As per participants’ request, here is the recording for the workshop on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in which i demonstrated various ways to read PDF documents on the iPhone and the Mac. As a follow-up to this recording, i am super excited to announce that as of iOS and iPadOS 26, Apple has finally brought the Preview app from the Mac over to the iPhone and the iPad as well! As such, Ali will provide a brief tutorial of the preview app on tomorrow’s workshop as he takes you on a tour of what’s new in iOS and iPadOS 26.
Please do not hesitate to reach out if you run into any difficulties accessing the recording, and i’ll be happy to help you troubleshoot the issue.
Siena demonstrated various features of the Meta AI and Messenger apps, including searching for messages, accessing Facebook, and using the Meta AI chatbot. She encountered some technical difficulties with screen sharing and audio, which were eventually resolved with help from Hans and Ali. The conversation ended with Siena successfully sharing her screen and audio with the group.
Meta AI Messenger Demo Challenges
Siena demonstrated the use of Meta AI within Messenger, exploring its capabilities to answer questions and provide information. She encountered some challenges with the interface, such as receiving attachments instead of text responses and issues with typing messages. Despite these difficulties, she was able to successfully send a message to Ali using various input methods, including typing and dictation.
Facebook vs Messenger Clarification
Siena explained the differences between Facebook and Messenger apps, clarifying that Facebook is a social media platform for sharing public content, while Messenger is a messaging app that allows users to communicate via text, voice chat, or video chat without incurring long-distance charges. She emphasized that users can access Messenger on both mobile devices and computers, and while linking a phone number to Messenger enhances security and allows contacts to find users easily, it does not make the number publicly accessible unless someone searches for the user specifically. Ali added that Messenger can be used without a mobile device, and Ivy expressed gratitude for the clarification, acknowledging that she was learning as the discussion progressed.
Meta AI Messenger Demo Session
The group demonstrated how to use the Meta AI Messenger app, focusing on searching for contacts and sending messages. Siena showed how to use braille screen input to type messages and navigate the interface, while Ali and Hans participated as testers. They successfully sent and received messages to and from each other, with Hans and Jackie agreeing to be additional testers for the app.
The meeting began with Siena announcing schedule changes, including modified session times on the last Wednesday of the month and the cancellation of Saturday sessions, with Techstravaganza 2.0 scheduled for September 11th. The group discussed the upcoming session on Facebook Messenger as part of their messaging apps series, and Siena demonstrated the Google Calendar app on iPhone, with plans to cover both iPhone and iPad versions, as well as the web version, in future sessions. Ali suggested showing differences between the iPhone and iPad versions to ensure comprehensive coverage.
Google Calendar Training and Updates
Siena demonstrated how to use Google Calendar, including adding events, tasks, and appointment slots. She explained the different types of calendar elements: events, reminders, and appointment schedules. Ivy expressed interest in learning more about appointment slots, and Siena agreed to arrange a tutorial. The group discussed switching back to Zoom from Meet due to technical issues, with Ali apologizing for the previous difficulties.
Calendar Event Creation Demonstration
Siena demonstrated how to add and edit events in a calendar system, focusing on creating a birthday event for Gina Clementina. She showed how to adjust the event date and time using various picker interfaces, including a date picker, time picker, and AM/PM picker. The demonstration revealed some unclear labeling in the interface, particularly regarding the event type selection, but Siena was able to successfully create an event with a specific start and end time after discovering the “more actions” menu.
Google Calendar Event Management Demo
Siena demonstrated how to schedule and manage events in Google Calendar, including adding guests, setting event details, and choosing video conferencing options. She encountered an issue with the Zoom add-on not being visible in the calendar, which Ali helped troubleshoot by suggesting it might need reconfiguration due to a recent email address change. Siena then scheduled a Techstravaganza workshop event and shared the Zoom meeting link with participants.
Google Calendar Recurring Events Setup
Siena demonstrated how to set up a recurring event in Google Calendar, starting at 1 PM on September 10th and ending at 3 PM, with a weekly recurrence. She showed how to adjust the settings for time zones, end times, and custom recurrence options. Samantha joined the meeting late and expressed interest in the Google Calendar app, while Ali was present but did not participate in the discussion.
Ali conducted a workshop on the Fantastical calendar app, focusing on its iPhone version. He demonstrated how to navigate the app, including viewing and sorting events, jumping to specific dates, and declining calendar invites. Ali also highlighted differences between the iPhone and iPad versions of the app.
Event Creation with Language Parser
Ali demonstrated how to create events using a language parser feature available in the premium plan. He showed how to input event details like date, time, and calendar by typing natural language commands, which the parser automatically translates into the necessary fields. Ali also mentioned that some features might not work for users on the free plan.
Facebook Event Tutorial Demonstration
Ali demonstrated how to add a conferencing service to a pop-up menu and create a Facebook tutorial event. He showed how to set event details like location, time, and meeting options. Macara asked about selecting a calendar, and Ali clarified it’s done by typing a slash followed by the calendar name. Ali mentioned he would demonstrate how to invite specific attendees in the next part of the tutorial, but encountered a technical issue that he needed to resolve.
Calendar App Event Creation Demo
Ali demonstrated how to create and view events in a calendar app, focusing on Facebook and Google integration. He showed how to set up an event for September 12th at 2 PM, and explained features like selecting invitees and setting event locations. Ali also highlighted the weather feature available in the premium version of the app. During the demonstration, he encountered a sync error, but was able to resolve it by retrying.
Cambridge Weather and App Demo
Ali provided a detailed weather forecast for Cambridge, Ontario, predicting partly cloudy conditions with a high of 26 degrees and a low of 13 degrees on Wednesday, September 3rd. He also shared the forecast for Thursday and Friday, noting rain and cooler temperatures. Ali then demonstrated how to navigate and customize the Fantastical app on an iPad, highlighting differences between the iPad and iPhone versions, and explaining various settings and features.
Fantastical Calendar Setup and Customization
Ali demonstrated how to set up and manage accounts and notifications in Fantastical, highlighting the differences between the free and premium versions. He showed how to add various calendar accounts, including iCloud, Google, and other services, and explained the options for customizing notifications, including sounds and alert times. Macara requested a demonstration of the different calendar views, which Ali obligingly provided, showcasing the day, week, and month views with examples from future baseball games and other events.
Fantastical Calendar Features Overview
Ali demonstrated various calendar views and features in Fantastical, including DayView, MonthView, and QuarterView. He showed how to manage calendar sets, hide unwanted calendars, and unsubscribe from calendar subscriptions. Ali also explained the differences between using Fantastical for task notifications compared to the Reminders app. Macara found the tutorial helpful and engaging.
Siena Trigiani welcomed attendees to the first Tech Extravaganza 2.0 and announced a permanent transition to Zoom for all future sessions, effective August 20th, due to Google Meet issues, a move supported by Ali Moosa for its robustness and integration. Siena Trigiani then conducted a comprehensive tutorial on WhatsApp, covering features like status updates, editing “About” information, composing and sending messages (including dictation and reactions), sending stickers, and initiating voice and video calls. Discussions with Ali Moosa, Ivy Matouk, and Jeroo & Lionel Russell clarified WhatsApp’s privacy settings, its universal compatibility compared to iPhone-specific apps, and how it utilizes the Call Kit framework for ringtones.
Techstravaganza 