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.
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.
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 .
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.
Podcast App Navigation and Syncing
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.
Apple Podcasts Navigation Overview
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.
Apple Podcasts iOS 26 Accessibility
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.
Apple Podcasts macOS User Concerns
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.
Apple Music App User Dissatisfaction
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.
iOS 26 Messaging and Podcast Challenges
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.
iMessage Group Chat Management Issues
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.
iOS Notification Settings Tutorial
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.
App Preferences and Calendar Bugs
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.
Podcast Management and Zoom Help
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.
This is a reminder of our upcoming Techstravaganza, which will take place this afternoon (Wednesday, October 22, 2025) from 12:00 to 2:00 PM Eastern for this week only. That’s right friends, only 15 minutes to go! Please note that we will be back to our regular 1:00 to 3:00 PM time slot on wednesday, october 29, 2025.
Please rest assured that Techstravaganza 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.
At last week’s workshop, we took a look at the podcasts app on the iPhone and ipad. We explored the Home, Search and Library tabs, and we will start off this week’s workshop by taking a look at the New (formerly Browse) tab of the podcasts app, before diving into another podcast player called iCatcher, which is also compatible with Voiceover.
If you have any questions or topic suggestions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to the team.
This is a reminder of our upcoming Techstravaganza, which will take place this afternoon (Wednesday, October 22, 2025) from 12:00 to 2:00 PM Eastern for this week only. Please note that we will be back to our regular 1:00 to 3:00 PM time slot on wednesday, october 29, 2025.
Please rest assured that Techstravaganza 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.
At last week’s workshop, we took a look at the podcasts app on the iPhone and ipad. We explored the Home, Search and Library tabs, and we will start off this week’s workshop by taking a look at the New (formerly Browse) tab of the podcasts app, before diving into another podcast player called iCatcher, which is also compatible with Voiceover.
If you have any questions or topic suggestions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to the team.
This is a reminder of our upcoming Techstravaganza, which will take place tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday, October 22, 2025) from 12:00 to 2:00 PM Eastern for this week only. Please note that we will be back to our regular 1:00 to 3:00 PM time slot on wednesday, october 29, 2025.
Please rest assured that Techstravaganza 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.
At last week’s workshop, we took a look at the podcasts app on the iPhone and ipad. We explored the Home, Search and Library tabs, and we will start off this week’s workshop by taking a look at the New (formerly Browse) tab of the podcasts app, before diving into another podcast player called iCatcher, which is also compatible with Voiceover.
If you have any questions or topic suggestions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to the team.
The Techstravaganza session focused on beginning a tutorial series about podcast players, starting with the Apple Podcasts app on iPhone. Siena Trigiani led the tutorial, highlighting new features including enhanced dialogue, adjustable playback speeds, and browsing options. Ali announced that the workshop format would remain unchanged and that future sessions would be available on various podcasting platforms.
Apple Podcast Interface Features
Siena demonstrated various features of Apple’s podcast interface, including algorithmic recommendations, popular shows, and news updates, while Ali provided the Apple Accessibility phone number. They explored different podcast categories including technology, music, business, and culture, with Siena highlighting several interesting podcasts including “Happy Enough Happiness” and “If Objects Could Talk.” The discussion focused on how the Apple algorithm personalizes podcast recommendations based on user listening habits, with Siena noting that the interface shows both free and subscriber-only content.
Apple Podcasts Search Tutorial
Siena provided a tutorial on using the Apple Podcasts app, focusing on the Home and Search tabs. She demonstrated how to search for podcasts, including the new location of the search field in iOS 16, which has moved to the bottom right corner. Siena also explained how to use the adjustable slider to filter search results by top results, shows, episodes, channels, and categories.
Podcast Management on Mobile Devices
Siena demonstrated how to search for and follow podcasts on a mobile device, showing features like following shows, activating episodes, and managing automatic downloads. She explained that the best way to check if a podcast is being followed is to double-tap and activate it. Scott asked about the recommended number of podcast episodes to listen to daily, and Siena suggested listening to one episode per day or creating a playlist of different podcasts for evening listening. Ali and Scott briefly discussed keeping up with sports podcasts and missed news updates.
Podcast Discovery Techniques Explained
The group discussed finding podcasts, with Palmer recommending The Simply Space and Astrum, though neither was found in Apple Podcasts. Siena demonstrated how to search for podcasts in the Apple Podcasts app, including finding and following the “Teach Me How to Adult” podcast by Jillian Berner. They explored various search techniques and discussed the differences between YouTube and podcast platforms for discovering content.
iOS Podcast Navigation with Magic Tap
Siena demonstrated how to listen to podcasts using the iOS VoiceOver screen reader, including navigation between episodes and the use of the Magic Tap feature. Ali provided clarification on how to access and configure the Magic Tap settings in the Commands menu. They discussed the new iOS 2026 update that allows Magic Tap to only answer and end calls, rather than controlling media playback to prevent unintended interactions. The session concluded with plans to cover the podcast library and browsing features in the next meeting.
Podcast Navigation and Updates
Siena demonstrated how to navigate and use the Apple Podcasts app, including searching for shows, following podcasts, and accessing account settings. She highlighted specific shows she follows, such as Apple Events Audio and Ali and Macara’s Books, and mentioned that she listens to some podcasts on YouTube as well. Scott announced his podcast, Weekly In Sports, would release its October show soon. Siena expressed excitement about an upcoming book discussion on the Books Panel podcast and mentioned she had started reading “Stop Saying You’re Fine” by Mel Robbins.
Book Discussion and Podcast Tips
The group discussed the book “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” by Mark Haddon, sharing their thoughts on its plot, characters, and themes related to autism. They also talked about podcast listening habits, including strategies for skipping ads and the differences between platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Max shared a tip for fast-forwarding and rewinding podcasts by 60 seconds to skip ads. The conversation concluded with Ashlyn mentioning a new book she started, “The War of the Whales,” and Ali suggesting it could be a topic for their upcoming show.
Upcoming Events and App Tutorial
The group discussed upcoming events and content, including a books Panel, Ali and Macara’s Books and the Broadcast Map Show. They encouraged listeners to join live streams early for interactive elements and surprises. Siena announced that next week’s session will be earlier than usual, running from 12:30 to 2:30 PM Eastern. The group also discussed the iCatcher app, which is a one-time purchase with optional tips, and they planned to demonstrate it in a tutorial next week.
This is a friendly heads up that there are only 15 minutes left until the start of our Techstravaganza workshop, which will run from 1:00 to 3:00 PM Eastern!
Please note that Techstravaganza 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.
On this week’s Techstravaganza, we will kick off a multi-part series on podcast player apps with a look at Apple’s built-in Podcasts app on the iPhone and iPad.
If you have any questions or topic suggestions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to the team.
This is a reminder of our upcoming Techstravaganza, which will begin in exactly one hour and will run from 1:00 to 3:00 PM Eastern!
Please note that Techstravaganza 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.
On this week’s Techstravaganza, we will kick off a multi-part series on podcast player apps with a look at Apple’s built-in Podcasts app on the iPhone and iPad.
If you have any questions or topic suggestions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to the team.
This is a reminder of our upcoming Techstravaganza, which will take place tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday, October 15, 2025) from 1:00 to 3:00 PM Eastern!
Please note that Techstravaganza 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.
On this week’s Techstravaganza, we will kick off a multi-part series on podcast player apps with a look at Apple’s built-in Podcasts app on the iPhone and iPad.
If you have any questions or topic suggestions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to the team.
I look forward to seeing you tomorrow afternoon!
Techstravaganza
Where we come together to teach and learn all things assistive and mainstream technology
Techstravaganza 