Category: Cell Phone Talk
Hi I am apart of moble speak's mailing list and ran across a program for windows moble that does OCR or optical character recognition for those who are intrested in the program whom have windows moble devices. Here is the name of the program Babel Reader. The following is where you can download it: http://handheld.softpedia.com/progDownload/Babel-Reader-LE-Download-84369.html I am going to try it to night and come back with an update on its accessibility with moble speak. If any one has talks for windoes moble please add your findings here if the program works with talks.
I'll be very interested to hear what you find out about it.
I wouldn't try it unless you have a very new / up to date Windows Phone.
I have an older pre-3G Windows Mobile phone the T-Mobile Dash and running MobileSpeak 2.2.2.
I have nothing to say about this app except that it basically doesn't work. You take the picture separately with the camera, then you go into the MobileReader and use the buttons. Using the MobileSpeak Review Cursor I poked around the screen but to my knowledge can't activate a mouse click with it. I can generally navigate normally between File, Language, and Setup. Setup is for Window parameters apparently, but all you get an OK button. The review cursor is restricted somehow so you can't see what's there. Anyway just navigating with the standard DPad all you get is OK or Cancel.
Go into File, because this program unlike the iOS and other platforms won't do the picture itself, you need to do your image separately. Probably a severe limitation on the part of Windows Mobile itself.
Anyway I can't determine where I should have placed the images - Pictures is apparently not fine Neither is moving it to Documents. No help anywhere except if you type
Babel Reader
into Google you get their page which on promice of a tutorial will give you a tutorial on how to take a picture of the item with your camera, a worthy document if only you could get to the picture from within the OCR package itself.
And this, folks, is why iOS is winning: The documentation may be spartan sometimes but the programs work. As a technology professional I understand this is freeware and thus I can always get my money back. As a blind guy, I personally find it really frustraging because for us this is invaluable, not just a toy.
Why would anyone write software that works on Windows Mobile, and apparently can't read the system registry to find out where pictures are stored on the device, is beyond me.
But beyond that, why are the more and menu options grayed / don't work with the soft keys?
If this is a problem of me not knowing how to use my reader, and there's a way to click with the review cursor I'd certainly give it another try. Very disappointed, I can't say user, because I didn't even use it.
It looks to me like the prototype UI you throw together to let the marketing types stare at in wide-eyed wonder, but all the controls underneath have no code or a end / return statement.
I noticed there were no reviews online, and frankly except for here, I don't plan on reviewing it unless one of you shows me what I'm doing wrong with my phone's reader so I can work around the deficiencies.
Stepped away to help the daughter with something, came back, found that like a blind fool I['d had the lights off in my office. Still everything is the same: can't see image files using the app even though they're there in Winos Explorer ... everyone else can point to a file folder / provide relevant data except this app.
I had my wife look, and she read off the buttons exactly as I'd seen them, plus the file list was empty.
could it be your phone causing problems maybe? plus it may be possible that something didn't install right on your phone. taking the picture could be tricky though for some who don't know where the camera is on the phone, both in hardware and software terms
I've taken pictures just fine on this phone and as I said, I can see the image files being placed into the folder.
This particular application can't see them, even though both File Explorer and Pictures and Videos can see them.
The problem is the application won't display anything in its file list nor will it allow you to navigate up or back.
It's not using the typical Windows FileOpen dialog box with the location, type and files list.
I installed from the cabinet file directly and it went off without a hitch, didn't ask for components, my .Net Compact Framework is up-to-date for this version of Windows Mobile 6 Smartphone.
If it needed a version-specific installer it didn't say so.
by your very short ambiguous questions it sounds like either you have it working or didn't read the comments before. As I stated before, the pictures get taken just fine, I'm not questioning the OCR at this point, I just can't load an image file into the application in order to even run OCR. One must use the phone's camera application first to take the picture. I am reasonably convinced based on my experience developing for the Mobile platforms in other areas, that this is not a pitfall of the application, but of Windows Mobile. But at least it should be able to know where the 'My Pictures' folder is located: this data is knowable to any program written for Windows Mobile.
I may look around and see if it has a storage location called OCR in its own program directory where one can place the picture.
Also I did install to a storage card so if it's just not that intelligent, it may not know enough to read from the system registry its own location put there by its own install, e.g. it's just doing something tantamount to ..//my documents/my pictures ... silliness but I did install to the storage card as one should in this situation.
Will check that out though and get back to you all on this.
Nope still not working. Installed to device rather than Storage Card perhaps this is more for the full-featured mobile device, rather than just a smartphone.
Too bad: smartphones are what people have, and this isn't helping ...
smart phone is too general a term. my phone could be considered that in general but it's truly more a business phone than anything with full PDA ability included in it. if i can find out how to use my camera i may screw with this using my ms 4.5 lisence
Smartphone is what Windows refers to it even though it's running Windows Mobile 6.0 Standard Edition (from the About dialog). A smartphone is a general term, yes. a Windows Smartphone is not. Even more so, a Windows Smartphone running Windows Mobile 6.0 Standard Edition.
Also I said T-Mobile Dash (Pre-3G version), so should have clarified, basically similar hardware to the HTC Ozone except the phone radio of course.
Sounds like a Pacmate style problem. I don't have a phone, so can't say exactly, but is there a folder list. Like a list that says choose folder? If there is one, try setting it to all folders. Sorry if I'm talking complete garbage.
Not garbage at all.
However I can't set it once I'm in there because there is no menu, well no soft keys. Speaking of PAC Mate, I know they have a button to draw a menu. Is there such in MobileSpeak? Maybe that would allow for something here.
It's just an empty list when I bring up the File Open window.
I count myself to be fortunate that I didn't go with these phones. lol
this program works better with moble speak 4.5 any earlier versions its not going to work. MS 4.0, and 5 use your MSP cursor more as a review and you can click with it as well. As for this program it tends to conflict with my phone, as Leo said I can not seem to find the pictures. I will give you more update info when I try it on a HTC HD2. Iphone would bee nice but some us do not want to go with A T and T so I will leave that arguement alone.
And, some of us simply can't afford to ... leave it to the young / unencumbered / those living off the rest of us to afford them at least for now.
are youAre you implying that I live off the rest of you? I have a job and a responsibility to care for my wife while she is looking for a job. Its that I just keep my moble speak up to date. My wife and I simply can not afford the fee to leave team-Mobile. Also I am happy with my unlimited plan. From team-mobile.
I will correct my spelling T-moble
No, not you, the ones who mysteriously seem to have iPhones and yet aren't like you or I - employed and supporting dependents ... and then have the rashness to make it sound as though we were anti-technology or something.
I too am with T-Mobile, and actually the plans do well for family coverage, like you said.
thank you smile we Leo do support independents, I have a odd thinking if we do not support code factory and the maker of talks, where does that leave room for competition?
Lastly I will shut-up I give the team who is making the Android OS accessible a thums up. It shows we have choices :).
Wait, Wait, Wait, why does every bord relating to mobile phones turn in to this debate? To my knoledge, it had a spasific form and function, and then like many other bords, got totally shattered by this same old argument. Just my thoughts.
Probably because iPhone users and non-iPhone users alike know that at least with iOS 4.0 and later, OCR / object recognition is so good on the iOS devices its nearly science fiction! Windows Mobile won't be there, and Android may catch up, and of course there's the $1000 Nokia solution.
That's probably why.
So true Leo! Oh, wait if non Iphone users are not making use of an Iphone we must bee crazy, lazy, or holding back the blind community from helping Apple achieving full accessibility. If I am wrong then I stand corrected its just the vibe I get back from the blind community.
And then with the iPhone 4's 5 megapixel camera, it's no wonder why it's good. lol But there still needs to be a program that can take advantage of that OCR. I'm sorry to say that Say Text isn't a very good OCR program, even with the iPhone 4.
But yeah, Windows Mobile won't even get close to that. A lot of the Android phones will catch up, obviously because of their cameras as well. Some are 5 megapixels and some are 8.
@starfly, I've never intended to give off that vibe, if i've come across as such, I extend my appologies.
actually the HD2 does have a 5 Mega pixal cam if there is another phone like it running windows moble I stand corrected. Striker thank you its cool.