Discussed Topics

YouTube Premium Features and Benefits

The session focused on demonstrating YouTube Premium’s key features compared to the free version.

• Details
  • Siena(She/Her): Demonstrated how the free version of YouTube plays ads before and during videos, which cannot be skipped
  • Siena(She/Her): Explained that YouTube Premium eliminates all ads, allowing uninterrupted playback
  • Siena(She/Her): Showed that Premium allows downloading videos for offline viewing on mobile devices
  • Siena(She/Her): Noted that Premium remembers playback position across devices
  • Ivy: Questioned whether the $16 monthly cost is justified just for removing ads
  • Liz’s: Asked about the pricing and whether it applies to TV viewing as well
• Conclusion
  • YouTube Premium costs $16 per month and includes YouTube Music
  • Premium removes all ads from videos and music
  • Users can download content for offline playback on mobile devices
  • The service works across all devices once signed in with a Google account

YouTube Music Service and Capabilities

Discussion covered the features and advantages of YouTube Music included with Premium.

• Details
  • Siena(She/Her): Demonstrated searching for songs, creating playlists, and saving music
  • Siena(She/Her): Explained that YouTube Music can access both official music tracks and YouTube videos
  • Ali: Noted that playlists can be transferred from Apple Music to YouTube Music
  • Ivy: Asked whether YouTube Music is better than Apple Music
  • Siena(She/Her): Stated that YouTube Music finds obscure songs more easily because it searches both the music library and YouTube videos
  • Liz’s: Inquired about pre-made playlists and creating custom playlists
• Conclusion
  • YouTube Music provides access to a larger music catalog by including YouTube videos
  • Users can create custom playlists and access publicly available playlists
  • Playlists from other services can be easily transferred to YouTube Music
  • The service is particularly good for finding obscure or less common songs

Keyboard Shortcuts in YouTube Music

The team reviewed available keyboard shortcuts for navigating YouTube Music.

• Details
  • Siena(She/Her): Demonstrated pressing Shift + / to view all keyboard shortcuts
  • Siena(She/Her): Listed shortcuts including Space or semicolon for play/pause, J or Shift+N for next song, K or Shift+P for previous song
  • Palmer: Asked whether the K key works for pause in YouTube Music as it does in regular YouTube
  • Siena(She/Her): Confirmed that in YouTube Music, K plays the previous song rather than pause
  • Palmer: Tested and confirmed that semicolon works for play/pause in YouTube Music
• Conclusion
  • Keyboard shortcuts in YouTube Music differ slightly from regular YouTube
  • Space or semicolon pauses/plays music
  • Users can access the full shortcut list anytime by pressing Shift + /

Collaborative Playlists Feature

Demonstration of creating and sharing collaborative playlists in YouTube Premium.

• Details
  • Siena(She/Her): Created a new playlist called “Canadian Music” and enabled collaboration
  • Siena(She/Her): Generated an invite link and sent it to Ali via email
  • Ali: Received the link and joined the collaborative playlist
  • Siena(She/Her): Explained that collaborators can add videos and songs to shared playlists
  • Ali: Successfully added a song to the collaborative playlist
• Conclusion
  • YouTube Premium allows users to create collaborative playlists
  • Invite links can be generated and shared via email
  • Multiple users can add content to the same playlist
  • This feature is included with YouTube Premium subscription

YouTube Premium on Television

Discussion about signing in and using YouTube Premium on TV devices.

• Details
  • Liz’s: Asked how to set up YouTube Premium on television and whether she would need to enter credentials repeatedly
  • Siena(She/Her): Confirmed that users only need to sign in once on TV
  • Liz’s: Expressed concern about entering passwords using a TV remote
  • Siena(She/Her): Recommended setting up the account on a phone or iPad first, then signing in on TV
  • Ivy: Confirmed that entering credentials on TV with a remote is difficult even for sighted users
  • Rob: Mentioned having difficulty signing in to YouTube on TV
• Conclusion
  • YouTube Premium account setup should be done on a phone, tablet, or computer first
  • Once signed in on TV, credentials are saved and do not need to be re-entered
  • Entering passwords on TV remotes is challenging and should be avoided when possible

Movies on YouTube Premium

Brief discussion about movie availability and rental options.

• Details
  • Ivy: Asked whether YouTube Premium includes access to movies or if they require additional payment
  • Ivy: Mentioned knowing someone who watches full-length old movies on YouTube
  • Siena(She/Her): Stated uncertainty about whether movie rentals are included in Premium or require separate payment
  • Siena(She/Her): Noted that the free version allows renting movies for a fee
• Conclusion
  • Movie rental options exist on YouTube but it is unclear if Premium includes them
  • Some full-length movies are available for free on YouTube
  • This topic requires further exploration

Browser Recommendations for YouTube

Discussion about which web browser works best with YouTube services.

• Details
  • Ivy: Asked why Siena uses Chrome instead of Safari for YouTube
  • Ali: Stated that Chrome provides a better experience for all Google products
  • Siena(She/Her): Confirmed that Chrome works more smoothly with YouTube and Google services
  • Palmer: Noted that Safari pauses videos when trying to like them, which Chrome does not do
  • Rob: Suggested using Brave browser as an ad blocker alternative
  • Ali: Explained that Brave does not synchronize bookmarks across devices like Chrome does
  • Siena(She/Her): Agreed that synchronization is important and Chrome handles it better
• Conclusion
  • Chrome is the recommended browser for YouTube and Google services
  • Chrome provides better accessibility and smoother performance than Safari
  • Brave browser blocks ads but lacks cross-device synchronization features
  • Chrome allows signing in with a Google account to sync bookmarks and settings across devices

Creating Multiple Playlists Issue

Discussion about a bug preventing users from adding songs to multiple playlists simultaneously.

• Details
  • Jackie: Reported that the free version of YouTube recently stopped allowing users to add videos to multiple playlists at once
  • Jackie: Explained that users must restart the app or phone to add a video to another playlist
  • Jackie: Asked whether YouTube Premium resolves this issue
  • Siena(She/Her): Suggested this might be a bug or a feature being pushed to Premium subscribers
  • Siena(She/Her): Demonstrated successfully adding a song to multiple playlists with Premium
• Conclusion
  • Free YouTube users are experiencing issues adding content to multiple playlists simultaneously
  • This may be a bug or a feature restriction pushing users toward Premium
  • YouTube Premium appears to allow adding content to multiple playlists at once

Find Out What’s Coming Up On Future Workshops At The Following Link

Updated as of Mar 10, 2026, What’s Coming Up on Techstravaganza

Contact the team:

Email

support@techstravaganza.ca

Like us on Facebook

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Follow the Show:

On Tunein

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On Apple Podcasts:

On Audible:

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On iHeart:

On Spotify

https://spotify.link/vVGru9nKBXb

Desktop Navigation Basics

Siena demonstrated fundamental JAWS navigation techniques for the Windows desktop.

• Details
  • Siena(She/Her): Explained desktop is arranged in a grid format with 5 rows
  • Siena(She/Her): Showed arrow key navigation (up/down/left/right) to move between icons
  • Siena(She/Her): Demonstrated typing first letter repeatedly to jump between items starting with same letter
  • Siena(She/Her): Showed typing multiple letters quickly to navigate to specific icons
  • Siena(She/Her): Explained JAWS announces icon name and position (e.g., “30 of 41”)
• Conclusion
  • Users can navigate desktop efficiently using arrow keys or typing icon names
  • Single letter navigation cycles through items starting with that letter
  • Typing multiple letters quickly narrows down to specific items

Web Navigation Techniques

Comprehensive demonstration of navigating websites using JAWS keyboard commands.

• Details
  • Siena(She/Her): Demonstrated using H key to navigate by headings
  • Siena(She/Her): Showed number keys (1-6) to jump to specific heading levels
  • Siena(She/Her): Explained B key navigates to buttons, E key to edit fields
  • Siena(She/Her): Demonstrated Ctrl+Home to go to top of page, Ctrl+End to go to bottom
  • Siena(She/Her): Used Techstravaganza website as demonstration example
• Conclusion
  • JAWS provides single-letter navigation for different element types
  • Heading level navigation allows quick access to page structure
  • Control+Home/End provides quick page navigation

JAWS List Features

Detailed explanation of JAWS condensed list dialogs for efficient navigation.

• Details
  • Siena(She/Her): Demonstrated Insert+F7 opens links list dialog
  • Siena(She/Her): Showed Insert+F6 opens headings list dialog
  • Siena(She/Her): Revealed Insert+F5 opens form controls list
  • Siena(She/Her): Explained lists can be sorted alphabetically or in tab order
  • Siena(She/Her): Showed filtering options (all links, visited only, unvisited only)
  • Siena(She/Her): Demonstrated Alt+M to move to link without activating it
  • Jackie: Confirmed familiarity with Insert+F7 but not F5 or F6
  • Siena(She/Her): Noted single letter navigation works within list dialogs
• Conclusion
  • JAWS separates different element types into dedicated list dialogs
  • Lists provide filtering and sorting options for easier navigation
  • This approach differs from VoiceOver’s unified list with granularity switching

System Information Shortcuts

Demonstration of JAWS shortcuts for accessing system information.

• Details
  • Siena(She/Her): Showed Insert+F12 announces current time
  • Siena(She/Her): Demonstrated Insert+F12 pressed twice announces date
  • Siena(She/Her): Explained Insert+Shift+B announces battery status, AC connection, and Wi-Fi network
  • Siena(She/Her): Noted this is more efficient than navigating to system tray with Windows+B
  • Siena(She/Her): Mentioned JAWS does not announce volume percentage when using volume keys
• Conclusion
  • JAWS provides quick keyboard shortcuts for common system information
  • Battery status shortcut also includes network connectivity information
  • Volume adjustment lacks percentage announcement, requiring manual checking

Typing Echo Settings

Explanation of JAWS typing echo options for different user preferences.

• Details
  • Siena(She/Her): Demonstrated Insert+2 cycles through typing echo modes
  • Siena(She/Her): Showed four options: None, Characters, Words, Both characters and words
  • Siena(She/Her): Used Notepad to demonstrate each setting with live typing
  • Siena(She/Her): Explained personal preference for either all or nothing, not individual settings
• Conclusion
  • Users can customize typing feedback based on personal preference
  • Insert+2 provides quick toggle between echo modes
  • Different modes suit different tasks and user preferences

Document Reading and Navigation

Demonstration of reading and navigating text documents in JAWS.

• Details
  • Siena(She/Her): Showed arrow keys read line by line
  • Siena(She/Her): Demonstrated left/right arrows read character by character
  • Siena(She/Her): Explained JAWS announces phonetic alphabet for letters
  • Siena(She/Her): Showed Ctrl+Right/Left arrows navigate word by word
  • Siena(She/Her): Used sample text “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog”
• Conclusion
  • JAWS provides multiple granularity levels for reading text
  • Phonetic pronunciation helps distinguish similar-sounding letters
  • Control key modifiers enable word-level navigation

Virtual PC Cursor Functionality

Comprehensive explanation of Virtual PC Cursor and its use cases.

• Details
  • Siena(She/Her): Explained Virtual PC Cursor allows browsing website content with JAWS navigation commands
  • Siena(She/Her): Demonstrated conflicts when using website keyboard shortcuts with Virtual PC Cursor on
  • Siena(She/Her): Showed YouTube example where K key (pause) conflicted with JAWS place marker command
  • Siena(She/Her): Explained Insert+Z toggles Virtual PC Cursor on/off
  • Siena(She/Her): Demonstrated left/right arrows rewind/fast-forward in YouTube only with cursor off
  • Siena(She/Her): Noted VoiceOver does not have equivalent feature due to different modifier key approach
• Conclusion
  • Virtual PC Cursor should be ON for reading web content with JAWS navigation
  • Virtual PC Cursor should be OFF for using website-specific keyboard shortcuts
  • Toggle is necessary to avoid conflicts between JAWS and application shortcuts

Gmail Navigation with Virtual PC Cursor

Practical demonstration of Virtual PC Cursor usage in Gmail.

• Details
  • Siena(She/Her): Showed navigating inbox list requires Virtual PC Cursor OFF
  • Siena(She/Her): Demonstrated opening messages with Enter key
  • Siena(She/Her): Explained reading message content requires Virtual PC Cursor ON
  • Siena(She/Her): Showed semicolon key to expand thread conflicted with JAWS when cursor was on
  • Siena(She/Her): Demonstrated G+I shortcut to return to inbox only works with cursor off
  • Siena(She/Her): Provided rule: cursor off for lists, cursor on for reading content
• Conclusion
  • Gmail requires frequent toggling of Virtual PC Cursor
  • Lists and navigation work best with cursor off
  • Reading message content requires cursor on for proper heading navigation

Google Calendar Navigation

Demonstration of calendar grid navigation with Virtual PC Cursor.

• Details
  • Siena(She/Her): Showed T key navigates to today’s date
  • Siena(She/Her): Demonstrated left/right arrows move between days of week (columns)
  • Siena(She/Her): Showed up/down arrows move between weeks (rows)
  • Siena(She/Her): Explained Virtual PC Cursor ON makes grid navigation confusing
  • Siena(She/Her): Demonstrated entire calendar can be navigated with cursor OFF
  • Siena(She/Her): Showed tabbing through events after selecting a date
• Conclusion
  • Google Calendar works best with Virtual PC Cursor OFF throughout
  • Calendar grid navigation uses arrow keys like a spreadsheet
  • Virtual PC Cursor ON interferes with proper grid navigation

Hidden JAWS Features

Revelation of lesser-known JAWS functions accessed through Insert+Space menu.

• Details
  • Siena(She/Her): Demonstrated Insert+Space+F11 toggles screen shade on/off
  • Siena(She/Her): Explained screen shade saves battery and provides privacy
  • Siena(She/Her): Showed Insert+Space+V+B controls audio balance
  • Siena(She/Her): Demonstrated routing JAWS to right ear and system audio to left ear
  • Siena(She/Her): Explained this enables multitasking with separate audio streams
  • Jackie: Confirmed understanding that balance feature is for multitasking
  • Siena(She/Her): Showed Insert+Space+V+C switches between sound cards
  • Jackie: Stated this makes JAWS the best screen reader
  • Siena(She/Her): Called these “Easter egg functions” not widely known
• Conclusion
  • Insert+Space reveals hidden menu with advanced features
  • Audio balance control is unique to JAWS among screen readers
  • Screen shade provides battery savings and privacy benefits

Find Out What’s Coming Up on Techstravaganza At The Following Link

Updated as of Mar 10, 2026, What’s Coming Up on Techstravaganza

Contact the team:

Email

support@techstravaganza.ca

Like us on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578990010675

Follow the Show:

On Tunein

http://tun.in/pxXlj

On Apple Podcasts:

On Audible:

https://www.audible.ca/podcast/Techstravaganza/B0FWTHWQG7?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp

On iHeart:

On Spotify

https://spotify.link/vVGru9nKBXb

Accessing Techstravaganza Recordings via Email

Siena demonstrated how to access podcast recordings from the email notifications sent to subscribers.

• Details
  • Siena: Showed that emails contain a “Read on Blog” link that opens the full post in browser
  • Siena: Explained the play button appears immediately after the title and author information
  • Liz: Asked for clarification on the steps: open email, find “Read on Blog” link, then locate play button
  • Siena: Confirmed the play button becomes a pause button when activated and can also be controlled with two-finger double tap magic tap gesture
• Conclusion
  • Process is: open email, click “Read on Blog” link, navigate past title and author, then activate play button
  • Audio player is intentionally placed at top of posts for easy discovery
  • Two-finger double tap can be used as alternative play/pause control on iOS

Accessing Recordings from Techstravaganza Website

Siena demonstrated navigating the Techstravaganza.ca website to find past tutorials and recordings.

• Details
  • Siena: Showed that blog posts are organized by headings for easy navigation
  • Siena: Demonstrated accessing the Tutorials category through the navigation menu or by clicking the “tutorials” link within individual posts
  • Siena: Explained that each post displays author attribution showing who wrote/published it
  • Ali: Clarified that he, Macara, and Siena all have admin rights to post content
  • Siena: Noted that she typically handles reminders while Ali and Macara manage admin updates
• Conclusion
  • Website uses heading structure for accessibility
  • Tutorials can be filtered by category
  • Author information is clearly displayed on all posts
  • Multiple administrators ensure continuity when team members are away

Using Heading Navigation for Accessibility

Liz asked about heading navigation, leading to a tutorial on using VoiceOver rotor for efficient navigation.

• Details
  • Liz: Asked how to skip to next heading on iPhone in emails
  • Siena: Explained using VoiceOver rotor set to headings, then flicking up/down to navigate
  • Liz: Requested confirmation that the “Coming Up” section in reminder emails has a heading tag
  • Siena: Confirmed all major sections have headings including “Join the Workshop” and “Coming Up”
  • Hans: Asked if there’s a way to navigate to specific heading levels like on Windows
  • Ali: Clarified that VoiceOver on iOS and Mac does not support navigating to specific heading levels, only sequential heading navigation
• Conclusion
  • VoiceOver rotor with headings option enabled allows efficient navigation through emails and web pages
  • Reminder emails use heading structure for key sections
  • Unlike Windows screen readers, VoiceOver cannot jump to specific heading levels but announces the level of each heading

Accessing Techstravaganza on Apple Podcasts

Siena demonstrated finding and playing Techstravaganza episodes using the Apple Podcasts app on iPhone.

• Details
  • Siena: Showed that search field is located at bottom right in iOS 26
  • Siena: Demonstrated searching for “Techstravaganza” and selecting the show
  • Siena: Explained the “Following” button indicates subscription status
  • Siena: Showed using “See All” under episodes to view complete episode list
  • Siena: Demonstrated that mini player at bottom right contains pause/play controls
• Conclusion
  • Search field location changed to bottom right in iOS 26
  • Following status is clearly indicated
  • Episodes can be played directly from the list
  • Mini player provides quick access to playback controls

Accessing Techstravaganza on iCatcher Podcast App

Ali requested demonstration of iCatcher, leading to a tutorial on using this third-party podcast player.

• Details
  • Siena: Showed that search results display a preview option for episodes
  • Ali: Clarified that preview mode plays a sample but doesn’t add to main now playing queue
  • Siena: Demonstrated that accessing episodes from the subscribed podcast list (not search) plays them fully
  • Ali: Explained the distinction between previewing from search versus playing from podcast library
  • Siena: Noted that iCatcher remembers playback position when returning to an episode
• Conclusion
  • Preview feature in search allows sampling before subscribing
  • Full playback requires accessing episodes from the podcast library after subscribing
  • App maintains playback position for resuming later
  • This distinction helps users evaluate podcasts before committing to follow

Accessing Techstravaganza on Audible

Siena demonstrated that Techstravaganza is available on Audible due to distribution through Amazon Music.

• Details
  • Siena: Showed searching for Techstravaganza in Audible app
  • Siena: Demonstrated filtering results by “Podcasts” category
  • Siena: Showed the “Follow” button to subscribe to the podcast
  • Siena: Explained that individual episodes can be downloaded or streamed
  • Rob: Expressed interest in getting Audible subscription
  • Ashlyn: Mentioned getting Audible through Prime Day sale
• Conclusion
  • Techstravaganza is available on Audible as well as dedicated podcast apps
  • Users can follow the show and download episodes
  • Audible subscription provides access to podcasts in addition to audiobooks
  • Prime Day sales offer discounted subscription rates

Discussion of Audible Features and Subscription

Conversation expanded to general Audible features, pricing, and content beyond just Techstravaganza access.

• Details
  • Rob: Asked about payment methods and confirmed debit cards are accepted
  • Liz: Asked if books must be returned after a period
  • Ali: Clarified that purchased books are owned permanently, only Plus catalog items may be time-limited
  • Siena: Explained users get one credit per month
  • Ashlyn: Mentioned 12-credit annual plan option
  • Ali: Stated preference for monthly credits to avoid spending all at once
  • Jackie: Asked about InnoSearch moving to donation model
  • Multiple participants: Discussed Audible badges feature and Night Owl badge for listening late at night
• Conclusion
  • Audible accepts debit card payments
  • Purchased audiobooks are owned permanently
  • Monthly subscription includes one credit
  • Annual plans offer 12 credits upfront
  • Audible has expanded beyond audiobooks to include podcasts, originals, and Great Courses
  • Gamification features like badges encourage engagement

Upcoming Techstravaganza Schedule

Discussion of upcoming workshop topics and schedule adjustments.

• Details
  • Siena: Announced Techstravaganza 2.0 on Thursday, March 12th covering JAWS Basics
  • Siena: Confirmed March 18th workshop will cover YouTube Premium and YouTube Music
  • Ali: Mentioned April 29th will feature navigating threaded view in Mail app as requested by Liz
  • Siena: Noted April 22nd will cover Scribe Me
  • Ashlyn: Asked about DocuScan Plus
  • Siena: Confirmed DocuScan Plus is also scheduled
  • Ali: Clarified that Apple Music Part 2 will be rescheduled to May 6th
• Conclusion
  • Techstravaganza 2.0 returns Thursday March 12th, 7-9 PM Eastern
  • March 18th: YouTube Premium/YouTube Music
  • April 22nd: Scribe Me
  • April 29th: Threaded view in Mail app
  • May 6th: Apple Music Part 2
  • DocuScan Plus also scheduled for future session

Request for Cable and Device Organization Tutorial

Liz requested a future tutorial on organizing charging cables and devices.

• Details
  • Liz: Described her challenge with managing approximately 10 different charging cables for various devices
  • Liz: Mentioned her previous system using a card table with power cord in center and cables arranged like a starfish
  • Ali: Suggested Siena as the expert for this topic
  • Siena: Agreed to demonstrate her organization methods in a future session
  • Rob: Mentioned keeping cables on piano desk
• Conclusion
  • Topic added to future Techstravaganza schedule
  • Siena will lead the tutorial on cable and device organization
  • Session will cover practical strategies for managing multiple charging cables and power accessories

Books Panel Discussion

Conversation about the Books Panel podcast and upcoming book selection.

• Details
  • Liz: Asked about timing of Books Panel
  • Siena: Explained it meets last Friday of each month at 7:30 PM
  • Siena: Confirmed March 27th is next session
  • Siena: Listed panelists: herself, Ali, Ashlyn, Macara, Lynn Kennedy, and new member Paul Daniel
  • Liz: Expressed interest but noted already in two book groups
  • Ali: Encouraged listening to podcast recordings even without live participation
  • Ashlyn: Asked about current book selection
  • Siena and Ali: Confirmed reading “Theo of Golden”
  • Ashlyn: Noted it’s 13 hours 12 minutes long
  • Multiple participants: Discussed Audible badges and reading habits
• Conclusion
  • Books Panel meets monthly on last Friday at 7:30 PM Eastern
  • Next session March 27th discussing “Theo of Golden”
  • Podcast is available at bookspanel.ca
  • Recordings available for those who cannot attend live
  • Part of Moosa Slobodian Network

Media Industry Changes and Streaming Services

Broad discussion about changes in Canadian broadcasting and streaming landscape.

• Details
  • Jackie: Mentioned Family Channel shutdown and CTV app discontinuation
  • Rob: Noted CTV content moving to Crave
  • Ali: Explained that multiple streaming services increase costs for consumers compared to traditional cable
  • Ali: Listed his subscriptions: Audible, YouTube Premium, SiriusXM, iCloud Plus, Google Workspace, Zoom Pro
  • Hans: Asked about Pamela Wallin and Mike Duffy
  • Multiple participants: Discussed AMI downsizing due to CRTC license renewal uncertainty
  • Ali: Explained private broadcasters rely on advertising revenue
  • Rob: Mentioned free services like Pluto TV and LibriVox
• Conclusion
  • Canadian media landscape experiencing significant consolidation
  • Streaming fragmentation increases consumer costs
  • AMI scaled back programming due to funding uncertainty
  • Traditional broadcasters struggling with changing revenue models
  • Multiple subscription services now required to access desired content

Check Out What’s Coming Up On Future Workshops at the Following Link

Updated as of Mar 10, 2026, What’s Coming Up on Techstravaganza

Contact the team:

Email

support@techstravaganza.ca

Like us on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578990010675

Follow the Show:

On Tunein

http://tun.in/pxXlj

On Apple Podcasts:

On Audible:

https://www.audible.ca/podcast/Techstravaganza/B0FWTHWQG7?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp

On iHeart:

On Spotify

https://spotify.link/vVGru9nKBXb