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  • One Hour Reminder! Techstravaganza Workshop for Wednesday, December 10, 2025

    Happy Wednesday Techstravaganza Friends,

    This is a friendly reminder of our upcoming Techstravaganza, which will take place in exactly one hour, and will run from 1:00 to 3:00 PM Eastern.

    Please be advised that this is an ongoing weekly workshop. All workshops are recorded and posted immediately after the workshop for your reference. we recommend that you please join in 15 minutes prior to the workshop, in order to ensure that your setup is working correctly. Also, please be advised that the Zoom studio is setup so that everyone is muted upon entry, in order to prevent background noise when coming into the studio.

    Join the workshop!

    In order to join in in the workshop, please use the conference information below:


    Join Zoom Meeting

    https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87541152813?pwd=kjXUohW4pxWKcYtiIQiHSd5ynZ6Mga.1

    Meeting ID: 875 4115 2813
    Passcode: 751106

    One tap mobile
    +17789072071,,87541152813#,,,,751106# Canada +17806660144,,87541152813#,,,,751106# Canada

    coming Up

    On this week’s Techstravaganza, we will take a look at how to add and view multiple email accounts on the iPhone and iPad, as per participants’ request.

    Don’t forget that on Thursday, December 11, 2025 from 7:00 to 9:00 PM, we will be having our Techstravaganza 2.0 tutorial, in which we will take a look at how to use the Gmail app on the iPhone and iPad. Please stay tuned to this evening’s newsletter for details!

    Also, we have many exciting tutorials to take us into 2026! Please check out our topic lineup for the rest of the year by visiting the following link:

    Contact Us! Follow Us!

    If you have any questions or topic suggestions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to the team.

    Contact the team:

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    support@techstravaganza.ca

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    I look forward to seeing you this afternoon!

  • Techstravaganza Reminder for Wednesday, December 10, 2025

    Happy Tuesday Techstravaganza Friends,

    This is a friendly reminder of our upcoming Techstravaganza, which will take place tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday, December 10, 2025) from 1:00 to 3:00 PM Eastern.

    Please be advised that this is an ongoing weekly workshop. All workshops are recorded and posted immediately after the workshop for your reference. we recommend that you please join in 15 minutes prior to the workshop, in order to ensure that your setup is working correctly. Also, please be advised that the Zoom studio is setup so that everyone is muted upon entry, in order to prevent background noise when coming into the studio.

    Join the workshop!

    In order to join in in the workshop, please use the conference information below:


    Join Zoom Meeting

    https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87541152813?pwd=kjXUohW4pxWKcYtiIQiHSd5ynZ6Mga.1

    Meeting ID: 875 4115 2813
    Passcode: 751106

    One tap mobile
    +17789072071,,87541152813#,,,,751106# Canada +17806660144,,87541152813#,,,,751106# Canada

    coming Up

    On this week’s Techstravaganza, we will take a look at how to add and view multiple email accounts on the iPhone and iPad, as per participants’ request.

    Don’t forget that on Thursday, December 11, 2025 from 7:00 to 9:00 PM, we will be having our Techstravaganza 2.0 tutorial, in which we will take a look at how to use the Gmail app on the iPhone and iPad. Please stay tuned to tomorrow’s newsletter for details!

    Also, we have many exciting tutorials to take us into 2026! Please check out our topic lineup for the rest of the year by visiting the following link:

    Contact Us! Follow Us!

    If you have any questions or topic suggestions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to the team.

    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:

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    On Spotify

    I look forward to seeing you tomorrow afternoon!

  • Additional Techstravaganza Workshop to be Held on Thursday, Dec 18, 2025

    Good morning Techstravaganza friends!

    I hope your Friday is off to a great start!

    As you may know if you’ve read our post about what’s coming up this month, we are having our annual Zoom tutorial on Dec 17.

    in case we don’t get to cover everything on the Wednesday, there will be another tutorial on Thursday, Dec 18, at 8:00 to 10:00 PM Eastern to cover what is left.

      There will also still be the usual Techstravaganza 2.0 on Thursday, Dec11, 2025.

      Find out What Else is coming up for the rest of this Month on Techstravaganza at the following link

      (Updated), What’s Coming Up on Techstravaganza for November and December 2025

      Contact the team:

      Email

      support@techstravaganza.ca

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    • Techstravaganza, Wednesday, Dec 3, 2025

      Screen reader pronunciation settings on iOS

      Siena and Sherry demonstrated how to change pronunciation settings in VoiceOver on iOS devices.

      • Details
        • Sherry: Demonstrated accessing the pronunciation settings through Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Speech > Pronunciation
        • Siena: Explained that users can add words that are mispronounced and create phonetic substitutions
        • Siena: Used “Fogarty” as an example, showing how to spell it phonetically as “FOH GGER TY” to get the correct pronunciation
        • Sherry: Showed how to test pronunciations using the play button before saving them
      • Conclusion
        • iOS allows users to apply pronunciation changes to specific voices or all voices
        • Changes made on iPhone will sync to iPad and Apple Watch through iCloud
        • The process involves adding the word as spelled correctly, then creating a phonetic substitution

      Deleting pronunciations on iOS

      Drew (Jeroo) asked about deleting pronunciations, leading to a discussion about the process.

      • Details
        • Jeroo: Asked how to delete a pronunciation completely
        • Siena: Explained that with VoiceOver on, users can swipe down with one finger to access the delete option
        • Jeroo: Noted difficulty finding the edit button without VoiceOver
        • Siena: Located the edit button at the bottom of the screen
        • Jeroo: Confirmed that when using the edit button, red circles with minus signs appear next to entries
      • Conclusion
        • With VoiceOver: Swipe down on a pronunciation to access the delete option
        • Without VoiceOver: Use the edit button at the bottom of the screen, then tap the red circle with minus sign
        • The placement of the edit button at the bottom makes it difficult to find, especially for users with visual impairments

      Pronunciation settings on macOS

      Siena demonstrated how to change pronunciation settings in VoiceOver on macOS.

      • Details
        • Siena: Showed how to access VoiceOver Utility using Ctrl+Option+F8
        • Siena: Navigated to the Speech category and then the Pronunciation tab
        • Siena: Demonstrated adding a pronunciation by entering the original word and its substitution
        • Palmer: Asked for clarification on the process
      • Conclusion
        • Unlike iOS, macOS doesn’t allow setting pronunciations per voice
        • MacOS allows setting pronunciations per application
        • The process involves adding the word and substitution, with no explicit save button needed

      Pronunciation settings in JAWS

      Siena demonstrated how to change pronunciation settings in the JAWS screen reader.

      • Details
        • Siena: Accessed the Dictionary Manager through the JAWS context menu (Insert+J)
        • Siena: Showed how to add a word and its replacement pronunciation
        • Siena: Explained additional options like playing sounds instead of speaking certain words
        • Siena: Demonstrated how to specify language, synthesizer, and voice settings
      • Conclusion
        • JAWS offers more granular control than VoiceOver, allowing settings by language, synthesizer, and voice
        • Changes can be saved to the default dictionary or application-specific dictionaries
        • The process is similar to iOS and macOS but with more customization options

      Contact the team:

      Email

      support@techstravaganza.ca

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    • Only 15 minutes to go! Techstravaganza Workshop for Wednesday, December 3, 2025

      Happy Wednesday Techstravaganza Friends,

      This is a quick heads up that there are only 15 minutes left to go until our upcoming Techstravaganza workshop! The workshop will start promptly at 1:00 PM, and will run until 3:00 PM Eastern.

      Please be advised that this is an ongoing weekly workshop. All workshops are recorded and posted immediately after the workshop for your reference. we recommend that you please join in 15 minutes prior to the workshop, in order to ensure that your setup is working correctly. Also, please be advised that the Zoom studio is setup so that everyone is muted upon entry, in order to prevent background noise when coming into the studio.

      Join the workshop!

      In order to join in in the workshop, please use the conference information below:


      Join Zoom Meeting

      https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87541152813?pwd=kjXUohW4pxWKcYtiIQiHSd5ynZ6Mga.1

      Meeting ID: 875 4115 2813
      Passcode: 751106

      One tap mobile
      +17789072071,,87541152813#,,,,751106# Canada +17806660144,,87541152813#,,,,751106# Canada

      coming Up

      On this week’s Techstravaganza, we will take a look at how to correct mispronunciations in VoiceOver on both the iPhone/iPad and the Mac. Time permitting, we will cover how to do this in JAWS for Windows. Special tohanks to guest speaker Sherry Foster who has offered to help with the iOS portion of the tutorial!

      Also, we have many exciting tutorials to take us into 2026! Please check out our topic lineup for the rest of the year by visiting the following link:

      Contact Us! Follow Us!

      If you have any questions or topic suggestions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to the team.

      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:

      On iHeart:

      On Spotify

      I look forward to seeing you shortly!

    • One Hour Reminder! Techstravaganza Workshop for Wednesday, December 3, 2025

      Happy Wednesday Techstravaganza Friends,

      This is a friendly reminder of our upcoming Techstravaganza, which will take place in exactly one hour, and will run from 1:00 to 3:00 PM Eastern.

      Please be advised that this is an ongoing weekly workshop. All workshops are recorded and posted immediately after the workshop for your reference. we recommend that you please join in 15 minutes prior to the workshop, in order to ensure that your setup is working correctly. Also, please be advised that the Zoom studio is setup so that everyone is muted upon entry, in order to prevent background noise when coming into the studio.

      Join the workshop!

      In order to join in in the workshop, please use the conference information below:


      Join Zoom Meeting

      https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87541152813?pwd=kjXUohW4pxWKcYtiIQiHSd5ynZ6Mga.1

      Meeting ID: 875 4115 2813
      Passcode: 751106

      One tap mobile
      +17789072071,,87541152813#,,,,751106# Canada +17806660144,,87541152813#,,,,751106# Canada

      coming Up

      On this week’s Techstravaganza, we will take a look at how to correct mispronunciations in VoiceOver on both the iPhone/iPad and the Mac. Time permitting, we will cover how to do this in JAWS for Windows. Special tohanks to guest speaker Sherry Foster who has offered to help with the iOS portion of the tutorial!

      Also, we have many exciting tutorials to take us into 2026! Please check out our topic lineup for the rest of the year by visiting the following link:

      Contact Us! Follow Us!

      If you have any questions or topic suggestions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to the team.

      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:

      On iHeart:

      On Spotify

      I look forward to seeing you this afternoon!

    • Techstravaganza Reminder for Wednesday, December 3, 2025

      Happy Tuesday Techstravaganza Friends,

      This is a friendly reminder of our upcoming Techstravaganza, which will take place tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday, December 3, 2025) from 1:00 to 3:00 PM Eastern.

      Please be advised that this is an ongoing weekly workshop. All workshops are recorded and posted immediately after the workshop for your reference. we recommend that you please join in 15 minutes prior to the workshop, in order to ensure that your setup is working correctly. Also, please be advised that the Zoom studio is setup so that everyone is muted upon entry, in order to prevent background noise when coming into the studio.

      Join the workshop!

      In order to join in in the workshop, please use the conference information below:


      Join Zoom Meeting

      https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87541152813?pwd=kjXUohW4pxWKcYtiIQiHSd5ynZ6Mga.1

      Meeting ID: 875 4115 2813
      Passcode: 751106

      One tap mobile
      +17789072071,,87541152813#,,,,751106# Canada +17806660144,,87541152813#,,,,751106# Canada

      coming Up

      On this week’s Techstravaganza, we will take a look at how to correct mispronunciations in VoiceOver on both the iPhone/iPad and the Mac. Time permitting, we will cover how to do this in JAWS for Windows.

      Also, we have many exciting tutorials to take us into 2026! Please check out our topic lineup for the rest of the year by visiting the following link:

      Contact Us! Follow Us!

      If you have any questions or topic suggestions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to the team.

      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:

      On iHeart:

      On Spotify

      I look forward to seeing you tomorrow afternoon!

    • Techstravaganza for Wednesday, Nov 26, 2025

      Gmail keyboard shortcuts and navigation

      Siena demonstrated how to access and use keyboard shortcuts in Gmail on the web.

      • Details
        • Siena: Showed how to access keyboard shortcuts by pressing question mark (shift+slash)
        • Siena: Explained that keyboard shortcuts work differently on PC and Mac – on PC use Control instead of Command
        • Siena: Demonstrated navigation shortcuts including G+I (go to inbox), G+T (go to sent messages)
        • Hans: Asked for clarification about using star+A to select all conversations
        • Siena: Clarified that you press the keys sequentially, not simultaneously
        • Palmer: Asked about using delete key vs. # (number sign) for deleting messages
        • Siena: Showed that Gmail uses # for deletion rather than the delete key
      • Conclusion
        • Keyboard shortcuts make Gmail navigation more efficient
        • Users can always access the shortcuts list by pressing ? (question mark)
        • Most common shortcuts: C (compose), R (reply), A (reply all), F (forward), # (delete)

      Virtual PC cursor in Windows screen readers

      Siena explained the importance of toggling the virtual PC cursor when using JAWS with Gmail.

      • Details
        • Siena: Demonstrated using Insert+Z to toggle virtual PC cursor on/off in JAWS
        • Siena: Explained that virtual cursor needs to be off when navigating message lists and using keyboard shortcuts
        • Siena: Showed that virtual cursor needs to be on when reading message content
        • Jackie: Asked for clarification about constantly toggling the virtual PC cursor
        • Siena: Confirmed this is necessary as JAWS can interpret Gmail shortcuts as JAWS commands when virtual cursor is on
      • Conclusion
        • Windows screen reader users need to toggle virtual PC cursor on/off frequently
        • Virtual cursor off: for navigating message lists and using Gmail shortcuts
        • Virtual cursor on: for reading message content
        • Mac VoiceOver users don’t need to worry about this as it’s handled natively

      Reading and managing email threads

      Siena demonstrated how to navigate through email threads and perform actions on messages.

      • Details
        • Siena: Showed how to open conversations with Enter or O key
        • Siena: Demonstrated using semicolon to expand threads and colon to collapse them
        • Siena: Showed using N to move to next message and P to move to previous message in a thread
        • Ali: Asked if P and N move between messages in a thread
        • Siena: Confirmed and demonstrated this functionality
        • Siena: Showed how to delete entire threads with # (Shift+3)
      • Conclusion
        • N and P keys navigate between messages in a thread
        • Semicolon expands threads, colon collapses them
        • (Shift+3) deletes messages or entire threads
        • Users can select multiple messages with X key before deleting

      Composing emails

      Siena demonstrated how to compose new emails and use various composition features.

      • Details
        • Siena: Showed using C to compose or D to compose in a new tab
        • Ali: Noted that Shift+C also works for composing
        • Siena: Demonstrated adding recipients, subject, and message body
        • Siena: Showed additional options like attaching files, inserting emojis, and scheduling sends
        • Siena: Demonstrated adding CC/BCC recipients with Command/Ctrl+Shift+C and Command/Ctrl+Shift+B
        • Siena: Showed sending a message with Command/Ctrl+Enter
      • Conclusion
        • C, D, or Shift+C can be used to compose new messages
        • Command/Ctrl+Enter sends the composed message
        • Gmail offers many composition features accessible via keyboard shortcuts

      Mac vs. Windows differences

      Discussion about the differences between using Gmail on Mac and Windows.

      • Details
        • Siena: Explained that Mac uses Command key where Windows uses Control key
        • Siena: Noted that Mac VoiceOver handles navigation natively without toggling virtual cursor
        • Palmer: Asked if Gmail web navigation is similar between Mac and Windows
        • Siena: Confirmed the shortcuts are the same, with the main difference being Command vs. Control
      • Conclusion
        • Gmail keyboard shortcuts are consistent across platforms with Command/Control key difference
        • Mac users have a smoother experience without needing to toggle virtual cursor
        • Web interface is consistent across platforms

      Apple Mail app issues

      Discussion about issues with the Apple Mail app.

      • Details
        • Palmer: Described how Apple Mail organizes messages by letter rather than date
        • Palmer: Explained issues with the archive folder behavior
        • Liz: Asked about dealing with 570 draft emails that were created automatically
        • Siena: Explained that Mail app saves drafts automatically when composing is interrupted
        • Siena: Suggested manually selecting and deleting drafts
      • Conclusion
        • Apple Mail has some organizational quirks compared to Gmail
        • The app automatically creates drafts even for incomplete compositions
        • There’s no easy way to bulk delete drafts in the native Mail app

      Coming Up Next Week

      Join us for changing Voiceover pronounciations on Dec, 3. Also, check out the rest of the December lineup at the following link.

      (Updated), What’s Coming Up on Techstravaganza for November and December 2025

      Contact the team:

      Email

      support@techstravaganza.ca

      Like us on Facebook

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      On Apple Podcasts:

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    • Only 15 Minutes to Go! Techstravaganza Workshop for Wednesday, November 26, 2025

      Happy Wednesday Techstravaganza Friends,

      This is a friendly reminder of our upcoming Techstravaganza, which will start in exactly 15 minutes at 1:00 PM Eastern, and will run until 3:00 PM!

      Please be advised that this is an ongoing weekly workshop. All workshops are recorded and posted immediately after the workshop for your reference. we recommend that you please join in 15 minutes prior to the workshop, in order to ensure that your setup is working correctly. Also, please be advised that the Zoom studio is setup so that everyone is muted upon entry, in order to prevent background noise when coming into the studio.

      Join the workshop!

      In order to join in in the workshop, please use the conference information below:


      Join Zoom Meeting

      https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87541152813?pwd=kjXUohW4pxWKcYtiIQiHSd5ynZ6Mga.1

      Meeting ID: 875 4115 2813
      Passcode: 751106

      One tap mobile
      +17789072071,,87541152813#,,,,751106# Canada +17806660144,,87541152813#,,,,751106# Canada

      coming Up

      On this week’s Techstravaganza, we will take a look at using Gmail on the web in the Windows operating system, as per participants’ request. Also, we have many exciting tutorials to take us into 2026! Please check out our topic lineupfor the rest of the year by visiting the following link:

      Contact Us! Follow Us!

      If you have any questions or topic suggestions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to the team.

      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:

      On iHeart:

      On Spotify

      I look forward to seeing you shortly!

    • One Hour Reminder! Techstravaganza Workshop for Wednesday, November 26, 2025

      Happy Wednesday Techstravaganza Friends,

      This is a friendly reminder of our upcoming Techstravaganza, which will take place this afternoon, in exactly one hour, from 1:00 to 3:00 PM Eastern.

      Please be advised that this is an ongoing weekly workshop. All workshops are recorded and posted immediately after the workshop for your reference. we recommend that you please join in 15 minutes prior to the workshop, in order to ensure that your setup is working correctly. Also, please be advised that the Zoom studio is setup so that everyone is muted upon entry, in order to prevent background noise when coming into the studio.

      Join the workshop!

      In order to join in in the workshop, please use the conference information below:


      Join Zoom Meeting

      https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87541152813?pwd=kjXUohW4pxWKcYtiIQiHSd5ynZ6Mga.1

      Meeting ID: 875 4115 2813
      Passcode: 751106

      One tap mobile
      +17789072071,,87541152813#,,,,751106# Canada +17806660144,,87541152813#,,,,751106# Canada

      coming Up

      On this week’s Techstravaganza, we will take a look at using Gmail on the web in the Windows operating system, as per participants’ request. Also, we have many exciting tutorials to take us into 2026! Please check out our topic lineupfor the rest of the year by visiting the following link:

      Contact Us! Follow Us!

      If you have any questions or topic suggestions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to the team.

      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:

      On iHeart:

      On Spotify

      I look forward to seeing you this afternoon!

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