Discussed topics

Google Tasks overview and accessibility

The session began with an introduction to Google Tasks as a cross-platform task management tool.

• Details
  • Siena: Explained that Google Tasks works on web, iPhone, and Android platforms
  • Siena: Demonstrated that the web version is accessible at tasks.google.com
  • Siena: Noted that when using JAWS screen reader, users need to turn off Virtual PC cursor to access keyboard shortcuts
• Conclusion
  • Google Tasks provides a consistent experience across different devices
  • Screen reader users can effectively navigate the interface with proper settings

Keyboard shortcuts

A comprehensive review of keyboard shortcuts available in Google Tasks was provided.

• Details
  • Siena: Pressed Shift+/ (question mark) to display the keyboard shortcuts dialog
  • Siena: Reviewed navigation shortcuts: up/down arrows to move between tasks, Home to focus first task, End to focus last task
  • Siena: Covered task actions: C to create, Space to mark complete/incomplete, Enter to edit, Delete/Backspace to remove
  • Siena: Explained list management shortcuts: L to create a new list, left arrow to focus on lists, right arrow to focus on tasks within a list
  • Ali: Noted that Mac shortcuts differ slightly, with Command replacing Ctrl in most cases
• Conclusion
  • Extensive keyboard shortcuts make Google Tasks efficient for keyboard-only users
  • Shortcuts are organized into categories: Navigation, Task Actions, Editing Tasks, List Actions, and Application

Creating and managing tasks

The session demonstrated how to create and manage tasks with various options.

• Details
  • Siena: Created a task titled “Transfer Techstravaganza topics from reminders to Google tasks”
  • Siena: Showed how to set dates using the date picker or by typing directly
  • Siena: Demonstrated setting times in half-hour increments
  • Siena: Created recurring tasks in the “Medicine” list for “Take my drops” and “Take my puffer”
  • Ali: Helped troubleshoot task creation when Siena encountered issues
• Conclusion
  • Tasks can be created with the C shortcut or Add Task button
  • Date and time settings are flexible with multiple input methods
  • Tasks can be assigned to specific lists for organization

Recurrence options

The session explored setting up recurring tasks with various frequency options.

• Details
  • Siena: Demonstrated setting daily recurrence for medication tasks
  • Siena: Explored custom recurrence options including intervals (every X days/weeks/months/years)
  • Siena: Noted that unlike Apple Reminders, Google Tasks doesn’t appear to support patterns like “first Thursday of the month”
  • Ali: Acknowledged that Apple Reminders offers more flexibility for recurrence patterns
• Conclusion
  • Google Tasks supports basic recurrence patterns (daily, weekly, monthly, annually)
  • Custom recurrence allows for interval-based scheduling
  • Some advanced recurrence patterns are not available

Subtasks and task organization

The session demonstrated creating and managing subtasks and organizing tasks.

• Details
  • Siena: Added subtasks to the “Transfer Techstravaganza topics” task
  • Siena: Created subtasks for “Download the separate tracks for each participant” and “Create a folder in recordings/originals with today’s date”
  • Siena: Demonstrated reordering subtasks using Ctrl+Down arrow
  • Siena: Showed how to navigate between main tasks and subtasks
• Conclusion
  • Subtasks can be added through the task options menu or with Ctrl+Alt+Enter
  • Tasks and subtasks can be reordered using keyboard shortcuts
  • Subtasks help organize complex tasks into manageable components

List management

The session covered creating and managing task lists.

• Details
  • Siena: Created a “Medicine” list for medication-related tasks
  • Ali: Created a “Techstravaganza afternoons” list
  • Siena: Explored list options including sorting, renaming, deleting, and printing
  • Siena: Noted that old Google Keep reminders had been migrated to a special list in Google Tasks
• Conclusion
  • Multiple lists help organize different categories of tasks
  • Lists can be managed with various sorting and organization options
  • No option was found to share lists with other users

Check Out What’s Coming Up on Techstravaganza at the Following Link

(altered), Updated as of Feb 2, 2026, What’s Coming Up on Techstravaganza

Contact the team:

Email

support@techstravaganza.ca

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On Apple Podcasts:

On Audible:

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

On iHeart:

On Spotify

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Discussed topics

Configuring email accounts in Outlook on iPhone

Siena demonstrated the process of adding email accounts to the Outlook app on iPhone.

• Details
  • Siena: Showed how to add an iCloud email account to Outlook, which required two-factor authentication
  • Ali: Suggested using the Braille keyboard when Siena encountered difficulties with verification code entry
  • Ashlyn: Noted when the app bumped Siena out during the authentication process
  • Siena: Successfully added the iCloud account after disabling braille screen input, which was causing issues
  • Siena: Demonstrated adding a Gmail account, which also required authentication through the Gmail app
• Conclusion
  • Different email providers have slightly different authentication processes
  • Two-factor authentication is required for security purposes
  • Braille screen input can sometimes interfere with the verification code entry process

Attaching files to emails using copy-paste method

Siena demonstrated a technique for attaching files to emails by copying them from the file manager and pasting them directly into the email body.

• Details
  • Siena: Demonstrated the technique on iPhone using both Outlook and Mail apps
  • Ali: Explained this method allows attaching multiple files at once
  • Jeroo: Asked if using the share button would work instead
  • Ali: Clarified that share only works for one file at a time
  • Siena: Demonstrated the same technique on Mac using Mail and Gmail
  • Siena: Also showed the technique working on Windows PC using Gmail
  • Hans: Asked about finding the attach button in the Mail app interface
  • Siena: Explored the interface but noted VoiceOver doesn’t consistently identify the attach button
• Conclusion
  • Copy-paste method works across platforms (iPhone, Mac, Windows)
  • This technique allows attaching multiple files simultaneously
  • The method is more efficient than using traditional attachment buttons
  • The technique works in various email clients including Outlook, Mail app, and Gmail

Cloud storage options

Discussion about different cloud storage services and their accessibility with screen readers.

• Details
  • Hans: Mentioned many in the blind community use Dropbox but noted its 2GB free storage limitation
  • Siena: Shared that Google Drive works well with screen readers on Windows
  • Ali: Expressed preference for Google products and services
  • Hans: Noted that Google offers 15GB free storage combined across Drive, Photos, and Gmail
  • Siena: Mentioned that Google Drive can be accessed via File Explorer like Dropbox
  • Hans: Shared that he uses pCloud but finds its web interface challenging with JAWS
• Conclusion
  • Google Drive is screen reader friendly and offers more free storage than Dropbox
  • Cloud storage provides access to files across multiple devices
  • Different services have varying costs and accessibility features
  • File Explorer/Finder integration is an important feature for accessibility

Downloading multiple attachments

Hans asked about downloading multiple attachments from emails on mobile devices.

• Details
  • Hans: Asked if there’s a way to save multiple attachments at once on iPhone, similar to “save all attachments” in desktop email clients
  • Siena: Confirmed there’s no “save all” option in the Mail app on iPhone
  • Siena: Suggested downloading attachments on a computer first, saving them to cloud storage, then accessing them from the phone
• Conclusion
  • Mobile email apps generally don’t have a “save all attachments” feature
  • Using a computer to download attachments and then accessing via cloud storage is a workaround

Check out What’s Coming Up on Techstravaganza at the Following Link

(altered), Updated as of Feb 2, 2026, What’s Coming Up on Techstravaganza

Check out What’s Coming Up on Techstravaganza 2.0 at the Following Link

What’s Coming Up on Techstravaganza 2.0

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