Category: accessible Devices
Not sure if there's a better term out there since these devices do so much, but I'm in the market for one. So, which one do you have? A Victor Reader Stream, Book Sense, Bookport Plus, or Plextalk Pocket, or maybe something else? Why do you like it and why did you choose it above the other available choices. I'm probably not going to get a Victor Reader Stream, even though I perceive it as the most popular of all these portables. I want to record audio as well as play things back, and I want to record in stereo and do it in MP3 format, not some odd format I have to convert in order to share it with others. I also am not all that concerned with reading text files, even though many agree that the voices chosen for the Book Sense are better in that regard. I just want to read NLS talking books and play music and podcasts and other audio.
I've owned the Booksense and seen all the players. Based on what I'd go for the Plextalk Pocket, just updated, you can download stuff to it wirelessly, best daisy marking of recording, you can put in bookmarks etc during the recording, or insert it afterwards. No need to put specific files in specific folders for playbck like Booksense and VR Stream, a little bit slicker than the Bookport Plus, which I'd say comes in a close second.
New Booksense looks ok, but it's almost $500, smaller than the old one and has a screen to display text, which is cool for a VI user I guess, but much less options with recordings, I am personally vexed at their customer service, since my Booksense stopped working, I sent it in for repairs and they claimed I spilled water on it and try to charge me $100 for the repair and shipping. Fact of the matter is, I know for certain no water ever touched that thing and I feel it is a cheap way to either make money on an existing user or, possibly, smoehow water got into the envelop during shipping. Either way I do not see the point in paying a third of the price of a new device for repais of an old one and the whole affair has made me a little irritated at GW Micro, though perhaps it is not entirely fair I admit.
I have the bookport plus and I love it. I didn't really choose it. I didn't use a book reader other than the braille plus but I work for aph and they wanted me to test it so that's how I ended up with it. I didn't think I'd find much use for it at first because at the time I was only reading books off of bookshare and I wasn't a big fan of the voice it reads them with, but now I read nls books I'm using it constantly. Its a handy little device to have around and the internal mic is quite good.
I got the victor stream since it was the first one to play NLS books. I use my victor stream for audio books and nLS books. I use an ipod touch for podcasts and music so don't see the point in upgrading my book player.
Bookport Plus seems interesting, but I just looked at the website today and it says it's in backorder until August. I might have to go for Plextalk Pocket just because I can get that one right now and it seems to be available from a number of dealers.
The Booksense XT also looks interesting at least for the sake of the on-board storage. Don't know about Bluetooth and according to one review I read the radio is not very sensitive.
wow really? yeah I don't think I'd want to wait that long either. sheesh