My personal opinion is that the student market will remain high enough for this type of device to be preferred over a PDA. The PDA are still not able to replace anything that is used for long periods of time for actual writing. Even though PDAs can be used with a portable qwerty keyboard to make the actual entry of data easier, the word processing applications for these devices are very limited. You also have to look at the frustration level of some of the PDAs. The ones that are built specifically for the blind are definitely the way to go. The PDAs that use off-the shelf versions seem to have a lot of little catches that no one tells you about until after you have the device and discover that it can't do exactly all of the things that you need.
The one device that I think will actually give the notetakers a run for the money is the icon braille + from APH. This is not the exact same one from level star. This will have a docking station that you can carry when you want basically makes this unit a notetaker. It will also have braille output and I believe it will have software for the deaf-blind community. In addition, it will eventually function as a cell phone. For most people, they use a braillenote because it has the features that they need and will use (this doesn't mean it doesn't also contain things you personally may not want). I also believe that if the cost of these items would come down, that there would be quite a few people that would own more than one device. JMHO, Cindy -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of FunGuy Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2007 9:01 PM To: Rob Lambert; [email protected] Subject: Re: [Braillenote] BrailleNote's future? Hi Rob: I have a strong bias witch all admit too up front, I love and depend on these devices and I hope you are wrong! That being said: I think it all depends on how well the companies market and develop these devices, and of course it depends on how many people become competent Braille users. If you use a qwerty device and don't use a Braille display, it's pretty easy to make the case for a main stream adaptation, but if one is a grade 2 Braille user, I believe one has a greater need for a stand alone solution like the Braille Note. It takes more then technology however, you also need a company that knows how to address the technology, training, and support needs of it's Braille using customers. It really becomes clear when you look at a debacle like the Braille version of the PAC Mate. If too many organizations invest in a product like that and their clients have a bad experience they will blame it on this kind of technology rather then on the poor product development. I know some will disagree, but making a perfect round trip from Braille to print and print to Braille isn't always that easy. For example, it takes some explaining to show parents and teachers of high school or college students how a Braille product might produce a good English or history paper, but can't be expected to work as well in math, science, music, or a foreign language course. So I think it's a matter of setting reasonable expectations, finding the sweet spot where the technologically reasonable and user needs intersect, and developing a structure that works in this market place. I could write many pages on this subject, but I best stop here. Alan Holst ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rob Lambert" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2007 2:11 PM Subject: [Braillenote] BrailleNote's future? >I was just curious about the overall future of the BrailleNote as a >potential note taking solution when you compare it to things like >HumanWare's Maestro or their retail of Mobile Speak Pocket? My personal >opinion (and don't quote me, this is just how I see things) is that the >BrailleNote-esque style note takers (such as the PACmate and so forth) will >see a sales decline as the hand-held PDA market continues to open up for >the blind. Now, again, do not quote me on any of what I just said, it's >just the way I'm seeing things. I may be right, but i may be wrong. As such >I'd rather not leave a bad taste in anyone's mouths, or my own. Anyhow what >do you think of this? Just curious. > > > --------------------------------- > Luggage? GPS? Comic books? > Check out fitting gifts for grads at Yahoo! Search. > ___ > Replies to this message will go directly to the sender. > If your reply would be useful to the list, please send a > copy to the list as well. > > To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit > http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote > > __________ NOD32 2299 (20070530) Information __________ > > This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. > http://www.eset.com > > ___ Replies to this message will go directly to the sender. If your reply would be useful to the list, please send a copy to the list as well. To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote ___ Replies to this message will go directly to the sender. If your reply would be useful to the list, please send a copy to the list as well. To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote
