Blind Guys Chat

Time to bring out the slide projector again as Jan tells us about his recent holiday adventure in France and Spain. Thank all the gods he was with his wonderful wife and children or else he might have left a trail of destruction behind him! He tells us all. Our guest this week is eamonn linnane. For the last 25 years Eamonn has been organising the Mizen to Malin cycling event, in order to raise funds for Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, in memory of his late father, Paddy. Eamonn tells us all about the cycle and even tries to persuade the Blind Guys to do it in 2026. The guys have agreed, but only if they can drive! Clodagh is very excited about this, as Óran looks great in cycle shorts. So, get ready to shave your chest, slap on your Oakley glasses, and start the most exhilarating ride you are ever going to experience - Blind Guys Chat. 9.6 out of 10 bicycle saddles prefer it to being sat on. Support Blind Guys Chat by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/blind-guys-chatRead transcript

We're back after our summer break, and as we woke up to the sound of Autumn arriving, (it’s lashing rain here!) we were discouraged to hear that the new Glide is not coming to Europe! What!?! As the characters on South Park might say "You Ba***rds! You killed Kenny!" But are we really surprised to hear this news? The Blind Guys discuss. Guess who's just pre-ordered a new pair of Envision Ally Solos Glasses even though he already has a pair of the original ones? Yes, it's the Stephen Scott of Blind Guys Chat; Mohammed. So why has he decided to throw his €3,500 Envision smart glasses out with the rubbish and pay out for a new pair? And will it help him get lucky with the women? Speaking of meeting up with women, Mohammed also tells us of his trials and tribulations when he recently travelled to Berlin on his very own, with nobody to mind him. BGC understands that the German police are advising people to be on the lookout for a blind man accosting tourists and locals, and demanding they bring him around museums. They are also looking for a blind man seen running around parks seeking a running partner, waving his cane wildly. Wonder who that could be? So, pick up those fallen leaves from the front doorstep, make yourself a nice cup of hot chocolate, and settle in for the number one podcast this side of a ham sandwich: Blind Guys Chat! 8 out of 10 museums prefer it to storing old stuff! Support Blind Guys Chat by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/blind-guys-chatRead transcript

Hello and welcome to BCG129. Jan is off soaking up the rays with his family so Mo and Óran are home alone with Clodagh babysitting them. Mo is about to go on his own holidays, he is off to Berlin all on his own! Will he be ok? Will he be able to find the hotel all by himself? Do the German women need to lock their doors? And what is a museum island? None of these questions will be answered in this show! However, Mo is going to meet up with some of the local Berliners and run around their parks. Have you ever done a 'Park Run'? Let us know how you got on: blindguyschat@gmail.com.   Óran is banging on about useful GPS navigators for the blind and vision impaired, as usual. It seems that Larry and he went off on a walk into the unknown, solo, and could have benefited from a good navigation app, but Google Maps just wasn't up to the job, apparently.   Clodagh has an email from a brand-new listener to the podcast (you’re very welcome, Charles from Texas – we’re delighted to have you in the gang!). Then BGC regular, Blind Gordon, tells us to get down with the kids and be 'drip snatched'. (For those of us not in the know, in Gen Z slang, drip means clothes/accessories. It can also refer to a person's sense of style being sexy or cool. And snatched means amazingly good, very attractive, flawlessly styled, etc.)   So, switch off the telly now that the women’s Euros are over, launch your favourite podcast app, and take a listen to the number one podcast as recently voted by the New Yorker: Blind Guys Chat. 17 out of 20 country stone walls prefer it to being stone! Support Blind Guys Chat by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/blind-guys-chatRead transcript

Don't worry folks, Unlike the Icelandic volcano 'Eyjafjallajökull', we have not erupted, but we are quite hot and sweaty in the BGC office. Jan is just back from Washington DC where Abraham Lincon and his mates were sweltering in 35-degree heat (95 degrees in old money). Jan was a bit peeved, as his ‘Look and Tell’ feature on his Meta Ray Ban glasses is still not working. Oh dear! However, perhaps he might purchase a pair of the new Oakley smart glasses, or as Jan calls them, the new UGLY glasses! (Oakley will not be pleased at being called that – as they’re a very proud fashion brand!) Do you plan on spending your hard-earned cash on the limited edition gold Oakleys? Let us know: BlindGuysChat@gmail.com. Mohammed has been slaving over a hot soldering iron and has just released the latest update for JAWS and Fusion. Apparently, you can now have JAWS run off to the cloud when you encounter an unlabelled button in an app, pdf or webpage – it will find the correct label for you. All you do is press the keystroke JAWS key (insert or caps lock), with the letter G, and JAWS will label that button for you. How cool is that?! You can even save these labelled buttons on webpages that you frequently use. Woohoo!! And there's more. When using Vispero's FS Companion you can now get Google help. You can search for shortcuts for Google Docs, Google Sheets etc. But can it find Mo's underpants? (Óran! Don’t be bold! -Clodagh) We chat about the emotional rollercoaster that is deciding whether to apply for a new guide dog or not. Please let us know your stories around this. It will help us, and more importantly, other listeners through their decision-making processes. And if you would like to hear Óran talking about writing for the TV series ‘Maddie + Triggs’, you can listen to him (link below) on the 'In Touch' podcast produced by the BBC, where he and producer Colm Tobin and lyricist/writer Deena Diamond talk about the show with Peter White. So, strip down to your ugly nethers, take a cold one out of the fridge, and lie back for a listen to the sultry, ice creamly voices of: Blind Guys Chat! 55 out of 65 thunderstorms prefer it to making scary crackly/banging noises! Links for this week’s show: BBC In Touch: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002fjp9 (starts after 8 minutes) Email us at BlindGuysChat@gmail.com Support Blind Guys Chat by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/blind-guys-chatRead transcript

The Blind Guys get berated by Clodagh this week as they appear to be just messing around and having a chat. Is it because of the good weather? Maybe. Tesla’s autonomous (driverless) cars in Austin Texas appear to have thrown caution to the wind and are driving around breaking the speed limits, but hard breaking when they see the cops! Could it be those little rascals The Minions are being naughty perhaps? Clodagh and Óran had a great laugh last weekend when in County Cork, where a local tried to convince them that a 50-kilowatt charging station is a 'superfast' charger! You're not pulling the wool over Clodagh's eyes, Mr Man!! Mohammed has recently been paint balling. Did he hit anything? Let's find out. And Óran has been trying his cooking skills, yes, he made a pizza! Or did he? (No. No he didn’t. He just took it out of the oven! – Clodagh) In TV Corner, we are talking about 'The Long Way Home' on Apple TV. In the second episode, Ewan McGregor and Charlie Bowman are travelling through the Netherlands on their vintage motorbikes. They taste a local delicacy, raw herring. Apparently, it tastes like uncooked salmon fillet - YUCK!!! They also visit a village up north where people jump onto a pole in the middle of a river and try to get to the other side. Jan and Mo get quite excited about this activity! But wouldn’t it be easier if they just walked?! Meta have launched their newest smart glasses. They have teamed up with Oakley, the fashion brand. Will you be buying the latest trendy specs? Let us know at blindguyschat@gmail.com. And Mohammed says Meta glasses might be getting a software upgrade in September, yay! So, pitch your tent in the kitchen, fire up the camping stove, and get ready for the sizzling sound of Blind Guys Chat: 9 out of 10 herrings prefer it to being eaten raw. Support Blind Guys Chat by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/blind-guys-chatRead transcript

Blind Guys Chat would like to formally announce and warmly welcome Mohammed Laachir as our new permanent co-host. Mohammed brings a wealth of experience and gravity to this role - he is a former Martian Astronaut and a previous winner of the 2022 IDF swimsuit competition. Sjef and Larry (the BGC guide dogs) are pleased that there is now a responsible adult in the house. In other news, we are talking to Kevin Kelly and Chantelle Smith from the Wayfinding Centre in Dublin. This is a fantastic facility for public transport training, orientation, and learning to fly Airbus 319 aircraft, although Óran has now been banned from the centre as he managed to clip the wings off the plane during landing... oops! Also in the Wayfinding Centre on Saturday June 7 was our first look and demo of the vacuum cleaner known as Glide. This prototype mobility device is taking the blindy world by storm, and Óran got to take it for a test drive. Did he like it? Tune in to find out!! Clodagh has an email from Patty Murphy, who tells us about a recent episode of Doctor Who with an interstellar song contest. Have you seen it? The guys are throwing Kevin Sherwin under the bus for this one. So, strip down to your beard, fill up the paddling pool, and bask in the dappled sunlight that is: Blind Guys Chat - 11 out of 15 guide dogs prefer it to the Glide from Glidance. Support Blind Guys Chat by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/blind-guys-chatRead transcript

This week we’re delighted to have Stuart Lawler and Mohammed Laachir back with us. Mohamed has recently written an article for his LinkedIn page entitled "When the lights go out, an account of vision loss". It's a wonderfully insightful read and we highly recommend all our listeners check it out, whether they have a vision impairment or not. Check it out here: www.linkedin.com/pulse/when-lights-go-out-account-vision-loss-mohammed-laachir-uqzue   Stuart was at an accessibility for the arts event which was recently held in the Project Arts Centre here in Dublin, and he tells us all about the event. the conversation also brings up the topic of touch tours in the arts. Are you a fan? Let us know at: blindguyschat@gmail.com   Clodagh has emails from Blind Gordon, Clare Page and Claire McLoughlin.   Don't forget, there is a Glide demo day at the Wayfinding Centre this coming Saturday, June 7. See details here: https://glidance.io/glidance-demo-day-dublin/.   So, forget about the rain, buy yourself an ice cream, and perch your butt on a park bench to listen to the number one podcast this side of a replacement guide dog: Blind Guys Chat - 7 out of 10 republicans prefer it to Trump!   Links for this programme: ·       Mohammed Laachir - "When the lights go out, an account of vision loss”: www.linkedin.com/pulse/when-lights-go-out-account-vision-loss-mohammed-laachir-uqzue ·       Glidance demo day: https://glidance.io/glidance-demo-day-dublin/. ·       And email us at blindguyschat@gmail.com, Clodagh’s dying to hear from you all! Support Blind Guys Chat by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/blind-guys-chatRead transcript

Read transcriptJan is on hiatus this week, so it’s a welcome return to Mr Stuart Lawler, a man who puts the “Hot” into Tango. It’s 30 years since Stuart was on the Irish Eurovision Song Contest jury and boy are we happy they never asked him back. Secret Garden were the winners for Norway that year with a song that can only be described as: mostly violin! But what happened this year in Basel, Switzerland? Did Celine Dion turn up singing a medley of her hit? Did the Swedish businessmen get hot and sweaty in the sauna? Is Lithuania’s guitar player just a U2 wanna-be? And did the UK get any votes at all? Let’s find out as we join Kevin Sherwin live from his jacuzzi (he really just farts in the bath)! To find out how the Eurovision final went last Saturday, May 17th. Óran and Stuart are standing on their respective soapboxes as Sky TV don’t seem to be doing a whole lot when it comes to providing AD services on Sky Stream or on their ‘On Demand’ service. Is it time to throw Dave Nason under the bus (again) on this one!? (We love you Dave – a voice note would be very welcome - Clo) In TV corner, have you seen ‘Mad Men’ with AD on Netflix? or Cassandra? or how about the new season of Black Mirror? Give us your views on the quality of the AD on these programmes, or on whatever you’re watching, by emailing blindguyschat@gmail.com. At long last the Meta AI ‘look and describe’ feature has come to Ireland! Woohoo!! Óran can’t stop asking the glasses to describe his guide dog Larry. Apparently, he defecates on the grass. Larry that is, not Óran! Have you tried the look and tell feature? Let us know what you think: blindguyschat@gmail.com Stuart is heading off to Sight City in Frankfurt; are you going? Stuart talks to us about booking a sighted guide at the event, and the new remote assistance option for those attending. Finally, we have news on the Glide from Glidence. There will be a demo day at the Wayfinding Centre in Dublin on June 7, early booking is recommended, before Larry and his friends break it! So, strip off your sweat-drenched sauna suit; stop straddling that microphone - you could do yourself an injury; pour yourself a macchiato and settle in for a podcast full of enjoyment, with no jokes, sarcasm or any kind of wit at all! Yeah right!!! 🤣🤣🤣 Blind Guys Chat, 15 out of 20 Eurovision song contestants prefer it to endless rehearsals! Links for this episode of BGC: · In 1995, Secret Garden win for Norway with this banger: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-gA0aU-d88 · Sweaty Swedish sauna businessmen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSh7U3m9KgA&ab_channel=EurovisionSongContest · Lithuania’s wanna-be-U2-ish entry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F6bwWGhm_s&t=18s&ab_channel=EurovisionSongContest · What the hell just happened, UK? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ur5qRh0BaHk&ab_channel=EurovisionSongContest · Sight City, Frankfurt: https://sightcity.net/en/home/ · Sight City “Rent-a-guide service”: https://sightcity.net/en/trade-fair-guides/ · Sight City remote assistance: https://sightcity.net/en/remote-assistance/ · Book your visit to the Glide demo day in Dublin: https://glidance.io/glidance-demo-day-dublin/ · The Wayfinding Centre: https://thewayfindingcentre.ie/ · And don’t forget to email us with your tips, tricks, and tales at blindguyschat@gmail.com! Support Blind Guys Chat by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/blind-guys-chat

It's a warm welcome back to our good friend Mohammed Laachir, who has literally just arrived home from Lyon - that's in France, don't ya know! And yes, he is just returning with his latest mail order bride. Did he use his Envision glasses to find her? Let's find out. Have you used the Chat GPT visual description feature? Share your thoughts with us about it: blindguyschat@gmail.com It seems Óran has found an ingenious way to solve his cooking issues. But Clodagh can no longer get into the kitchen... Clodagh has an update on the upcoming Seen - Unseen event in the Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin: it’s happening on Friday June 6th at 14.30 GMT and Clare Mc Laughlin will be sending out free tactile packs next week. They will be exploring selected artworks from Ailbhe Ní Bhrian's exhibition "The Dream Pool Intervals". Register by WhatsApp, text or voice note to Clare Mc Laughlin on +353 (0)86 3091653. And the ever charming and delightful Blind Gordon has good news on Dundee United. So, forget about the tariffs for a moment, and settle down for a listen to the number 1 podcast as voted by the conclave: Blind Guys Chat - 7 out of 10 cardinals prefer it to blessing a congregation. Links for this show: · The Envision Companion app (previously called Envision Ally): https://www.letsenvision.com/companion · Chat GPT visual descriptions: https://chatgpt.com/g/g-LM6th5zM6-visual-description-pro-5-0 · Seeing AI: https://www.seeingai.com/ · Meta Ray-Ban glasses: https://www.ray-ban.com/ireland/ray-ban-meta-ai-glasses · Echovision glasses: https://echovision.agiga.ai/ Support Blind Guys Chat by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/blind-guys-chatRead transcript

Hello, our stainless-steel saucepans and welcome to ep 122 of BGC. We hope you had a lovely Easter break, if that is something you do. A big shout-out to Jan's father, as he is in hospital having broken his hip trying to realign the TV satellite dish on the International Space Station. Our advice - just go with cable! Our guest this week is the wonderful Debra Erickson, all the way from Portland, Oregon. Debra might be better known to you from her InstaSpace handle 'The Blind Kitchen'. A fantastic cook, Debra is here to teach Óran a thing or two about making toast, boiling water, skinning a cat, and the proper way to cook lamb's balls. Ahem! Sorry meatballs. (Not a moment too soon, says Clodagh!) So, strip down to your cardinal vestments, stop waiting in line to take a selfie with Pope Francis, and get ready to listen to the number 1 podcast as listened to by Swiss Guards - Blind Guys Chat! 10 out of 15 potential future Popes prefer it to being a potential future Pope! Links for this show: · https://theblindkitchen.com/ · https://www.facebook.com/theblindkitchen/ · https://www.instagram.com/theblindkitchen1/ Support Blind Guys Chat by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/blind-guys-chatRead transcript

Read transcriptHello our spring flowers and welcome to BGC ep 121. We have a great show for you: Óran and Jan are talking about the new smart kid on the block when it comes to smart glasses: Echo Vision. Have you heard of these? Do you have a pair? Well, if you do let us know if you like them and are finding them of benefit in your daily life - email us at blindguyschat@gmail.com.   Our guest this week is Kevin Sherwin. Yes, it's a welcome back to the Eurovision song contest guru who is just back from a world wind tour of New York New York. Kevin has the latest news on all the latest musicals and plays on Broadway at the moment. He also gives us a rundown of the who's hot and who's not when it comes to Eurovision 2025! Will Ireland be sending Johnny Logan? Will Sweden bring snow? Will The Netherlands bring their bikes? And who is having a sauna on top of a microphone stand? Kevin will explain all, while Jan and Óran have a lie down. (Together? 🫣 -Clo)   Clodagh has emails from Nora Nagle, who has some hilarious Be My Eyes stories to tell. And Artist Clare Mc Laughlin has news about two art events coming up this summer: ‘Seen – Unseen’ returns this June with a visit to The Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin on June 6th at 14.30.   This is followed by a ‘Seen – Unseen’ visit to ‘Uileann’, the West Cork Arts Centre in Skibbereen, on Friday July 18th at 15,00. Participation is free of charge for the visually impaired community and tactile packs are posted to participants joining online. Early registration is recommended, and you can register by WhatsApp, Text or voice note to 086 3091653, or by emailing Artist Clare McLaughlin claremclaughlinemail@gmail.com   So, put on your dancing shoes and point your ears to the speakers while you listen to the number one podcast recently voted by Broadway experts: Blind Guys Chat! 35 out of 37 Eurovision performers prefer it to endless rehearsals!   Links for this episode: ·       Echo Vision: https://echovision.agiga.ai/. Smash: Hello our spring flowers and welcome to BGC ep 121. We have a great show for you: Óran and Jan are talking about the new smart kid on the block when it comes to smart glasses: Echo Vision. Have you heard of these? Do you have a pair? Well, if you do let us know if you like them and are finding them of benefit in your daily life - email us at blindguyschat@gmail.com.   Our guest this week is Kevin Sherwin. Yes, it's a welcome back to the Eurovision song contest guru who is just back from a world wind tour of New York New York. Kevin has the latest news on all the latest musicals and plays on Broadway at the moment. He also gives us a rundown of the who's hot and who's not when it comes to Eurovision 2025! Will Ireland be sending Johnny Logan? Will Sweden bring snow? Will The Netherlands bring their bikes? And who is having a sauna on top of a microphone stand? Kevin will explain all, while Jan and Óran have a lie down. (Together? 🫣 -Clo)   Clodagh has emails from Nora Nagle, who has some hilarious Be My Eyes stories to tell. And Artist Clare Mc Laughlin has news about two art events coming up this summer: ‘Seen – Unseen’ returns this June with a visit to The Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin on June 6th at 14.30.   This is followed by a ‘Seen – Unseen’ visit to ‘Uileann’, the West Cork Arts Centre in Skibbereen, on Friday July 18th at 15,00. Participation is free of charge for the visually impaired community and tactile packs are posted to participants joining online. Early registration is recommended, and you can register by WhatsApp, Text or voice note to 086 3091653, or by emailing Artist Clare McLaughlin claremclaughlinemail@gmail.com   So, put on your dancing shoes and point your ears to the speakers while you listen to the number one podcast recently voted by Broadway experts: Blind Guys Chat! 35 out of 37 Eurovision performers prefer it to endless rehearsals!   Links for this episode: ·       Echo Vision: https://echovision.agiga.ai/. Hello our spring flowers and welcome to BGC ep 121. We have a great show for you: Óran and Jan are talking about the new smart kid on the block when it comes to smart glasses: Echo Vision. Have you heard of these? Do you have a pair? Well, if you do let us know if you like them and are finding them of benefit in your daily life - email us at blindguyschat@gmail.com.   Our guest this week is Kevin Sherwin. Yes, it's a welcome back to the Eurovision song contest guru who is just back from a world wind tour of New York New York. Kevin has the latest news on all the latest musicals and plays on Broadway at the moment. He also gives us a rundown of the who's hot and who's not when it comes to Eurovision 2025! Will Ireland be sending Johnny Logan? Will Sweden bring snow? Will The Netherlands bring their bikes? And who is having a sauna on top of a microphone stand? Kevin will explain all, while Jan and Óran have a lie down. (Together? 🫣 -Clo)   Clodagh has emails from Nora Nagle, who has some hilarious Be My Eyes stories to tell. And Artist Clare Mc Laughlin has news about two art events coming up this summer: ‘Seen – Unseen’ returns this June with a visit to The Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin on June 6th at 14.30.   This is followed by a ‘Seen – Unseen’ visit to ‘Uileann’, the West Cork Arts Centre in Skibbereen, on Friday July 18th at 15,00. Participation is free of charge for the visually impaired community and tactile packs are posted to participants joining online. Early registration is recommended, and you can register by WhatsApp, Text or voice note to 086 3091653, or by emailing Artist Clare McLaughlin claremclaughlinemail@gmail.com   So, put on your dancing shoes and point your ears to the speakers while you listen to the number one podcast recently voted by Broadway experts: Blind Guys Chat! 35 out of 37 Eurovision performers prefer it to endless rehearsals!   Links for this episode: ·       Echo Vision: https://echovision.agiga.ai/. ·       Book your ‘Seen – Unseen’ event access by emailing claremclaughlinemail@gmail.com or you can WhatsApp her on 086 3091653. ·       Email us at BlindGuysChat@gmail.com with all your stories, questions and Blindie Tips (who wants to hear that jingle again? I know I do!!). Clodagh is looking forward to hearing from you.   ·       Book your ‘Seen – Unseen’ event access by emailing claremclaughlinemail@gmail.com or you can WhatsApp her on 086 3091653. ·       Email us at BlindGuysChat@gmail.com with all your stories, questions and Blindie Tips (who wants to hear that jingle again? I know I do!!). Clodagh is looking forward to hearing from you.   ·       Book your ‘Seen – Unseen’ event access by emailing claremclaughlinemail@gmail.com or you can WhatsApp her on 086 3091653. ·       Email us at BlindGuysChat@gmail.com with all your stories, questions and Blindie Tips (who wants to hear that jingle again? I know I do!!). Clodagh is looking forward to hearing from you.   Support Blind Guys Chat by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/blind-guys-chat

Hello, our favourite animated friends, and welcome to the show. This week, Óran and Clodagh are just back from Dingle, County Kerry, where they and Larry attended the Animation Dingle Festival. Óran was thrilled because he got to touch the actual models used for the latest Wallace and Gromit movie 'Vengeance Most Fowl'. The film was made in stop-motion animation, which means amongst other things that it took a super-long time to produce. It's a welcome return for Stuart Lawler to the podcast. Stuart flew his private jet over to Anaheim in California to attend CSUN Assistive Tech Conference. What new toys are out there for the VI community? What is accessibility like at the event? Did Stuart fight any fires? How much does a beer cost? And where the hell is Anaheim? All these questions and not a lot more will be answered by the tech guru. Meta have announced AI is coming to Europe, but does that include the 'Look and describe' feature on the Meta Ray Ban glasses? So, stop drawing cartoons; put down your colouring pencils; and settle in for the number one best animated podcast in the land: Blind Guys Chat! 7 out of 10 pencils prefer it to being sharpened! Links for this show: Good Maps: https://goodmaps.com/ Glide: https://glidance.io/#:~:text=Glide%20is%20a%20pioneering%20AI-powered%20mobility%20aid%20designed,path%2C%20and%20helps%20you%20get%20to%20your%20destination New haptics: https://www.newhaptics.com/post/building-a-multiline-braille-display Support Blind Guys Chat by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/blind-guys-chatRead transcript

Top o’ the mornin' to ye, our little leprechauns! Yes, it's Irish week all over the world and even the International Space Station is painted green this week! This week’s guest is Sarah Boland from CHAT, Freedom Tech, and Saint John of God. Sarah will tell us about FreedomTech, which is dedicated to ensuring that everyone with any disability, at any age or stage of life, can access affordable, up-to-date, and appropriately helpful technology. CHAT (Community Hub for Accessible Technology) is a community of individuals and organisations passionate about the transformative effect of assistive technology, (AT). It facilitates peer learning and collaboration, using shared expertise. The next CHAT event will be on May 7th where the European Accessibility Act will be discussed. You can learn more about CHAT and Freedom Tech here: https://freedomtech.ie/ https://freedomtech.ie/chat-community-hub-for-accessible-technology/ And you can mail Sarah Boland at sarah@freedomtech.ie So, sit yourself down in a soft, cosy bed of shamrock, stop drinking that green pint of the black stuff, and settle in for the best podcast this side of a pot of gold: Blind Guys Chat! 7 out of 10 leprechauns prefer it to being typecast as little people of Ireland. Links for this episode: · Freedom Tech: https://freedomtech.ie/ · CHAT: https://freedomtech.ie/chat-community-hub-for-accessible-technology/ · AT passport: https://freedomtech.ie/assistivetechnologypaper/#_Toc467830788 · TEKenable: https://tekenable.com/ · sarah@freedomtech.ie Support Blind Guys Chat by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/blind-guys-chatRead transcript

Hello, our little sand dunes, and welcome to episode 118. Jan is just back from building his own pyramid in Egypt for his new summer house, and will be giving tours for all who would like one. So please form a disorderly line behind Larry!   Clodagh is very excited to hear that in Jan’s winter residence, there is an artificial ski slope called Snow World very nearby, and Óran is equally pleased that he can sit in a nice warm café, while Clodagh plays in the white stuff if they decide to visit.   Do you own a Tesla? Have you purchased your Bumper Sticker which says “I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy” yet? Seriously! It is a real thing! See it here: https://www.amazon.com/Tesla-Bumper-Sticker-Bought-Accessories/dp/B0C4KHKN4S   We have no emails this week, but we do want to give a BGC shout out to Grant, in Scotland, and students in Towson University, Maryland, USA. Do email us if you can. Clodagh is very lonely.   So, brush the sand out of your shoes, stop building sand castles, and settle in for a relaxing chat with a nice cuppa Jo, and Blind Guys Chat!   3 out of 5 Pyramids prefer it to standing in the sand.   Email us at: blindguyschat@gmail.com Support Blind Guys Chat by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/blind-guys-chatRead transcript

Hello our lovely movie stars, and welcome to another episode of “Jan, the movie star”. Yes we kinda sorta pick up where we left Jan last time, standing at the end of his massive driveway, waiting on his limo to take him to the premier of the film, ‘I will see”. ...well, he made it, and brought all the family, including Sjeff who was dressed up to the nines. Now the only question is, will there be a sequel, and will Jan be brought back for a reprieve of his role? (That’s two questions!) Our guest this week is Karthik Mahadevan from Envision. Karthik is here to tell us all about Envision smart glasses. He describes all the functions and features such as reading short text or longer documents. These glasses can even summarise menus and they can tell you what bank note you are holding in your hand. They can even describe colours. Karthik also talks about the upcoming release of the 'Ally' app which Envision are calling a conversational assistant. It even has attitude! You can find out more about Envision at letsenvision.com and if you want to know more about Ally, or sign up for the beta program go to ally.me. So, forget about that idiot in America for a while, stick some popcorn in the microwave, and settle down to the most listened to podcast this side of the Superbowl: Blind Guys Chat! 11 out of 15 American football fans prefer it to silly shoulder pads and ridiculously long breaks between play. Links for this episode: Film: ‘I Will See’: https://iffr.com/nl/iffr/2025/films/ik-zal-zien Envision glasses and the Ally app: https://www.letsenvision.com/ The Ally app beta programme: https://www.ally.me/ Support Blind Guys Chat by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/blind-guys-chatRead transcript

Hello, grips and best boys (and girls!), and welcome to episode 116. We are chatting to Mercedes Stalenhoef, the director of a new movie called ‘I Shall See’, the premier of which will be happening in Rotterdam on February 2nd 2025. Mercedes, traditionally a documentary maker, has written and directed this movie which tells the story of a young woman who has become blind after an accident. The film reveals how she copes with this massive change in her life. Our own Mr Jan Bloem also stars in this movie along with Sjeff, and from what we hear, Sjeff was a dream to work with, while Mr Bloem...? ...Well we will let Mercedes tell that story!   Clodagh has emails from Nora Nagle regarding her Meta glasses and Blind Gordon has a list of the new names for the gritters and snow ploughs in Scotland. Óran wonders if there will be one called 'SnowPatrol'.   So, make your way to the food truck, push your best boy into a nearby hedge, and settle in for the best drama, action, romantic comedy, period podcast this studio has ever produced: Blind Guys Chat!   8 out of 10 movie cameras prefer it to being on location.   Support Blind Guys Chat by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/blind-guys-chatRead transcript

Hello our fancy AI bots, and welcome to episode 115. This week we are talking about AI, and we have a fantastic panel of experts to bring us through the topic of AI and accessibility. We will be talking about Meta Ray Bans, Envision glasses, Apple Intelligence and even some existential questions. The panel (Brian Dalton, David Renstrom, Jesse Weinholt, Josh O'Connor and Mohammed Laachir) are well-placed to give their own views on current products, future products, and you never know, you might get some ideas on dinner if we can work out how to get our smart glasses to read a menu. So, strip down to your Cyborg inner self, and prepare for judgement day by listening to the number 1 podcast from the future: Blind Guys Chat! 11 out of 15 AI bots prefer it to a slap in the face. Support Blind Guys Chat by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/blind-guys-chatRead transcript

Hey folks! Don't worry, we'll be back on January 16th, when we will be talking about everything AI. In the meantime, stay warm! The Blind Guys Support Blind Guys Chat by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/blind-guys-chatRead transcript

Happy Christmas to one and all! We hope you have an enjoyable break this Christmas holiday season. This show is our annual, twice yearly, every 4 years BGC Christmas Quiz featuring some of our BGC listeners and guests. We have contestants from St. Louis, Boston, Scotland, Dublin and even County Clare in the West of Ireland. So, put the leftover turkey in the fridge, throw away those yucky sprouts, and settle in for some festive mayhem on the show that keeps giving you Christmas all year round: Blind Guys Chat! 12 out of 16 Christmas movies prefer it to being Christmas movies! Links in this show: Things Gay People Like Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/02N4vAlIPR6NWTrIM6iTAt?uid=null&uri=spotify:episode:2hRdnGHjgHQIcRfuRI3nyG Support Blind Guys Chat by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/blind-guys-chatRead transcript

Hello our favourite sight capitalists, and welcome to episode 112 of BGC. We are honoured to be joined by Mr David Renstrom who has kindly agreed to leave the comfort of his North Swedish igloo to chat about the newest craze everyone is talking about: Meta Smart Glasses! David takes us through the design and functions of the glasses, and even gives us a tour of his fridge. Are these the Christmas present you've been waiting for? Do you need to amend your letter to Santa? Stay tuned and find out. We do have to issue a health warning and say that the A.I. part of 'Meta Glasses' may not work in your location straight out of the box. This is mainly an issue in Europe and is due to very strict EU data protection laws. However, there is a workaround: You can subscribe to a VPN service which means you can tell the 'Meta View App' your location is in the USA or Canada and then the A.I. will work fine. See links below to VPN services, some of which have very good subscription offers for the next few weeks. It turns out that in between shows, Jan has also purchased these Meta glasses and is getting some "Looking cute and cool dad" comments from his daughter Rosalie. But is she trying to butter him up for a special request that only daughters can ask their dad!?! Sucker!!! We've got an email from Blind Gordon which Mohamed will be pleased about as he was very worried about the weather in Scotland. We are delighted to say Gordon is all good, but we'd suggest staying away from Inverness; as it's feckin' FREEZIN' there!! And now, for the most important bit: Would you like to be a contestant in the Annual BGC Christmas Quiz? It's on December 23rd and will be lots of fun – full of madness and mayhem! We may even have some special guests. Send us an email expressing your interest to blindguyschat@gmail.com. Even if you just want to attend, and not take part in the quiz – let us know, and we’ll send you on the joining details. So, stick your shades on; strip down to your Christmas reindeer socks; pour yourself a glass of eggnog (yuck!) and settle in to listen to the number 1 podcast as rated by Christmas films: Blind Guys Chat - 7 out of 8 Reindeers prefer it to falling off the roof! Links for this show: Meta: https://www.meta.com/ie/smart-glasses/ VPNs: · SurfShark: https://surfshark.com/download/windows · ZoogVPN: https://zoogvpn.com/ · ExpressVPN: https://www.expressvpn.com/vpn-download/vpn-windows And don’t forget to email blindguyschat@gmail.com if you want to join us for the BGC Christmas quiz! Support Blind Guys Chat by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/blind-guys-chatRead transcript