----- Original Message ----- From: "Neil Barnfather - TalkNav" <[email protected]> To: "'Access e-mail forum'" <[email protected]> Cc: <[email protected]>; "'Talks Mailing List'" <[email protected]>; "'The Accessible Phones Discussion List'" <[email protected]>; <[email protected]>; <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, July 16, 2010 9:49 AM Subject: [access] Destination Reached, for Wayfinder Access
> Apologies for the cross list posting, if you own a Wayfinder Access license, > or know someone who does, the below message is essential reading. > > Dear All, > > As many of you will be aware, Wayfinder Access, the only accessible GPS point > to point navigation solution for the Symbian platform was discontinued in > early 2010. Following this move, myself along with several other users of the > access product began a protest petition site with the intention of raising > our plight to the powers that be at Vodafone Group Plc based here in the UK. > > Vodafone had in early 2009 purchased Wayfinder with a view to offering GPS > products throughout its global network of mobile phone carriers, however, > with the advent of free GPS products from Nokia and Google to name but a few > as well as other technical difficulties, Vodafone quickly discovered that it > couldn't monetize its investment. Unfortunately they chose to terminate the > Wayfinder range of products and this included the only accessible GPS turn by > turn application on the Symbian platform. > > After months of negotiations, and an extensive media campaign, I have finally > reached an agreement with Vodafone on behalf of all Wayfinder Access users. > Sadly the package does not include an exchange element, much to my deepest > regret, Vodafone have decided not to take this option. > > Together with several key players in the accessible GPS market, TalkNav had > arranged an excellent proposal solution whereby end users received a > completely accessible alternative GPS product in exchange for their existing > WF Access license. The proposal would cost Vodafone no more than the refund > program is going to cost them, and they'd have received significant positive > feedback from us as a user group should they have opted for this route. > > The proposed alternative exchange product included both a new hardware unit > and software, and would have outperformed significantly Wayfinder Access's > capabilities. Furthermore it was usable by all existing WF Access users in > every territory to which it was sold. The hardware was small and light weight > and an immensely practical solution. Even better was that this move would > have opened these currently unavailable accessible GPS markets, other than > for WF Access, to new users also purchasing accessible GPS technology. > Therefore this program would have benefited the wider community of blind > individuals out there. > > As the case is, and the answer is final, Vodafone have decided to leave many > hundreds of you without an accessible GPS alternative solution, and instead > simply part-refund you. We have repeatedly raised the objection that this > proposal does not allow for many users who have no alternative, that our > program would have introduced that alternative, and would have opened that > market for other users to buy said solution. As stated though, sadly this was > not to be. > > Vodafone have decided to release the source code for Wayfinder into the wider > community for open source development, however, given the nature of the code > and the fact that so very much has changed within the GPS and Symbian world > since Wayfinder last significantly updated their source code. It will be more > difficult to expect a development firm to be able to easily modify the > product and support it on a new platform outside the existing infrastructure, > not withstanding expensive. > > The agreed part-refund rate for all WF Access license holders, irrespective > of purchase date, last usage or single region licensed is €300. > > This figure will be paid directly by Wayfinder to all users who successfully > complete and qualify under their refund program, details of which will be > finalized and published by Vodafone in late Summer 2010. > > The part-refund is to be paid per license held, and therefore it can be > assumed that for those of you with multi-region licenses that you, should, > receive a refund of €300 per region that you have licensed. So this is good > news especially for those who purchased the World region product exclusively > available through TalkNav. > > I cannot express to you all, my most sincere regret that Vodafone Group and > Wayfinder have taken this approach given the obvious and clear benefits > available to both sets of parties and the seemingly lack of negatives. > Ultimately though, the decision is not ours to make and it has been made by > Vodafone Group as outlined above. > > Vodafone have stated that they expect the program to begin commencement in > late Summer 2010, and that the program will be operated via an accessible > online service backed up by a UK service centre. > > -Statement Ends- > > Twitter: @neilbarnfather > > Neil Barnfather > TalkNav > > Talks List Administrator > > TalkNav is a Nuance Accessibility dealer, with online activation codes sent > directly to your inbox minutes after ordering, why not use TalkNav today? > > www.talknav.com > [email protected] > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Access mailing list > [email protected] > http://wfusers.com/mailman/listinfo/access > > Hosting of this list provided courtesy of: > eHosting Limited: http://www.ehosting.com/ > and > Talknav Inc. http://www.talknav.net/
