Hi Ray and all
I think Ray has a very good point here
If I could add to the list of things not addressed here no ability to
shell out of Keysoft and be able to install third party apps and the
lack of proper bluetooth support which is probably to do with the
out-of-date operating system I think the ability to use a mainstream
PDA or some sort of hybrid like the Smalltalk would be fantastic. I
can use my BN as a laptop display via the serial port, but have had
no luck with a bluetooth connection
Perhaps Humanware or someone like them should look at putting
together a box which houses a PDA, a bluetooth keyboard and a braille
display all appropriately linked together in advance. Doing this
would give the advantages of a mainstream PDA coupled with a braille
display. If they thought their way round it they could have an
exciting product. The bluetooth keyboard could be detatchable, the
screen could be visible for those who would benefit and for teachers
etc,and if the container was generic a number of different PDAs could
be offered and confident people could use a PDA of their choice.
Just some thoughts.
John
At 16:08 30/01/2009, Ray Campbell wrote:
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
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