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This is the penultimate episode of Living Blindfully for 2023. Living Blindfully will be taking our customary break over the summer. Our final episode for the year will be available to Plus subscribers on 17 December. We’ll resume again with much replenished energy, vim and vigour on 28 January 2024.

A reminder that voting closes next week for the Mushroom FM holiday countdown. It has been very cool to see so many Living Blindfully listeners voting, and there are now over 265 songs in the countdown. We’ll only be able to play the top 100, so if you haven’t voted yet, make sure you, your family and friends influence the chart. https://MushroomFm.com/countdown2023.

It’s been a huge week for Android users, with Be My AI and Seeing AI hitting the platform. If you’re using them, I’d love to get your take. In particular, how do you think Seeing AI compares with the excellent Google Lookout?

Recently, I have switched to the QardioBase smart scale and it’s been a great decision. I’ll offer a mini review.

We’ll talk more about the dilemma of trying to purchase accessible appliances.

When you are with a sighted person, and someone providing customer services speaks to them instead of you, what’s the best way to handle it?

Do you use Duolingo? One of our listeners is not happy with the deteriorating accessibility of its website and the company’s lack of response.

I’ll provide a quick tutorial on how to delete folders in Microsoft Outlook that you no longer need.

Last week, there were credible reports of the demise of the Castro podcasts app for iOS. Now, they claim reports of their death have been exaggerated. I’ll bring you the latest.

One of the most controversial user experience decisions Apple has made of late is to change the default notification sound, without providing any means of changing it back. Rejoyce! iOS 17.2 lets you change the default notification sound and you can even make your own if you want to. I’ll show you how to set it up.

Speaking of iOS, there is a serious bug that has crept into VoiceOver affecting Drafts, Day One Journal, and some other third-party apps. It’s not good, and I’ll tell you all about it this week.

One thing we can all agree on, accessibility overlay technology is controversial. If you want to take control of whether you allow accessibility overlays to influence your web browsing experience, or you want to allow some overlays while blocking others, you’ll want the updated AccessiByeBye Chromium extension from Pneuma Solutions. I’ll demonstrate how to set it up and how it works.

A listener is concerned that of late, Eleven Labs has become more difficult to use. Are you finding this too?

And Bonnie is back, after travel that could be considered a nightmare, or a comedy of errors, depending on your disposition.

All this and much more in episode 261. The show thrives on your contributions, so do feel free to be in touch with your thoughts on these issues or anything new you want to raise.