Tech Wins: When Mainstream Tech Gets Accessibility Right

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.{{chapters{{00:00 – Welcome back & episode setup02:00 – Defining “Tech Wins”04:30 – Listener email from Dan: Braille Lite & Optacon06:45 – History of Braille notetakers11:30 – Samsung appliances & audio-based accessibility13:45 – Voice Guide on washers and smart appliances15:50 – Samsung TV setup and onboarding accessibility18:00 – Why setup screens matter20:00 – SmartThings app & ecosystem integration23:00 – Soundbars, remotes, and physical controls26:15 – Vizio accessibility shout-out28:00 – Favorite Samsung tech & what shouldn’t disappear30:00 – Wrapping up & listener call-to-action ★ Support this podcast ★