1 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:08,820 Hello, everyone, and welcome to Life After Blindness. 2 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:10,900 This is the podcast where we are dedicated 3 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:13,294 to the exploration of an enabled life with 4 00:00:13,294 --> 00:00:13,794 blindness. 5 00:00:14,095 --> 00:00:15,615 My name is Tim Schwartz, and I'd like 6 00:00:15,615 --> 00:00:17,454 to thank you so very much for tuning 7 00:00:17,454 --> 00:00:19,614 in to the podcast. On today's show, we're 8 00:00:19,614 --> 00:00:21,315 going to be discussing audiobooks 9 00:00:21,855 --> 00:00:24,994 and more specifically a skill for the Amazon 10 00:00:25,054 --> 00:00:26,355 Echo called RNIB 11 00:00:26,734 --> 00:00:27,809 Talking Books. 12 00:00:28,289 --> 00:00:29,809 But first, if you have any questions or 13 00:00:29,809 --> 00:00:31,649 comments for me about the show or anything 14 00:00:31,649 --> 00:00:36,390 else, please send your emails to Tim@lifeafterblindness.com. 15 00:00:36,530 --> 00:00:40,149 Again, that's Tim@lifeafterblindness.com. 16 00:00:40,445 --> 00:00:43,425 Joining me now to discuss the RNIB talking 17 00:00:43,484 --> 00:00:44,385 book skill 18 00:00:44,925 --> 00:00:47,405 is the host of The Echo Show and 19 00:00:47,405 --> 00:00:48,784 the Dot to Dot podcast, 20 00:00:49,085 --> 00:00:51,325 as well as a plethora of other podcasts 21 00:00:51,325 --> 00:00:52,710 that he is a co host on. 22 00:00:53,189 --> 00:00:56,789 From AbilityNet, Robin Kristofferson. Robin, welcome to Life 23 00:00:56,789 --> 00:00:57,609 After Blindness. 24 00:00:58,149 --> 00:00:59,829 Tim, thank you so much for having me 25 00:00:59,829 --> 00:01:00,890 on. Real pleasure. 26 00:01:01,989 --> 00:01:03,750 So I wanted to have you on because 27 00:01:03,750 --> 00:01:05,750 you are, of course, the, you know, all 28 00:01:05,750 --> 00:01:06,810 around aficionado 29 00:01:07,189 --> 00:01:09,744 when it comes to the Amazon Echo and 30 00:01:09,744 --> 00:01:12,384 its, devices and skills. Of course, having the 31 00:01:12,384 --> 00:01:14,465 Echo Show and the dot dot podcast, which 32 00:01:14,465 --> 00:01:16,884 I do highly recommend people go check out. 33 00:01:17,344 --> 00:01:19,494 And so having you on to discuss this, 34 00:01:19,494 --> 00:01:21,700 I think, is beneficial because, of course, you 35 00:01:21,700 --> 00:01:23,219 are in The UK and you do use 36 00:01:23,219 --> 00:01:24,280 a skill like this. 37 00:01:24,659 --> 00:01:27,060 And so I wanted to start off this 38 00:01:27,060 --> 00:01:30,260 conversation by asking you about the importance of 39 00:01:30,260 --> 00:01:32,280 a skill like this being on a device 40 00:01:32,579 --> 00:01:34,579 like the Amazon Echo. This is this is 41 00:01:34,579 --> 00:01:35,079 pretty, 42 00:01:35,805 --> 00:01:37,564 good news for people in the blind and 43 00:01:37,564 --> 00:01:39,344 visually impaired community, isn't it? 44 00:01:39,965 --> 00:01:40,465 Absolutely. 45 00:01:40,844 --> 00:01:43,984 So if people don't already have echoes scattered 46 00:01:44,125 --> 00:01:45,265 all over the house, 47 00:01:45,644 --> 00:01:47,025 why not? It's just 48 00:01:47,500 --> 00:01:49,920 so brilliant. Yeah. So, the doctor.dot podcast, 49 00:01:50,379 --> 00:01:51,119 we're into 50 00:01:51,500 --> 00:01:54,299 nearly 1,800 episodes. It's a daily show and 51 00:01:54,299 --> 00:01:56,219 we haven't even begun to scratch the surface. 52 00:01:56,219 --> 00:01:58,400 So, these devices are useful. 53 00:01:58,780 --> 00:02:00,700 And if you've got a vision impairment like 54 00:02:00,700 --> 00:02:02,495 we have, I can't see at all, 55 00:02:03,515 --> 00:02:05,515 then, you know, they are a gift, aren't 56 00:02:05,515 --> 00:02:07,034 they? Because you can just talk to the 57 00:02:07,034 --> 00:02:08,955 air and all kinds of amazing things can 58 00:02:08,955 --> 00:02:09,455 happen, 59 00:02:09,995 --> 00:02:12,495 the vast majority of which are free. 60 00:02:12,955 --> 00:02:15,435 And when it comes to talking books, I 61 00:02:15,435 --> 00:02:18,110 mean, you know, blind people love their books 62 00:02:18,110 --> 00:02:19,330 or at least I do. 63 00:02:20,349 --> 00:02:22,289 Live in books and podcasts 64 00:02:22,669 --> 00:02:24,909 and family and work, those are my kind 65 00:02:24,909 --> 00:02:27,009 of main things I do. 66 00:02:28,110 --> 00:02:30,110 In that order or not always necessarily in 67 00:02:30,110 --> 00:02:32,085 that order? I was just clutching at straws 68 00:02:32,085 --> 00:02:34,004 there. No. Yes. Don't ask me to prioritize 69 00:02:34,004 --> 00:02:35,784 them. But, I probably got about 70 00:02:36,325 --> 00:02:38,085 four or maybe five books on the go 71 00:02:38,085 --> 00:02:39,925 at the moment. Yeah. So do I? You 72 00:02:39,925 --> 00:02:41,444 know, yeah. Just, you know, which one do 73 00:02:41,444 --> 00:02:42,025 I fancy 74 00:02:42,485 --> 00:02:45,605 carrying on? My latest Ken Follett or this 75 00:02:45,605 --> 00:02:47,064 murder mystery over here 76 00:02:47,629 --> 00:02:50,270 or a free book from Audible this month. 77 00:02:50,270 --> 00:02:51,709 Guys did you know that there are at 78 00:02:51,709 --> 00:02:54,189 least two or three free titles each month 79 00:02:54,189 --> 00:02:55,469 that you can get the A Lady to 80 00:02:55,469 --> 00:02:56,370 read to you? 81 00:02:56,909 --> 00:02:58,669 You just ask her what are your free 82 00:02:58,669 --> 00:02:59,169 audiobooks 83 00:02:59,469 --> 00:03:00,164 this month. 84 00:03:01,604 --> 00:03:03,924 So yeah, we can get books out of 85 00:03:03,924 --> 00:03:05,764 the echo. I call her the A lady 86 00:03:05,764 --> 00:03:07,625 because I don't want to trigger anyone's. 87 00:03:09,044 --> 00:03:09,864 And so 88 00:03:10,324 --> 00:03:11,224 having a 89 00:03:11,525 --> 00:03:12,025 skill, 90 00:03:12,419 --> 00:03:14,819 skills are like apps for your mobile phone. 91 00:03:14,819 --> 00:03:16,919 They're called skills on on the echo devices. 92 00:03:17,299 --> 00:03:19,400 Having a skill that can give you 93 00:03:19,939 --> 00:03:21,159 all of the free 94 00:03:21,539 --> 00:03:24,120 audiobooks that's a service like the RNIB's, 95 00:03:25,139 --> 00:03:26,039 reading services 96 00:03:26,715 --> 00:03:28,955 service. God, that sounds terrible. The talking book 97 00:03:28,955 --> 00:03:30,715 service here in The UK, it's called RNIB 98 00:03:30,715 --> 00:03:31,455 Reading Services, 99 00:03:32,155 --> 00:03:33,935 gives you is is absolutely 100 00:03:34,555 --> 00:03:37,855 brilliant. Historically, they've been available on specialist devices, 101 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:41,139 originally tape decks, and 102 00:03:41,439 --> 00:03:43,400 then digital talking books machines and that sort 103 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:43,939 of thing. 104 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:45,620 But to have them streamed 105 00:03:46,159 --> 00:03:48,580 directly to a really affordable device 106 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:50,099 like your Echo 107 00:03:51,039 --> 00:03:52,935 is a game changer really. And you don't 108 00:03:52,935 --> 00:03:54,534 have to lug anything around the house. You 109 00:03:54,534 --> 00:03:56,455 can just go into whichever room you want, 110 00:03:56,455 --> 00:03:57,194 and hopefully, 111 00:03:57,574 --> 00:03:59,495 it will pick up exactly where you left 112 00:03:59,495 --> 00:03:59,995 off. 113 00:04:00,534 --> 00:04:02,455 And that is really the the key point 114 00:04:02,455 --> 00:04:04,534 here. I always say that the Echo devices 115 00:04:04,534 --> 00:04:06,314 are accessibility by accident 116 00:04:06,650 --> 00:04:08,490 in a way because it is just all 117 00:04:08,490 --> 00:04:09,710 powered by your voice. 118 00:04:10,090 --> 00:04:13,210 And having a skill on a device like 119 00:04:13,210 --> 00:04:15,930 that, yes, there are some Echo devices that 120 00:04:15,930 --> 00:04:18,730 are, you know, more much more expensive. But 121 00:04:18,730 --> 00:04:21,629 to get into an Amazon Echo device, 122 00:04:22,254 --> 00:04:23,855 you can get them for, you know, 20 123 00:04:23,855 --> 00:04:24,915 to $30 124 00:04:24,975 --> 00:04:25,875 slash pounds 125 00:04:26,415 --> 00:04:28,495 and have an accessible device right out of 126 00:04:28,495 --> 00:04:30,495 the box where you can access things like 127 00:04:30,495 --> 00:04:30,995 this. 128 00:04:31,615 --> 00:04:32,115 Absolutely. 129 00:04:32,574 --> 00:04:34,654 Now accessibility to me, because my day job 130 00:04:34,654 --> 00:04:37,229 with AbilityNet that you mentioned, we're a pan 131 00:04:37,689 --> 00:04:40,669 disability technology organization. So, accessibility 132 00:04:42,089 --> 00:04:44,169 in my mind and in the eight hours 133 00:04:44,169 --> 00:04:45,769 a day that I talk about it with 134 00:04:45,769 --> 00:04:47,930 with people is much broader than just vision 135 00:04:47,930 --> 00:04:49,050 impairment. So, 136 00:04:50,125 --> 00:04:52,305 kind of part of me wants to say, 137 00:04:52,524 --> 00:04:54,365 yes, you know, when it comes to to, 138 00:04:54,685 --> 00:04:56,685 being blind, you know, these are absolutely brilliant 139 00:04:56,685 --> 00:04:59,345 and probably are kind of we're the accidental 140 00:05:00,285 --> 00:05:01,985 beneficiaries of such a brilliantly 141 00:05:03,419 --> 00:05:05,259 relevant device for us. You talk and it 142 00:05:05,259 --> 00:05:07,120 speaks back to you. But, 143 00:05:07,500 --> 00:05:09,899 you know, disability is so much broader than 144 00:05:09,899 --> 00:05:11,259 that, and there are, 145 00:05:11,819 --> 00:05:13,579 they have put a lot of effort into 146 00:05:13,579 --> 00:05:14,720 making all of the devices 147 00:05:15,579 --> 00:05:17,519 work for people with a range of disabilities. 148 00:05:17,660 --> 00:05:20,334 And even vision impairment, you know, doesn't we 149 00:05:20,334 --> 00:05:21,154 don't necessarily 150 00:05:21,535 --> 00:05:24,415 have our full disability quotient just because we've 151 00:05:24,415 --> 00:05:24,915 got 152 00:05:25,295 --> 00:05:27,774 a vision impairment. Sure. You know, my hearing's 153 00:05:27,774 --> 00:05:28,274 going. 154 00:05:28,814 --> 00:05:31,269 Dexterity will kinda go as well. And, you 155 00:05:31,269 --> 00:05:34,229 know, so the devices with screens have loads 156 00:05:34,229 --> 00:05:37,110 of accessibility features built in. Like, you know, 157 00:05:37,110 --> 00:05:38,870 what is spoken comes up on the screen 158 00:05:38,870 --> 00:05:40,409 for people with a hearing impairment. 159 00:05:41,430 --> 00:05:43,269 If you can't speak then you can tap 160 00:05:43,269 --> 00:05:44,834 to a l e x a 161 00:05:45,714 --> 00:05:47,394 or have an on screen keyboard or, you 162 00:05:47,394 --> 00:05:50,035 know, pick from commonly used phrases on screen. 163 00:05:50,035 --> 00:05:51,975 There's just so much stuff built in. 164 00:05:52,354 --> 00:05:54,754 So regardless of what impairment you've got, I 165 00:05:54,754 --> 00:05:56,354 think it's safe to say there will be 166 00:05:56,354 --> 00:05:58,156 an echo device for you. But, yeah, you're 167 00:05:58,156 --> 00:05:58,709 absolutely right. 168 00:05:59,009 --> 00:06:00,389 Just the very, very simple, 169 00:06:00,850 --> 00:06:03,430 inexpensive ones, the dots, for example, 170 00:06:04,050 --> 00:06:05,509 are perfect for us. 171 00:06:06,290 --> 00:06:08,290 What I like, just as an aside, is 172 00:06:08,290 --> 00:06:10,290 I can speed that voice up too. Yeah. 173 00:06:10,290 --> 00:06:11,774 It's so nice. I mean, you can slow 174 00:06:11,774 --> 00:06:13,834 it down, of course, and make it really, 175 00:06:14,134 --> 00:06:16,935 really, you know, slag along, but speeding it 176 00:06:16,935 --> 00:06:18,854 up and just, it's just it's just so 177 00:06:18,854 --> 00:06:21,834 nice. So then that being said, Robin, 178 00:06:22,294 --> 00:06:23,914 this particular skill, 179 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:24,860 if 180 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:27,579 if people want to access it, 181 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:31,479 they just really need to have a login 182 00:06:31,479 --> 00:06:33,180 and password to the RNIB, 183 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:35,180 talking book library. Correct? 184 00:06:35,879 --> 00:06:38,345 Yeah. Absolutely. So here in The UK, 185 00:06:38,645 --> 00:06:40,024 if you contact the RNIB, 186 00:06:40,725 --> 00:06:41,205 then, 187 00:06:42,004 --> 00:06:44,824 they'll need some evidence of your vision impairment. 188 00:06:45,285 --> 00:06:47,524 And then you can access this free talking 189 00:06:47,524 --> 00:06:49,410 book service. I guess a bit like Bard. 190 00:06:49,410 --> 00:06:51,410 I'm not too familiar with Bard. I don't 191 00:06:51,410 --> 00:06:53,169 know if you have a skill over there 192 00:06:53,169 --> 00:06:53,990 for the echo. 193 00:06:54,850 --> 00:06:56,849 But that's your equivalent talking book service, isn't 194 00:06:56,849 --> 00:06:58,930 it, for visually impaired people? It is. Yes. 195 00:06:58,930 --> 00:07:01,810 Yeah. So, yeah. Once you've got once you've 196 00:07:01,810 --> 00:07:02,685 been signed up, 197 00:07:03,404 --> 00:07:05,504 they you know, you will then get your 198 00:07:05,564 --> 00:07:06,384 login details. 199 00:07:06,925 --> 00:07:08,845 When you ask the ALAD here in The 200 00:07:08,845 --> 00:07:09,345 UK, 201 00:07:09,725 --> 00:07:11,324 I think it's available in The States as 202 00:07:11,324 --> 00:07:13,964 well for It is actually. Yeah. And and 203 00:07:13,964 --> 00:07:14,464 I 204 00:07:14,779 --> 00:07:16,379 I installed the skill, and it asked for 205 00:07:16,379 --> 00:07:17,660 a name and a password. Of course, I 206 00:07:17,660 --> 00:07:19,439 don't have one, but I haven't 207 00:07:19,740 --> 00:07:22,699 contacted RNIB to see if if I also 208 00:07:22,699 --> 00:07:23,439 can provide, 209 00:07:23,740 --> 00:07:25,100 you know, some sort of proof of my 210 00:07:25,100 --> 00:07:27,420 visual impairment even from The States. No. I'm 211 00:07:27,420 --> 00:07:29,625 not sure about that one. So we'll we'll 212 00:07:29,625 --> 00:07:31,705 kind of bookmark that, earmark that for for 213 00:07:31,705 --> 00:07:33,625 later question because maybe I'll get somebody there 214 00:07:33,625 --> 00:07:35,705 to to answer that because they did make 215 00:07:35,705 --> 00:07:38,345 it available in The United States skill stores. 216 00:07:38,345 --> 00:07:38,845 So 217 00:07:39,145 --> 00:07:40,665 I would have to hope allowed to access 218 00:07:40,665 --> 00:07:43,300 your BARD. So I guess that's the problem. 219 00:07:43,379 --> 00:07:45,139 The same the other way around. It's very 220 00:07:45,139 --> 00:07:46,980 possible, but the fact that it's there is 221 00:07:46,980 --> 00:07:50,180 intriguing. But Yeah. Either way so, you know, 222 00:07:50,180 --> 00:07:52,100 give a give a shout out to to 223 00:07:52,180 --> 00:07:54,339 or a call to RNIB, and maybe maybe 224 00:07:54,339 --> 00:07:56,519 we can get access. But for the listeners, 225 00:07:56,995 --> 00:07:58,675 specifically in UK, that we know for a 226 00:07:58,675 --> 00:08:01,394 fact that can access this, once you contact 227 00:08:01,394 --> 00:08:03,475 the RNIB, you get your name, you get 228 00:08:03,475 --> 00:08:05,714 your password or username, I should say, and 229 00:08:05,714 --> 00:08:06,214 password. 230 00:08:06,834 --> 00:08:09,394 You you sync it up, for anybody who's 231 00:08:09,394 --> 00:08:11,279 not familiar with that. So you download the 232 00:08:11,279 --> 00:08:13,120 skill or enable the skill, and then you 233 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:14,580 have to go into the actual, 234 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:18,819 Lady a app to connect the account. Correct? 235 00:08:19,439 --> 00:08:21,060 Yeah. So you would just say to 236 00:08:21,520 --> 00:08:22,339 your echo, 237 00:08:23,805 --> 00:08:24,465 a lady. 238 00:08:25,645 --> 00:08:28,845 Enable RNIB talking books. That's the name of 239 00:08:28,845 --> 00:08:30,685 the skill. Then she'll tell you you have 240 00:08:30,685 --> 00:08:32,044 to go to the app on your phone 241 00:08:32,044 --> 00:08:32,544 to 242 00:08:33,004 --> 00:08:34,605 log in. So, yeah, you just do that 243 00:08:34,605 --> 00:08:35,825 with a couple of taps. 244 00:08:36,169 --> 00:08:37,850 Put in your details and that's a one 245 00:08:37,850 --> 00:08:38,589 time thing. 246 00:08:39,209 --> 00:08:41,389 Then go back to the echo and say, 247 00:08:42,089 --> 00:08:45,529 open talking open RNIB talking books. And then 248 00:08:45,529 --> 00:08:47,149 you get different options 249 00:08:47,529 --> 00:08:49,069 about finding books, 250 00:08:49,684 --> 00:08:51,764 resuming the book that you're currently listening to, 251 00:08:51,764 --> 00:08:52,264 etcetera. 252 00:08:52,884 --> 00:08:54,725 And we can have a listen to what 253 00:08:54,725 --> 00:08:56,965 that sounds like if you like. Absolutely. Go 254 00:08:56,965 --> 00:08:58,644 ahead and, yeah, show us how it works, 255 00:08:58,644 --> 00:08:59,144 Robin. 256 00:08:59,524 --> 00:09:00,024 Okay. 257 00:09:00,644 --> 00:09:03,304 Alexa, open RNIB talking books. 258 00:09:05,070 --> 00:09:06,049 Hello again. 259 00:09:06,509 --> 00:09:08,429 Would you like to continue playing Dirk Gendly's 260 00:09:08,429 --> 00:09:10,690 Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams? 261 00:09:11,070 --> 00:09:11,570 No. 262 00:09:13,470 --> 00:09:15,549 To search for a book, say find followed 263 00:09:15,549 --> 00:09:16,370 by the title. 264 00:09:17,384 --> 00:09:18,985 Find So Long and Thanks for All the 265 00:09:18,985 --> 00:09:19,485 Fish. 266 00:09:21,544 --> 00:09:23,384 I found So Long and Thanks for All 267 00:09:23,384 --> 00:09:24,764 the Fish by Douglas Adams. 268 00:09:25,304 --> 00:09:27,485 To read from the beginning, say start 269 00:09:27,945 --> 00:09:29,964 or choose one of the following, 270 00:09:30,579 --> 00:09:31,399 Table of contents, 271 00:09:31,779 --> 00:09:32,679 or description. 272 00:09:34,100 --> 00:09:35,159 Table of contents. 273 00:09:36,899 --> 00:09:38,820 To pick so long, and thanks for all 274 00:09:38,820 --> 00:09:41,079 the fish, say one. To pick introduction, 275 00:09:41,379 --> 00:09:44,179 say two. To pick prologue, say three. To 276 00:09:44,179 --> 00:09:46,654 pick chapter o one, say four. To pick 277 00:09:46,654 --> 00:09:48,434 chapter o two, say five. 278 00:09:48,975 --> 00:09:51,235 To hear the next chapters, say next. 279 00:09:51,855 --> 00:09:52,355 Four. 280 00:09:53,934 --> 00:09:54,434 Great. 281 00:09:54,894 --> 00:09:56,115 Enjoy your book. 282 00:09:56,495 --> 00:09:58,355 When you are done reading, say cancel. 283 00:10:01,589 --> 00:10:03,370 Usually takes a second to start. 284 00:10:04,069 --> 00:10:04,970 Track one. 285 00:10:06,549 --> 00:10:09,129 So long, and thanks for all the fish 286 00:10:09,269 --> 00:10:10,649 by Douglas Adams. 287 00:10:15,125 --> 00:10:15,625 Prologue. 288 00:10:19,445 --> 00:10:21,384 Far out in the uncharted backwaters 289 00:10:21,764 --> 00:10:24,404 of the unfashionable end of the western spiral 290 00:10:24,404 --> 00:10:27,065 arm of the galaxy Alexa. Lie Cancel. 291 00:10:28,570 --> 00:10:30,330 You are back to so long, and thanks 292 00:10:30,330 --> 00:10:31,389 for all the fish. 293 00:10:31,929 --> 00:10:34,330 To continue reading from the last moment, say 294 00:10:34,330 --> 00:10:34,830 continue. 295 00:10:35,370 --> 00:10:37,629 To read from the beginning Alexa. Say start. 296 00:10:38,330 --> 00:10:40,350 List books by h g Wells. 297 00:10:42,235 --> 00:10:44,975 I got 13 books matching HG Wells. 298 00:10:45,514 --> 00:10:47,355 You can interrupt me at any time by 299 00:10:47,355 --> 00:10:48,174 saying Alexa. 300 00:10:48,794 --> 00:10:50,394 Say the number matching the book on the 301 00:10:50,394 --> 00:10:50,894 list. 302 00:10:51,355 --> 00:10:53,774 To pick The Invisible Man by HG Wells, 303 00:10:53,835 --> 00:10:54,654 say one. 304 00:10:54,980 --> 00:10:56,340 To pick The Shape of Things to Come 305 00:10:56,340 --> 00:10:59,139 by HG Wells, say two. Alexa. To pick 306 00:10:59,139 --> 00:11:00,440 the I Stop. 307 00:11:01,700 --> 00:11:02,920 See you next time. 308 00:11:03,860 --> 00:11:05,879 So hopefully, that gave you an idea 309 00:11:06,420 --> 00:11:08,794 of, you know, how you can find 310 00:11:09,254 --> 00:11:11,034 authors, find titles, etcetera. 311 00:11:11,575 --> 00:11:14,054 As I mentioned before, you can jump forwards 312 00:11:14,054 --> 00:11:16,615 and backwards through a book. And crucially, with 313 00:11:16,615 --> 00:11:19,514 any book reading service, it remembers 314 00:11:20,214 --> 00:11:22,569 where you were most of the time. A 315 00:11:22,569 --> 00:11:23,309 couple of 316 00:11:23,690 --> 00:11:25,529 times, it's gone way back. And I've got 317 00:11:25,529 --> 00:11:27,690 absolutely no idea why. But at least with 318 00:11:27,690 --> 00:11:30,409 the commands I mentioned, you can readily get 319 00:11:30,409 --> 00:11:31,929 back to the place that you were. But 320 00:11:31,929 --> 00:11:34,250 that's always a pain, isn't it? When you 321 00:11:34,250 --> 00:11:36,009 forget where you are. But Audible does that 322 00:11:36,009 --> 00:11:38,285 as well from time to time too. So 323 00:11:38,285 --> 00:11:39,665 maybe syncing is hard. 324 00:11:40,524 --> 00:11:42,365 I presume that it is because I used 325 00:11:42,365 --> 00:11:43,644 to not have much of a problem with 326 00:11:43,644 --> 00:11:46,045 that. But, yeah, recently with Audible device to 327 00:11:46,045 --> 00:11:48,524 device, it, it doesn't seem to want to 328 00:11:48,524 --> 00:11:51,080 keep where I was before. But, but that's 329 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:52,679 so, you know, that's okay. I can I 330 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:54,840 can maybe deal with that? But otherwise, I 331 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:56,919 mean, the it it does seem like it 332 00:11:56,919 --> 00:11:59,320 it lets you navigate pretty well. I like 333 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:00,919 the fact that you can skip with the 334 00:12:00,919 --> 00:12:02,840 table of contents, and it doesn't just rattle 335 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:03,660 off every 336 00:12:04,024 --> 00:12:04,924 single chapter. 337 00:12:05,225 --> 00:12:06,504 You know, it does say, you know, to 338 00:12:06,504 --> 00:12:08,665 listen to the next number of chapters, you 339 00:12:08,665 --> 00:12:10,745 know, you know, go you could do this 340 00:12:10,745 --> 00:12:12,424 and do that. So I do like that. 341 00:12:12,585 --> 00:12:14,345 When you skip, does it allow you to 342 00:12:14,345 --> 00:12:16,585 skip a certain amount of specific seconds, or 343 00:12:16,585 --> 00:12:18,899 does it have a preset or predetermined amount? 344 00:12:19,220 --> 00:12:20,360 You can say what you 345 00:12:20,820 --> 00:12:22,740 like. Oh, very nice. One thing to be 346 00:12:22,740 --> 00:12:24,580 aware of though is the chapter, you know, 347 00:12:24,580 --> 00:12:25,960 chapter one, chapter two, etcetera, 348 00:12:26,580 --> 00:12:27,080 is 349 00:12:27,620 --> 00:12:29,779 often not chapter one. So I think we 350 00:12:29,779 --> 00:12:31,300 said chapter four to go to the beginning 351 00:12:31,300 --> 00:12:32,740 of the book. Right. That's, you know, the 352 00:12:32,740 --> 00:12:35,295 nature of Daisy books, isn't it? So, you 353 00:12:35,295 --> 00:12:37,695 know, chapter one, prologue. Chapter two, table of 354 00:12:37,695 --> 00:12:39,475 con that sort of thing. So, 355 00:12:40,095 --> 00:12:41,154 yeah. But, 356 00:12:41,535 --> 00:12:44,035 apart from that, it's all pretty intuitive. 357 00:12:45,615 --> 00:12:48,779 Yeah. Really good and just so such a 358 00:12:48,779 --> 00:12:50,399 brilliant use of 359 00:12:51,019 --> 00:12:53,120 echo's the echo's ability to 360 00:12:53,420 --> 00:12:55,580 serve up content. What you heard there is, 361 00:12:55,820 --> 00:12:56,320 the 362 00:12:56,700 --> 00:12:57,759 kind of RNIB's 363 00:12:58,379 --> 00:12:58,879 reader 364 00:12:59,580 --> 00:13:01,179 of So Long and Thanks for All the 365 00:13:01,179 --> 00:13:02,240 Fish, for example. 366 00:13:02,615 --> 00:13:03,514 That won't be 367 00:13:03,894 --> 00:13:05,975 the narrator that Audible would have if you 368 00:13:05,975 --> 00:13:08,454 bought that title. So, sometimes they're different. I 369 00:13:08,454 --> 00:13:10,054 don't know if that's the same with Bard 370 00:13:10,054 --> 00:13:13,254 as well. But increasingly these days with newer 371 00:13:13,254 --> 00:13:15,595 titles it's exactly the same recording. 372 00:13:16,019 --> 00:13:18,580 Exactly the same person just, you know, given 373 00:13:18,580 --> 00:13:21,300 over to the RNIB in this case for 374 00:13:21,300 --> 00:13:23,540 use free of charge from Audible, which is 375 00:13:23,540 --> 00:13:24,040 brilliant. 376 00:13:24,660 --> 00:13:26,740 Yeah. That does work out on Bard as 377 00:13:26,740 --> 00:13:28,340 well as, yeah, like you said, on RNIB 378 00:13:28,340 --> 00:13:30,465 talking books because they do have their own 379 00:13:30,465 --> 00:13:33,345 in house narrators. But you're right. More and 380 00:13:33,345 --> 00:13:35,585 more, it seems like they are both working 381 00:13:35,585 --> 00:13:36,085 with, 382 00:13:36,785 --> 00:13:38,164 the the book companies 383 00:13:38,465 --> 00:13:40,804 to get the commercial version of the audiobook, 384 00:13:41,105 --> 00:13:43,664 which nothing against the people who volunteer to 385 00:13:43,664 --> 00:13:45,750 come in, or even paid to come in 386 00:13:45,750 --> 00:13:48,149 to to narrate the books. God love them 387 00:13:48,149 --> 00:13:49,750 for doing that for all these years for 388 00:13:49,750 --> 00:13:51,450 us and providing that service. 389 00:13:51,830 --> 00:13:53,990 But to be able to, you know, streamline 390 00:13:53,990 --> 00:13:55,750 that a little bit better and get a 391 00:13:55,750 --> 00:13:58,570 commercial audio version of the book 392 00:13:58,884 --> 00:14:00,725 is is so fantastic. And so, yeah, you're 393 00:14:00,725 --> 00:14:02,164 you're right. You will see that more and 394 00:14:02,164 --> 00:14:02,664 more. 395 00:14:03,284 --> 00:14:03,784 Yeah. 396 00:14:04,164 --> 00:14:06,345 I love books. Really, really love them. 397 00:14:06,964 --> 00:14:09,365 Absolutely. I love books too. Like you said 398 00:14:09,365 --> 00:14:09,865 earlier, 399 00:14:10,284 --> 00:14:12,149 you know, I've I think I've got at 400 00:14:12,149 --> 00:14:14,309 least three or four books going right now 401 00:14:14,309 --> 00:14:15,850 between Bard and Audible. 402 00:14:16,309 --> 00:14:18,470 And, yeah, it just depends on what I 403 00:14:18,470 --> 00:14:19,909 fancy in the moment. You know, do I 404 00:14:19,909 --> 00:14:22,149 wanna pick up on my fantasy adventure book 405 00:14:22,149 --> 00:14:23,429 that I'm reading, or do I wanna pick 406 00:14:23,429 --> 00:14:25,254 up on a murder mystery or, you know, 407 00:14:25,254 --> 00:14:26,855 some other sort of sci fi, whatever it 408 00:14:26,855 --> 00:14:28,375 is? And and, yes, I have all three 409 00:14:28,375 --> 00:14:30,554 of those and more going right now. So, 410 00:14:31,174 --> 00:14:33,095 so yeah. No. I I I absolutely understand. 411 00:14:33,095 --> 00:14:34,774 And having a skill like this where you've 412 00:14:34,774 --> 00:14:36,615 got that access to, you know, thousands and 413 00:14:36,615 --> 00:14:37,590 thousands of books, 414 00:14:37,990 --> 00:14:39,590 and and being able to to play them 415 00:14:39,590 --> 00:14:41,210 at will is is so fantastic. 416 00:14:41,590 --> 00:14:43,350 So because of that, Robin, before I let 417 00:14:43,350 --> 00:14:45,590 you go, we we heard there, Douglas Adams, 418 00:14:45,590 --> 00:14:47,750 HG Wells. I think we're getting a peek 419 00:14:47,750 --> 00:14:50,250 into the the book mind of Robin Kristofferson. 420 00:14:50,834 --> 00:14:52,995 Any other books or authors that you want 421 00:14:52,995 --> 00:14:54,934 to go ahead and recommend to the listeners? 422 00:14:56,754 --> 00:14:59,314 My two favorite books, almost of all time, 423 00:14:59,314 --> 00:15:00,694 but certainly of recent 424 00:15:01,475 --> 00:15:01,975 time, 425 00:15:02,434 --> 00:15:03,814 are by Richard 426 00:15:04,169 --> 00:15:06,110 Osmond who is a British, 427 00:15:07,450 --> 00:15:09,929 not chat show host, quiz show host here 428 00:15:09,929 --> 00:15:11,769 in The UK, Pointless. I don't know if 429 00:15:11,769 --> 00:15:12,830 you have it over there. 430 00:15:13,210 --> 00:15:16,009 But just out of nowhere, he produced this 431 00:15:16,009 --> 00:15:18,490 book which became an instant bestseller called The 432 00:15:18,490 --> 00:15:19,789 Thursday Murder Club. 433 00:15:21,075 --> 00:15:23,634 So it's absolute it's a gem. It's an 434 00:15:23,634 --> 00:15:25,495 absolute gem. It's a murder mystery. 435 00:15:26,274 --> 00:15:27,014 And then he's 436 00:15:27,475 --> 00:15:30,034 published another one a year later, so quite 437 00:15:30,034 --> 00:15:32,455 recently because these are both quite recent books, 438 00:15:32,940 --> 00:15:34,700 called The Man Who Died Twice, I think 439 00:15:34,700 --> 00:15:36,779 it's called. So yeah, The Thursday Murder Club 440 00:15:36,779 --> 00:15:37,840 is the first one. 441 00:15:38,779 --> 00:15:41,600 They are so good. Absolutely love them. 442 00:15:42,460 --> 00:15:43,759 So yeah, Murder 443 00:15:44,460 --> 00:15:47,360 features large as well in what I read. 444 00:15:49,045 --> 00:15:52,085 And on that note as well there's Magpie 445 00:15:52,085 --> 00:15:54,504 Murders and Moonflower Murders. 446 00:15:54,884 --> 00:15:57,365 Another pair of brilliant whodunit books that I 447 00:15:57,365 --> 00:15:59,625 read recently as well. Anthony Horowitz 448 00:16:00,965 --> 00:16:02,425 of Alex Ryder and 449 00:16:03,365 --> 00:16:04,259 various other 450 00:16:04,820 --> 00:16:07,299 books that he's written. But Anthony Horowitz has 451 00:16:07,299 --> 00:16:10,179 done these two brilliant murder mysteries. Both of 452 00:16:10,179 --> 00:16:12,100 those are actually a murder mystery within a 453 00:16:12,100 --> 00:16:14,100 murder mystery, which I'm not going to explain 454 00:16:14,100 --> 00:16:14,600 here. 455 00:16:14,980 --> 00:16:17,460 So yeah, my four top top top book 456 00:16:17,460 --> 00:16:18,440 tips are 457 00:16:18,914 --> 00:16:22,534 Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders and The Thursday 458 00:16:22,995 --> 00:16:26,054 Murder Club and A Man Who Died Twice. 459 00:16:27,154 --> 00:16:29,394 Fantastic. I will definitely check those out. I 460 00:16:29,394 --> 00:16:32,034 actually Thursday Murder Club I've heard of because, 461 00:16:32,034 --> 00:16:33,794 well, you you recommended it to me a 462 00:16:33,794 --> 00:16:35,370 while back, and I haven't gotten a chance 463 00:16:35,370 --> 00:16:36,809 to get into them yet. So I'm I'm 464 00:16:36,809 --> 00:16:38,970 gonna go and get those and download those 465 00:16:38,970 --> 00:16:40,809 and take a take a listen because I 466 00:16:40,809 --> 00:16:43,210 I do like good murder mysteries. So, if 467 00:16:43,210 --> 00:16:45,370 that's a a big recommendation, then I think 468 00:16:45,370 --> 00:16:47,050 we should check it out. Well, Robin, I 469 00:16:47,050 --> 00:16:48,330 wanna thank you so much for coming on 470 00:16:48,330 --> 00:16:50,330 the Life of Your Blindness podcast and talking 471 00:16:50,330 --> 00:16:53,424 us through the talking book skill from RNIB 472 00:16:53,424 --> 00:16:53,924 and, 473 00:16:54,705 --> 00:16:57,365 discussing the accessibility of Amazon Echo, of course. 474 00:16:57,424 --> 00:16:59,585 If anybody wants to find out more about 475 00:16:59,585 --> 00:17:01,605 what you do, where you are, all these 476 00:17:01,664 --> 00:17:03,904 wonderful various places that you pop up all 477 00:17:03,904 --> 00:17:05,125 around the world on the internets, 478 00:17:05,740 --> 00:17:07,179 how can they how can they find you? 479 00:17:07,179 --> 00:17:08,299 How can they get in touch with you 480 00:17:08,299 --> 00:17:09,279 if they want to? 481 00:17:09,900 --> 00:17:11,839 Cool. Well, if you 482 00:17:12,140 --> 00:17:14,539 want to know about disability and technology, we 483 00:17:14,539 --> 00:17:15,519 have a website 484 00:17:15,980 --> 00:17:20,000 crammed with resources. That's abilitynet.org.uk. 485 00:17:21,065 --> 00:17:24,345 I am on Twitter, USA number two day, 486 00:17:24,345 --> 00:17:25,884 USA today. Don't ask. 487 00:17:26,265 --> 00:17:29,144 And I am on those podcasts that you 488 00:17:29,144 --> 00:17:32,345 mentioned, the .to. Podcast, three words without a 489 00:17:32,345 --> 00:17:33,484 number two in the middle, 490 00:17:34,345 --> 00:17:35,565 which is the daily 491 00:17:35,940 --> 00:17:37,559 A Lady skill demo show, 492 00:17:37,859 --> 00:17:40,679 The Echo Show. That's a weekly show about 493 00:17:40,819 --> 00:17:41,480 The Echo 494 00:17:41,859 --> 00:17:45,220 with Sean Preece, the brilliant Sean. Yes. And 495 00:17:45,220 --> 00:17:46,839 I'm on the fortnightly maxcessibility 496 00:17:47,619 --> 00:17:50,355 podcast with the guys, the round table nights. 497 00:17:50,674 --> 00:17:52,294 Love doing that one as well. 498 00:17:53,634 --> 00:17:55,794 And various other places too. But, yeah, I 499 00:17:55,794 --> 00:17:57,875 think that's the kind of that'll do for 500 00:17:57,875 --> 00:17:58,375 now. 501 00:17:58,835 --> 00:18:00,515 That'll do for for now. Listen to you. 502 00:18:00,515 --> 00:18:02,434 No. I I totally understand. Popping up on 503 00:18:02,434 --> 00:18:03,794 on all kinds of different shows here and 504 00:18:03,794 --> 00:18:04,349 there. So, 505 00:18:04,990 --> 00:18:07,789 absolutely wonderful. Everybody, please go check out everything 506 00:18:07,789 --> 00:18:10,349 that Robin is doing. And, again, Robin, thank 507 00:18:10,349 --> 00:18:11,970 you so much for coming on the show. 508 00:18:12,029 --> 00:18:13,809 Thanks, Tim. Keep up the good work. 509 00:18:19,684 --> 00:18:21,684 And thank you so much for joining us 510 00:18:21,684 --> 00:18:24,484 on today's episode of Life After Blindness. If 511 00:18:24,484 --> 00:18:26,244 you'd like to support the show, you can 512 00:18:26,244 --> 00:18:30,984 visit our Patreon page by going to patreon.com/labcast. 513 00:18:31,445 --> 00:18:35,059 Again, that's patreon.com/labcast, 514 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:37,779 labcast. 515 00:18:38,079 --> 00:18:40,019 And as always, if you would like to 516 00:18:40,079 --> 00:18:42,400 offer up any suggestions for future episodes or 517 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:44,559 have any questions, you can send your emails 518 00:18:44,559 --> 00:18:47,815 to Tim@lifeTimlifeafterblindness.com. 519 00:18:47,955 --> 00:18:50,035 Please join me again next time as together 520 00:18:50,035 --> 00:18:52,195 we continue our journey to find that there 521 00:18:52,195 --> 00:18:54,914 truly can be a life after blindness. Take 522 00:18:54,914 --> 00:18:55,654 care everybody.