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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Happy Tuesday Techstravaganza Friends,
This is a reminder of our upcoming Techstravaganza, which will take place tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday, November 5, 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.
In order to join in the workshop, please use the following conference information:
Siena Trigiani is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Techstravaganza
Time: Nov 5, 2025 01:00 PM America/Toronto
Every week on Wed, 99 occurrence(s)
Changed occurrence(s):
Dec 3, 2025 01:00 PM (updated)
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Weekly: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/tZMoc-ipqzkiG9fKRSbogUhhQ1MPGsL5oa4K/ics?icsToken=DFk6Mqk8yqajv7y0lwAALAAAAD_-cD1sPrEXa7WxRt3BsTQUCMQuGEDZULr6RaKbFxEtMA6mUeyzWCo-OXiFD1TdnMKFPQ9ZFBBithUrzzAwMDAwMQ&meetingMasterEventId=qLNF2eRuQESq-l29ttMKYA
Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 875 4115 2813
Passcode: 751106
One tap mobile
+17789072071,,87541152813#,,,,751106# Canada +17806660144,,87541152813#,,,,751106# Canada
Join instructions
https://us06web.zoom.us/meetings/87541152813/invitations?signature=xAmXMAeLL0-Rg2Br3H271yiaKfuWx0ymbvfsoXmEtM4
At last week’s workshop, we took an indepth look at a series of useful tips designed to make your iOS 26 experience smoother, courtesy of Ali and Macara. These included:
– Turning off Notification grouping for an easier way to read your notifications in the Notification Centre.
Arranging apps into folders on the Home Screen and showing the badge count to see how many new items are in each folder. This is another way you can see how many new notifications you have.
Changing the default calling app. You may wish to do this if you prefer to use WhatsApp or another calling app by default. This week, we will return to our series on podcast players to explore a popular podcast player called iCatcher.
If you have any questions or topic suggestions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to the team.
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I look forward to seeing you tomorrow afternoon!
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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Happy Wednesday Techstravaganza Friends,
This is a reminder of our upcoming Techstravaganza, which will take place in just 15 minutes, 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.
In order to join in the workshop, please use the following conference information:
Siena Trigiani is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Techstravaganza
Time: Oct 29, 2025 01:00 PM America/Toronto
Every week on Wed, 100 occurrence(s)
Changed occurrence(s):
Dec 3, 2025 01:00 PM (updated)
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Weekly: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/tZMoc-ipqzkiG9fKRSbogUhhQ1MPGsL5oa4K/ics?icsToken=DPncny2bP0YOlBpdBAAALAAAAEcIzDLVmq5kdSCNs6t6SAUS81JxnwbQjZ5rNctvPpjkmK-JHY11O47AqHso2izSJivkYR43n-j00jpF7jAwMDAwMQ&meetingMasterEventId=qLNF2eRuQESq-l29ttMKYA
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
Join instructions
https://us06web.zoom.us/meetings/87541152813/invitations?signature=xAmXMAeLL0-Rg2Br3H271yiaKfuWx0ymbvfsoXmEtM4
At last week’s workshop, we took a look at the podcasts app on the iPhone and iPad, this time exploring the New tab, which was previously called Browse. As per participants’ request, we also looked at Apple’s built-in Podcasts app on the Mac. On this week’s workshop, we will take a look at a series of useful tips designed to make your iOS 26 experience smoother, courtesy of Ali and Macara. These will include:
– Turning off Notification grouping for an easier way to read your notifications in the Notification Centre.
Arranging apps into folders on the Home Screen and showing the badge count to see how many new items are in each folder. This is another way you can see how many new notifications you have.
Changing the default calling app. You may wish to do this if you prefer to use WhatsApp or another calling app by default.
If you have any questions or topic suggestions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to the team.
Contact the team:
Like us on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578990010675
Follow the Show:
On Tunein
On Apple Podcasts:
On Audible:
On iHeart:
On Spotify
I look forward to seeing you shortly!
Happy Wednesday Techstravaganza Friends,
This is a 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.
In order to join in the workshop, please use the following conference information:
Siena Trigiani is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Techstravaganza
Time: Oct 29, 2025 01:00 PM America/Toronto
Every week on Wed, 100 occurrence(s)
Changed occurrence(s):
Dec 3, 2025 01:00 PM (updated)
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Weekly: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/tZMoc-ipqzkiG9fKRSbogUhhQ1MPGsL5oa4K/ics?icsToken=DPncny2bP0YOlBpdBAAALAAAAEcIzDLVmq5kdSCNs6t6SAUS81JxnwbQjZ5rNctvPpjkmK-JHY11O47AqHso2izSJivkYR43n-j00jpF7jAwMDAwMQ&meetingMasterEventId=qLNF2eRuQESq-l29ttMKYA
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
Join instructions
https://us06web.zoom.us/meetings/87541152813/invitations?signature=xAmXMAeLL0-Rg2Br3H271yiaKfuWx0ymbvfsoXmEtM4
At last week’s workshop, we took a look at the podcasts app on the iPhone and iPad, this time exploring the New tab, which was previously called Browse. As per participants’ request, we also looked at Apple’s built-in Podcasts app on the Mac. On this week’s workshop, we will take a look at a series of useful tips designed to make your iOS 26 experience smoother, courtesy of Ali and Macara. These will include:
– Turning off Notification grouping for an easier way to read your notifications in the Notification Centre.
Arranging apps into folders on the Home Screen and showing the badge count to see how many new items are in each folder. This is another way you can see how many new notifications you have.
Changing the default calling app. You may wish to do this if you prefer to use WhatsApp or another calling app by default.
If you have any questions or topic suggestions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to the team.
Contact the team:
Like us on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578990010675
Follow the Show:
On Tunein
On Apple Podcasts:
On Audible:
On iHeart:
On Spotify
I look forward to seeing you this afternoon!
Happy Tuesday Techstravaganza Friends,
This is a reminder of our upcoming Techstravaganza, which will take place tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday, October 29, 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.
In order to join in the workshop, please use the following conference information:
Siena Trigiani is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Techstravaganza
Time: Oct 29, 2025 01:00 PM America/Toronto
Every week on Wed, 100 occurrence(s)
Changed occurrence(s):
Dec 3, 2025 01:00 PM (updated)
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Weekly: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/tZMoc-ipqzkiG9fKRSbogUhhQ1MPGsL5oa4K/ics?icsToken=DPncny2bP0YOlBpdBAAALAAAAEcIzDLVmq5kdSCNs6t6SAUS81JxnwbQjZ5rNctvPpjkmK-JHY11O47AqHso2izSJivkYR43n-j00jpF7jAwMDAwMQ&meetingMasterEventId=qLNF2eRuQESq-l29ttMKYA
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
Join instructions
https://us06web.zoom.us/meetings/87541152813/invitations?signature=xAmXMAeLL0-Rg2Br3H271yiaKfuWx0ymbvfsoXmEtM4
At last week’s workshop, we took a look at the podcasts app on the iPhone and iPad, this time exploring the New tab, which was previously called Browse. As per participants’ request, we also looked at Apple’s built-in Podcasts app on the Mac. On this week’s workshop, we will take a look at a series of useful tips designed to make your iOS 26 experience smoother, courtesy of Ali and Macara. These will include:
– Turning off Notification grouping for an easier way to read your notifications in the Notification Centre.
Arranging apps into folders on the Home Screen and showing the badge count to see how many new items are in each folder. This is another way you can see how many new notifications you have.
Changing the default calling app. You may wish to do this if you prefer to use WhatsApp or another calling app by default.
If you have any questions or topic suggestions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to the team.
Contact the team:
Like us on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578990010675
Follow the Show:
On Tunein
On Apple Podcasts:
On Audible:
On iHeart:
On Spotify
I look forward to seeing you tomorrow afternoon!
Hello Techstravaganza friends!
I hope you’re all having a great weekend!
We discussed this during last week’s workshop, but in case you missed it, and to make it official, Techstravaganza is now available whereever you listen to podcasts! The platforms will be listed toward the end of this newsletter.
This means, there’s a whole list of new places to access the workshops in addition to the website. We hope providing these new options will help you all access the workshops and tips you need at your convenience.
As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out at support@techstravaganza.ca .
Have a great evening everyone!
Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/techstravaganza/id1846930800
Spotify:
https://spotify.link/3Zg75M2bNXb
Audible:
On iHeart:
On Tune In:
Listen to Techstravaganza on TuneIn
As well as any other platforms that support the Apple podcast library, including iCatcher!
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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.
Contact the team:
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Techstravaganza 