Category: accessible Devices
Hey everyone. I have something very special for you. Horibly special. If you guys like humanware products, I have a podcast for you to listen to. And ask yourselvs if other companies are doing the same thing. If you think I'm kidding, give it a listen.
http://bit.ly/UrtW4k
Could you give us some clue at to the content?
I don't have a lot of time for podcasts, but am curious to know what so offended you. (not a big fan of Humanware, myself.)
Thank goodness I did not request using humanware's products after the 90s. My galaxy sIII stomps there tech in to peaces, oh, what, I can even change a dead battery myself. :) Sorry, I do see a nitch for these products but a small nitch and windows CE 6.0 needs to die off. Humanware so needs to run to android with arms wide open or get left behind by manufactures who are making a android based notetaker. Heck, why not just buy an android slider if you want a keyboard or a Iphone with a case that has a built in keyboard to take notes.
My iPhone takes care of all my note taking needs now, but I did use a BrailleNote BT for years. the original poster brought up a good point, though. Do you really think it's just Humanware getting away with these things? I highly doubt it. this issue has recently been brought to the forefront. that's all.
dad and mom are applauding this podcast and that the situation of our stuff being way too expensive is being brought up. They are clapping from heaven. Some of the biggest arguments at home through my life were about why is this or that so expensive? At first when I listened to the podcast, I had to get used to the man's accent, but as the podcast went on, I found myself absolutely in total agreement with him. And at work rehab and the hospital had to split paying for equipment for me because of the price. Glad to see this issue out there.
No, I do not just think Humanware is getting away with it, lets see, Hims, Freedomscientific's packmate all 3 run a dead OS.
Wow, this is crazy. It shouldn't surprise me, but it does. I wonder how Humanware will react to this little secret of theirs getting out?
I do agree that other companies do the same thing..feels like price galging to me..and freedom scinitific is one of them..agreed..though we need the product. shame..
This podcast seems to have been taken down. That's a shame. Did he discuss the new humanware commucator def blind app thingy? 100 bucks for a peace of shit. What a joke. The beta tester who posted about it to applevis said the thing didn't even work with voiceover. What a fucking scam these people are running.
when I was younger, still in grade school, decent tech was scares, sure the keynote companion worked for me taking notes on the fly, taking numbers from ladies :) but now sorry humanware needs to get a grip and relize its a different eacco system then it was in the 90s/early 2000s.
I have both a Keynote Gold laptop and one of the original BrailleNotes, and have never had a problem with either, until recently (laptop gives an error message when booting and Braillenote won't charge/think it just needs reinstallation of software), nor with the tech support at Humanware. I would love to find my Braillenote and cord so I could use it again. starfly, do you still have that Companion? If so, I would gladly take it off your hands, as I'm seeking an external speech synthesizer and love the Keynote Gold voice.
Na, not sure where it when too, the card got formatted, to see if I could install fulll fledge dos on it. Keep in mind this was a while back, I had a desktop to cover my butt if that device crashed.
I was actually wondering if you could install full DOS on it. Do you remember how it worked out?
For the people that haven't heard and are now seemingly unable to hear the podcast, it discussed how Humanware charge a very large amount to change a battery in some of their devices under the pretense that it is a "special" battery when infact it's just 6 aa batteries. The author also spoke about the poor internal design which is something I can attest to even though I've never actually used a notetaker; the products I've taken apart have been designed terribley badly - sandwitch circuit boards are fine, except the screws aren't quite long enough to hold them both together when the case isn't holding them in place.
To answer the dos question never got that far, windows formated the card to fat 16
So was the podcast taken down because someone from Humanware demanded it or threatened some legal action?
Yeah, good question!
Not that it matters, the truth is already out. Surely they have to know that? I'm sure everyone who downloaded it still has it stored on their hard drives. I know I do, lol.
If you do, could you post a dropbox link or something so we who didn't hear it could? I would be glad to host it if I find it, and humanware won't be able to remove it for a legal problem:).
I'd love to hear it as well. Please post if you can. Thanks
Is Sendspace ok? I don't really like Dropbox. i'll upload it if you guys want.
Technology is evolving, and with it comes touch screens and bluetooth Braille displays if necessary. BrailleNotes and PAC Mates are all out of date.
Agreed. it seems the only people still trying to advicate their use are state services for the blind.
Good point. While I still don't see myself getting a touch screen device any time soon, Braille Notes and other specialty devices are definitely getting to the point of museum status. However, I'm glad that this podcast brought the issue to light, because if state agencies are getting ripped off, that's money wasted that they could be using to do other more helpful things for clients.
Not everyone uses touchscreens or bluetooth. I'm not against the latter, but have no desire to use the former. As long as these Humanware products have a market, they'll continue to be made. The only real problems I seee with them are that they can't run Messengers or multitask that well, and can't run ocr software. Then again, my Braillenote is from 2002, so the latest ones may be better. They also can't play audio games, but that's not a necessity, and they can still play text-based and web-based games. They can go online, even wirelessly, with the compact flash card adapter, translate between braille and text, act as an external speech synthesizer for those who desire it, provide gps (with the correct hardware and software), and play music and other mp3 files. I'm not sure, however, if they can record mp3s. Regardless, if Humanware brings the prices down, , I think that these can serve as good alternatives to foul Windows machines, with their slowness, crashing, constant upgrading etc. My Braillenote has always been stable and fast.
Well, with the Apex, we can now go online without the need for a special card, which is overpriced and breakable in itself, so its good they got rid of that. As for messengers, there is Keychat, which is I think based on msn messenger, but someone can correct me if I'm wrong on that since I don't use it. But it certainly doesn't support things like Aim or Skype. As for stability, I don't call resetting a device every few days because it becomes completely incapacitated stability. This seems to happen less often with the Apex, but it does have an annoying habit of freezing completely the first time you turn it on after unplugging it from the charger. having said that, note takers do have one distinct advantage: there's almost no startup time. You turn the system on, and there it is. Definitely useful when you need to quickly jot down a phone number or anything else you might need to swiftly record.
I've never seen a Braillenote freeze. Maybe, that's more common with the new ones. Do they still have the compact flash card slot and use the same voice? Oh, and I wrote full, not fowl, in my previous post. I hate when the Mac corrects my spelling.
With the Braillenote Apex, and Hims Braillesense products, they all can use messenger. All the Braillesense come with Twitter, MSN and google talks client. I can't recall if Apex comes with CF card or not. from memory, i think they have move on from cf card to sd card.
I'm glad that messenger is now built into these machines. That's even more of a reason to consider one, provided, of course, that the money was available, which, in my case, it's certainly not. That's a shame about the cards. Personally, I can't stand sd. Cf cards are solid state, as are sd, and sd ones are so small that you can lose them in the blink of an eye! It's not as if cf cards are so large that they require a backpack to carry. They can fit right in the palm of your hand, and of course, in your pocket as well!
I agree with posts 22 and 23; I don't miss the overpriced brailleNote at all. I'm very happy with my Iphone and bluetooth braille display. and that's what more and more people are using these days anyway.
I actually agree about the compact flash cards. There was a time when I used to back up a lot of stuff on them, documents mostly, and now since I don't have a card reader I have no way to access them. Still, it would be easy enough for me to buy one, I don't think they're that expensive. And yeah, the Apex, as I said, has this annoying habit of freezing, mostly right after you unplug it. The MPower did this as well, although that would mostly happen if you left a file open and then shut it off.
Like I said, my sIII, a braille display, MA which I already have installed, and a few note taking apps works as good as a braille note and has more power then those devices like the M power and etc. Tiff, I challenge you to go to a store and play with an android or Iphone touch screen device. Before any one says talkback can not be turned on in the store, the galaxy sIII devices come with talkback pre-installed so any store rep should be able to turn it on along with explore by touch.
I don't know what I'd do if my compact flash card reader stopped working, as this is my main way of copying documents, music, etc. between all of my computers and operating systems. When not using my pcmcia to compact flash adapter, I use a five-in-one usb reader that I bought on Ebay. I don't remember for how much, but I'm pretty sure it was under $20, perhaps under $10. I thought it was broken, so bought a really cheap one, again from Ebay, and it didn't work on anything. Then, I got an expensive one from Bestbuy, and that didn't work at all either! Thankfully, I just changed the cord on my good one and it works again. If you'd like, ShatteredSanity, I could ask someone to read the raised print on it so I can recommend it to you. I guess all the Braillenotes after my model acted a bit odd!
starfly, Do the Android devices have a regular keyboard or are they touchscreen as well? I know that they sell netbooks running Android. Is that the same thing and how accessible is the os?
To answer your question Tiff, some android devices come with keyboards that are slider or sorta like the blackbary with a touch screen. If one were to get a slider with android on it I would not settle for a 2.3 gingerbred device. I would wait for a 4.0 "IceCream Sandwige" or go with a Jelly Bean device that is a slider. The next G3 from t-mobile will be a Jelly bean or that is a roomer to bee. S-q blaze from samsung will have Jelly bean on it, that is a t-mobile device as well. Not sure what VZ is coming up with nor A T and T, I am not with any of those companies. So in a nut shell for phone,s yes I find android accessible, it does take a learning curve to use android but its doable. As for the Krome books, its accessible as long as the Krome screenreader is loaded on the OS, how accessible it is not sure I do not own a Krome book.
I've never seen a Blackbary, so can't compare it with anything. I understood very little of that, from the names to the numbers, 2.3, 4,0 and 3g. Some of the names these companies use for their operating systems and products are so ridiculous that it makes me wonder how seriously I should even take them. Still, thanks for your reply.
Personally, I like phones that are phones and computers that are computers. But I wouldn't mind a palmtop device, or possibly another netbook, which is why I asked about those. You mentioned Chrome. But the netbooks I've seen say they run Android. I thought Chrome was just a browser from Google? At any rate, I don't want to have to pay for a phone service that I'll barely use. I already have a basic mobile phone and only use it when I go out or when I unplug my landline so the telemarketers won't annoy me. But I'll be getting an answering machine soon, so that won't be a problem.
tiffanitsa, FYI, telemarketers do call cell phones nowadays.
I am sorry to burst your bubble tiff but basic phones are well cell phones are getting harder to find. To answer your confusion "4.0 android" is one of the latest OS or operating system that has greater accessibility features that are built in to it. Jelly bean "4.1" brings swipe like features to the table and the method which Iphone users are used double tapping on the screen close to an icon and it be activated. So hope that helps you understand android terminology. Yes Krome is an OS that can run netbooks as well.
The neet thing for well android not sure about IOS or Iphone, that we can block telamarkitors completely. Heck we can litterly shut someone out of our life if that is we so choose to do.
I've never heard of that. how so?
its call extreem call blocker, someone calls and the call is dropped or sent to voice mail. Even text messeges are blocked as well.
the iPhone doesn't have that, as far as I know.
the iPhone itself doesn't have that, and paying a carrier a monthly fee to block a number is ridiculous, in my opinion. A one-time convenience fee, maybe, but an on going monthly fee? hell no. if you sign up for Google Voice, or something like it, you can give people your google voice number instead of your regular phone number, and have all calls forwarded to it. then you can block all unwanted numbers through your Google voice for free, set custom voicemail greetings and filters for any number you want, and you get unlimited calls and texting anywhere in the US, and Canada if you use the TalkATonne app, or for a low price if you use the standard Google voice app. The only calls you won't be able to block for free, obviously, are the ones going directly to your regular phone number.
I agree with Starfly. fortunately, or unfortunately, depending how you want to look at it, we are moving away from standard cell phones that just call and receive calls. I really don't see what the problem with this is though. Even if you just want to make and receive calls, there are shortcuts that allow you to do this in just a couple simple steps, and answering a call is even simpler. whether or not you choose to use the more advanced features on your phone is completely up to you. But with the advancing technology, the need for stand alone note takers is really decreasing. Sure, the option is there if you want it, but there is almost nothing a $2000 note taker can do that a smart phone can't do for a quarter of that price. Even if you want a braille display, it's still going to be cheaper than buying a note taker, and you won't have to carry around as many devices. Again, I'm not trying to push any of this on anyone, but you can't say there is no cheaper alternative to note takers that won't meet your needs, in one way or another.
I wholeheartedly agree with Jess's last post. especially the part about paying to block numbers being ridiculous.
I have friends who use google voice, but it's not something I'm interested in.
This is a bit off topic, but why in the world are the operating systems Android uses called stuff like Ice Cream sandwich and jelly bean? I'm sorry, but that's just silly. Why would I buy a phone that's inviting me to eat it? Lol.
The Commission for the Blind in my state gave me a PAC Mate a couple years ago, but I'm thinking about giving it back to them. I just don't need it. I use my iPhone for all my tasks, from recording conversations to setting alarms, and even for typing out some documents. My counselor insists that I bring the PAC Mate with me when I go to my appointments, but I always get frustrated and tell her that I use my phone for the main stuff. I just don't need a note taker anymore. An iPhone and a laptop would suit me very well.
The Iphone have an app that can do that, its free. I can't remember what its call on top of my head. If anyone needs that info, i'll post it out a bit later.
Not sure why android OS is called by treats, hmm... odd developers.
Yeah. Like I said earlier, it seems a lot of rehab agencies are still really pushing for accessible note takers. I wouldn't be surprised if they have a deal with the companies making them, but it's really annoying when the things we are requesting are hundreds of dollars cheaper, or more.
exactly. $1,700 for a blue tooth braille display to use with an iPhone is a heck of a lot more reasonable than $6,000 for a braille note in my opinion.
Thanks, Starfly, for explaining about Android. Yes, basic mobile phones are becoming more and more difficult to find. The only two unlocked ones which come to mind are the Motorola F3 (Motofone)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_Fone#F3
And the Doro Handle Easy.
http://www.handleeasy.com/index.php?id=about_doro_handle_easy_328_gsm_mobile_phone
I was going to get one of those (obviously the one which would allow me to dial the numbers myself), but the battery and talk times weren't good enough for the price. So I got the F3 and was very happy with it, despite it's small size and the fact that the buttons, while real, were completely flat. But it had a great battery life and was very durable. The only reason I don't use it now are that I'm no longer on the family plan with T Mobile.
As for texting, I've never understood that. I suppose, with a full keyboard, it might be acceptible. But why on Earth would anyone want to spend forever with a regular numberpad, trying to write things out? I guess that's why they invented netspeak, but I despise that, so try to avoid it as much as possible.
As far as Notetakers, I could understand getting the blind tech for children, or for those with learning disabilities, or even those who flat out request it. But I think someone in high school or beyond should be able to receive the much cheaper phone and/or laptop if they request it.
you don't have to use shorthand to text; what a misconception, though. wow.
it really isn't difficult to type things out.
Just to burst your bubble a bit further Tif, there hasn't been a phone that just made and received calls for years. They all have apps on them. Its just the earlier ones have basic apps, like calculators and games and stuff. If you want a phone that only makes and receives calls, you'll have to go back to a briefcase phone, and those don't work on modern networks. Soon, not even the old phones are going to work on modern networks. Its call progress.
times are changing, Tiff.
and, to burst your bubble even further, eventually, all we'll have our touch screens.
so, what, then? are you gonna sit in a corner and cry cause phones are no longer made as you want them to be? or, are you gonna adapt like the rest of us?
I don't mind a calculator, a clock, a calender, and a phone book (for those who need it), even though phones with just these don't have screenreader options to make the features accessible. I was thinking of the Bag Phone, but they apparently no longer work.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_Bag_Phone
In any case, those are crazy! I know that I like large phones, but that's insane! Anyway, they do have an M Series now, but it probably has all sorts of things on it.
Wow, Tiff, I just went over this with my mother, in her 70s and even for her age group admittedly nonenthusiastic about technology. She now uses a Jitterbug.
As to texting, my teenage daughter and her friends pride themselves on not texting with shorthands, and those spazzes can text a mile a minute! While some of us just don't understand textspeak that well, for them it is a matter of personal pride not to use it. And as I said, they text often and very efficiently, while doing any number of other activities except driving of course.
Oh and as to touch becoming the preferred interface, I think we have a couple interesting hurdles to cross first. The tempered glass most multitouch devices use is relatively expensive. The cheaper alternative will be a plastic, which, you kids in school probably know from chemistry, is made from petrolium. Said material doesn't conduct heat as well as glass does: glass it technically a fluid. Heat-sensitivity is how touch screens work. So we'll have to cross that hurdle in a financially expedient manner before touch screens are ubiquitous on all devices. Chelsea brings up an interesting puzzle to solve, but I think we're a few years off.
The problem with physical hardware like batteries, screens, keyboards, etc., is they are not subject to Moore's Law in computation (double efficiency every 18 months), so their advances are more difficult, and perhaps more interesting, to predict.
The story of your daughter and her friends gives me hope for the next generation. So many people write horrible on Facebook that I've lost count of how many, as well as how many spelling errors they make. I'm very grateful to hear that there won't be touchscreens on everything for a long time. I see no issue with using normal dials, switches, or even buttons on things like stoves, washing machines, microwaves, etc. and certainly on phones and computers.
I certainly don't use text or net speak, even when I'm texting. It might take me longer to say something, but I'll never stoop that low. Besides, you don't need to respond instantly to a text to make it count. So what if it takes a minute or two to write out something? For me, clarity and readability are much more important than whether or not it's cool to spell and write correctly.
ShatteredSanity, I wish there were more people like you on the net. I really do. *sigh*
Let's be clear though, Tiff: You said appliances. These do not use heat-sensitive multi-touch screens. They use touch switches, which are pressure-sensitive and operate solinoids which control the machine. They have been out since the 70s, and are issued for a number of reasons:
The mechanisms are housed in a sealed compartment which by definition means less susceptible to dust and dirt, plus dials use friction which means every time you use it, you wear it down a little bit. I know from your prior posts you are dedicated to this ideology, but let's skip ideology for a second and stick to plain mechanics: Solinoids are cheaper to mass-produce (price cheaper). One can make a cheap dial, and I remember many of those from the 70s as a boy. Only you see the few remaining products that have lasted, because those few are the ones that were the best-made. They don't represent products as a whole, they were just good enough to withstand the test of time, and provide an illusion for those young enough to not remember, and those in their 80s who can do little more than remember. The solinoids rarely break.
A multitouch screen is very different from the pressure-sensitive touch switches we have had on some appliances since the 70s.
The reason anybody moves to a new environment for manufacturing like this is economical. And solinoids break less, touch screens have fewer mechanical failures on phones, the list goes on.
You in your 20s with a product from the 60s by definition could only be successfully using the one that lasted 40 years. That does not by any means make that product representative of its time. That is a logical fallacy you don't need statistics to understand.
But appliances using pressure-sensitive switches, and multitouch devices, are two very different things with two entirely different mechanical models.
If nothing else, thanks for explaining the mechanics of it. I really didn't know that. But I still contend that most things are made to break these days. Perhaps, the high end ones, even the touch screen ones, last longer. But it's a lot easier and cheaper to stick a new dial on something than to replace a touchscreen, fix a computer chip etc. If someone loses the key to an old car, or even just wants a new one made, it's quick and easy. If the same thing happens with a new one, it takes forever and costs a fortune, all because of computer programming etc. I like the simple things in life, and yes, some of those can be made cheaply, but most really do last. If I drop my Trimline phone from 1983, from the night stand to the wood floor, or from the kitchen table to the tile floor, the odds are that it will be fine. If it was a 2500, I could drop it from my balcony to the concrete without a problem, though to be fair, those really are exceptional. If I tried the first two with a modern phone, some part of it would probably break.
I must share a funny anecdote here. One time, when I was at the Diamond Spring Lodge, they told me that they had a microwave that had been there since 1979. Naturally, I was excited and wanted to see it. The thing was a touchscreen! There were no dials or normal buttons on it at all! I couldn't stop laughing!
Lots of phones broke in 1983. I was being a young fool and horsing around, causing one to fall off a table onto a concrete floor, it shattered. As is proper for young fools roughhousing inside around the furniture, I paid for a new one. If a sentence ends with 'these days' there's probably a logical fallacy in it.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
But let's look at your dial: you said you could just replace the dial that broke. Except in real life, it's the contacts that wear out: at least as difficult, or more so, than the computer chip. And most dial mechanisms: dial, contacts, rod, etc., were sold as a single mechanism. Sure you could buy a new dial (the face plate and part you turn), but that would be to change the color, usually, to make it match your environment or decor.
A mechanical mechanism like a dial or switch was usually replaced in total, not just a contact or a rod.
So your argument again is based on ideology not mechanics. And a chip can be retrieved with a chip puller. The dial mechanisms on a lot of things like stoves were a lot harder to get on and off.
I was going to create a new topic to discuss this, but it seems pertinent to the discussion of the usefulness of note takers, so I'll just say it here. APH has just released the second generation Braille Plus. It has an 18-cell Braille display, built-in GPS, a better voice, and all the other things you would expect to find on a note taker. But the major difference is, not only is it running the Android OS, but it can be activated by At&t or T-mobile and used as a cell phone, complete with 3g capability. Plus, all Android aps will be downloadable and usable. Not necessarily accessible, of course, but they will be compatible.
So is there a place for this kind of note-taker? I would have to say yes. Of course, the price is still ridiculous--$3299, and that's just the preorder price, so I shudder to think how much it will rise after that--but I'm definitely interested. Regardless of whether touch screens will completely replace all buttons and keyboards, it seems to me that at least APH is taking the time to catch up with current trends, unlike Humanware or Freedom Scientific. In my personal opinion, keyboards and buttons on devices will never fully go away. Even the Iphone has a button for locking it, and if I remember correctly, the volume controls are buttons, too. I think it will become increasingly difficult to find them, true, but they will never disappear. And who's to say that they won't make a comeback in 20 or 30 years? They could become a fad all over again. Call me idealistic, or perhaps just hopeful if you want, but that's how I see it.
My sIII has a home button, volume rocker and power button, outside of that no buttons except haptic feedback buttons. Tiff while your correct about phones not all going touch screen yet, the slider phones have touch screens and a keyboard, I can tell you that is not changing at all.
so for food for thought, if an Iphone is not your cup of tea, go look at an android 4.0 or 4.1 device that has a slider keyboard. Currently 4.0 devices are on the market, 4.1 devices are coming very soon.
But do you have to subscribe to a phone service to use them or can you use their features, minus the phone, of course, without doing so? I also thought that, if you go on the internet with your phone, you have to pay extra. I'm used to unlimited internet, so don't know how that works, but don't see the need to go online when I'm out either.
Do you mean for this new Braille Plus? No, you won't have to use it as a phone if you don't want to. It just has that capability built in so that if you choose to use those features, you can. But it does have built-in wifi for general use, as well as all the other note-taker features I described above.
I was looking for information on the Braille Plus, and found this guide.
http://tech.aph.org/pda_doc.htm
It really does sound like an exciting device, especially when paired with an external keyboard, or the docking station, or when used in braille mode. But I have a few questions. What are the differences between the Braille Plus and the Icon? Do other similar notetakers exist at a decent price (under $500)? Can I read and write in Greek, use my compact flash cards via a usb reader, use scanning software,, make videos, and print/emboss with my dot matrix printer or my Braille Blazer, with the Braille Plus? The last two aren't really that important, but the first two are, especially if I were to use it daily. I could always use my desktop or one of my laptops for making videos, scanning, printing/embossing etc. The last is almost guarantted to happen, as they have built-in parallel ports, so I wouldn't need to use usb adapters. Can I open large text files with the Braille Plus? I know that I can't with my KNFB Reader Classic, and consider that a huge drawback, as I often like to read books. Finally, how easy is it to learn the operation of this device? In the guide, they said it runs on Linux, not Android.
Hello the link you posted is not for the new Braille Plus. The link you posted is the user guide of the older Braille Plus Moble Manager. There are a cupple destinctions between the older 1 and the new one that was recently releaced. Although I was not able to find the new one on the APH website just yet. The new one is more of a phone although I think it may have note taking abilatys. Also you don't have to use it as a phone. It also has built in GPS it is also running on the Android system so you can download Android apps for it. So it is pritty much a phone but totoly wicked! You can get it with or with out a braille display and unlike the previous mottle the braille display is built in. The link you posted for the old Braille Plus with the Linux OS has been discontinued by APH. Your questions I don't know about the compact flash cards maybe if you get a card reader, you should be able to print from it although I haven't seen 1 to know and yes it can open large files And yes it has word processing.
Thanks, Jeff, for your explanation. Can anyone further explain the differences between the older and the newer device? If the newer one can do some of the things that I mentioned above, but the older one cannot, please let me know. Basically, this sounds like a palmtop and as if it can do almost all the things that I do with a computer on a daily basis. For that matter, my Braillenote from 2002 can do most of these as well.
This is from the old braille plus, not the new one. This one is older, runs a version of linux, and is now being sold secondhand at much lower prices. Previously, a braille plius and docking station would be $1995, but some people have both for $800. Anyway, these don't support cellular connectivity. I have used them, and would say they are great. The answers to your questions:
Greek: No. The thing has only English support, with a braille keyboard and an ABC number pad (the only difference with the icon is that it hasn't got the braille keyboard).
Compact flash: Yes, a USB port is available on the docking station, as well as on the less reliable cable that comes with the device by default.
Printing: sort of. The devices can print to internet printers, you know, those annoying ones where you send your documents from somewhere, and the printer is in another room and shoots out your document? I know it won't emboss. However, you can transfer the files over to emboss with a computer.
No scanning, because there is no camera. There is a great quality microphone, however.
You can open large files with the braille plus. There is a bookshelf for reading books, and also the word processor. Extremely large text files (at least about 2.5mb) worked for me. They are very easy to learn. Everything is menus or a few other UI elements. There are interesting features like twitter support, internet radio, braille display support, a few games, great web browsing, and a large hard drive. Really up-to-date when compared to other such notetakers.
synthesizer101, I think you covered just about everything and very nicely as well. Considering the prices, I would definitely be looking at an older one. Someone here is selling one, minus the docking station and carry case, for between $300 and $400. I don't really need the phone part, so that's not a loss. The Greek is a real disappointment, especially since I know that ESpeak works with Linux and can support it, as it's the default synthesizer for NVDA.
I would definitely want to either use the braille keyboard or a qwerty one, as I don't like using a phone-style keypad to enter text etc. Great about the compact flash! You mentioned a cable, but from what I could gather in the guide, the cable is used to transfer files to and from a pc and is smaller than a regular usb port. It said the device has a host usb port for keyboards and the like. Could I plug in the card reader there? I know it works on XP and Snow Leopard, but am not sure about Linux.
I've never seen an internet printer. Mine is a regular dot matrix one with a parallel interface. The one I have right now was bought for me as a gift, and it's much more modern than I was planning on getting. That said, it can handle both tractor-fed and single sheets, and has various printing speeds and qualities, so it does have its' advantages. But I'm not sure if it's plug and play or if it requires drivers.
When I referred scanning, I meant with a flatbed. I know there isn't a scanning program included in the suite, but have heard that programs can be written for the device. So I wondered if an external program could be installed for the purpose? But this is no deal breaker, as it makes more sense to use a flatbed with a desktop.
Does the bookshelf work with txt and rtf files or just the daisy stuff? I have all of my books in plain text. If not, it sounds like the wordprocessor could definitely do the job. When learning an entirely new system, easy is good, unless I really want to put time and effort into it. I was told, many times, that I should learn Linux, but never had the desrie to do so, since it seems very foreign to me. But with the Braille Plus interface, just as with the Mac, I probably won't even realise that I'm using Linux and can just go about my day.
You mentioned Twitter, but can I use Facebook and Youtube with the Braille Plus? I would imagine Facebook is possible but Youtube might prove tricky.
For the old 1 I don't know if a card reader would work but I think it might as flash drives work fine with the old 1. The bookshelf supports Dazy, Text, Audable and NLS. The book shelf can also connect you to bookshare. Facebook works if you use the moble site m.facebook.com as for youtube I don't think the braille plus can handle videos. Also where the opperating system is Linux you won't need to know anything about linux to use it it is very easy to lurn and is prity streight forword. No programs can be installed on it accept those few made for the Braille Plus also I'd emagine you could print from it by hocking up a usb cord to your printer then plugging it into the braille plus. The onlything that is kind of kinky with it is the power cord and USB part. The power cord plugs in to the USB like block cable which has this odd port that plugs into 1 end of the braille plus. The port tends to get lose easely and you have to jiggle it to get it to charge. If you get the qwerty though you can charge in that as well. As for the braille keyboard that is built in. If you are familiar with the braille note then you will be able to figure it out in no time.
Well, yes, the bookshelf can read daisy, rtf, txt, brf. I have this cable. It has the braille plus connection on one end, and a block with a power adapter plug, a mini usb for connecting to the computer, and a large usb for flash drives and the like. All of these work as expected. The braille plus uses a specialized form of linux and uses eloquence instead of espeak. Yes, this is nothing like the command-line linux that most recommend for you to be similar with dos. Your printer and scanner, unfortunately, are not supported, as the only applications I know of are games and a developer package that no one seems to have used. As far as doing a lot extra, the braille plus loses heavily in this regard.
Ah, now I understand the ports! I thought they were built-in, and didn't realise that they're connected to the block, which needs to be connected via another cable. that really is a shame about Youtube and the like. If it could do that and Greek, it would be the perfect portable computer for me! Still, I could always transfer music into it that I download with the regular computer.
Lol synthesizer101 that's pritty much what I just said can I get a echo? haha
Oh sorry about that. I didn't pay too much attention -- blame lack of sleep for that. Blame lack of sleep for everything! By the way, the braille plus can download files, as long as they are actual downloads and not youtube videos (which use flash instead). I don't know whether youtubemp3 works on the braille plus, but if it does, that could be used instead.
Haha no problom just messing with ya lol.
*smile* You can only get my Echo if you give me a Keynote Gold SA, a Greek-capable Apollo II, or a Doubletalk LT! Actually, I have two Echos, and one is slightly better than the other, but I'm hoping to get a decent synthesizer for my DOS machine, once it comes.
So, now there's an official link to the new Braille Plus, for anyone who wants to check it out.
https://shop.aph.org/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=11051&krypto=w%2FE%2FZ6s4BbPWrvdsJEOQwpypyEj39Tfr28%2BhC%2B%2FuqvhLVohgJ92bTZzW8PTPoJVcnt4%2FpuTQEyRPJhI2eiRCEw%3D%3D&ddkey=http:ProductDisplay
I'm hoping that shows up ok, it's not in code, but right now it's showing up on 3 different lines. Even so, you all should be able to copy and paste it.
I wonder how long HumanWare can hide behind defunct operating systems, before they crumble or move on. But believe me, APH has a good shot at taking HumanWare and taking them down. It's only a matter of time. The new Braille Plus will conquer BrailleNote by storm.
Absolutely. The new Braille Plus will run circles around both Freedom Scientific and Humanware's current notetakers. I guess it's only a matter of time until we find out if they can take the heat, and try to get with the times, or if they're going to fall apart. Normally, I fully support choice, and that means that I would encourage these outdated notetakers to still be made, even if only a small minority of people chose to continue using them. But when they scam people out of a lot of money like this, I have to say that I do hope they fold.
For the sake of choice, let it be. But the fact of the matter is this: APH and HIMS are the ringleaders here. Along with Deane Blazie's new Braille to Go, which likewise runs on Android. We're going to see the battle of the blind tablets here, the competetors being Google, APH, and Blazie. HIMS has their own park. They are sort of with the times, but they need to do better.
I haven't heard of the Braille to Go. How does it compare to the Braille Plus?
I haven't the slightest clue. You'd have to buy both. For all I know, they could be the same, just different names and designs.
Someone contacted me privately and reminded me that I had said I would put up the podcast about the Braille Note battery scandal. I had completely forgotten about it, but now I've uploaded it to Sendspace for all your listening pleasure. If you missed it the first time around, and I'm still curious to know why it was so hastily removed from the web the first time, here's your chance to hear for yourselves all about these so-called "specialty" batteries.
http://www.sendspace.com/file/56onbn
Enjoy!
The irony is that HumanWare has tried so hard to get with the times, yet they don't support Sendspace.
your for getting something too, human' ware's note takers run on a dead OS as well. So how do you keep up with the times when your underlying OS has been giving the axe by MS. That is a question I would love to ask human ware
Has anyone found the balls to ask them? I've a mind to do that, but Gmail broke their page, so I can't get on it with my BN. And for one, you can't run on a dead OS, it's just not possible.
Wow. Gmail and Sendspace don't work on a Braille Note? I never used mine for the internet, except for a trial run or two when I was trying to figure out how it worked. I never got far with it, because it doesn't have commands that, to me, are essential, like links list and headings list and all that. Having to go down a page one line at a time, with no way to skip over the stuff I don't care about, drove me nuts. It was the same with the Braille Plus. As much as I loved that particular notetaker, and I do plan on looking into this new one if I ever get a chance, it suffered from the same flaw. I sure hope that such commands are built into the new one.
I can't remember ever having used sendspace on any computer or notetaker. Also, how can GMail not work with the Braillenote? That even works with DOS browsers!
Because Google did something where you must type your full email address, and the box to do so is not showing up in KeyWeb. They've tampered with the code, it nows says "email" instead of text, and I can't fix it!
I don't see your problem with the braille plus. You could use the numbers to jump headings, links, and forms. It might not have been as easy, but it was sure seamless. I have to say that's probably been the best experience browsing I've ever had!
I have no problem with BrailleSenseU2 either. Is as good as browsing it thru a computer with GMail. I haven't try it with sendspace though, haven't use Sendspace for at least the last 2 years or so now.
Well, the BrailleNote's interface is very clunky. I totally understand your issue.
i did a search for this CIVT consultant paul man and couldn't find him. i found the podcast mind boggeling and wondered if he had any other stuff out there to listen too.
Thanks for uploading that BTW.
Since we're speaking about the crappiness of the BrailleNote, how come when I plug in the USB chord to the computer, the damn thing doesn't read?
Have you installed the software that comes with it? there should be a disk that says Braille Note PC software or something like that in Braille on the case.
no time for podcasts, I'm in school right now. but, the only humanware product I have right now is a victor reader streem.
Um, the bn doesn't need a links list lol. Space and backspace work, or you could type the first letter (but not subsequent ones) of the link you wanted to jump through them. About gmail... There's a new version of HTML (the fancy code that powers pretty text, forms, links and other nonsense) called HTML5. Theoretically, this new version would allow people to switch away from flash to a native browser-based player for videos and games. It also does cool things for form validation. Why waste bandwidth and time submitting an invalid form if, for instance, the password field was left empty? This new version of the html standard can check for empty fields, fields that contain certain characters or strings of characters (usernames with profanity?), or entries that don't match the kind of data the field requires. All of that to say... Gmail's site has an email field, so modern browsers can do some basic validation on it and not waste time on invalid entries ("your face" is not a valid email address, for instance). The word modern in the previous sentence should hint at something.
Hope this helps!
I disagree. Maybe not so much about the links list, although I still think it would be useful, but other lists, like headings and forms, are things I rely on on a daily basis. Of course, a lot of times I simply use f or h to jump to the next heading or form field, but I don't think such commands exist on the Braille Note, and those are things I won't compromise on. Besides, especially on a new website, when you know you want to find something and have a general idea what it is but not exactly what it's called, being able to pick your list of elements and quickly scan through them helps you find what you need a lot faster than just reading the entire page would.
Actually, I think there was a menu that selected what k or .-chord would do. I forget how to get to it though... But pretty sure you could select various navigational elements, including headings and form fields.
Well, if I were ever put in a situation where I would have to use the internet on my Braille Note, I might consider playing around with that. But considering that it's very likely I'm going to sell it soon, I'm not too worried about figuring it out.
Hey guys, I have a question regarding this pod cast. Perhaps someone can clarify for me, because I really need to figure this out, and soon.
The podcast says that the brailleNote MPower takes standard alcaline batteries that are rechargeable. Well, is that true or are they the AA shaped lithium ion rechargeables?
Because I just baught a brailleNote MPower from someone for very cheap and this person insisted on getting the battery replaced. He got it replaced, but I guess he baught the wrong battery because it only works when plugged in. I want to replace the battery again, and I have a person who can do it no problem, but I need to know what kind of batteries I need to get for it. I'm not sure what batteries the previous owner put in there, but he says they were some cheap ones, from wallgreens or something. So Yes; I'm trying to figure out what to buy, especially because I just sold my other BrailleNote and I'd like to use this one without having to have it plugged in all the time.