In this episode of Blind Level Tech, host Evan Starnes is joined once again by Jonathan Price for a wide-ranging conversation about what they call “tech wins”—mainstream technology that either intentionally includes accessibility or, by good design, ends up being universally accessible.
The discussion flips the script from past episodes focused on accessibility gaps and instead highlights real-world examples of tech getting it right. A listener email from Dan sparks a deep dive into classic and modern Braille technology, including the Braille Lite, Optacon, and the challenges of modern graphical Braille displays. From there, the conversation expands into Samsung’s ecosystem—covering appliances, TVs, soundbars, monitors, and the SmartThings app—and how thoughtful setup experiences, audio cues, and system-wide integration can make an enormous difference for blind and low-vision users.
Evan and Jonathan also explore why accessible onboarding matters, how ecosystems can cross company boundaries (Samsung + Apple), and why certain accessibility features—like audible setup screens—should never disappear.
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00:00 – Welcome back & episode setup
02:00 – Defining “Tech Wins”
04:30 – Listener email from Dan: Braille Lite & Optacon
06:45 – History of Braille notetakers
11:30 – Samsung appliances & audio-based accessibility
13:45 – Voice Guide on washers and smart appliances
15:50 – Samsung TV setup and onboarding accessibility
18:00 – Why setup screens matter
20:00 – SmartThings app & ecosystem integration
23:00 – Soundbars, remotes, and physical controls
26:15 – Vizio accessibility shout-out
28:00 – Favorite Samsung tech & what shouldn’t disappear
30:00 – Wrapping up & listener call-to-action