Hi, The lack of word support concerns me, but, with a computer I should be fine. I mean, a laptop with a BN hooked up as a Braille display is great. Were they able to add support for the BN as a USB display with JAWS?
Also, the KeyChat feature seems vague, as in, what instant messengers will be supported? If only GoogleTalk, I'd have to say that HW is very out of the loop as far at what IM system people are using. Michael -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of taraprakash Sent: Friday, January 30, 2009 1:46 PM To: Nicole B. Torcolini; Ray Campbell; [email protected] Subject: Re: [Braillenote] Future of BrailleNote and other Notetakers Like It If I have a braille sense, I wouldn't buy a laptop. As far as I know Braille sense is a note taker with laptop capabilities. And yes it doesn't take 5 seconds to start. But thanks guys for giving hw to drag their feet on these important issues. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Nicole B. Torcolini" <[email protected]> To: "Ray Campbell" <[email protected]>; <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, January 30, 2009 11:16 AM Subject: Re: [Braillenote] Future of BrailleNote and other Notetakers Like It > Until the gap becomes too big and/or they design a laptop with a built in > Braille display that starts up in less than 5 seconds, has a totally > accessible o.s., has a Braille keyboard (not just a 6 dot mode), and has > built in speech, I think that the bn and other notetakers will still have > their place in the world. Probably if you made a list of reasons for a > laptop and a list of reasons for a bn, would see what I am talking about. > > Nicole > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ray Campbell" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Friday, January 30, 2009 8:08 AM > Subject: [Braillenote] Future of BrailleNote and other Notetakers Like It > > > Hi Everyone: > > These are just random thoughts going through my head. With much > fanfair, a Press Release came out announcing Keysoft 8.0. While there > are some nice new features like KeyChat included, basic issues such as > an upgraded operating system, better support for word documents and HTML > e-mail support in Keymail are not addressed. > > The BrailleNote is not alone in not supporting all of the things which > standard PDAs support. What I'm wondering is, are we seeing the > beginning of the end of the notetaker for people who are blind? After > all, we have products like Mobile Speak Pocket, portable Graille > Displays and bluetooth keyboards which will allow us to access > mainstream PDAs just like we access the BrailleNote and other products > like it today. Are we as consumers who are blind being gently nudged > towards the mainstream PDA solution and away from the notetaker as we > know it? > > I bought one of the first Braille Notes when it came out in 2000. I am > concerned that the BrailleNote appears to be falling far behind > mainstream PDAs and other notetakers. I have over 15 years of software > engineering and development experience. I understand the complexities > of upgrading a device like the BrailleNote. However, I also know that > many of the features people are asking for are things which have been > asked for several times, and are things that are included on mainstream > PDAs. Yet, we never hear anything about them, even something like, we > understand this needs to be done but we can't do it right now for this > or that reason would be nice. > > I really like the BrailleNote. It is an all in one device; I don't want > to really have to start using three devices -- PDA, Bluetooth keyboard > and portable Braille display -- to gain more functionality than what I > have in the all in one Braillenote. However, we who are blind need to > be able to keep up with our sighted peers, be they students, co-workers, > or just friends. > > I truly hope that Humanware hears what people are saying, that they are > listening, and that they will tell us why such things as HTML E-mail and > better word support are not being included in Keysoft 8. These are > things we the customers have been asking for and have a right to know. > While I don't want to know their exact plans for including these things, > I'd like something telling me they are coming soon, like within six > months. > > Thanks for reading, > > Ray Campbell, Help Desk Technician > Adaptive Technology Center > Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired > 1850 W. Roosevelt Road > Chicago, IL 60608 > 312-997-3651 (Voice/Relay) or > 888-825-0080 (voice/Relay) > [email protected] > AIM Screen Name: tclhelp > www.thechicagolighthouse.org > > ___ > 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 > ___ 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
