Readme for KeySoft 7

This document briefly describes the new features and functionality in KeySoft 7, provides late breaking information not included in the user manual and lists some known issues and possible solutions.  Note that the term BrailleNote, is used generically throughout this file to refer to both the BrailleNote and VoiceNote line of products.

1.  Brief descriptions of new KeySoft functionality:


A.  KeyBase:

KeyBase is an application, allowing you to create, search and easily manipulate databases, containing information that is essential to store in a navigational format that can quickly be categorized and sorted.  No knowledge is required about creating databases in KeyBase since KeySoft already ships with a number of databases to cater for a wide range of purposes.

B.  Fractions:

Now your scientific calculator has become more scientific, with the ability to be able to efficiently add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions and mixed numbers.  You can convert them to and from a decimal number as well.

C.  FM Radio:

If you are using the newest member of the BrailleNote family of products, (the BrailleNote mPower), you can now listen to your favorite FM radio station while on the road.  Tune up and down the band in 100 Khz and/or 1 Mhz steps.  You can scan the radio spectrum for local radio stations if you're not familiar with the stations in the geographical location you're in and then save them as presets in order to easily tune to them again at a later date.

D.  Eloquence:

If you are a BrailleNote mPower user, you have the option of easily changing your speech synthesizer from the crystal clear Keynote Gold speech BrailleNote users have come to know and love, to the Eloquence speech synthesizer, with clear diction and a selection of 5 different voices.

E.  Text Adventure Games:

Shoot an animal! Fight a dragon! Get lost in a dark cave or perhaps, a haunted house? Many of these things are possible to do on all BrailleNote family products if they are running KeySoft 7.  KeySoft 7 ships with some text adventure games and even some walkthroughs, giving you step by step instructions, should you get stuck and require a little more than the average hint along the way.  Compatible games can also be downloaded from the Internet and played on the BrailleNote.

F.  Voice memos:

BrailleNote PK users can now use the microphone button on the front of the BrailleNote to do what BrailleNote mPower users have enjoyed since KeySoft 6.2 and conveniently record voice memos.  These memos can be browsed at any time through the media center and the last memo recorded can be played with a keystroke from anywhere in KeySoft.



G.  Remote synthesizer and Braille Terminal:

These modes haven't been touched for a long time.  However, in KeySoft 7, they just got a whole lot better for BrailleNote mPower and BrailleNote PK users.  Users can either keep using a serial cable to speak or read the contents of their PC screen, or the cables can be forgotten and Bluetooth can be used for the sake of tidiness and portability.  Using Bluetooth, these modes will work up to 10 meters away from your PC.

H.  Email:

When configuring a new email account or modifying an existing one, you now have the ability to change the POP and SMTP ports that the email client uses to connect to email servers in order to send and receive email.  This is handy because many Internet Service Providers are choosing not to use the standard ports for sending and receiving email due to security concerns.  In most cases, these settings won't need to be changed from their defaults, unless instructed by your network administrator.

2.  Known Issues

A.  Network/storage cards and hibernation/power off:

If you find that your battery life is being unexpectedly shortened when the BrailleNote is not in use, a possible cause is that certain storage and network cards, when left in BrailleNote mPower, have been found to put an extra load on the battery.  Therefore, removing the card in question may resolve this situation.

B.  Browsing a network:

If you have browsed a network and saved network places, you should be aware that these network places are stored in the registry.  This is standard practice on any mainstream PDA on the market.  This means that if the service reset is performed, or a 456 or JKL reset is carried out, all network places are lost.

C.  KeySoft and PC Clock Synchronization:

When you create a partnership between the BrailleNote and a PC using ActiveSync, the PC clock will synchronize your BrailleNote clock every time, unless you have un-checked this option in ActiveSync on your PC.  Because of this, it is important that you have the BrailleNote's time zone set to the same zone as your PC or else it will insist on changing to another time, and possibly date, each time you connect.

D.  Deleting temporary internet files:

It is possible to delete temporary internet files in KeyWeb via the internet options menu, as described in the chapter concerning the web browser in the user guide.  However, when you choose to do this, a message is displayed and spoken, saying that the directory is not empty.

This is a known issue, and is caused by the index.dat file which is in the relevant directory and cannot be deleted due to the way that Internet Explorer uses this file.  However, despite the message, this option works successfully, and all the files that can be deleted will be removed when you select this option.

The index.dat file is only deleted when a 4-5-6/J-K-L reset is performed, though it is created again as soon as the browser is opened.

E.  Converting databases from KeyList to KeyBase:

If you have used KeyList for creating and/or editing databases, you may want to convert these so that you can use them in KeyBase.  The best way to do this is to create a new database in KeyBase and copy the data over.

1.  Create a KeyBase database with exactly the same field names and similar field options set to the KeyList database.  Do not give this the same name as your KeyList database.
2.  In KeyList select your old database.  To do this from the Address List menu, select "Setup Options" by pressing S, then "Select KeyList file" by pressing S again.
3.  Choose your old KeyList database.   You will be returned to the KeyList Options menu.  Exit to the KeyList menu.
4.  At the KeyList menu select "Copy Addresses" by pressing C.
5.  At the "Copy adddresses to a document or an Address List?" prompt,
select Address List by pressing A.  At the destination file name prompt,
select your new KeyBase database and proceed as described in the copy addresses section of the address list chapter in the user guide.

The reason why you should ensure that both database names are different is to avoid accidental deletion of your data.  Furthermore, if KeyBase and KeyList databases have the same name, the data in the KeyList database will be used by the KeyBase database.

G.  BrailleNote mPower and use of the modem:

BrailleNote mPower users are advised that if after using the internal modem, the BrailleNote is switched off and the connection is not terminated with the disconnect dial-up connection option in the connectivity menu, the battery could be flattened in a very short space of time.  This is because the modem actually remains on, even though the power switch is physically off.  Therefore, it is recommended that the dial-up connection is always terminated through the connectivity menu to avoid this situation.

3.  Late Breaking Information

A.  When adding records in KeyBase or addresses in KeyList, if there is not enough space on the disk to save the record, an incorrect error is reported.  Instead of reporting that there is not enough space to save the record, an error beep sounds and "The operation completed successfully" is displayed.  This message is also repeated when you exit to the Main Menu.  If you get this message, free up some disk space and add the record again.  This issue will be fixed in the next version.

B.  If you own the BrailleNote GPS software from Sendero Group, you should know that you now need to access GPS by entering the navigation menu.  This is done by pressing n from the main menu.  This change was made, due to the fact that pressing g from the main menu now takes you to the games menu.

C.  If you own the BrailleNote GPS software from Sendero Group and you are a BrailleNote PK user, your GPS software will not work immediately after the upgrade.  To resolve this situation, please contact the company from which you purchased your GPS software and ask for a new GPS software package.  This package will be provided at no charge to existing BrailleNote PK GPS customers.

D.  Sendero Group plan to fix an issue with the GPS software and using the Eloquence synthesizer on the BrailleNote mPower.  When doing this, the speech can and will, under certain situations, stutter and sometimes drop out completely, making a press of the reset button necessary.  Therefore, we would not recommend using GPS with Eloquence until this problem is resolved.

We at Humanware, hope that you enjoy using this feature rich version of KeySoft.  Remember that if you require technical support, your nearest Humanware office is just a phone call away.

