Blind Abilities Podcast

Bari Azman and Diane Ducharme return to the Blind Abilities Studio with braking news and updates to the BlindShell Classic 2 Accessible Cell Phone. With the new brand under the BlindShellUSA umbrella, the BlindShell Mobile is now open for everyone. This Affordable Connectivity Program is available and at www.BlindShellUSA.com/free you can find out if you qualify and begin tearing up those wireless bills today! Bari and Diane go over all the details and you can find out more about the blindShell Classic 2 accessible phone and the blindShell Affordable Connectivity program on the web at https://blindshellusa.com Thanks for listening!   Contact: You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email and give us a call at 612-367-6093, we would love to hear from you! Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Storeand Google Play Store. Give us a call and leave us some feedback at 612-367-6093 we would love to hear from you! Check out the Blind Abilities Community on

In this  episode of Wellness Wednesday, Beth Gustin, LPC and Robin Ennis, LCSW, CPC, check up on their resolutions from the New Year and talk about where you can look for professional help and things to consider about choosing a therapist.   Check out all the Wellness Wednesday episodes.   Show Hosts:             Robin Ennis on the web at www.robinennislcsw.com             Beth Gustin, LPC, NCC, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, CAGCS, PLGS             Www.transitioningthroughchange.com   You can message Beth and Robin by calling 612-367-6093 or by email. They are looking forward to hearing from you!   Contact: You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email and give us a call at 612-367-6093, we would love to hear from you! Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Storeand Google Play Store. Give us a call and leave us some feedback at 612-367-6093 we would love to hear from you! Check out the Blind Abilities Community on Facebook, the Blind Abilities Page,

Jenna Reed returns to the Blind Abilities Studio to talk about the ever expanding reach Envision America is making with the ScripTalk Talking Label program that allows you to access the entire information on a prescription bottle to ensure safety on what you may be taking. Join Jenna and Jeff in this brief overview and informational episode and download the free ScripTalk Mobile app to find the pharmacies in your location. You can receive the ScripTalk station for free just by requesting from your participating pharmacy. To find out more about Envision America and ScripTalk Talking Labels check out EnvisionAmerica.com and call the Customer Service phone number at 1-800-890-1180. Download the ScripTalk Mobile app from the App Store or on Google Play. Thanks for listening! Contact: You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email and give us a call at 612-367-6093, we would love to hear from you! Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Storeand Google Play

Scott Eggen, Randall Crosby and Linda Allison return to the Blind Abilities Studio to talk about the who, what, where and why of the Sagebrush Conference. This annual event happens in Las Vegas and brings in attendees and associates from across the states. Learn about the first time experience, the attractions, highlights and the take-aways from Scott, Randall and Linda. Whether you attend in person or virtually, there is something for everyone. Join the crew in this informational episode and find out more about the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America on the web at Randolph-Sheppard.org.   Contact: You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email and give us a call at 612-367-6093, we would love to hear from you! Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Storeand Google Play Store. Give us a call and leave us some feedback at 612-367-6093 we would love to hear from you! Check out the Blind Abilities Community on Facebook, the Blind Abilities Page, and the 

Serina and Callie join Jeff in the Blind Abilities Studio for another Tech Abilities episode. Seyoon will be back next episode as his Bandwidth has nearly overloaded. It's nice to get back into the studio and the Crew did not skip a beat. From Drone deliveries to HBO going to the Max and lots and lots more. Here are some links from this episode:   ·      heading level 1 Flyby Drones Deliver Smoothies, Salads, Sushi for $3 a Flight ·      Amazon will charge customers a fee for some UPS returns ·      NLS Braille on Demand Request Form ·      Google Offers Upgrades as It Drops Support for Dropcam and Nest Secure ·      Warner Bros. Discovery unveils super-streamer ‘Max’ ·      Apple introduces Apple Pay Later to allow consumers to pay for purchases over time ·      Forget about Twitter. You can get a LinkedIn check mark, thanks to new partnerships ·      Blindy Girl Blindy Girl on Facebook   Thanks for listening!  

 Hans Wiberg, founder of Be My Eyes, and the new chief executive officer of Be My Eyes, Mike Buckley join Pete Lane in the blind Abilities Studio   to announce a brand new feature, currently in Beta form available on the Be My Eyes app entitled "the Virtual Assistant". The virtual assistant is a feature that incorporates Artificial Intelligence (AI),  to provide not only superior visual identification using the phones camera, but also provides interpretive and extrapolating decisions recently made possible with the Open AI Chat GPT version 4 artificial intelligence software.  Mike and Hans discuss the capabilities of this new virtual assistant feature and describe the process for users to be added to a waiting list to become a Beta tester of this new feature. This is an exciting time for blind individuals as the open AI team has chosen the Be My Eyes team as one of their first collaborating partnerships  to explore real life applications for their artificial intelligence software.  Blind Abilities presents th

Scott Eggen, Randall Crosby and Linda Allison come together once again in the Blind Abilities Studio and this time talking about a day in the life of an owner/operator/vendor in the Business Enterprise Program. What is a typical day like for Scott as he operates his businesses in prisons and colleges? What is Randall's day like operating a Rest Area in the heavy tourist area of Florida? And, how about Linda and her commute, inventory access and now changing her location? Listen in as they talk about their business and how they enjoy the fruits of their labor. You can find out more about the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America on the web at www.Randolph-Sheppard.org and stay up to date with all the happenings and events on the Randolph-Sheppard Facebook page. Contact: You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email and give us a call at 612-367-6093, we would love to hear from you! Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Storeand Google Play Store. Give

Willem Van de Mierop returns to the Blind Abilities Studio to announce the OKO App release in the United States. Available in the App Store, OKO - AI Co-Pilot for the Blind is a Traffic signal detecting application that instantaneously gives audio and haptic feedback so one can augment there traveling experience by gaining more information about a traffic signal situation. Willem talks about all the features and advantages that the OKO App offers Orientation and Mobility students and instructors to bring more confidence and awareness to the real time experience of a traffic signal situation. You can download the iOS app OKO on the App Store and find out more about the company Ayes on the web at Ayes.AI. Here is a link to a previous interview with the Ayes team. Thanks for listening. Contact: You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email and give us a call at 612-367-6093, we would love to hear from you! Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Storeand 

Troy Otillio and Jenine Stanley joins Jeff Thompson in the Blind Abilities Studio to talk about the latest news, price changes and a look forward. You can find out more about Aira and what they have to offer at Aira.io and download the Aira App on the App Store and Google Play Store. Episode Web Site we would love to hear from you! Send us an email at info@BlindAbilities.com or give us a call and leave us some feedback at 612-367-6093

Serina, Seyoon and Jeff talk about the latest news and give their unique perspective whilst hanging out in  the Blind Abilities Studio. Learn about some of the breaking news, trends and developments in the Blindness, and Low vision world.   Here are some useful links stemming from the show:   Death of the narrator? Apple unveils suite of AI-voiced audiobooks Apple Card brings back $75 Daily Cash bonus for new referrals through February, Apple Shuts Down Popular Weather App 'Dark Sky', DoorDash can now drop off your packages Apple raising prices of its battery replacement service for older iPhone models, Walmart app and the order pick up option is sweet. Avatar 2 with Audio Description in the AMI theaters. The AMI app is very accessible. Episode Web Site we would love to hear from you! Send us an email at info@BlindAbilities.com or give us a call and leave us some feedback at 612-367-6093

The Pre Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) Team helps students between the ages of 14 and 21 build confidence, explore career possibilities, and expand horizons of opportunities. You will get to know 3 new Pre-ETS counselors, Deanna , Sam and Kate. You will get a sense of how excited they are about your future and offering  resources to help you achieve your dreams. Full Transcript Check  out SSB on the web at: https://mn.gov/deed/ssb/ Read the Latest Issue of The Spectacle from SSB: The Spectacle is our newsletter for families, teachers, and students.. Listen to our most recently released podcasts: In this episode of Job Insights we talk about job readiness, confidence, accepting one's blindness and how these play an important role in one's job and career search. College101: 3 Unique Perspectives, 3 Unique Journeys, Sharing their Unique Experiences from Their College Success Sarlie Drakos – Disability Employment Coach: Helping people get past their limiting beliefs and get their dream jobs Thanks for

Scott Eggen, Randall Crosby and Linda Allison joins Jeff Thompson in the Blind Abilities Studio. They are owner/operators in the Business Enterprise Program (BEP) and are here to talk about their experiences and successful careers. The Business Enterprise Program (BEP) was established for Blind/Visually Impaired individuals to create opportunities and careers through food vending services and food and merchandise sales on Federal and state properties. The BEP program is nationwide and if you or anybody you know is interested in owning their own business, wants to work and begin a promising career, share this podcast and let them know about the Business Enterprise program. If you are interested in knowing more about the BEP, contact State Services for the Blind, or your Vocational Rehab agency if outside of Minnesota and ask about the Business Enterprise Program. Full Transcript Be sure to check out Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America on the web and stay up to date with all the latest news and events.   Episo

Jeff Thompson and Pete Lane  once again welcome Bari Azman and Diane Ducharme, of the BlindShell USA company to the Blind Abilities studios to share an exciting announcement with our listeners! In this episode, Barry and Diane reveal a new app that has been recently added to the BlindShell Classic 2 app catalog. This is an app That they have been working hard to secure in their arsenal of available applications. It has also been the single most requested app from all BlindShell classic 2 users with whom they have come into contact, whether in blindness conventions, trade shows, emails or phone calls. Can you guess which new App this is?  Well you’ll find out soon enough when you jump into the podcast - It’s BARD Mobile! Go ahead and dive right into this short but informative podcast that will unveil this great new app to BlindShell Classic 2 users, or potential users.  This is just the kind of addition to the BlindShell Classic 2 accessible phone that will help you make up your mind to get this amazing device

FocusOnFitness is a series of basic exercises you can do in your house, in the dorm or during a short break. Using the natural surrounding without having to find the right equipment, the best gym or the perfect time to do a little workout. Focus on Fitness is all about doing it when you can and hey, why not? Maria Johnson, aka Girl Gone Blind, joins Jeff Thompson in the Blind Abilities Studio to Focus on Fitness and how you can incorporate little nuggets of exercise without throwing your schedule off and being able to work out within your own time and space. In this Focus On Fitness episode, Maria and Jeff talk about Spinning and Biking. Yes, this involves a machine or a bike mounted on a stand, however, we want to provide some information to you so you can determine if this form of exercise is for you. We both agree that Spinning is a great calorie burner and most of all, gives them big muscles a good workout. Interval training is when one does some bursts of speed or resistance to a steady pace. Like standi

FocusOnFitness is a series of basic exercises you can do in your house, in the dorm or during a short break. Using the natural surrounding without having to find the right equipment, the best gym or the perfect time to do a little workout. Focus on Fitness is all about doing it when you can and hey, why not? Maria Johnson, aka Girl Gone Blind, joins Jeff Thompson in the Blind Abilities Studio to Focus on Fitness and how you can incorporate little nuggets of exercise without throwing your schedule off and being able to work out within your own time and space. In this Focus On Fitness episode, Maria and Jeff talk about the use of Dumbbells to exercise and keep those muscles toned and defined. A Dumbbell is a hand-held weight ranging from a pound to a huge amount of weight for body building. We are talking about the lighter end of the spectrum, from 2 pounds to 15 pounds. These affordable and easily stored Dumbbells can be used for various motions to isolate and focus your workout to specific muscles. From the C

FocusOnFitness is a series of basic exercises you can do in your house, in the dorm or during a short break. Using the natural surrounding without having to find the right equipment, the best gym or the perfect time to do a little workout. Focus on Fitness is all about doing it when you can and hey, why not? Maria Johnson, aka Girl Gone Blind, joins Jeff Thompson in the Blind Abilities Studio to Focus on Fitness and how you can incorporate little nuggets of exercise without throwing your schedule off and being able to work out within your own time and space. In this Focus On Fitness episode, Maria and Jeff talk about Creating your space and setting the stage for your exercise routine, yoga session and ensuring your free to exercise while keeping your space safe and free from obstacles. May it be a rug or a yoga mat, the tactile surface will keep your whereabouts in mind and you can feel safe to conduct your full exercise without getting disorientated. Maria talks about the space and how diffusers can bring ab

FocusOnFitness is a series of basic exercises you can do in your house, in the dorm or during a short break. Using the natural surrounding without having to find the right equipment, the best gym or the perfect time to do a little workout. Focus on Fitness is all about doing it when you can and hey, why not? Maria Johnson, aka Girl Gone Blind, joins Jeff Thompson in the Blind Abilities Studio to Focus on Fitness and how you can incorporate little nuggets of exercise without throwing your schedule off and being able to work out within your own time and space. In this episode, #4 of 7, of the Focus on Fitness series, Maria and Jeff introduce us to the Windmill. This is a full core exercise and is something you can use to get a good stretch to the legs, hips, back from a standing position or from a sitting position.  By holding your arms straight out from side to side and reaching across towards your opposite toes. Then back again and repeat on the other side. Slow and steady goes a long way with this Windmill s

FocusOnFitness is a series of basic exercises you can do in your house, in the dorm or during a short break. Using the natural surrounding without having to find the right equipment, the best gym or the perfect time to do a little workout. Focus on Fitness is all about doing it when you can and hey, why not? Maria Johnson, aka Girl Gone Blind, joins Jeff Thompson in the Blind Abilities Studio to Focus on Fitness and how you can incorporate little nuggets of exercise without throwing your schedule off and being able to work out within your own time and space. In episode #3 of 7, of the Focus on Fitness series, Maria and Jeff talk to  us about Walking. Whether using a guide with a tether or on the treadmill, walking is one of the best exercises available. Making a walking routine part of your weekly schedule is one of the best choices one can make when it comes to your heart, your lungs and it can really be a good time to converse and even take in a good audio book. That is, if you are on a treadmill.   Check o

FocusOnFitness is a series of basic exercises you can do in your house, in the dorm or during a short break. Using the natural surrounding without having to find the right equipment, the best gym or the perfect time to do a little workout. Focus on Fitness is all about doing it when you can and hey, why not? Maria Johnson, aka Girl Gone Blind, joins Jeff Thompson in the Blind Abilities Studio to Focus on Fitness and how you can incorporate little nuggets of exercise without throwing your schedule off and being able to work out within your own time and space. In episode #2 of 7, of the Focus on Fitness series, Maria and Jeff introduce us to Squats. This is where you lower your hips from a standing position and then stand back up. Maria and Jeff want you to be safe and suggest hanging onto a stable fixture when exploring the movement of a Squat.  This is to give you an idea of the motion that a Squat consists of and to give you a sense of the group of muscles involved.   Check out  some more Focus on Fitness ep

In this tenth episode of Wellness Wednesday, Beth Gustin, LPC and Robin Ennis, LCSW, CPC, finish up on their talk of depression with a bit on Seasonal Affective Disorder (SADS) and  elaborate on what they think about making New Year's Resolutions. Keeping the resolutions attainable, limited and focused on goals such as professional, themes such as acts of kindness and less on personal challenges. Themes can be for the entire year and whatever you may choose to set out and enhance or improve upon, make sure the goal is something you want for yourself. Episode Web Site we would love to hear from you! Send us an email at info@BlindAbilities.com or give us a call and leave us some feedback at 612-367-6093 Check out all the Wellness Wednesday episodes.   Show Hosts:             Robin Ennis on the web at www.robinennislcsw.com             Beth Gustin, LPC, NCC, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, CAGCS, PLGS             Www.transitioningthroughchange.com   You can message Beth and Robin by calling 612-367-6093 or by ema