Double Tap is officially renewed for its ninth season, launching September 1. Steven Scott and Shaun Preece share the behind-the-scenes news, explore the surge in pre-orders for the Ally Solos smart glasses, and debate the evolving personality of ChatGPT-5. The episode also dives into listener emails covering NAS vs Tailscale remote storage, accessible audiobook players, mental health resources for blind users, and the game-changing potential of Be My Eyes’ real-time video feature via smart glasses.

Thanks to Turtleback Low Vision for sponsoring this episode of Double Tap. As a thank you to the Double Tap community, Turtleback is offering 12% off your entire order with promo code DT12. Visit https://www.turtlebacklv.com to shop the full lineup!

Steven and Shaun open with the big announcement—Double Tap will return for a ninth season on AMI, continuing daily tech talk for blind and low-vision audiences. The pair celebrate with sound effect banter before shifting to reaction to the Ally Solos smart glasses, now sold out in their first pre-order run. They discuss price appeal, app-based testing, and the role of big tech AI models in driving innovation.
The conversation shifts to ChatGPT-5, with both hosts noting backlash over its personality changes and human-like voice. This leads to a wider discussion on how blind users value speed and efficiency over conversational tone in assistive tech.

Listener emails spark discussions on:
Network storage: Pros and cons of NAS devices vs. the Tailscale app for secure remote access.
Accessible media: Trevor’s Android audiobook player recommendation, Simple AP Player.
Mental health: Greg shares US-based vision loss mental health resources, prompting candid conversation on loneliness, social isolation, and guilt around commitments.
Be My Eyes: Gregory celebrates the app’s new real-time video feature for social and practical tasks.

The show closes with Charles challenging Steven to name a modern song he likes, leading to a lighthearted music taste debate.

Chapters
0:00 – Season nine confirmed for Double Tap
4:32 – Ally Solos smart glasses sell out
11:45 – ChatGPT-5 voice personalities & accessibility
20:12 – NAS vs Tailscale for accessible storage
32:18 – Listener email: Android audiobook player app
34:40 – Soundscape on Android update
36:00 – Mental health resources & personal reflections
1:02:20 – Be My Eyes real-time video excitement
1:07:15 – Modern music debate

Find Double Tap online: YouTube, Double Tap Website

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About Double Tap

Hosted by the insightful duo, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, Double Tap is a treasure trove of information for anyone who's blind or partially sighted and has a passion for tech. Steven and Shaun not only demystify tech, but they also regularly feature interviews and welcome guests from the community, fostering an interactive and engaging environment. Tune in every day of the week, and you'll discover how technology can seamlessly integrate into your life, enhancing daily tasks and experiences, even if your sight is limited.

"Double Tap" is a registered trademark of Double Tap Productions Inc.

Envision has announced the Ally Solos smart glasses — a lightweight, phone-connected wearable offering AI-powered text reading, object and face recognition, and upcoming offline features. With early bird pricing at $399 and worldwide shipping, Ally Solos aims to bring advanced accessibility tools to blind, low-vision, and older users at a lower cost than previous Envision glasses.

This episode is supported by Pneuma Solutions. Creators of accessible tools like Remote Incident Manager and Scribe. Get $20 off with code dt20 at https://pneumasolutions.com/ and enter to win a free subscription at doubletaponair.com/subscribe!

Steven Scott and Shaun Preece speak with Envision co-founder Karthik Karnan about the launch of the Ally Solos glasses. These next-gen wearables feature dual HD cameras, up to 15 hours of battery life, and seamless Bluetooth pairing with smartphones to run Ally, Envision’s AI assistant. Users can ask natural questions — such as finding vegan menu items — and Ally chooses the right tool automatically.

Unlike standalone devices, Ally Solos leverage phone processing for extended battery life and reduced cost, while still supporting future offline capabilities like instant text reading and document scanning. The glasses double as Bluetooth headphones, support voice assistants like Siri or Gemini, and allow text/image export to other devices.

A free Ally plan offers core functionality, while Ally Pro ($10/month or $100/year at launch) unlocks unlimited conversations, custom “Allies,” conversation history, shortcuts, larger file imports, and upcoming live video AI. Existing Envision glasses will remain supported for years, with updates continuing. Pre-orders are open worldwide, with prices rising to $599 after the campaign.

Chapters
00:00 – Introducing Karthik and Ally Solos launch
01:00 – Specs and early bird pricing
02:11 – Why phone pairing boosts battery life
05:18 – Offline features planned for updates
07:22 – Bluetooth connectivity and assistant support
08:20 – Why Solos hardware was chosen
11:20 – Why not Meta Ray-Bans?
13:07 – Accessibility-first setup and onboarding
16:36 – Frame styles, lenses, and prescription options
18:08 – Key features: text reading, face recognition, exports
22:06 – Ally vs Envision AI app
24:05 – Ally free vs Pro subscription
27:18 – Pro features: unlimited minutes, customisation, live video AI
28:03 – Pricing and subscription offers
31:17 – Trying Ally app before buying glasses
32:30 – Support for existing Envision Glasses
39:17 – Commitment to ongoing updates
41:55 – Aira, Be My Eyes, and companion app plans
44:22 – Worldwide availability and multilingual support
45:19 – Post–early bird pricing

Find Double Tap online: YouTube, Double Tap Website

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About Double Tap

Hosted by the insightful duo, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, Double Tap is a treasure trove of information for anyone who's blind or partially sighted and has a passion for tech. Steven and Shaun not only demystify tech, but they also regularly feature interviews and welcome guests from the community, fostering an interactive and engaging environment. Tune in every day of the week, and you'll discover how technology can seamlessly integrate into your life, enhancing daily tasks and experiences, even if your sight is limited.

"Double Tap" is a registered trademark of Double Tap Productions Inc.

Soundscape has officially arrived on Android, thanks to the Scottish Tech Army’s volunteer-driven effort to revive and expand Microsoft’s beloved navigation app. We also explore the DotPad X’s tactile braille graphics, Dropbox Passwords shutting down, and listener ideas for future braille devices.

In this episode, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece bring two big accessibility updates. First, Soundscape—originally a Microsoft research project—has been rebuilt for Android by the Scottish Tech Army. Kirsty McIntosh joins to share the story, explain the beta testing phase, and call for community feedback, volunteers, translators, and sustainable funding. The team hopes charities will share the small running costs to keep it free for all users.

Next, we take a first look at DotPad X, a portable multi-line braille and tactile graphics display with both a 20-cell braille line and a 300-cell graphics area, compatible with major screen readers. Steven and Shaun reflect on the growing role of tactile graphics in braille tech.
Other topics include Dropbox sunsetting its password manager, listener Aaron’s thoughts on embedding accessibility into company culture, and Chris’s inventive suggestion for hot-swappable switches on braille keyboards. There’s also lighthearted banter on Windows NVDA issues, app organisation habits, and the nostalgia of mechanical keyboards.

Chapters
0:00 – Intro & Soundscape tease
2:40 – Soundscape comes to Android
12:10 – First look at DotPad X tactile display
20:35 – Dropbox Passwords shutting down
27:00 – Listener email: accessibility in company culture
33:15 – Listener email: hot-swappable braille keyboard switches
39:20 – Interview: Kirsty McIntosh, Scottish Tech Army, on Soundscape for Android
1:18:40 – Funding challenges and community support
1:27:15 – Closing thoughts & tomorrow’s big Envision announcement

Find Double Tap online: YouTube, Double Tap Website

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Follow on:

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Subscribe to the Podcast:

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About Double Tap

Hosted by the insightful duo, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, Double Tap is a treasure trove of information for anyone who's blind or partially sighted and has a passion for tech. Steven and Shaun not only demystify tech, but they also regularly feature interviews and welcome guests from the community, fostering an interactive and engaging environment. Tune in every day of the week, and you'll discover how technology can seamlessly integrate into your life, enhancing daily tasks and experiences, even if your sight is limited.

"Double Tap" is a registered trademark of Double Tap Productions Inc.