Welcome to iBUG Today

iBUG Today, Inc. is a non-profit organization promoting the individual independence, social integration, and educational development of the blind and visually impaired community through accessible technology training. iBUG (iBlind Users Group) endeavors to transform the blind community through accessible technology training so they can live extraordinary lives full of independence, productivity, communication and social integration in a world where everything is within the realm of possibility.

More and more of our community are finding Apple and Android devices to be useful, assistive technology tools in their daily lives. Whether at home, at work or school, or on the go, the accessibility features of Apple and Android devices have cleared new pathways for the visually impaired to be more productive, consume online content, stay connected through social media and just have fun.

On our website, you will find information about attending our trainings and social groups, notifications of special events, an archive of our past trainings and links to resources around the web that are of use to the visually impaired. On the About Us page, specifically, you can learn about our organization, leadership, and history by clicking these links, or by simply scrolling through that page.

The “We Are iBUG” Project

iBUG $500 Tech Shopping Spree Winner Announced!

The drawing for the iBUG $500 Tech Shopping Spree Giveaway was held at the iBUG 15th Anniversary Celebration on May 23, 2026. Special guest Theresa Sieg, president of the Houston Sports Lions Club selected the lucky winner. The Houston Sports Lions Club has supported iBUG Today and its mission since 2018.

Ms. Sieg selected the winner by using Hey Siri random number generator — Ted Galanos from Houston, Texas. Congratulations Ted! 

A big shoutout and thank you to everyone who participated in the drawing in support of iBUG Today.

2026 iBUG’s Got Talent Showcase Invitation

 Can you sing in the shower like Celine Dion?

Can you tickle the ivories like Alicia Keys?

Can you tell jokes like George Lopez?

Or, maybe you’re a performer just starting! 

Whatever your level of talent, we hope you will consider being a part of the 3rd Annual iBUG’s Got Talent Showcase. Anyone from the blind community meeting the criteria defined in the rules below is welcomed and encouraged to submit an entry. This will be a virtual event held during the iBUG Unplugged program on Saturday, August 1, 2026, 7:00 PM Central Time on the iBUG Zoom conference platform. The iBUG’s Got Talent Showcase will be produced and hosted by Pete Lane.

Here's how it will work. You may submit an entry in one of the following three talent categories.

A.   Basic Musical – cover songs `with vocals; no original song-writing or musical instrument being played; karaoke-style performance.

B.   Advanced Musical – playing an instrument, with or without vocals, or original song-writing, musical talent displayed by participant.

C.  Non-musical – oral presentation of original written composition; poetry, spoken word, dramatic reading, comedy, etc.

Special Notes:

1.    No technical assistance will be provided by the iBUG Today team to enhance, mix, or otherwise edit audio submissions. All entries will be considered as originally submitted by the participant.

2.    No submissions containing artificial intelligence enhancements will be accepted. This includes, but is not limited to, music, instrumental or vocal, song lyrics, poetry, spoken or written word, comedy, or other submitted talent.

Entry Rules

Please carefully read and strictly adhere to the following rules to be considered for the iBUG’s Got Talent Showcase.

1.    Performers must be blind or low vision, or a majority of the performers must be blind or low vision if there are more than one performer in an entry submission.

2.    Performers must have participated in at least 5 iBUG Today events between May 10, 2025 and May 9, 2026.

3.    Create an audio recording to include the following three items:

·      Brief introduction of yourself and where you are located

·      Reason you chose the musical piece or an explanation of your performance

·      Your performance

Note:  Your audio recording must be no longer than five minutes in total, including all three items above.

4.    Send the audio recording as an attachment via email to ibugtoday@gmail.com. 

5.    The email Subject line should read: “2026 iBUG’s Got Talent Entry – <Your Name>”.

6.    Include in the body of the email, your name and phone number.

7.    All submissions must be received by Sunday, June 14, 2026, 11:59 PM CST.

8.    You should receive acknowledgement of receipt of your submission not later than June 21, 2026. Please note that if you do not receive this acknowledgment, you are responsible for following up via the iBUG Today email only to determine whether your entry was received by the iBUG team.

9.    You will be notified by July 12, 2026 if your submission has been selected for the Showcase.

10.You must be present on the evening of the iBUG’s Got Talent Showcase. Your pre-recorded submission will be played at the iBUG Unplugged event on Saturday, August 1, 2026.

11.iBUG reserves the right to use your performance (whether or not it is selected for the Showcase) in pre- and post-event publicity and future iBUG events.

12.Prizes will be awarded in each of the categories A, B, and C noted above. Winners must be present at the iBUG’s Got Talent Showcase at the time of award announcement to accept and claim their prize.

Please direct any questions to the iBUG Today team at ibugtoday@gmail.com. 

We look forward to having you be a part of the iBUG’s Got Talent Showcase.