Who am I?
I’m just your average tech geek who loves to tinker with toys. Granted, at my age toys tend to be a little more expensive than your childhood trucks and action figures. But, laptops, smart speakers, microphones and everything else that currently surrounds me are essential toys in my opinion.
But, toys or not, I am someone who loves pushing a button and seeing how things work. I constantly ask the question, “how will this item improve my life?”
Oh, did I mention I’m also visually impaired? So, I not only push buttons to see how said item will improve my life but, how can I too enjoy all the benefits of said item from the perspective of someone who cannot see the device.
So, you take the tech and audio geek and throw in a bit of visual impairment and a VI geek is born.
Fortunately, I enjoy sharing knowledge with all who care to listen and am a true believer in always improving myself and those around me by paying it forward.
This site will display my various rantings on all the geeky topics I follow in my life. There’s a ton of them but, I’m going to try and stick to those I’m most passionate about. Let’s be honest, if I wrote about everything I was into I’d never get off the computer and probably find myself single and unemployed quickly.
In no particular order of importance, you’ll find info here on:
Smart phones
iOS and Android apps
Windows and Microsoft Office products
Audio recording and editing
Throw in the random article on how to cook and BBQ while you are blind and we’ll have ourselves a grand old time on this site!
Feel free to comment on any of my articles as I enjoy a good debate. Just keep in mind that I will ignore trolling at all times. Unless it’s funny, then it’s on!
So there you have it. I’m a tech geek who loves to pass on knowledge and has a passion for writing and sharing my experiences on whether something is accessible or not. I have been using accessible tech for over 25 years now and can work on PC’s Mac’s and Linux computers. I use both iOS and Android phones and can work with all the major screen readers, yes even Narrator. I am a Braille user and enjoy using a Braille display for its benefits on literacy. My background is in Communications so I can talk the talk or at least sound like I can.
I don’t however buy the belief that one product is better than another one. As a VI Geek I feel that knowing as much as you can about all the products available to the blind community can only empower you to have unlimited options when it comes to tech.
Similarly, I don’t use one microphone when it comes to audio recording. I have a closet full of mics that I swap in and out of my mixer depending on the task at hand. Don’t get me started on choice of speakers for then we’ll never finish this about page.
So, 25 years of experience with accessible technology, 25+ years working as a DJ and using audio recording gear and over 11 years working with a major financial institution gives me plenty to babble on about. Stick around, feel free to contact me and we shall geek out!
Joel Ramos
owner and creator of The VI Geek and all its related content.