Show notes (Technically Working, Episode 146) This week starts with a dramatic voice demo and turns into a practical conversation about TTS quality, accessibility, and the friction that slows down real work.

In this episode, we talk about:

• More expressive on-device voices (and why “emotion” in TTS can be impressive but unpredictable)
• Why some AI voices drift over long reads (like losing low end after a few thousand characters)
• The practical fix: chunking text around 3,000 characters at sentence or paragraph boundaries
• The jarring side of expressive TTS: when the tone suddenly shifts mid-training

• Mac code editor accessibility and workflow:

• VS Code feeling clunky with VoiceOver navigation

• Nova being close, but still having VoiceOver quirks (like wrapped-line re-reading)
• Missing the flexibility and simplicity of TextMate
• A quick audio reality check: room reverb, mic position, and loud breathing in the mic
• Why it’s worth listening back sometimes, even if you usually don’t
• “Personal intelligence” assistants: Gemini connecting deeper with Gmail, Calendar, Photos, and Drive, and what that could enable
• Stream Deck Plus on sale (knobs!) and the bigger question: is the software accessible enough?

• Capture friction and follow-up problems:

• Getting ideas out of your head fast

• Using automation to sort notes into reminders, drafts, and follow-ups
• Why the Apple Watch action button might help reduce steps
• PLAUD recording devices: improved hardware button design, but app accessibility still matters
• Local processing ideas: Raspberry Pi options for local transcription and LLM workflows
• Listener feedback: Squarespace questions and a quick look at support options (tip jar vs Buy Me a Coffee)

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