PAC Mate, Humanware, and Everyone Else

Today, Freedom Scientific released their PAC Mate version 3.0 software. This version has been advertised
and touted for several months, so its good to see that they have finally released it. Freedom scientific have also released JAWS version 6.2, which is
a free update to existing 6.1 and 6.0 customers. These two events are significant because, among other things, you can use your PAC Mate to drive your
PC or laptop with JAWS 6.2! Read more about this new use of the PAC Mate and JAWS on the Freedom scientific site.

Yesterday, Humanware announced their new line of products, based on the Braillenote model, called Braillenote mPower. Read about this on the official
press release.

The debate of which is better, the Braillenote or the PAC Mate, will continue for likely quite awhile. Granted, the following is coming from a dedicated
PAC Mate user, and a former Braillenote user, I hope you'll consider it all the same. Here it is: It's interesting the number of Windows CE related devices
that were out two years ago (only the Braillenote and the PAC Mate), compared to the number of Windows CE/Pocket PC devices that are out now, which, aside from the ones already mentioned, include
offerings from: Humanware, Dolphin, GW Micro, Code Factory, and probably others. IMO, these devices came out in direct competition to the PAC Mate. Obvious
statement? Sure. But consider this: if all these devices are out and are competing against the PAC Mate, then its only natural to conclude that the PAC
Mate is doing something right. Competition is good, it can make good products better, or improve ones that may not be as good. However, and here's more
biased opinions, I think that the PAC Mate will ultimately win out.

Included in the new PAC Mate version, among other things, are: complete support for the AOL Instant Messenger, and support for several deaf-blind solutions
which are out or will be out by the end of the year. We'll see what the "competition" does.