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Wil’s Tweets for 2009-07-04
- Wil’s Tweets for 2009-07-03 http://tinyurl.com/nhftxa #
- My Daily Twittascope - http://bit.ly/HwGmc #
- ALBUQUERQUE, NM - Pilots had to divert a flight after a passenger took off all his clothes. #
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Using your PAC Mate as a Jaws Authorization
Greetings. I received the following information via an email list. I posted this, or something similar to it, back in 2005 but it's probably time for a reset. I'm not certain, but I believe this works best if you're using PAC Mate versions before the Omni. I believe you can accomplish the same thing with the Omni, but have to use a Bluetooth connection. Not sure on that though. Perhaps someone can post a reply with those steps. Anyway, enjoy.
***
Did you know that if you own a PAC Mate you also own a copy of Jaws for
the PC? Your PAC Mate acts as an authorization. This is something not a
lot of people are aware of but there are times when it can come in
handy. The option is called "Active Sync Remote PAC Mate". Not only does
it allow you to use Jaws on a PC but it also allows you to use the
keyboard and c display from the PAC Mate to control the PC.
The following steps will get you started:
1. Install Jaws. You must use a version later than 6.2 for this to work
properly. You don't need to activate the Jaws but you can if you wish
to.
2. Establish an active sync session between the PC and the PAC Mate.
3. From ere there are 2 ways to go. There is a program included with
Jaws called Pac Mate Desktop. This needs to be running before this will
work. You can run this directly from the Start Menu, Programs, JawsX [X
being the version of Jaws you have installed], tools, PAC Mate Desktop.
If you want this program to automatically start when your computer does
then you need to start Jaws. Press JawsKey J to move to either the Jaws
window or the Context menu. Go to the Options menu, locate Basics and
press enter. Tab until you hear "automatically start PAC Mate Desktop"
and make sure the check box is checked. Press Enter to exit the Basics
dialog. Now exit Jaws.
4. Your PAC Mate has a built in command for starting Jaws. Note that if
you don't do it this way Jaws will not recognize the PAC Mate as an
Authorization. To start Jaws press Insert Shift F4 on the QX. Press
DOTS 1-2-7-8 CHORD, D or DOTS 1-5-7-8 CHORD, D. Your PAC Mate will say
"PAC Mate remote mode on" and Jaws will start. You now have control of
your PC through the PAC Mate and a fully authorized Jaws.
If you wish to use the PAC Mate functions you can turn off the Remote
Mode with the same keystrokes you turned it on with. This will not shut
down Jaws on the PC and you can still use Jaws with the PC keyboard.
To stop working in remote mode, press Insert F4 on the PAC Mate if you
have the QX. If you have the BX press DOTS 1-2-8 CHORD, D or DOTS 1-5-8
CHORD, D. You will hear "Do you really want to quit JAWS? Press Enter to
quit now or Escape to cancel." Press ENTER to unload JAWS from the PC
and the PAC Mate returns to normal mode.
Note that because the BX does not have many of the keys necessary to
control a PC alternatives have been set up. See your PAC Mate BX
documentation for more details.
***
Did you know that if you own a PAC Mate you also own a copy of Jaws for
the PC? Your PAC Mate acts as an authorization. This is something not a
lot of people are aware of but there are times when it can come in
handy. The option is called "Active Sync Remote PAC Mate". Not only does
it allow you to use Jaws on a PC but it also allows you to use the
keyboard and c display from the PAC Mate to control the PC.
The following steps will get you started:
1. Install Jaws. You must use a version later than 6.2 for this to work
properly. You don't need to activate the Jaws but you can if you wish
to.
2. Establish an active sync session between the PC and the PAC Mate.
3. From ere there are 2 ways to go. There is a program included with
Jaws called Pac Mate Desktop. This needs to be running before this will
work. You can run this directly from the Start Menu, Programs, JawsX [X
being the version of Jaws you have installed], tools, PAC Mate Desktop.
If you want this program to automatically start when your computer does
then you need to start Jaws. Press JawsKey J to move to either the Jaws
window or the Context menu. Go to the Options menu, locate Basics and
press enter. Tab until you hear "automatically start PAC Mate Desktop"
and make sure the check box is checked. Press Enter to exit the Basics
dialog. Now exit Jaws.
4. Your PAC Mate has a built in command for starting Jaws. Note that if
you don't do it this way Jaws will not recognize the PAC Mate as an
Authorization. To start Jaws press Insert Shift F4 on the QX. Press
DOTS 1-2-7-8 CHORD, D or DOTS 1-5-7-8 CHORD, D. Your PAC Mate will say
"PAC Mate remote mode on" and Jaws will start. You now have control of
your PC through the PAC Mate and a fully authorized Jaws.
If you wish to use the PAC Mate functions you can turn off the Remote
Mode with the same keystrokes you turned it on with. This will not shut
down Jaws on the PC and you can still use Jaws with the PC keyboard.
To stop working in remote mode, press Insert F4 on the PAC Mate if you
have the QX. If you have the BX press DOTS 1-2-8 CHORD, D or DOTS 1-5-8
CHORD, D. You will hear "Do you really want to quit JAWS? Press Enter to
quit now or Escape to cancel." Press ENTER to unload JAWS from the PC
and the PAC Mate returns to normal mode.
Note that because the BX does not have many of the keys necessary to
control a PC alternatives have been set up. See your PAC Mate BX
documentation for more details.
Web Accessibility News
Latest goings-on in the web accessibility community. Found all on a valuable resource, Twitter!
- Accessibility and the Law: from Practical eCommerce (from @joedolson)
- Drupal Developers: Build accessibility into themes (and in general) (from @pixeldiva)
- Working in Web Accessibility: (from @jared_w_smith)
- New accessibility features in Firefox 3.5 (from @MarcoZehe)
- Internet access as a human right (from @crgonzalez)
- The new Pogo Sketch - Persons with mobility impairments can now use the Pogo Sketch stylus with Blackberry Storm (from @berryaccess)
MSI Wind Netbook with System Access for $399
As a part of their convention specials, Serotek is offering the refurbished MSI Wind netbook witha copy of System Access for ATOM processors for $399. It's one of the best deals we've seen for this system, which includes 802.11G wireless and Windows XP Home. Deal ends July 10.Post a comment3 Serotek convention specials July 3-10.
MSI Wind with SA for $399. Win a netbook Add to: | del.icio.us | Technorati | Digg | Yahoo
MSI Wind with SA for $399. Win a netbook Add to: | del.icio.us | Technorati | Digg | Yahoo
HandyTech Special convention pricing posted!
Convention season is once again upon us and to keep you all cool please visit the above link to find out the special convention pricing brought to you by HandyTech North America.Post a comment3 Serotek convention specials July 3-10.
MSI Wind with SA for $399. Win a netbook Add to: | del.icio.us | Technorati | Digg | Yahoo
MSI Wind with SA for $399. Win a netbook Add to: | del.icio.us | Technorati | Digg | Yahoo
GW Micro comes out swinging-- announces BookSense pricing, enters NLS digital book player arena
I’ve been using and loving my Victor Reader Stream since late February of last year. I’ve been hooked on it since day one. The reason I believe this quickly became Humanware’s best-selling product of all time is that they provided a tool that was needed at a time when it was needed most. And, they did it, and kept the price where this was the most bang for one’s assistive technology dollars, by including the most necessary features while leaving off those which were peripheral and/or overly costly. In that process, they created a product which I believe ranks amongst the most revolutionary of assistive technology products for blind people.
All that said, I knew Humanware wasn’t going to be the only maker of products that could read books from the National Library Service. I knew of at least two more products coming down the pipe, but the Stream was here almost a year and a half ago, and it was ready to change lives. Also, nobody knew the exact pricing of these alternatives, either.
The reason I’m writing about this today is that another of these products, which is aiming for a similar launch and reception by the blind community, has hit the ground, and released pricing that can make them a competitor with the Stream.
The product I’m speaking about is the
BookSense
manufactured by
GW Micro.
At $499, the pricing of this product is higher than that of the Stream, but it isn’t out of the stratosphere, especially for a solid assistive technology product. It also comes with features the Stream doesn’t.
If you’re interested in looking at how this digital book player compares to the Stream, you might want to check out
Wayne Merritt’s comparison.
Wayne keeps his overview brief, but he does offer a link for a fuller comparison of the competing products.
Personally, I'll be keeping my Stream. It is still going strong and appears that it will continue to do so for a long time. However, if something were to happen where it broke and I was facing the need to invest in another player, though, I'd have to look both ways before crossing the digital book player street. What GW Micro is sending down the street sounds pretty inviting.
All that said, I knew Humanware wasn’t going to be the only maker of products that could read books from the National Library Service. I knew of at least two more products coming down the pipe, but the Stream was here almost a year and a half ago, and it was ready to change lives. Also, nobody knew the exact pricing of these alternatives, either.
The reason I’m writing about this today is that another of these products, which is aiming for a similar launch and reception by the blind community, has hit the ground, and released pricing that can make them a competitor with the Stream.
The product I’m speaking about is the
BookSense
manufactured by
GW Micro.
At $499, the pricing of this product is higher than that of the Stream, but it isn’t out of the stratosphere, especially for a solid assistive technology product. It also comes with features the Stream doesn’t.
If you’re interested in looking at how this digital book player compares to the Stream, you might want to check out
Wayne Merritt’s comparison.
Wayne keeps his overview brief, but he does offer a link for a fuller comparison of the competing products.
Personally, I'll be keeping my Stream. It is still going strong and appears that it will continue to do so for a long time. However, if something were to happen where it broke and I was facing the need to invest in another player, though, I'd have to look both ways before crossing the digital book player street. What GW Micro is sending down the street sounds pretty inviting.
Win your choice of Sendero GPS packages from the Michigan Association of Blind Students and Sendero Group!
The Michigan Association of Blind Students is
raffling off one copy of a Sendero GPS package.
Tickets cost $5 each, or five for $20.
Once selected, the winner has the choice of one
copy of the following Sendero GPS software packages:
1. Sendero GPS for the Braille Note
2. Sense Nav for the Braille Sense and Voice Sense
3. Mobile Geo for Windows Mobile devices
4. StreetTalkT VIP for the PAC Mate Omni (When released)
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Tickets will be sold throughout convention. Look
for a MABS member to buy yours. Drawing will be
at noon on Wednesday, July 8. Winner need not be present to win.
If you wish to buy tickets in advance or are not
attending convention, you may do so using Paypal.
Please email Matt McCubbin at
MGoalball@gmail.com
If you have questions or wish to purchase advance tickets.
A portion of the proceeds will help to start a
scholarship fund for blind students in Michigan.
Thanks in advance for your support, and good luck.Post a comment3 Serotek convention specials July 3-10.
MSI Wind with SA for $399. Win a netbook Add to: | del.icio.us | Technorati | Digg | Yahoo
MSI Wind with SA for $399. Win a netbook Add to: | del.icio.us | Technorati | Digg | Yahoo
Win a fully loaded Nokia N95 from HandyTech
For those of you attending the national convention of the National Federation of the Blind, NFB, be sure to stop by and register for your chance to win a Nokia N95 fully loaded with your choice of Talks or MobileSpeak Screenreader from HandyTech North America. To find out more or to purchase raffle tickets contact Dave Wright at:
dave@handytech.us
or by calling room 1620 at the Marriot Renaissance Center. Tickets can be purchased for $5 per ticket, or $20 for 5 tickets. The winner of the raffle will be contacted after the NFB Convention.Post a comment3 Serotek convention specials July 3-10.
MSI Wind with SA for $399. Win a netbook Add to: | del.icio.us | Technorati | Digg | Yahoo
MSI Wind with SA for $399. Win a netbook Add to: | del.icio.us | Technorati | Digg | Yahoo
Good Thursday TV Coverage of the Kindle Lawsuit
At around 4:00 Thursday afternoon, I was contacted by Melissa Blasius with Channel 12 News in Phoenix and asked if I could be available at 5:30 to be interviewed for a story that would run on the 10:00 newscast. I discovered I could prepare myself and make the necessary transportation arrangements for this sort of work within one hour after receiving the request.
You may now watch the video of the story on the 10:00 evening news. An article was also written based on this story, though its text is significantly different from the dialogue on the newscast. A copy of the article's text is provided for easy accessibility.
My thanks go to Chris Skarstad (Toonhead) and CathyAnne Murtha of the Access Technology Institute for their vital assistance making it possible to bring to all of you a direct link to the video despite accessibility issues with the 12 News web site.
Lawsuit says ASU discriminates by using e-books
by Melissa Blasius - Jul. 2, 2009 11:13 PM
12 News
A journalism student has filed a discrimination lawsuit against Arizona State University.
Darrell Shandrow, a junior, wants the university to delay a pilot program for electronic textbooks and readers called Kindles. He says the devices, made by Amazon, are impossible to use by visually-impaired people.
Sandrow, who is blind, says Kindles have a text-to-audio function that can read the books out loud, but he claims on-screen menus have no audio functions. That means he could never navigate to page one. Blind students would have to continue ordering specialty texts in braille or audio formats, and those books can take months to arrive.
Shandrow said, "Asking us to continue on as we're going is like saying to sighted students you are climbing on to jet age with your e-books, but blind students still need to use the horse and buggy."
The National Federation of the Blind and the American Council of the Blind are also plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which claims ASU's use of Kindles would put blind students on unequal footing.
An ASU spokesman sent a response to 12 News. It said Kindles would be used "for a single course where students may also access traditional textbooks."
In the statement, Spokesman Virgil Renzulli also said all campuses have Disability Resource Centers "providing the necessary tools so that all students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to be successful in their academic pursuits."
Braille Sense Plus QWERTY Now Shipping!
“GW Micro is proud to announce the release of the Braille Sense Plus QWERTY – a full featured notetaker boasting many of the great features of the Braille Sense Plus, with the addition of a 77-key, PC-like keyboard.
The Braille Sense Plus QWERTY includes a 32 cell Braille display, speech output and ergonomic design, weighing in at a mere 2 lbs. With 8GB of built-in storage memory you will have plenty of storage space for all the files you download using the built-in Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection. 128MB of RAM provides for quick processing response time. The VGA Port allows you to have a conversation with a large group using an external monitor or projector. It also has one SD slot, one CF slot, two USB ports, a user-removable battery, and supports Bluetooth and GW Sense Navigation.
The Braille Sense Plus retails for $5995, plus shipping.
If you already own a Braille Sense Plus, you may choose to upgrade from your existing unit to a Braille Sense Plus QWERTY for the reduced price of $2000. This offer is only available until September 30, and will involve using some components of your existing Braille Sense Plus unit.
If you are attending the ACB or NFB national conventions we hope you will stop by our booth to try out the Braille Sense Plus QWERTY, and see the latest, most advanced QWERTY Braille notetaker in action.
For questions or to place an order, please call GW Micro at (260) 489-3671 or visit www.gwmicro.com to find a local GW Micro dealer.
Dolphin release EasyTutor version 8
Dolphin Computer Access has today announced the release of EasyTutor version 8; Dolphin's advanced reading and writing aid, empowering people of all ages with learning disabilities including dyslexia to improve their literacy skills. EasyTutor version 8 not only provides users with assistance when typing and full access to a variety of documents (including Microsoft Word documents and users favourite web pages), but also now includes full access to talking books through the addition of the world's favourite talking book software player, Dolphin EasyReader, to the EasyTutor offering.
What is EasyTutor?EasyTutor is Dolphin's advanced reading and writing aid, supporting computer users with Dyslexia, low literacy levels, and people who otherwise experience difficulties with reading, writing and spelling.
EasyTutor provides access to a variety of different document types (including users favourite web pages and scanned paper-based documents)*, reading the content in a clear, human sounding voice and highlighting each word as it is spoken. EasyTutor can also help to build computer users' vocabulary through the use of an intuitive word prediction engine, and an advanced word and homophone dictionary and thesaurus, each containing handy image-based as well as text-based definitions of words.
EasyTutor version 8 now includes Dolphin EasyReaderThe addition of the recently released EasyReader version 5.01 to EasyTutor's UK release means that EasyTutor users now have unrivalled access to Talking Books without the need to purchase additional software. Talking Books offer fantastic access to reading materials through highlighted text and audio; a combination which has been shown to increase the exam scores of students with low literacy levels by up to 40%.**
Sir Steve Redgrave, ambassador for the AltFormat.org campaign for alternative format provision, who is dyslexic himself, explains why the inclusion of EasyReader to EasyTutor's offering is so important:
"We're in a digital age; it's now possible to create digital books that could be presented for example as combined audio and text. This type of talking book is proving highly popular with everyone that uses it... Talking books are probably the single most exciting thing to happen to people with dyslexia and now Dolphin EasyTutor supports them with the addition of Dolphin EasyReader to its bank of easy-to-use features."
What's new in EasyTutor version 8?Dolphin EasyTutor version 8 offers an incredible range of additional features and functionality, justifying Dolphin's decision to move from version 2.02 to version 8.01. Dolphin's Dyslexia Product manager Stefan Pearson explains:
"EasyTutor version 8 is incredibly feature rich, including new functionality such as the Screen Ruler to help users read the text on the screen a line at a time, and also the Study Tools to assist users to present information in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. Also, the EasyReader add-in allows users unrivalled access to talking books with the World's favourite software talking book player. With these improvements coupled with EasyTutor's existing reading and writing support, EasyTutor version 8 is an exciting and innovative solution that can make a huge difference to people with learning disabilities."
EasyTutor v8.01 now includes a vast array of additional features including:
- Save as Video: allowing users to save documents as video files to view on a portable media player, or on their PC at their leisure
- Screen Ruler: magnifying a horizontal area across the screen, making it that little bit easier to read through documents a line at a time
- Study Notes: collecting information from documents and webpages, saving it as a project, ready to be imported straight into Microsoft Word or PowerPoint
- EasyReader add-in: EasyTutor now comes with the latest version of the world's favourite software DAISY player, EasyReader*
- Brand new EasyTutor toolbar: The EasyTutor toolbar has been revamped with new, crisp and clear icons. What's more, users can now choose their preferred look and feel of EasyTutor, with three brand new skins to choose from
- And much much more: read the full list of What's New in EasyTutor version 8 on the Dolphin website.
The release has commenced with a UK English and Dutch version, with translations into a multitude of different languages expected over the coming weeks and months. These translations include US English, Swedish, Icelandic, Finnish, Hebrew, to name but a few.
Even with these huge advancements in features and functionality, EasyTutor v8.01 is available for only £159; a credit crunch busting 20% discount from the price of v2.02.
Related Links:Read the full list of EasyTutor Version 8 Features
Find out What's new in EasyTutor version 8
Download a free 15 day trial version of EasyTutor version 8
* Scanning functionality and the EasyReader add-in are not available on the Dolphin Pen version of EasyTutor. EasyTutor version 8.01 in UK English includes EasyReader version 5.01. EasyTutor version 8.01 in Dutch includes EasyReader version 3.01.
** Source: Effects of Audio Texts on the Acquisition of Secondary-Level Content by Students with Mild Disabilities; Elizabeth A. Boyle, Michael S. Rosenberg, Vincent J. Connelly, Shari Gallin Washburn, Loring C. Brinckerhoff and Manju Banerjee; Learning Disability Quarterly, Vol. 26, No. 3 (Summer, 2003), pp. 203-214; http://www.rfbd.org/mediapr23.htm.
Wil’s Tweets for 2009-07-03
- Wil’s Tweets for 2009-07-02 http://tinyurl.com/kjdkrb #
- My Daily Twittascope - http://bit.ly/HwGmc #
- KIRKWOOD, NY - Two men who robbed a gas station were caught after the ran out of gas. #
- It’s usually faster to ride a bicycle through Tokyo than it is to take a car. #
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The Booksense makes sense
Greetings. I have yet to place my order for this new and exciting device, and I'm already posting about it here on my blog. The Booksense is one of the newest book reading/MP3 playing devices out there. Rather than me ramble through lots of features, let me point you to two resources. The first is a Comparison chart between the Booksense, VR Stream, and Plextalk Pocket and the Booksense Unvailing (MP3 file direct download link). Both of these will give you more than enough information on this new product.
I initially read over the comparison chart out of curiosity, to see how the Booksense would stack up against the Victor Reader Stream. However, I found myself going over sections of the chart several times to make sure I was reading it right. Shortly after I had finished, I was on the phone with a local dealer of GW Micro products asking about pricing and other features. The price for the Booksense XT might seem a little high at $499, but given that all you get, and add on the discount they're running till September 30 where they're taking off $50 of the XT price and $35 from the Booksense Standard's price, it more than makes up for it. So, below is a summary of some of the key features or distinguishing characteristics of the Booksense, at least compared to the Sttream, and other notes. This is not an exaustive list, but these are some of the things that jumped out at me. Check out the two links above for more details.
Cons:
* Wording: the dealer told me that the Booksense is still under development to a degree and the manufacturer's are working on some of the wording in certain parts of it. Nothing big, but coming from the perspective of a computer teacher, there are some terms used that are usually used with Windows, and the way you interact with said item differs from how you might do it in Windows. The Booksense is not a computer, but I couldn't help but notice this conflict.
* Battery life: the Booksense runs for 12 hours, verses the Stream which runs for 15 hours. I haven't timed my Stream from start to finish, so I don't know if I actually play it for the full 15 hours. However, given that this is really the only major problem I have with the Booksense, and that the pros listed below more than make up for the battery life, I can deal with it.
Now, here's some of the pros that I found interesting:
* Folder names: the names of the folders where you put your reading material or audio files make more sense than the Stream. For instance, instead of calling the music folder VrMusic, on the Booksense, it's simply called Music. What a concept?
* Battery charge time, especially since it takes half the time of the Stream, at 2 hours verses 4 for the Stream.
* Recording formats: You can record in some more standard formats on the Booksense, rather than an obscure one where you need special software in order to convert them into a standard format.
* Built in FM radio: not a big thing and not a deal breaker for me. I'd be just as happy without a radio on my device, but in this day and age of combining multiple tasks into one device, I'm all for it. This way I can just take one device with me on trips, rather than carrying my reading device and a Walkman or other portable radio.
* Built in storage on the Booksense XT model: try 4 GB of storage! Since I have a 32 GB SDHC card, built in storage isn't a big deal, except for perhaps important documents or files that I don't want to accidentally delete on the sD card, like perhaps the user manual.
* Smaller size: according to the unvailing event linked above, the Booksense is 30 percent smaller than the Stream. Meaning, it's about the size of a candy bar cell phone. That sounds pretty good to me!
*Every Booksense comes with an SD card. The size of the card will depend on which model you buy: the standard has a 2 GB and the XT has an 8 GB. I can't tell you how many people I talked with, that when I told them of the stream, I also had to endure the disappointment from them upon hearing that the Stream didn't come with a card included. It's definitely a downer to find that you have to buy something else when you've already spent a certain amount on a product. Not a big deal, but definitely notable that each Booksense comes with its own card. And no, there's no way to not get a card. Consider it another option for storing lots of tunes or books.
* Ability to charge the Booksense via USB: yes, if you have the unit connected to your computer via the USB cable, then along with transferring files, you can also charge the battery. There's forward thinking.
* Ability to read Audible, Book Share, NLS digital talking books, and coming in the next release in another month or so, RFB&D files.
* Ability to read Word documents, including Word 2007 files.
* And more.
I'll probably read over this list later and think of things to add, but this list is a start. Considering that I was looking at netbooks and seriously considering which one to buy, and now this netbook purchase has been moved back for several months, that tells you where my buying priorities have shifted to.
Will the BookSsense overtake the stream? Who knows; only time will tell on that. As the dealer said earlier, there are people that will like one over the other, and there will be those people that like both. Also, both of these devices are great devices. In a sense, the Booksense is an extension of the Stream, just as in the next year or two, there may be newer devices that build on what the Booksense is doing. Will I get rid of my Stream after I get a Booksense? No way; the Stream is special. Personally, I think the Stream was the right device at the right time in the right place when it came out. I sat down one day not long ago and calculated approximately how much money the Stream has made HumanWare in 18 months, given a certain number of units that were sold in that timeframe. The first 18 months saw around 15,000 Streams sold, which assuming they all cost the same price and that everyone paid for them (yes, assumptions here, but I had to go off of something), I came up with over $5,000,000! I wonder how many other devices for the blind have made that much money in their first 18 months? I'm not sure that the Booksense will capture that following that the Stream had it its history, but then again, who's to say it won't? It will be interesting to watch how things go for GW Micro over the next few months and year.
One other question I want to toss out: with GW Micro and HumanWare diversifying their product lines in recent years, having screen readers, screen magnifyers, portable magnifyers in some cases, note takers, and now book/Daisy reading and mP3 playing devices, when is Freedom Scientific going to join in with their contribution? And, how will that contribution compare with what's already out there? Time will tell on that front as well.
AS for me, I'll be reading up on the Booksense over the next 2 days, and anxiously awaiting my own unit. If the attendance at the unvailing of the Booksense or some of the comments I've read from other people on the web is any indication, this looks to be a device that many people will want to get their hands on. A colleague of mine wrote that he's already preordered his and will have it when he returns from the NFB convention next week. At the time I read that, I thought, "How can you preorder a device that you haven't even seen yet? Crazy." However, now I think I know.
I initially read over the comparison chart out of curiosity, to see how the Booksense would stack up against the Victor Reader Stream. However, I found myself going over sections of the chart several times to make sure I was reading it right. Shortly after I had finished, I was on the phone with a local dealer of GW Micro products asking about pricing and other features. The price for the Booksense XT might seem a little high at $499, but given that all you get, and add on the discount they're running till September 30 where they're taking off $50 of the XT price and $35 from the Booksense Standard's price, it more than makes up for it. So, below is a summary of some of the key features or distinguishing characteristics of the Booksense, at least compared to the Sttream, and other notes. This is not an exaustive list, but these are some of the things that jumped out at me. Check out the two links above for more details.
Cons:
* Wording: the dealer told me that the Booksense is still under development to a degree and the manufacturer's are working on some of the wording in certain parts of it. Nothing big, but coming from the perspective of a computer teacher, there are some terms used that are usually used with Windows, and the way you interact with said item differs from how you might do it in Windows. The Booksense is not a computer, but I couldn't help but notice this conflict.
* Battery life: the Booksense runs for 12 hours, verses the Stream which runs for 15 hours. I haven't timed my Stream from start to finish, so I don't know if I actually play it for the full 15 hours. However, given that this is really the only major problem I have with the Booksense, and that the pros listed below more than make up for the battery life, I can deal with it.
Now, here's some of the pros that I found interesting:
* Folder names: the names of the folders where you put your reading material or audio files make more sense than the Stream. For instance, instead of calling the music folder VrMusic, on the Booksense, it's simply called Music. What a concept?
* Battery charge time, especially since it takes half the time of the Stream, at 2 hours verses 4 for the Stream.
* Recording formats: You can record in some more standard formats on the Booksense, rather than an obscure one where you need special software in order to convert them into a standard format.
* Built in FM radio: not a big thing and not a deal breaker for me. I'd be just as happy without a radio on my device, but in this day and age of combining multiple tasks into one device, I'm all for it. This way I can just take one device with me on trips, rather than carrying my reading device and a Walkman or other portable radio.
* Built in storage on the Booksense XT model: try 4 GB of storage! Since I have a 32 GB SDHC card, built in storage isn't a big deal, except for perhaps important documents or files that I don't want to accidentally delete on the sD card, like perhaps the user manual.
* Smaller size: according to the unvailing event linked above, the Booksense is 30 percent smaller than the Stream. Meaning, it's about the size of a candy bar cell phone. That sounds pretty good to me!
*Every Booksense comes with an SD card. The size of the card will depend on which model you buy: the standard has a 2 GB and the XT has an 8 GB. I can't tell you how many people I talked with, that when I told them of the stream, I also had to endure the disappointment from them upon hearing that the Stream didn't come with a card included. It's definitely a downer to find that you have to buy something else when you've already spent a certain amount on a product. Not a big deal, but definitely notable that each Booksense comes with its own card. And no, there's no way to not get a card. Consider it another option for storing lots of tunes or books.
* Ability to charge the Booksense via USB: yes, if you have the unit connected to your computer via the USB cable, then along with transferring files, you can also charge the battery. There's forward thinking.
* Ability to read Audible, Book Share, NLS digital talking books, and coming in the next release in another month or so, RFB&D files.
* Ability to read Word documents, including Word 2007 files.
* And more.
I'll probably read over this list later and think of things to add, but this list is a start. Considering that I was looking at netbooks and seriously considering which one to buy, and now this netbook purchase has been moved back for several months, that tells you where my buying priorities have shifted to.
Will the BookSsense overtake the stream? Who knows; only time will tell on that. As the dealer said earlier, there are people that will like one over the other, and there will be those people that like both. Also, both of these devices are great devices. In a sense, the Booksense is an extension of the Stream, just as in the next year or two, there may be newer devices that build on what the Booksense is doing. Will I get rid of my Stream after I get a Booksense? No way; the Stream is special. Personally, I think the Stream was the right device at the right time in the right place when it came out. I sat down one day not long ago and calculated approximately how much money the Stream has made HumanWare in 18 months, given a certain number of units that were sold in that timeframe. The first 18 months saw around 15,000 Streams sold, which assuming they all cost the same price and that everyone paid for them (yes, assumptions here, but I had to go off of something), I came up with over $5,000,000! I wonder how many other devices for the blind have made that much money in their first 18 months? I'm not sure that the Booksense will capture that following that the Stream had it its history, but then again, who's to say it won't? It will be interesting to watch how things go for GW Micro over the next few months and year.
One other question I want to toss out: with GW Micro and HumanWare diversifying their product lines in recent years, having screen readers, screen magnifyers, portable magnifyers in some cases, note takers, and now book/Daisy reading and mP3 playing devices, when is Freedom Scientific going to join in with their contribution? And, how will that contribution compare with what's already out there? Time will tell on that front as well.
AS for me, I'll be reading up on the Booksense over the next 2 days, and anxiously awaiting my own unit. If the attendance at the unvailing of the Booksense or some of the comments I've read from other people on the web is any indication, this looks to be a device that many people will want to get their hands on. A colleague of mine wrote that he's already preordered his and will have it when he returns from the NFB convention next week. At the time I read that, I thought, "How can you preorder a device that you haven't even seen yet? Crazy." However, now I think I know.
Rachel: coming out of the cyber woodwork
Hi there, kids! Well, I've been pestered by Fatty today and thought it was time to give an update. Fatty and I spent a good while on skype today just talking about this and that, and we got call graph working again! What a team effort. Oh I love team work. lol. Anyway, that's a program where you can record skype calls and when we actually get it together, we're gonna record a podcast and send it to the readers of these ramblings. There's no obligation to listen, of course. grin. As for life on the east coast? Hmmm. I'm traveling through some personal circumstances that challenge me quite deeply, but one can never turn down an opportunity to grow closer to God and the friends you love, right? Other than that, I'm finishing up summer school and I'll be heading home tomorrow afternoon. It'll be really nice to be with my family for awhile...haven't done that since they came to visit me down here. I'm really going to miss April and Christy though, and the routines we've established over this 2 month period. I've definitely learned a lot about a lot of things, and that was also an objective of mine besides getting 6 credits out of the way to make next year's load just a bit easier. Mattie's doing pretty good...having some relieving in harness issues, which we're working on, and I'm trying to pick up on her signals when I know what's happened and what may happen. boy, talk about confusing. Oh man! I gotta tell y'all (I just wrote that for some southern humor, which I really can't do that well because I'm originally not from the south), but anyway, I have to tell you some great news that Amy told me today on skype! She completed the purchase of a Pantech Duo smart phone and mobile speak from ATNT and she'll get it soon. I'm all excited about it, cuz she purchased it for me. A combined Christmas/birthday gift. grin. so that's amazing! My lovely nokia 6682 is slowly breaking down, much to my denial of this occurrence. So we'll see how this new phone works out. It has both a numbpad and a keyboard so I can choose how I'd like to text. Sadly, she said it comes installed with just the dectalk voice of mobile speak, so we'll se how I adjust to that. I'm gonna miss talks. I really like it! And you're not allowed to comment on that fatty! so meh. I pass this off to Amy now and we'll see where she takes us. Rachel and Mattie
© 2008 Chetan M. Bakhru. All rights reserved.