<description>&lt;h1&gt;Episode Notes&lt;/h1&gt; &lt;p&gt;A relaxed, gear-forward wrap-up with Damashe, Steven, and Michael: we talk favorite portable keyboards, why a tidy desk matters (especially when you’re done optimizing for TV backdrops), and how changing screen-reader pricing/models ripple across the community. Along the way we compare headsets, celebrate NVDA, reminisce about third-party Twitter apps, and poke fun at shipping hacks and world travel plans.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h2&gt;Highlights&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ProtoArc Tri-Fold keyboard (with numpad)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p&gt;Folds small, charges over USB-C, pairs to &lt;strong&gt;3 devices&lt;/strong&gt; with one button.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Paging/Editing keys (PgUp/PgDn/Home/End/Delete) sit in a vertical strip between the main keys and numpad.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p&gt;Verdict from Steven: “Sold.” Damashe: “It’s been my favorite.”&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Studio reset &amp;gt; comfort over cameras&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p&gt;Steven’s annual clear-out: retire “dead cables,” stop designing the room for TV backdrops, and optimize for radio/podcasting comfort.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;One-cable desk:&lt;/strong&gt; laptop on a &lt;strong&gt;Belkin 11-in-1 wedge dock&lt;/strong&gt;; power and peripherals route out the back so you unplug just one cable and go.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Headsets &amp;amp; open-ear audio&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p&gt;Damashe’s pick: &lt;strong&gt;Shokz OpenComm&lt;/strong&gt; (OpenComm/OpenComm UC). Bone-conduction, comfortable, hardware &lt;strong&gt;mute button&lt;/strong&gt; that works with Zoom/Teams—perfect for “mute-and-talk-to-the-cats” moments.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p&gt;Steven’s rotation: OpenComm boom when it counts; otherwise inexpensive &lt;strong&gt;open-ear “TrueFree” style&lt;/strong&gt; buds (à la OpenFit/OpenFit Air). Caveat: if you don’t use them daily, they’ll be dead when you need them.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Screen readers, pricing, and real-world choices&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p&gt;UK &lt;strong&gt;JAWS “Home” subscription&lt;/strong&gt; discussed as ~&lt;strong&gt;£420/year&lt;/strong&gt; with no monthly option—raising hard questions for home users.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Many will weigh &lt;strong&gt;NVDA&lt;/strong&gt; more seriously; workplaces may still fund JAWS, but at home, cost and consistency matter.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p&gt;Michael notes he’s productive with JAWS plus add-ons (e.g., &lt;strong&gt;Leasey&lt;/strong&gt;), but could script NVDA add-ons for what he needs.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sustainability &amp;amp; “single-developer” risk&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p&gt;Open projects like &lt;strong&gt;NVDA&lt;/strong&gt; thrive on community—but dependence on a few key people is a risk.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p&gt;Corporate stability (e.g., Vispero) helps, yet platform owners can break hooks/APIs at any time.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Platforms that shift under our feet&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;X/Twitter&lt;/strong&gt; cut third-party apps—many accessibility gaps those apps filled never returned.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Google’s habit of retiring products makes people wary (Gemini likely safe; everything else… maybe). Pixel leaks are practically a calendar feature.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Chromebooks:&lt;/strong&gt; fast for web, but hard to justify versus a Windows PC or a discounted &lt;strong&gt;M1 MacBook Air&lt;/strong&gt; when prices climb.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Travel &amp;amp; life bits&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p&gt;October is packed: conventions (NFB state events, Texas), cruises, and training new employees.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Future trip goals: Scotland soon—and &lt;strong&gt;Giza by 2028&lt;/strong&gt; for the pyramids promise.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h2&gt;Mentions&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.protoarc.com/collections/xk-series/products/xk01-tri-fold-bluetooth-keyboard?variant=40494322647129" rel="nofollow"&gt;ProtoArc Tri-Fold Keyboard with numpad&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Belkin 11-in-1 wedge dock&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Shokz OpenComm / OpenComm UC&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NVDA&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;JAWS&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Leasey&lt;/strong&gt; (JAWS productivity add-ons)&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Twitterrific&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Spring&lt;/strong&gt; (third-party Twitter clients, RIP)&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Google Gemini / Nest&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Chromebook/ChromeBox&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;MacBook Air (M1)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;h3&gt;Follow&lt;/h3&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.doubletaponair.com" rel="nofollow"&gt;Double Tap&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.doubletaponair.com/subscribe" rel="nofollow"&gt;Double Tap Newsletter&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;Support Technically Working by contributing to their tip jar: &lt;a href="https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/technically-working" rel="payment nofollow"&gt;https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/technically-working&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Find out more at &lt;a href="https://technically-working.pinecast.co" rel="nofollow"&gt;https://technically-working.pinecast.co&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Send us your feedback online: &lt;a href="https://pinecast.com/feedback/technically-working/de4de5fa-9dc0-4594-b071-f05c2fc0f126" rel="nofollow"&gt;https://pinecast.com/feedback/technically-working/de4de5fa-9dc0-4594-b071-f05c2fc0f126&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Check out our podcast host, &lt;a href="https://pinecast.com" rel="nofollow"&gt;Pinecast&lt;/a&gt;. Start your own podcast for free with no credit card required. If you decide to upgrade, use coupon code &lt;strong&gt;r-431b7d&lt;/strong&gt; for 40% off for 4 months, and support Technically Working.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Technically Working

Damashe Thomas and Michael Babcock

#135 – The Long wrap Up

NOV 3, 202543 MIN
Technically Working

#135 – The Long wrap Up

NOV 3, 202543 MIN

Description

<h1>Episode Notes</h1> <p>A relaxed, gear-forward wrap-up with Damashe, Steven, and Michael: we talk favorite portable keyboards, why a tidy desk matters (especially when you’re done optimizing for TV backdrops), and how changing screen-reader pricing/models ripple across the community. Along the way we compare headsets, celebrate NVDA, reminisce about third-party Twitter apps, and poke fun at shipping hacks and world travel plans.</p> <h2>Highlights</h2> <ul> <li> <p><strong>ProtoArc Tri-Fold keyboard (with numpad)</strong></p> </li> <li> <p>Folds small, charges over USB-C, pairs to <strong>3 devices</strong> with one button.</p> </li> <li>Paging/Editing keys (PgUp/PgDn/Home/End/Delete) sit in a vertical strip between the main keys and numpad.</li> <li> <p>Verdict from Steven: “Sold.” Damashe: “It’s been my favorite.”</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Studio reset &gt; comfort over cameras</strong></p> </li> <li> <p>Steven’s annual clear-out: retire “dead cables,” stop designing the room for TV backdrops, and optimize for radio/podcasting comfort.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>One-cable desk:</strong> laptop on a <strong>Belkin 11-in-1 wedge dock</strong>; power and peripherals route out the back so you unplug just one cable and go.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Headsets &amp; open-ear audio</strong></p> </li> <li> <p>Damashe’s pick: <strong>Shokz OpenComm</strong> (OpenComm/OpenComm UC). Bone-conduction, comfortable, hardware <strong>mute button</strong> that works with Zoom/Teams—perfect for “mute-and-talk-to-the-cats” moments.</p> </li> <li> <p>Steven’s rotation: OpenComm boom when it counts; otherwise inexpensive <strong>open-ear “TrueFree” style</strong> buds (à la OpenFit/OpenFit Air). Caveat: if you don’t use them daily, they’ll be dead when you need them.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Screen readers, pricing, and real-world choices</strong></p> </li> <li> <p>UK <strong>JAWS “Home” subscription</strong> discussed as ~<strong>£420/year</strong> with no monthly option—raising hard questions for home users.</p> </li> <li>Many will weigh <strong>NVDA</strong> more seriously; workplaces may still fund JAWS, but at home, cost and consistency matter.</li> <li> <p>Michael notes he’s productive with JAWS plus add-ons (e.g., <strong>Leasey</strong>), but could script NVDA add-ons for what he needs.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Sustainability &amp; “single-developer” risk</strong></p> </li> <li> <p>Open projects like <strong>NVDA</strong> thrive on community—but dependence on a few key people is a risk.</p> </li> <li> <p>Corporate stability (e.g., Vispero) helps, yet platform owners can break hooks/APIs at any time.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Platforms that shift under our feet</strong></p> </li> <li> <p><strong>X/Twitter</strong> cut third-party apps—many accessibility gaps those apps filled never returned.</p> </li> <li>Google’s habit of retiring products makes people wary (Gemini likely safe; everything else… maybe). Pixel leaks are practically a calendar feature.</li> <li> <p><strong>Chromebooks:</strong> fast for web, but hard to justify versus a Windows PC or a discounted <strong>M1 MacBook Air</strong> when prices climb.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Travel &amp; life bits</strong></p> </li> <li> <p>October is packed: conventions (NFB state events, Texas), cruises, and training new employees.</p> </li> <li>Future trip goals: Scotland soon—and <strong>Giza by 2028</strong> for the pyramids promise.</li> </ul> <h2>Mentions</h2> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.protoarc.com/collections/xk-series/products/xk01-tri-fold-bluetooth-keyboard?variant=40494322647129" rel="nofollow">ProtoArc Tri-Fold Keyboard with numpad</a> </li> <li><strong>Belkin 11-in-1 wedge dock</strong></li> <li><strong>Shokz OpenComm / OpenComm UC</strong></li> <li><strong>NVDA</strong>, <strong>JAWS</strong>, <strong>Leasey</strong> (JAWS productivity add-ons)</li> <li><strong>Twitterrific</strong>, <strong>Spring</strong> (third-party Twitter clients, RIP)</li> <li><strong>Google Gemini / Nest</strong>, <strong>Chromebook/ChromeBox</strong></li> <li><strong>MacBook Air (M1)</strong></li> </ul> <h3>Follow</h3> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.doubletaponair.com" rel="nofollow">Double Tap</a> </li> <li><a href="https://www.doubletaponair.com/subscribe" rel="nofollow">Double Tap Newsletter</a> </li> </ul> <p>Support Technically Working by contributing to their tip jar: <a href="https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/technically-working" rel="payment nofollow">https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/technically-working</a></p> <p>Find out more at <a href="https://technically-working.pinecast.co" rel="nofollow">https://technically-working.pinecast.co</a></p> <p>Send us your feedback online: <a href="https://pinecast.com/feedback/technically-working/de4de5fa-9dc0-4594-b071-f05c2fc0f126" rel="nofollow">https://pinecast.com/feedback/technically-working/de4de5fa-9dc0-4594-b071-f05c2fc0f126</a></p> <p>Check out our podcast host, <a href="https://pinecast.com" rel="nofollow">Pinecast</a>. Start your own podcast for free with no credit card required. If you decide to upgrade, use coupon code <strong>r-431b7d</strong> for 40% off for 4 months, and support Technically Working.</p>