULE 📅️

Top Tech Tidbits is released every Thursday morning at 6:00 AM ET.

SUBSCRIBE 📧️

Do you, a friend, or colleague wish to receive the Top Tech Tidbits newsletter? If so, please use or pass along our CAPTCHA-free sign-up link. You can also subscribe to receive the Top Tech Tidbits newsletter on the Top Tech Tidbits Website. Either of these methods will provide you with an accessibly friendly and secure medium through which you can subscribe to our mailing list. Just enter your email address, click send, and begin receiving the Top Tech Tidbits newsletter. It’s that easy.

WEBSITE 🌐️

Visit the Top Tech Tidbits website online at: https://toptechtidbits.com.

PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER 💸️

Only Top Tech Tidbits Premium Subscribers receive our special quarterly issue listing the Top 60 Most Clicked News Articles of the Last 3 Months. Just $12 USD per year. This special quarterly issue is provided to Premium Subscribers as a native Microsoft Word document with full headings, links and abstracts to all 60 articles. There are no restrictions placed on these documents. Complete list of all back issues available. Premium Subscribers are entitled to all back issues, anytime they sign up. Join us today and begin receiving this incredibly informative issue every 3 months.

SPONSOR 🏅️

If you would like to become 1 of only 24 Top Tech Tidbits Sponsors whose ongoing support makes the distribution of Top Tech Tidbits possible, we offer you the following advertising benefits, with our sincerest thanks, and most heartfelt gratitude for your ongoing support.

ADVERTISE 🎯️

Top Tech Tidbits offers a variety of one-time advertising options to both Sponsors and non-Sponsors alike. A sample newsletter provides a breakdown of exactly what those one-time advertising options are, where they appear, and what they cost per publication.

DONATE ❤️

If you would like to become a Top Tech Tidbits Supporter by making a small donation to assist with the ongoing distribution of the Top Tech Tidbits publication, we offer the following options, with our sincerest thanks, and most heartfelt gratitude for your support.

STORE 🛒️

Are you blind or do you live with low vision? Are you deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind? Do you require a wheelchair for mobility? Do you consider yourself to be neurodivergent or otherwise disabled? The Top Tech Tidbits Online Store For Digital Downloads specializes in information that can improve your quality of life. Learn more today.

FACEBOOK 💬️

Are you on Facebook? Follow Top Tech Tidbits on Facebook to begin receiving current news and trends in Access Information as part of your Facebook News Feed.

X (FORMERLY TWITTER) 💬️

Are you on X? Follow Top Tech Tidbits on X to begin receiving current news and trends in Access Information as part of your X News Feed.

MASTODON 💬️

Are you on Mastodon? Follow Top Tech Tidbits on Mastodon to begin receiving current news and trends in Access Information as part of your Mastodon News Feed or by searching for @news@mastodon.toptechtidbits.com on your server today.

LINKEDIN 💬️

Are you on LinkedIn? Follow Top Tech Tidbits on LinkedIn to begin receiving current news and trends in Access Information as part of your LinkedIn News Feed.

YOUTUBE ▶️

Are you on YouTube? Follow Top Tech Tidbits on YouTube to begin receiving current news and trends in Access Information as part of your YouTube Video Feed.

RSS 📡️

Do you prefer RSS? Follow Top Tech Tidbits via RSS today to begin receiving current news and trends in Access Information using your choice of news aggregator.

QUESTIONS ❓️

Tidbits are intentionally concise. As a result we know that some readers may not always understand all of the items listed because little explanation is given. If a particular Tidbit brings up a question in your mind, feel free to ask, and we will try to answer as time and knowledge permit.

ARCHIVE 🗄️

Read the most recently released issues of Top Tech Tidbits online here. Visit the Top Tech Tidbits Archive here, where you can read back issues.

CONTENT CONTRIBUTORS ✍️

Any information for future issues of Top Tech Tidbits may be submitted online via our News Item Submission Form or directed to our Editors via email.

THANK YOU 🙏️

Thank you for reading. On behalf of all of us here at Top Tech Tidbits we look forward to keeping you informed.

Information provided by:
Top Tech Tidbits
https://toptechtidbits.com/ 🌐

A Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. Publication

1284 SOM Center Road, PMB 194,
Mayfield Heights, Ohio 44124
+1 (855) 578-6660 📱️