Hi Listers, I have been following the discussion regarding the various features people would like to see for the VN and the BN. Here are my thoughts. I have thought about this before for assistive technology companies who generally serve people who are blind or visually impaired. Instead of focusing all of these companies time and attention on one or two products why not offer several different models of each product? I'm not refering to the BT and the QT models of the BN and VN. Cars, cell phones, anything else you buy has different features with each model. How about offering BN's that only have the simple stuff like the wordprocessor, the calculator, the clock things like that. Then offer ones that have more of the complex features like the Web browser, the email. Remember different customers have different needs. I think the way the pricing would be for this idea is if you want more features they you should have to pay for more features just like with cars and cell phones. The argument for those of us who only use our BN's or VN's who don't have PC's those of us who would like to see instant messaging on the ! BN here's my theory for that. If I thought a PC was necessary I think I'd save the money for it. It would be nice to have the BN have instant messaging capabilities. I don't care if the BN has the ability to tape record information but others would like to see this feature. I wish all companies serving people who are blind or visually impaired would not create one list of features people would like to see and then just go from that but try to think of what populations of people are you serving? Companies in other markets market to people of different ages and different needs. Why can't companies providing blindness related products do the same? I'm not directing this at PDI but rather at all companies who serve people who are blind or visually impaired. One of the reasons I don't want to buy a PC is I don't want to buy Window Eyes and then have to keep paying to upgrade that plus keep paying to upgrade the BN. It would be nice to be able to download programs like in! stant messaging or Acrobat reader so they could work in the BN or the VN. That way PDI wouldn't have to create separate programs just for the BN and the VN. I like my BN and when it goes in for repair I have to use alternative means to write down information. I talk to my students who are visually imlaired that they have choices different methods that they can use to accomlish one task. I find it irroonic this seems not to be true with assistive technology. Think about it for screen readers there are mainly two Jaws and Window Eyes. For notetakers there is PDI, FS, and the compaoy that produces the Elba. The same thing with Braille displays. Why can't one company offer several notetakers but each notetaker has different features? I wish when customers purchase their notekers they could choose which features they would like the unit to have and which ones they don't need.
I think PDI and other companies could satisify a lot of more cuminmers if this option was offered. If a car company offered just one model of a car and that was it I doubt they would have many customers. Just my thoughts on this interesting topic. Lisa
