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On the show this week, Voice Dream Reader is an app used extensively by many iOS users. Written by an indie app developer over a decade ago, the app was sold in 2023. Many users were frustrated by poor communication, first about the fact that the sale had occurred, and then about future pricing intentions. Earlier this week, word started trickling out that despite the company having told existing Voice Dream users a year ago that they would not be moved to the subscription model, they now will be, starting in May.

I’m joined this week by Kishin Manglani, one of the co-founders of Applause Group, which now owns Voice Dream Reader. In his first ever podcast interview, he answers some candid questions, discusses why the decision to move exclusively to subscriptions was taken, and outlines what’s in store for users who choose to pay a subscription.

We’re zooming all over the place this week, with good news for those hit by the Zoom conferencing bug where screen reader users couldn’t enable video or unmute their microphone if they joined a meeting when recording was in progress.

We also discuss the other Zoom, the one who make the H Essential series of recorders.

Get your geek on, because we’ll hear from blind Linux users about how to get up and running with a Linux distro and the Orca screen reader.

We also go back in time and hear a demonstration of running old DOS programmes in Windows. Ah, memories, memories.

And it’s new hearing aid time for me. I’ll be chronicling that journey here on Living Blindfully.

All this, and a lot more, in Living Blindfully 275. Our show is special because of all the contributions we receive from around the world, so don’t hesitate to be a part of it.