Hi Techstravaganza Friends,
Have a listen to this excellent tutorial on Safari!
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Hello Techstravaganza Friends,
This was such a fun tutorial! Have a listen!
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Hello Techstravaganza Friends,
This was a fun tutorial on accessing the Voice Dream Reader Player settings.
Have a listen, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or run into problems accessing it using the contact information at the bottom of the newsletter.
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Siena led a meeting to discuss iOS notification issues and provide tips, with Ali assisting with technical setup. They planned to cover three main tips about notification settings and the Notification Center, though Ali had to briefly pause due to a system update prompt. Siena also announced that a Techstravaganza 2.0 event would be held on November 13th, focusing on parts and notifications.
Ali and Siena discussed the upcoming Techstravaganza 2.0 event scheduled for November 13th.They then addressed issues with notifications and VoiceOver, explaining how to navigate through the Notification Center and use automatic grouping. Ali planned to demonstrate these features using her phone, but the connection was not established in time. Siena provided a brief overview of how notifications appear and behave with VoiceOver before handing the discussion back to Ali.
Ali demonstrated how to access and customize the Notification Center on an iPhone, including adjusting notification styles, grouping options, and settings for individual apps. He explained the differences between “by app” and “automatic” grouping modes and showed how to modify preferences for lock screen appearances, sounds, and badges. Ali encouraged questions and provided a comprehensive overview of managing notifications on the device.
Ali and Ivy discussed the limitations of iPhone lock screen notifications, noting that they disappear quickly and cannot be adjusted. Liz inquired about notification settings, and Ali explained the functions of banners, previews, and badges, as well as how to clear notifications. Siena joined the call to address technical difficulties some participants were experiencing with Zoom, planning to work with them on Friday to resolve the issues. Ashlyn suggested turning off “Race to Wake” to prevent automatic voice activation when picking up the phone, which Ali agreed was a good idea.
The group discussed iPhone settings and features, with Siena demonstrating the Raise to Wake function for Liz. Ali provided a tutorial on using the Notification Center, including how to clear individual notifications. The conversation ended with Ali making some audio adjustments before locking their device.
Siena demonstrated how to adjust the Raise to Wake feature on an iPhone, explaining its functionality and showing how to turn it off to prevent unwanted voice feedback. She also covered other display settings like auto-lock, appearance, and True Tone, addressing Liz’s questions about these features. The session included troubleshooting audio issues during the demonstration, which were eventually resolved.
Siena demonstrated how to use VoiceOver on an iPhone, including accessing the lock screen and clearing notifications. She explained how to delete individual notifications and entire groups of notifications in the Notification Center. The group discussed audio issues during the demonstration, which were eventually resolved.
Siena demonstrated how to use badge counts on iOS to track new items in folders and individual apps, showing examples with the Mail app and Communication folder. She explained that badge counts appear when there are new items to address, such as unread emails or software updates, and can be managed through the edit mode. Liz asked about receiving verbal notifications for new voicemail messages, but Siena did not provide a solution, noting that the current system only shows a badge icon.
Siena demonstrated how to set up custom sounds for voicemail and other notifications in the Settings and Sounds section of an iPhone. She showed Liz how to access voicemail notifications through the Notification Center, which could help Liz who was previously missing voicemails for three days.
Siena demonstrated how to change the default calling app on an iPhone, showing that WhatsApp could be set as the default instead of the phone app. She explained that WhatsApp often provides better call quality than traditional phone calls, and mentioned that the search field in iOS 26 has been moved to the bottom right corner of the screen. The session concluded with Siena offering to help Ivy troubleshoot audio issues by trying a different device.
Siena and Ali demonstrated how to change default apps and settings on an iPhone, focusing on call handling and WhatsApp integration. They successfully tested calling a landline number through WhatsApp and explored alternative calling options when WhatsApp wasn’t available. The demonstration concluded with confirmation that the default app settings were successfully changed, though Siena mentioned they would need more time to cover additional topics, which would be addressed in a future session.
The meeting covered upcoming workshops and tutorials, including iCatcher on November 5th, VoiceOver Rotor 101 on November 12th, and Gmail on the web on Windows on November 26th.Siena announced Techstravaganza 2.0, a monthly evening workshop held on the second Thursday of each month from 7 to 9 p.m. Eastern. Hans inquired about controlling live activity notifications in food delivery apps, and Siena explained that these notifications are currently app-specific and can only be managed by opening the app. Liz asked about blocking notifications from a specific app, and Siena demonstrated how to disable notifications in the Settings app. Jackie mentioned receiving a new keyboard for her iPhone and sought help with pairing it, which Siena addressed by explaining the need to remove a plastic tab and use the F1 key to enable the keyboard.
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The team discussed the availability of Techstravaganza on multiple podcast platforms and announced a new support email address (support@Techstravaganza.ca) that currently routes to Siena but will be expanded to the whole team. Siena demonstrated how to follow the Techstravaganza podcast on Apple Podcasts, showing the search functionality and how to activate and manage podcast subscriptions. The team also announced upcoming tutorials including “Allie and Macara Tips” for iOS themes next week, and they confirmed that the Eye Catcher tutorial would be postponed for two weeks.
Siena demonstrated how to use the Mac version of the podcast app, showing features like following shows, searching, and browsing categories. She highlighted the ability to synchronize podcasts across iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices when using the same Apple account. Siena also explained how to navigate the app using headings and explore different categories such as top shows, new shows, and top series. She mentioned that she would slow down her speech for the next section and invited questions from the audience.
Siena demonstrated how to navigate and explore Apple Podcasts, showcasing various features such as browsing categories, discovering new podcasts, and customizing the user experience. She highlighted key functionalities like following shows, accessing top charts, and exploring content by language, while also discussing how to find tech news and other specific categories. No questions were raised during the demonstration.
Siena demonstrated the new features of Apple Podcasts in iOS 26, including adjustable playback speeds, a “What’s New” section, and improved browsing capabilities. She showed how to navigate the app using VoiceOver, including interacting with the Home collection, Up Next section, and algorithmic recommendations. Siena also highlighted some limitations in the app’s accessibility, noting that certain functions were finicky to use with VoiceOver.
Siena and Ali discussed their dissatisfaction with recent changes to Apple’s Podcasts app on macOS, particularly noting difficulties with navigation and accessibility features. They compared the current interface to previous versions and expressed concerns about Apple’s approach to porting iOS apps to macOS, which they felt has negatively impacted the user experience, especially for visually impaired users who rely on VoiceOver. The discussion highlighted how changes intended to streamline the interface have made it more challenging to perform essential tasks, with Siena demonstrating the complex process of following a podcast.
The group discussed their dissatisfaction with recent changes to Apple’s music and podcast apps, particularly on desktop. Ali shared his experience with Apple’s accessibility support, highlighting a disconnect between teams and the lack of improvements in the podcast app’s screen reader navigation. They criticized the apps’ streamlined design for compromising user experience and functionality, such as the inability to easily view show notes or customize episode queues. The discussion also touched on Apple’s inconsistent implementation of features across apps, like playlists and collections, and the frustration of navigating new interfaces without clear search or follow options.
The group discussed issues with iOS 26, particularly focusing on problems with the Messages app and podcast functionality. Siena demonstrated how iOS 26 has made it more difficult to leave or delete group messages, and shared her experience of delayed notifications during a concert. They also discussed the challenges of navigating the podcast app, including difficulties dismissing show notes and the “what’s new” feature. The conversation concluded with a brief discussion about braille screen input and speech synthesizer options.
Siena demonstrated that it’s difficult to delete or leave a group chat in iMessage, as the “Leave this conversation” option is dimmed and unavailable. The group cannot be edited or renamed either, making it challenging to manage unwanted group chats. Ali and Ashlyn noted that this issue has been present since iOS 16, and suggested workarounds like deleting individual conversations or pinning the group to keep it organized.
The group discussed notification settings on iOS, with Ali demonstrating how to customize notification grouping by app and explaining the differences between automatic and manual grouping options. Siena announced that next week’s tutorial would focus on iOS tips, including a demonstration of Eye Catcher, while the Eye Catcher session would be moved to two weeks later. The discussion concluded with a shared frustration about Apple’s native apps, particularly the Outlook app, which all participants agreed was poorly designed and unreliable after updates.
The group discussed their experiences with various apps, focusing on email clients and the Apple Calendar app. They shared their preferences and issues with different platforms, including Google Workspace, Microsoft Outlook, and WhatsApp. Ali demonstrated some of the Calendar app’s functionalities and highlighted its bugs, which caused confusion and amusement among the participants.
The meeting focused on podcast-related questions and Zoom functionality issues. Liz sought clarification on how to follow podcasts and manage costs, which Siena and others explained. They discussed the process of adding podcasts to libraries, identifying paid episodes, and using search features. Additionally, Liz encountered difficulties accessing the raise-hand feature in Zoom on her iPhone, which was resolved by identifying the correct location in the app. The conversation ended with a reminder about the next workshop session starting October 29th.
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Podcast Player Tutorial Overview
The Techstravaganza session focused on beginning a tutorial series about podcast players, starting with the Apple Podcasts app on iPhone. Siena Trigiani led the tutorial, highlighting new features including enhanced dialogue, adjustable playback speeds, and browsing options. Ali announced that the workshop format would remain unchanged and that future sessions would be available on various podcasting platforms.
Apple Podcast Interface Features
Siena demonstrated various features of Apple’s podcast interface, including algorithmic recommendations, popular shows, and news updates, while Ali provided the Apple Accessibility phone number. They explored different podcast categories including technology, music, business, and culture, with Siena highlighting several interesting podcasts including “Happy Enough Happiness” and “If Objects Could Talk.” The discussion focused on how the Apple algorithm personalizes podcast recommendations based on user listening habits, with Siena noting that the interface shows both free and subscriber-only content.
Apple Podcasts Search Tutorial
Siena provided a tutorial on using the Apple Podcasts app, focusing on the Home and Search tabs. She demonstrated how to search for podcasts, including the new location of the search field in iOS 16, which has moved to the bottom right corner. Siena also explained how to use the adjustable slider to filter search results by top results, shows, episodes, channels, and categories.
Podcast Management on Mobile Devices
Siena demonstrated how to search for and follow podcasts on a mobile device, showing features like following shows, activating episodes, and managing automatic downloads. She explained that the best way to check if a podcast is being followed is to double-tap and activate it. Scott asked about the recommended number of podcast episodes to listen to daily, and Siena suggested listening to one episode per day or creating a playlist of different podcasts for evening listening. Ali and Scott briefly discussed keeping up with sports podcasts and missed news updates.
Podcast Discovery Techniques Explained
The group discussed finding podcasts, with Palmer recommending The Simply Space and Astrum, though neither was found in Apple Podcasts. Siena demonstrated how to search for podcasts in the Apple Podcasts app, including finding and following the “Teach Me How to Adult” podcast by Jillian Berner. They explored various search techniques and discussed the differences between YouTube and podcast platforms for discovering content.
iOS Podcast Navigation with Magic Tap
Siena demonstrated how to listen to podcasts using the iOS VoiceOver screen reader, including navigation between episodes and the use of the Magic Tap feature. Ali provided clarification on how to access and configure the Magic Tap settings in the Commands menu. They discussed the new iOS 2026 update that allows Magic Tap to only answer and end calls, rather than controlling media playback to prevent unintended interactions. The session concluded with plans to cover the podcast library and browsing features in the next meeting.
Podcast Navigation and Updates
Siena demonstrated how to navigate and use the Apple Podcasts app, including searching for shows, following podcasts, and accessing account settings. She highlighted specific shows she follows, such as Apple Events Audio and Ali and Macara’s Books, and mentioned that she listens to some podcasts on YouTube as well. Scott announced his podcast, Weekly In Sports, would release its October show soon. Siena expressed excitement about an upcoming book discussion on the Books Panel podcast and mentioned she had started reading “Stop Saying You’re Fine” by Mel Robbins.
Book Discussion and Podcast Tips
The group discussed the book “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” by Mark Haddon, sharing their thoughts on its plot, characters, and themes related to autism. They also talked about podcast listening habits, including strategies for skipping ads and the differences between platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Max shared a tip for fast-forwarding and rewinding podcasts by 60 seconds to skip ads. The conversation concluded with Ashlyn mentioning a new book she started, “The War of the Whales,” and Ali suggesting it could be a topic for their upcoming show.
Upcoming Events and App Tutorial
The group discussed upcoming events and content, including a books Panel, Ali and Macara’s Books and the Broadcast Map Show. They encouraged listeners to join live streams early for interactive elements and surprises. Siena announced that next week’s session will be earlier than usual, running from 12:30 to 2:30 PM Eastern. The group also discussed the iCatcher app, which is a one-time purchase with optional tips, and they planned to demonstrate it in a tutorial next week.
Hello everyone,
We had an amazing session tonight covering the Facebook Tutorial!
A huge thank you to @sienatrigianiSienat for running the session!
Join us again for the next workshop, on Wednesday, October 15, 2025!
Hello Techstravaganza Friends,
I am sure it was a fun session this afternoon.
Have a listen as the Apple Calendar app was covered.
Good evening,
Once again, I would truly like to apologize for the problems with this tutorial.
I just noticed there were issues with the original tutorial that was posted on July 9, 2025Rest assured, this has now been
Ali began the workshop on October 1st, 2025, and introduced the session after resolving some technical issues with audio recording. He welcomed participants, including Jackie and Hans, and confirmed that the audio was properly set up for recording. Ali emphasized that participants could join at any time and encouraged them to reach out with questions or comments. The session started with a brief introduction, and Ali mentioned that they would be discussing the main topics shortly.
Ali demonstrated how to change Google Calendar settings on the web interface to control how calendar invitations are added to the calendar. He showed how to navigate the settings menu using keyboard shortcuts and explained the options for handling calendar invitations, ultimately deciding to set them to only add invitations when responding to the invitation email.
Ali demonstrated how to adjust settings in Google Chrome and VoiceOver on an iPhone, including changing permissions for guests and configuring audio input. He then showed new features in iOS 26, such as Magic Tap, customized commands, and support for additional Indian language voices. Ali also demonstrated the copy speech feature, allowing users to copy text from apps where text selection isn’t possible, and showed how to paste it into a note.
Ali demonstrated using the rotor feature in Notes to copy and paste audiobook information from Audible, including titles, narrators, and durations. They created a new note and used the rotor to navigate and edit the text, fixing minor spelling errors along the way. Ali showed how to paste multiple audiobook entries into the note and make adjustments to the text.
Ali demonstrated how to use the copied speech feature and answered questions about its functionality. He showed how to adjust the Magic Tap command behavior to prevent music from playing after ending a call. Ali also explained how to read PDF documents in the Preview app, navigating through the app’s interface and demonstrating the creation and selection of documents.
Ali demonstrated how to use and customize the Magic Tap feature on an iPhone, explaining that it can be used to answer and end phone calls but cannot be customized for other actions. Hans raised concerns about the feature inadvertently activating media playback, which Ali confirmed could be disabled in settings. Liz inquired about turning off Magic Tap, and Ali agreed to provide instructions. Hans also mentioned the Back Tap feature, which can be customized for various actions and works through iPhone cases.
Ali demonstrated how to disable the Magic Tap feature in iOS 2026, which is activated by default and causes music to play when performing a two-finger double-tap. After showing the step-by-step process in Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Commands > Magic Tap, Ali confirmed that the feature can be turned off by disabling Media Playback. Hans then provided additional guidance on using dictation, explaining that it is started and ended with a two-finger double-tap, and confirmed that a tone is played when dictation is complete.
Ali, Jeroo, and Liz discussed issues with accessing email attachments on mobile devices. Jeroo asked about navigating back to an email after viewing an attachment on an iPad, and Ali agreed to investigate. They discovered that the process varies between iPhone and iPad, with swiping down on an iPhone returning to the email but requiring a second tap on an iPad. Ali suggested Jeroo forward an attachment to check the navigation on her device, which Jeroo did. They also discussed challenges with accessing and editing PDF attachments, particularly those requiring input, and Ali acknowledged the need for further investigation into these issues.
The team discussed navigation and security features in Apple Mail and iOS. Ali and Jeroo explored how to close and reopen the Mail app when the back button is missing, while Jackie inquired about dictating usernames and passwords, which Ali explained is not allowed for security reasons. The group also discussed alternative methods for entering passwords, including using a physical keyboard, Bluetooth keyboard, or the password autofill function, with Hans noting that Face ID or passcode authentication is required for these features to work.
The group discussed password management features on iOS devices, including iCloud Keychain, the Passwords app, and locked notes for backup. They explored how to set up and use live voicemail, which allows messages to be viewed without dialing into voicemail.
Ali announced that he would not be present for next Wednesday’s session, but the Google Calendar tutorial would continue as scheduled. The group also discussed the upcoming 2.0 session on October 9th in the evening.
Techstravaganza 