ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Can a blind person get real use from smart glasses with a screen? Steven Scott has bought the Meta Ray-Ban Display and Meta Neural Band. He and Shaun Preece talk through the built-in screen reader, the wrist gestures, WhatsApp, Maps and what is still missing.
Steven expected the in-lens display to be useless to him. He was wrong. The glasses have their own screen reader, and you switch it on from the Meta AI app. Setup walks you through the Neural Band gestures well: rub your thumb along your index finger to swipe, and pinch to double tap. WhatsApp turns out to be the standout, with full message history, dictation and voice messages, all without taking out your phone. The Maps app even works in the UK. There are still rough edges: the text size setting doesn't save, there's no screen curtain, and so far there aren't many apps.
Earlier in the show, Steven and Shaun look back at the first Double Tap Live and the news from Lumin founder Sriram Ganesh, including Outlook support. That leads into Steven's mixed feelings about Siri on the iOS 27 beta, a VoiceOver volume bug when calls come in, and whether services that launch free can keep going. Now that blind people can build their own tools with AI, what does that mean for developers?
There's news on the Double Tap app, which is waiting on Apple approval with Android to follow, plus the refreshed website. You'll soon be able to put forward podcasts for Double Tap Live. Listener Richard from Louisiana closes the show with how walking directions on Meta glasses actually work. He finds them more accurate than Google Maps, though they're fussy about street addresses.
Chapters
0:00 – Intro: glasses with a screen
1:15 – Double Tap Live recap and Lumin news
5:09 – Siri, the iOS 27 beta and VoiceOver volume
8:25 – Paying for apps and building your own with AI
13:10 – Double Tap app, new website and podcast submissions
19:46 – Meta Ray-Ban Display and Neural Band explained
29:05 – Screen reader, magnification and accessibility settings
35:36 – WhatsApp and Maps on the glasses
44:16 – Low vision, screen curtain and accessible wearables
50:39 – Richard on Meta glasses walking navigation
Have you tried the Meta Ray-Ban Display, or walking directions on Meta glasses? Email feedback@doubletaponair.com. Subscribe so you don't miss an episode, and listen to Double Tap Live any time of day.
Relevant Links
Double Tap Live: https://doubletaponair.com/live
Meta Ray-Ban Display: https://www.meta.com/ai-glasses/meta-ray-ban-display/
Lumin: https://www.trylumin.ai/
Zero Project: https://zeroproject.org
Be My Eyes: https://www.bemyeyes.com
Aira: https://aira.io
----
Follow on:
- YouTube: https://www.doubletaponair.com/youtube
- X (formerly Twitter): https://www.doubletaponair.com/x
- Instagram: https://www.doubletaponair.com/instagram
- TikTok: https://www.doubletaponair.com/tiktok
- Threads: https://www.doubletaponair.com/threads
- Facebook: https://www.doubletaponair.com/facebook
- LinkedIn: https://www.doubletaponair.com/linkedin
Subscribe to the Podcast:
- Apple: https://www.doubletaponair.com/apple
- Spotify: https://www.doubletaponair.com/spotify
- RSS: https://www.doubletaponair.com/podcast
- iHeadRadio: https://www.doubletaponair.com/iheart
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.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
