Greetings. I don't usually post updates, unless they're major ones, for the BrailleNote line of products here. However, I'm doing it today because I know a lot of people use BookShare and this update mainly addresses the new zip file archives from the new BookShare site. Plus, there's some other things in here that a BrailleNote owner/enthusiast might like. I received this information from the GUI-Talk email list. enjoy.
***
Longueuil, Quebec, March 18 2009 -- KeySoft 7.5, Build 31 for the BrailleNote mPower, BrailleNote Classic and BrailleNote PK has been released today.
In January 2009 Bookshare updated their web site offering members a number of benefits including a change from their proprietary decompression technology, (the unpack tool), to the industry standard unzip technology. This change temporarily interrupted access to Bookshare books using the BrailleNote family of products. From Bookshare member feedback and comments we recognized the importance of this access and are releasing this free update that fixes the ability to download and unzip books to current users of KeySoft 7.5.
For users of the BrailleNote PK and Classic we have also taken the opportunity to correct the error associated with scheduling an appointment, and the failure in some circumstances to retain words added to the spelling dictionary that were corrected for mPower users in Build 29. For PK users the long term issue of sometimes losing speech has been identified and corrected.
Please read the file "Release Note for KeySoft 7.5 Build 31" for further tips on using the Bookshare site with your BrailleNote.
We encourage existing KeySoft 7.5 users to take advantage of this important Bookshare access update as the Development Team finalizes the release of KeySoft 8.0.
Installation Notes:
BrailleNote mPower
Users upgrading their mPower from an earlier version of KeySoft 7.5 do not have to download and re-install the 7.5 Product Key. Users installing KeySoft 7.5 for the first time will need to obtain a Product key. The following brief instructions apply to those Users who are already running KeySoft 7.5 on their mPower.
Simply download the new Bin file from the KeySoft 7.5 Upgrade page, using the link "KeySoft 7.5 mPower Download".
Save the Bin file to a correctly prepared SD card. This card must be 512mB or less in capacity. Insert the card in the mPower, connect the AC Adapter, and perform a Reset with dots 4-5 held down. The upgrade process will then begin. Do not remove the AC adapter or press Reset during the upgrade process.
BrailleNote Classic
Users upgrading their Classic from an earlier version of KeySoft 7.5 do not have to download and re-install the 7.5 Product Key. Users installing KeySoft 7.5 for the first time will need to obtain a Product key. The following brief instructions apply to those Users who are already running KeySoft 7.5 on their Classic.
Simply download the new Bin file from the KeySoft 7.5 Upgrade page, using the link "KeySoft 7.5 Classic Download".
Save the Bin file to a Compact Flash card. Connect the AC Adapter, and perform a Reset with dots 4-5 held down. The upgrade process will then begin. Do not remove the AC adapter or press Reset during the upgrade process.
BrailleNote PK
The following brief instructions apply to PK Users.
Download the correct version of the BrailleNote PK Upgrader, using the link "BrailleNote PK Upgrader".
Download the new NB0 file from the KeySoft 7.5 Upgrade page, using the link "KeySoft 7.5 BrailleNote PK Download".
Save both files to a Compact Flash card. Connect the AC Adapter, and run the "BrailleNote PK Upgrade.exe" using the Utilities Menu, Application Program option. The upgrade process will then begin. Do not remove the AC adapter or press Reset during the upgrade process.
KeySoft 7.5 upgrade page:
http://www.humanware.com/en-usa/support/braillenote/software/keysoft_7.5_upgrade
Showing posts with label BrailleNote. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BrailleNote. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 18
Tuesday, March 10
Thoughts on Street Talk version 2
Greetings. I learned from reading the daily deals from the Blind Bargains site today, that Freedom Scientific is poised to release the next version of street Talk for the PAC Mate. It will be called Street Talk VIP and the you can read all about it from the link above.
While I'm pleased that they're finally going to release the long awaited Street Talk version 2, even though that's not what they're calling it, there are several things of note here. First, it's not called Street Talk version 2. Since the PAC Mate went to the Omni, all we heard from FS is that they were "working on the next version of Street Talk." However, this grows even more curious and interesting when you consider where they went with Street Talk. If you read the Blind Bargains post carefully, you se that FS has adopted the Sendero GPS program model and pricing for their GPS solution. Why is this significant? For the longest time, what differed Street Talk and the Sendero Group GPS solution, among other things, was the price. Street Talk 1 was around $600 for the full package, of hardware GPS, Street Talk 1.0 software, and appropriate connection cards for the PAC Mate. Verses the varying cost of the sendero GPS product, which usually ends up being around $1,500, which included their GPS software and minimum specs on storage cards and connection. Since I've never invested in either of these solutions, my quoting of what they include might be slightly off. However, the fact remains that FS was charging less than half of what the Sendero Group was charging for similar GPS software. If you look at all of the products that use the Sendero GPS software, such as the Braille Note line, the Voice Sense and Sense Nav products, and others, they tend to revolve around the $1,500 pricing point. Why so expensive? From what I've heard, it's due to the extremely accurate GPS data and that these programs are customized for the blind user. Street Talk was customized for the blind user, but only in the since that the Street Talk software itself was customized for the blind PAC Mate user. The other parts of the Street Talk package, including the off the shelf Destinator software that also ran with Street Talk, were just that--off the shelf. In other words, they were what any normal sighted geek would use on their mobile device. Okay, perhaps the mobile device of the sighted geek didn't use an older version of Destinator, but they did use the same software in that regard as blind folk with their PAC Mates. Now though, that's not the case.
I can't help but wonder why FS chose to go in this direction of going for one of the "blind oriented" GPS packages, rather than continuing to innovate with Street Talk. We may never know, at least not publicly, but I would like to ask an FS rep this question,along with the following: is this a sign of things to come? Are you going to move more toward what the other GPS packages and related note takers for the blind on the market are doing, such as with the Braille Note and Voice Sense, in that they are in a closed operating system? This could be a sign of things to come, or, it could just be a small piece in the over all FS product catelog. Either way, it's an interesting move. I'm sure that they will promote the new Street Talk VIP heavily over the next few months, at CSUN and the summer convensions, and at the other trade shows they go to throughout the rest of the year. I can't help but return to that initial question though of "Why the switch to the Sendero Group products?" Time will tell I suppose.
While I'm pleased that they're finally going to release the long awaited Street Talk version 2, even though that's not what they're calling it, there are several things of note here. First, it's not called Street Talk version 2. Since the PAC Mate went to the Omni, all we heard from FS is that they were "working on the next version of Street Talk." However, this grows even more curious and interesting when you consider where they went with Street Talk. If you read the Blind Bargains post carefully, you se that FS has adopted the Sendero GPS program model and pricing for their GPS solution. Why is this significant? For the longest time, what differed Street Talk and the Sendero Group GPS solution, among other things, was the price. Street Talk 1 was around $600 for the full package, of hardware GPS, Street Talk 1.0 software, and appropriate connection cards for the PAC Mate. Verses the varying cost of the sendero GPS product, which usually ends up being around $1,500, which included their GPS software and minimum specs on storage cards and connection. Since I've never invested in either of these solutions, my quoting of what they include might be slightly off. However, the fact remains that FS was charging less than half of what the Sendero Group was charging for similar GPS software. If you look at all of the products that use the Sendero GPS software, such as the Braille Note line, the Voice Sense and Sense Nav products, and others, they tend to revolve around the $1,500 pricing point. Why so expensive? From what I've heard, it's due to the extremely accurate GPS data and that these programs are customized for the blind user. Street Talk was customized for the blind user, but only in the since that the Street Talk software itself was customized for the blind PAC Mate user. The other parts of the Street Talk package, including the off the shelf Destinator software that also ran with Street Talk, were just that--off the shelf. In other words, they were what any normal sighted geek would use on their mobile device. Okay, perhaps the mobile device of the sighted geek didn't use an older version of Destinator, but they did use the same software in that regard as blind folk with their PAC Mates. Now though, that's not the case.
I can't help but wonder why FS chose to go in this direction of going for one of the "blind oriented" GPS packages, rather than continuing to innovate with Street Talk. We may never know, at least not publicly, but I would like to ask an FS rep this question,along with the following: is this a sign of things to come? Are you going to move more toward what the other GPS packages and related note takers for the blind on the market are doing, such as with the Braille Note and Voice Sense, in that they are in a closed operating system? This could be a sign of things to come, or, it could just be a small piece in the over all FS product catelog. Either way, it's an interesting move. I'm sure that they will promote the new Street Talk VIP heavily over the next few months, at CSUN and the summer convensions, and at the other trade shows they go to throughout the rest of the year. I can't help but return to that initial question though of "Why the switch to the Sendero Group products?" Time will tell I suppose.
Thursday, January 29
Keysoft 8 features announced
Greetings. Since this week is the conference for ATIA, or Assistive Technology Industry Association, many of the AT companies are or will be making announcements about new products and/or product updates/upgrades. HumanWare is no exception with the following announcement about the forthcoming Keysoft 8.0, which according to the release, should be out in March. I'm guessing here, but a release around the time of the next major AT yearly conference of CSUN wouldn't surprise me in the least. At any rate, here is the press release and the list of new features that will be included in Keysoft 8. My comments appear after the release.
***
Unveiling KeySoft 8.0
Longueuil, January 29, 2009 - HumanWare is pleased to announce KeySoft
version 8.0, the latest upgrade to the KeySoft software suite. Version
8.0
will be available for mPower and PK platforms in March. KeySoft 8.0
requires
one count of a Software Maintenance Agreement (SMA).
What's new in KeySoft 8.0?
Experience new ways to communicate in real time and enrich your book
reading
experience with this new KeySoft version. Are you interested in learning
more about GPS navigation? You now have the opportunity to try for a
period
of 90 days the acclaimed Sendero GPS. Version 8.0 is packed with a wide
range of features to enhance the way you work and learn.
1.1 KeyChat
Communicate in real time with colleagues, friends and family using state
of
the art instant messaging (IM) services. Designed using the newest open
instant messaging standards, KeyChat can communicate through Google
Talk,
iChat and other chatting services. Google Talk is an innovative and free
IM
service. It offers an efficient, clutter-free, and easy way to chat.
Google
Talk smoothly integrates with the popular Gmail system, allowing you to
chat
in real time with your email contacts as well. Read and write messages
in
your preferred grade of Braille, manage conversations and follow chat
history with familiar KeySoft commands. Receive an Audio or Braille
notice
when a message arrives. Add new friends or select from your KeyList
contacts, or simply go online and enjoy!
1.2 Reading Audible.com books
KeySoft 8.0 will support Audible.com books. Audible.com offers a wide
audio
book collection for general and specialized audiences, including the
latest
best sellers. Teachers and parents can also join their new Audible Kids
service to access fun and educational content for school age kids or get
tips and ideas on how to help children get the most out of their
listening
experience. Fully integrated into KeyBook, you can listen to Audible
books
and customize various settings such as narration speed and audio tone.
Set
bookmarks, create text notes, and jump to any place in the book. To
obtain
Audible books, you will need to become a member of the Audible service
and
use the Audible manager to authorize your BrailleNote to play the
protected
Audible books. HumanWare customers can enjoy the complete Audible
collection
for a free 14 day period
1.3 Direct access to the new Bookshare site
The existing support for unpacking electronic books from Bookshare.org
is
enhanced to include the new .zip or bks2 formats adopted by Bookshare.
KeySoft provides everything necessary to wirelessly access the
Bookshare.org
web site, download the text, Braille or DAISY electronic book and unpack
and
read the book, without having to use a PC.
1.4 Support for NIMAS books
KeySoft will now play NIMAS books. NIMAS books are text files with a
structure that is similar to that of DAISY books. KeyBook's rich
navigation
used with DAISY files is also available for NIMAS files. NIMAS books are
instantly translated into your preferred Braille grade. Choose to read
in
Braille or let Eloquence speech read to you. Move through DAISY elements
or
use the familiar KeySoft sentence and paragraph navigation commands.
NIMAS
(National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard) is the format
for
educational textbooks in the United States. NIMAS guides the production
and
electronic distribution of digital versions of textbooks and other
instructional materials so they can be more easily converted into
accessible
formats. For more information, please visit:
http://nimas.cast.org/
1.5 Get a taste of GPS
KeySoft version 8.0 represents a great opportunity to get familiar with
GPS.
It includes the latest version of Sendero GPS and users can take
advantage
of a 90-day free trial period to browse their preferred map or navigate
outdoors. After this trial period, users can continue to enjoy their
system
at a preferred price. Users are required to download the desired maps
from
the Sendero site. For real time navigation, you will need a GPS
receiver.
1.6 More printers available to students
Students and teachers can now select from a wide range of Hewlett
Packard
printers. Most new models from the Deskjet, Officejet, Laser jet and
Photosmart product lines are supported. Printers supported via the
KeySoft
generic printing engine must have a USB port. This functionality is only
available to mPower users.
The new printing engine can create images of documents in JPEG format.
As
JPEG files are compatible formats, users can transfer documents to the
PC or
to non-BrailleNote users without losing the rich formatting available in
Keyword.
1.7 Eloquence speech is now supported in the PK
Use the highly responsive and accurate KeyNote Gold speech that has been
one
of KeySoft's strongest features or switch to the familiar Eloquence
speech
that is now widely available on access technology products.
1.8 French Version
KeySoft 8.0 will be released simultaneously in English and French. The
same
functions are available on both versions.
Recent mPower & PK Purchases
Customers that have purchased a new mPower or PK units after January 1st
2009 are eligible to receive a free KeySoft 8 upgrade.
Compatibility
KeySoft 8.0 is not supported by the Classic models of the BrailleNote
and
VoiceNote. As previously stated, KeySoft 7.5 was the last release for
these
Classic devices.
***
My comments: First off, it's good to see some potentially "wow" features on the feature list. As I've stated previously here in relation to versions of Keysoft or any technology for that matter, I'm always looking for that "wow" factor, or the feature that they add that after the first or secodn read, makes me go, "Wow, they're really stepping out with that one." Except with Keysoft, it's not so much that they're stepping out, but rather that they're catching up. At any rate, it's good to see the KeyChat feature finally get implemented. Discussion of a feature like KeyChat has been going on for years, as far back as around 2003. I used a BrailleNote (now classic) model for about 18 months from the fall of 2002 to the spring of 2004. Anyway, toward the end of my BN time, suggestions started coming in for a chat/instant messaging program item like MSN Messenger. So it's good to see them add support for it. The fact that Google Talk seems to be the main one might have some significance, since the "standard view" of the Gmail interface leaves a little to be desired as far as accessibility goes. I've heard of some blind people that have successfully gotten it to work, but most blind folk I know are using their Gmail in the "Basic HTML" interface.
Being a techie, or perhaps some may say "geek" by trade and choice, I'm always interested in the new gadgets, devices and new features that the AT companies add to their lineups. That I know, no one has dipped into the Google Talk realm yet. I'm open to being corrected if someone knows of anything though. However, it looks like Keysoft 8 is stepping out here, but time will tell. On the PAC Mate side of things, they've got MSN Messenger, and kind of a built in voice chat client with the voice clips feature on the Omni. So at least between the two major note takers, this KeyChat really isn't "new." I do give them points for creativity with Google Talk support though.
NIMAS: True, no current note taking device is supporting NIMAS, other than perhaps accessible reading/MP3 players like the Victor Reader Stream. Actually this looks more like a carry over of a feature from the stream to the BN line, than it does a "new feature." Same with Audible, however it is neat, and about time, that Audible will be supported on the BN.
Most everything else looks like fixes and enhancements to already existing software. The trial of their GPS package sounds good, but again, it's only a trial. If they included a full feature GPS produt on each new BrailleNote model, that would be stepping out. I suppose it could be said that not everyone wants a GPS on their note taker. However, considering that I also don't want a radio on my note taker, but that I get one anyway with the current BrailleNote, this really isn't a clenching point.
Bottom line: KeyChat appears to be the only potentially "wow" feature, at least in my humble opinion, in Keysoft 8.0. However, like anything, competition helps the market grow. Hopefully these enhancements/new features from HumanWare will spur the other note taker companies, mainly Freedom Scientific with the PAC Mate and GW Micro with the Braille Sense lines, to step up in their own rights. Time will tell.
***
Unveiling KeySoft 8.0
Longueuil, January 29, 2009 - HumanWare is pleased to announce KeySoft
version 8.0, the latest upgrade to the KeySoft software suite. Version
8.0
will be available for mPower and PK platforms in March. KeySoft 8.0
requires
one count of a Software Maintenance Agreement (SMA).
What's new in KeySoft 8.0?
Experience new ways to communicate in real time and enrich your book
reading
experience with this new KeySoft version. Are you interested in learning
more about GPS navigation? You now have the opportunity to try for a
period
of 90 days the acclaimed Sendero GPS. Version 8.0 is packed with a wide
range of features to enhance the way you work and learn.
1.1 KeyChat
Communicate in real time with colleagues, friends and family using state
of
the art instant messaging (IM) services. Designed using the newest open
instant messaging standards, KeyChat can communicate through Google
Talk,
iChat and other chatting services. Google Talk is an innovative and free
IM
service. It offers an efficient, clutter-free, and easy way to chat.
Talk smoothly integrates with the popular Gmail system, allowing you to
chat
in real time with your email contacts as well. Read and write messages
in
your preferred grade of Braille, manage conversations and follow chat
history with familiar KeySoft commands. Receive an Audio or Braille
notice
when a message arrives. Add new friends or select from your KeyList
contacts, or simply go online and enjoy!
1.2 Reading Audible.com books
KeySoft 8.0 will support Audible.com books. Audible.com offers a wide
audio
book collection for general and specialized audiences, including the
latest
best sellers. Teachers and parents can also join their new Audible Kids
service to access fun and educational content for school age kids or get
tips and ideas on how to help children get the most out of their
listening
experience. Fully integrated into KeyBook, you can listen to Audible
books
and customize various settings such as narration speed and audio tone.
Set
bookmarks, create text notes, and jump to any place in the book. To
obtain
Audible books, you will need to become a member of the Audible service
and
use the Audible manager to authorize your BrailleNote to play the
protected
Audible books. HumanWare customers can enjoy the complete Audible
collection
for a free 14 day period
1.3 Direct access to the new Bookshare site
The existing support for unpacking electronic books from Bookshare.org
is
enhanced to include the new .zip or bks2 formats adopted by Bookshare.
KeySoft provides everything necessary to wirelessly access the
Bookshare.org
web site, download the text, Braille or DAISY electronic book and unpack
and
read the book, without having to use a PC.
1.4 Support for NIMAS books
KeySoft will now play NIMAS books. NIMAS books are text files with a
structure that is similar to that of DAISY books. KeyBook's rich
navigation
used with DAISY files is also available for NIMAS files. NIMAS books are
instantly translated into your preferred Braille grade. Choose to read
in
Braille or let Eloquence speech read to you. Move through DAISY elements
or
use the familiar KeySoft sentence and paragraph navigation commands.
NIMAS
(National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard) is the format
for
educational textbooks in the United States. NIMAS guides the production
and
electronic distribution of digital versions of textbooks and other
instructional materials so they can be more easily converted into
accessible
formats. For more information, please visit:
http://nimas.cast.org/
1.5 Get a taste of GPS
KeySoft version 8.0 represents a great opportunity to get familiar with
GPS.
It includes the latest version of Sendero GPS and users can take
advantage
of a 90-day free trial period to browse their preferred map or navigate
outdoors. After this trial period, users can continue to enjoy their
system
at a preferred price. Users are required to download the desired maps
from
the Sendero site. For real time navigation, you will need a GPS
receiver.
1.6 More printers available to students
Students and teachers can now select from a wide range of Hewlett
Packard
printers. Most new models from the Deskjet, Officejet, Laser jet and
Photosmart product lines are supported. Printers supported via the
KeySoft
generic printing engine must have a USB port. This functionality is only
available to mPower users.
The new printing engine can create images of documents in JPEG format.
As
JPEG files are compatible formats, users can transfer documents to the
PC or
to non-BrailleNote users without losing the rich formatting available in
Keyword.
1.7 Eloquence speech is now supported in the PK
Use the highly responsive and accurate KeyNote Gold speech that has been
one
of KeySoft's strongest features or switch to the familiar Eloquence
speech
that is now widely available on access technology products.
1.8 French Version
KeySoft 8.0 will be released simultaneously in English and French. The
same
functions are available on both versions.
Recent mPower & PK Purchases
Customers that have purchased a new mPower or PK units after January 1st
2009 are eligible to receive a free KeySoft 8 upgrade.
Compatibility
KeySoft 8.0 is not supported by the Classic models of the BrailleNote
and
VoiceNote. As previously stated, KeySoft 7.5 was the last release for
these
Classic devices.
***
My comments: First off, it's good to see some potentially "wow" features on the feature list. As I've stated previously here in relation to versions of Keysoft or any technology for that matter, I'm always looking for that "wow" factor, or the feature that they add that after the first or secodn read, makes me go, "Wow, they're really stepping out with that one." Except with Keysoft, it's not so much that they're stepping out, but rather that they're catching up. At any rate, it's good to see the KeyChat feature finally get implemented. Discussion of a feature like KeyChat has been going on for years, as far back as around 2003. I used a BrailleNote (now classic) model for about 18 months from the fall of 2002 to the spring of 2004. Anyway, toward the end of my BN time, suggestions started coming in for a chat/instant messaging program item like MSN Messenger. So it's good to see them add support for it. The fact that Google Talk seems to be the main one might have some significance, since the "standard view" of the Gmail interface leaves a little to be desired as far as accessibility goes. I've heard of some blind people that have successfully gotten it to work, but most blind folk I know are using their Gmail in the "Basic HTML" interface.
Being a techie, or perhaps some may say "geek" by trade and choice, I'm always interested in the new gadgets, devices and new features that the AT companies add to their lineups. That I know, no one has dipped into the Google Talk realm yet. I'm open to being corrected if someone knows of anything though. However, it looks like Keysoft 8 is stepping out here, but time will tell. On the PAC Mate side of things, they've got MSN Messenger, and kind of a built in voice chat client with the voice clips feature on the Omni. So at least between the two major note takers, this KeyChat really isn't "new." I do give them points for creativity with Google Talk support though.
NIMAS: True, no current note taking device is supporting NIMAS, other than perhaps accessible reading/MP3 players like the Victor Reader Stream. Actually this looks more like a carry over of a feature from the stream to the BN line, than it does a "new feature." Same with Audible, however it is neat, and about time, that Audible will be supported on the BN.
Most everything else looks like fixes and enhancements to already existing software. The trial of their GPS package sounds good, but again, it's only a trial. If they included a full feature GPS produt on each new BrailleNote model, that would be stepping out. I suppose it could be said that not everyone wants a GPS on their note taker. However, considering that I also don't want a radio on my note taker, but that I get one anyway with the current BrailleNote, this really isn't a clenching point.
Bottom line: KeyChat appears to be the only potentially "wow" feature, at least in my humble opinion, in Keysoft 8.0. However, like anything, competition helps the market grow. Hopefully these enhancements/new features from HumanWare will spur the other note taker companies, mainly Freedom Scientific with the PAC Mate and GW Micro with the Braille Sense lines, to step up in their own rights. Time will tell.
Tuesday, May 13
Another trade-in program from FS
Greetings. I just read of another trade-in program for current HumanWare customers to obtain a new Pac Mate Omni, until October 31. Read more from Freedom Scientific on the official press release. At first glance, it looks like the prices being offered are better than the last trade-in program prices they offered nearly two years ago.
Personally, and this is just speculation, they may just be offering this trade-in opportunity out of the goodness of their hearts. However, again simply speculating here, I'm inclined to think that if they're giving an opportunity to trade in at reduced cost for a PM Omni, then there may be something juicy coming down the line for the Omni, perhaps in the convention season. Time will tell. As if having an Omni wasn't enough of an insentive, you also have this speculation to consider. So what are you waiting for? Trade in that old outdated BrailleNote for a brand new, versitile and Windows-like Pac Mate Omni! If you need more convincing, consider the fact that you don't lose any data if the battery runs down to 0, or if you perform a hard reset. Also, consider the words of a former BrailleNote user, Jonathan Mosen, as quoted in the press release link above.
Personally, and this is just speculation, they may just be offering this trade-in opportunity out of the goodness of their hearts. However, again simply speculating here, I'm inclined to think that if they're giving an opportunity to trade in at reduced cost for a PM Omni, then there may be something juicy coming down the line for the Omni, perhaps in the convention season. Time will tell. As if having an Omni wasn't enough of an insentive, you also have this speculation to consider. So what are you waiting for? Trade in that old outdated BrailleNote for a brand new, versitile and Windows-like Pac Mate Omni! If you need more convincing, consider the fact that you don't lose any data if the battery runs down to 0, or if you perform a hard reset. Also, consider the words of a former BrailleNote user, Jonathan Mosen, as quoted in the press release link above.
Wednesday, January 2
BrailleNote deaf blind solutions
Greetings. I received the following announcement from an email list regarding a product for the BrailleNote. After reading this, it sounds to me like HumanWare (HW) is trying to play catch up again with the PAC Mate's deaf blind solutions that were released a few years ago. However, I'm glad that HW is giving more options to their customers. I've heard of a number of deaf blind people that use the BrailleNote that have probably been waiting for just such an announcement. Enjoy and pardon any formatting errors.
DeafBlind Communicator to Tap the Power and Simplicity of KeySoft
The DeafBlind Communicator (DBC) is being designed to provide a simple
way
to handle TTY communications and to be a portable way to deal with
face-to-face communications.
Simplicity
A simple conversation approach is provided through an intuitive Chat
Menu
which is automatically entered when the DBC is first turned on. When in
a
conversation, whether it's Face to Face or TTY, the way you communicate
is
identical.
Our goal is to produce a DeafBlind Communicator that is simple and
straight
forward which any Braille user can learn to use with minimal training.
Hidden Applications Activated
We realize that some deafblind people will want to do more or grow into
doing more than basic communications, so we have built the DBC on a much
more powerful platform that offers additional capabilities. A secondary
goal
for the DBC is to ensure that any user can choose to activate other,
more
powerful applications (initially hidden from the user), which provide
access
to the kinds of capabilities and functions available in mainstream
technology (note the list below).
Main Menu
Word processor
Planner
Address list
Email
Internet
Chat
Media center
Book reader
Scientific calculator
Database manager
Games
File manager
Utilities
Terminal for screen reader
Remote synthesizer
Keyboard learn
KeySoft, the environment (user-interface) that is used in the DBC, is
the
same one used in the BrailleNote and has reached its celebrated
friendliness
through over twenty years of constant improvement. Once a user chooses
to
activate the full-blown features of the DBC, the Chat Menu noted above
becomes one of the applications listed in the Main Menu. From that menu,
a
simple press of the character "C" instantly takes you to the KeyChat
Menu
and from there everything "looks" exactly the same as the basic DBC.
We plan to start accepting orders in April and shipping in June 2008.
The basic DBC will have many similarities to the TeleBraille in both
feature
and function. Although the KeySoft user interface will "feel" somewhat
different from that of the TeleBraille, it is still very easy to use. Of
course, if the user chooses to activate the more powerful features, the
DBC
will be a fully functional BrailleNote that includes TeleBraille-type
functionality.
The BNPK will not support the DBC. Unfortunately, the PK does not have a
landline connection on it to enable TTY communications. Also, the
BrailleNote mPower, on which the DBC is based, has significantly more
memory
and power to handle the added functions of the DBC.
The DBC will not include the screen reader Mobile Speak Pocket (MSP).
All of
the functions relating to the cell phone (DB Companion) will be
controlled
from the DB BrailleNote. As noted above, if the user chooses to activate
the
full functionality of the BrailleNote applications, the DB BrailleNote
becomes a fully functional PDA on its own that does not require the
complexity of a screen reader or any other additional software.
DeafBlind Communicator to Tap the Power and Simplicity of KeySoft
The DeafBlind Communicator (DBC) is being designed to provide a simple
way
to handle TTY communications and to be a portable way to deal with
face-to-face communications.
Simplicity
A simple conversation approach is provided through an intuitive Chat
Menu
which is automatically entered when the DBC is first turned on. When in
a
conversation, whether it's Face to Face or TTY, the way you communicate
is
identical.
Our goal is to produce a DeafBlind Communicator that is simple and
straight
forward which any Braille user can learn to use with minimal training.
Hidden Applications Activated
We realize that some deafblind people will want to do more or grow into
doing more than basic communications, so we have built the DBC on a much
more powerful platform that offers additional capabilities. A secondary
goal
for the DBC is to ensure that any user can choose to activate other,
more
powerful applications (initially hidden from the user), which provide
access
to the kinds of capabilities and functions available in mainstream
technology (note the list below).
Main Menu
Word processor
Planner
Address list
Internet
Chat
Media center
Book reader
Scientific calculator
Database manager
Games
File manager
Utilities
Terminal for screen reader
Remote synthesizer
Keyboard learn
KeySoft, the environment (user-interface) that is used in the DBC, is
the
same one used in the BrailleNote and has reached its celebrated
friendliness
through over twenty years of constant improvement. Once a user chooses
to
activate the full-blown features of the DBC, the Chat Menu noted above
becomes one of the applications listed in the Main Menu. From that menu,
a
simple press of the character "C" instantly takes you to the KeyChat
Menu
and from there everything "looks" exactly the same as the basic DBC.
We plan to start accepting orders in April and shipping in June 2008.
The basic DBC will have many similarities to the TeleBraille in both
feature
and function. Although the KeySoft user interface will "feel" somewhat
different from that of the TeleBraille, it is still very easy to use. Of
course, if the user chooses to activate the more powerful features, the
DBC
will be a fully functional BrailleNote that includes TeleBraille-type
functionality.
The BNPK will not support the DBC. Unfortunately, the PK does not have a
landline connection on it to enable TTY communications. Also, the
BrailleNote mPower, on which the DBC is based, has significantly more
memory
and power to handle the added functions of the DBC.
The DBC will not include the screen reader Mobile Speak Pocket (MSP).
All of
the functions relating to the cell phone (DB Companion) will be
controlled
from the DB BrailleNote. As noted above, if the user chooses to activate
the
full functionality of the BrailleNote applications, the DB BrailleNote
becomes a fully functional PDA on its own that does not require the
complexity of a screen reader or any other additional software.
Saturday, November 11
HumanWare press release and thoughts
Greetings. Below is an announcement from humanWare about a new dictionary and thesaurus that they're making available for the BrailleNote family. While I'm pleased to see that they're expanding into other areas of education, I'm reminded of a conversation that I had with a HumanWare representative last year regarding the BrailleNote and possible add-ons that they could do for it. You can read the conversation with him in the archives, on the 7/19/05 entry. Anyway, the representative made clear that they couldn't support a piece of software without knowing that it would work. It appears that they've either turned around on that point, or have adapted the thesaurus and dictionary to work with their closed OS. I'm inclined to thik the latter, since the representative constantly mentioned this issue of what they would do if someone couldn't do something in an off the shelf program that they promised the customer would be able to do. It was an interesting debate. One more thing: in looking at the price that they're charging for this package, it makes me wonder if I could go out and buy a third party dictionary/thesaurus on Compact Flash card, or put them on a USB flash drive, for a fraction of that price, to use on my PAC Mate. I might even be able to find ones that are free. Anyway. here's what the pres release has to say. As always, enjoy, and please pardon any formatting errors.
For Immediate Release
Christchurch, New Zealand
November 7, 2006
HumanWare releases Concise Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus for BrailleNote
Family
Both children and adults who use HumanWare's industry-leading BrailleNote
family of products now have the option of the world's most popular
dictionary and thesaurus at their fingertips.
The Concise Oxford Dictionary on BrailleNote gives the meaning of a word,
speaks it aloud with correct pronunciation, and much more. It includes the
word's full definition of entries with additional advanced search features.
The Concise Oxford Thesaurus provides convenient lookup of synonyms and
antonyms. The Dictionary and Thesaurus combination is available in either
US English or UK English.
KeySoft is the software which powers all models of BrailleNote. From any
KeySoft application, whether you are in the KeyWeb Internet Browser, the
Book Reader or Word Processor, the Dictionary and Thesaurus are easily
accessed by one easy key stroke.
"Customers are very excited about the product," said Dominic Gagliano,
HumanWare's Vice President of Sales for Blindness in the US. "We've
received particularly positive feedback from educational and rehabilitation
customers. This release demonstrates our continued momentum in developing
software for our products for all segments of our market."
The Concise Oxford Dictionary is based on the largest language research
program in the world. Its up-to-date entries are backed by the unrivalled
new words research of Oxford University Press.
Running on the BrailleNote family of products, the Concise Oxford
Dictionary and Concise Oxford Thesaurus can be accessed by QWERTY keyboard
or Braille input, and read and heard by both Braille and auditory output.
The entire contents of the Concise Oxford Dictionary are automatically
integrated and expand the functionality of the KeySoft Spell Checker, from
which the user can easily reference the Dictionary.
The Concise Oxford Dictionary and Concise Oxford Thesaurus are available
today. They run on the latest version of HumanWare's industry-leading
software for the blind, KeySoft 7.2 Build 47, on BrailleNote mPower,
VoiceNote mPower or BrailleNote PK, as well as other BrailleNote Classic
models. The price is $195. To order, call 800-722-3393.
http://www.humanware.com/Products/Notetakers/ConciseOxfordForKeySoft.asp
For Immediate Release
Christchurch, New Zealand
November 7, 2006
HumanWare releases Concise Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus for BrailleNote
Family
Both children and adults who use HumanWare's industry-leading BrailleNote
family of products now have the option of the world's most popular
dictionary and thesaurus at their fingertips.
The Concise Oxford Dictionary on BrailleNote gives the meaning of a word,
speaks it aloud with correct pronunciation, and much more. It includes the
word's full definition of entries with additional advanced search features.
The Concise Oxford Thesaurus provides convenient lookup of synonyms and
antonyms. The Dictionary and Thesaurus combination is available in either
US English or UK English.
KeySoft is the software which powers all models of BrailleNote. From any
KeySoft application, whether you are in the KeyWeb Internet Browser, the
Book Reader or Word Processor, the Dictionary and Thesaurus are easily
accessed by one easy key stroke.
"Customers are very excited about the product," said Dominic Gagliano,
HumanWare's Vice President of Sales for Blindness in the US. "We've
received particularly positive feedback from educational and rehabilitation
customers. This release demonstrates our continued momentum in developing
software for our products for all segments of our market."
The Concise Oxford Dictionary is based on the largest language research
program in the world. Its up-to-date entries are backed by the unrivalled
new words research of Oxford University Press.
Running on the BrailleNote family of products, the Concise Oxford
Dictionary and Concise Oxford Thesaurus can be accessed by QWERTY keyboard
or Braille input, and read and heard by both Braille and auditory output.
The entire contents of the Concise Oxford Dictionary are automatically
integrated and expand the functionality of the KeySoft Spell Checker, from
which the user can easily reference the Dictionary.
The Concise Oxford Dictionary and Concise Oxford Thesaurus are available
today. They run on the latest version of HumanWare's industry-leading
software for the blind, KeySoft 7.2 Build 47, on BrailleNote mPower,
VoiceNote mPower or BrailleNote PK, as well as other BrailleNote Classic
models. The price is $195. To order, call 800-722-3393.
http://www.humanware.com/Products/Notetakers/ConciseOxfordForKeySoft.asp
Monday, September 25
Trade in or trade up, you decide
Greetings. Freedom Scientific has announced a new competitive trade-in program for the PAC Mate that has to be the most competitive yet. If you own a BrailleNote model, of any sort, in good working condition, you can trade it in for a PAC Mate, with or without a Braille display. Read the details of this trade-in program here. Pay special attention to the pricing. Even if you trade in your mPower or PK for a PAC Mate QX400 with 40 cell Braille display, the resulting cost will still be slightly less than a brand new speech only PAC Mate. Prices range from roughly $795 to $2295 for this trade-in program. Don't quote me exactly, but rather read all the details for yourself.
What's almost as notable as the trade-in program to me, is the length of time its being made available for: till the end of the year. I can't think of a better Christmas present for someone than a new PAC Mate. Throw in a new wireless card, a custom carrying case from Executive Products, and some other accessories, and you've got quite a package.
If you've been wondering about how to use your mPower or PK in this constantly changing world of ours, especially when it seems to be falling further and further behind; or, if you have been thinking about getting a PAC Mate but have wondered how you would manage it; or, if you have even been considering whether it really is worth staying in a closed system like HumanWare has; than this trade-in program could be the answer for you. With Jonathan Mosen on the FS crew now, there's no telling what will come of the PAC Mate family of products in the upcoming year. Besides, do you really want to be left behind again?
What's almost as notable as the trade-in program to me, is the length of time its being made available for: till the end of the year. I can't think of a better Christmas present for someone than a new PAC Mate. Throw in a new wireless card, a custom carrying case from Executive Products, and some other accessories, and you've got quite a package.
If you've been wondering about how to use your mPower or PK in this constantly changing world of ours, especially when it seems to be falling further and further behind; or, if you have been thinking about getting a PAC Mate but have wondered how you would manage it; or, if you have even been considering whether it really is worth staying in a closed system like HumanWare has; than this trade-in program could be the answer for you. With Jonathan Mosen on the FS crew now, there's no telling what will come of the PAC Mate family of products in the upcoming year. Besides, do you really want to be left behind again?
Tuesday, August 29
Announcement from HumanWare
Greetings. I received the following announcement from an email list. Well, it was only a matter of time before this kind of announcement came from them. No matter how much a company may want to have more than one version of their product out on the market, sooner or later, they will yield to the more recent version and drop support/development for the older one. Granted, HumanWare's still going to support the Classic models of BrailleNote and VoiceNotes, but how long will that last? There may come a time when that is dropped too. Anyway, enjoy the following. And, if you still own one of the classic models, its probably about time you upgrade to the newer mPower, or even better, a PAC Mate, :) As always, please excuse any formatting errors.
SUPPORT FOR BRAILLENOTE AND VOICENOTE CLASSIC
In June 2005, HumanWare released the next generation of information
management systems for the blind, BrailleNote and VoiceNote mPower. To thank
our loyal customer base for their support, we made two commitments.
Firstly, because we appreciate that funding for assistive technology may
only be available to an individual once every few years, we undertook to
release new versions of Key Soft for the BrailleNote and VoiceNote Classic
for as long as possible.
Secondly, we introduced our extremely popular transplant programme, allowing
BrailleNote Classic customers the chance to have our latest technology for
around a third of the cost of a new unit in the case of those owning 32-cell
models.
The transplant programme will continue into the foreseeable future , giving
customers access to the many benefits available exclusively on BrailleNote
and VoiceNote mPower. However, as we start to plan for exciting future
enhancements to KeySoft, it is becoming clear that many of the features we
wish to add are not technically possible on the Classic platform. On that
basis, HumanWare is giving notice that KeySoft 7.2 will be the second to
last upgrade available for the Classic family. There will be a final update
for BrailleNote classic released next year. For this reason, once KeySoft
7.2 is released, software maintenance agreements will no longer be available
for the BrailleNote and VoiceNote Classic.
We wish to stress that technical support and servicing will still be
available for BrailleNote Classic, which continues to be a powerful
information management tool.
Please also note that should you take advantage of the transplant programme,
any counts remaining on your Software maintenance Agreement will be
transferred to your BrailleNote mPower.
Should you have any queries, as always, please don't hesitate to contact
your nearest HumanWare office.
Jonathan Mosen
BrailleNote Product Marketing Manager
HumanWare
Christchurch New Zealand
SUPPORT FOR BRAILLENOTE AND VOICENOTE CLASSIC
In June 2005, HumanWare released the next generation of information
management systems for the blind, BrailleNote and VoiceNote mPower. To thank
our loyal customer base for their support, we made two commitments.
Firstly, because we appreciate that funding for assistive technology may
only be available to an individual once every few years, we undertook to
release new versions of Key Soft for the BrailleNote and VoiceNote Classic
for as long as possible.
Secondly, we introduced our extremely popular transplant programme, allowing
BrailleNote Classic customers the chance to have our latest technology for
around a third of the cost of a new unit in the case of those owning 32-cell
models.
The transplant programme will continue into the foreseeable future , giving
customers access to the many benefits available exclusively on BrailleNote
and VoiceNote mPower. However, as we start to plan for exciting future
enhancements to KeySoft, it is becoming clear that many of the features we
wish to add are not technically possible on the Classic platform. On that
basis, HumanWare is giving notice that KeySoft 7.2 will be the second to
last upgrade available for the Classic family. There will be a final update
for BrailleNote classic released next year. For this reason, once KeySoft
7.2 is released, software maintenance agreements will no longer be available
for the BrailleNote and VoiceNote Classic.
We wish to stress that technical support and servicing will still be
available for BrailleNote Classic, which continues to be a powerful
information management tool.
Please also note that should you take advantage of the transplant programme,
any counts remaining on your Software maintenance Agreement will be
transferred to your BrailleNote mPower.
Should you have any queries, as always, please don't hesitate to contact
your nearest HumanWare office.
Jonathan Mosen
BrailleNote Product Marketing Manager
HumanWare
Christchurch New Zealand
Tuesday, June 27
KeySoft 7.2 Thoughts
Greetings. The following information came into my Inbox today and I thought I'd pass it along, with my thoughts on the content. Here's what HumanWare has to offer in the upcoming KeySoft 7.2 release:
KEYSOFT 7.2 IS COMING!
HumanWare will be releasing KeySoft 7.2 early in the
4th quarter of 2006, making your BrailleNote or VoiceNote even more useful
and efficient.
Whether you have a BrailleNote or VoiceNote mPower, a BrailleNote PK, or a
BrailleNote or VoiceNote Classic, there is a version of KeySoft 7.2 that
will be available for you. KeySoft 7.2 takes one count from your Software
Maintenance Agreement (SMA). An SMA allows you to receive two major
versions of KeySoft for the price of one. Remember, an SMA can only be used
for a version of KeySoft if it is purchased prior to the release of the
software concerned. So if you are not yet an SMA holder, ensure you get the
best deal on KeySoft 7.2 by purchasing your SMA now. Contact HumanWare or
your local dealer for KeySoft 7.2 pricing. What's in KeySoft 7.2?
Working with Files Is Easier (available on all models)
KeySoft allows extensive manipulation of files from any file list. Anywhere
you can see a list of files, you can copy, erase, move, protect, unprotect
and rename a file. Now, it is possible to mark files for action. Move
through a list of files, mark those files that you need to take action on,
and the file manipulation commands can be applied to the group of files.
Now, when you look through a file list using the Directory option in File
Manager, pressing ENTER on any file will launch its associated application.
Pressing ENTER on an mp3 file for example will immediately cause it to start
playing in the Media Player. In any file list, it is now easier to get it
sorted. You can still sort files alphabetically as you have always done,
however you can now also sort by date and by size. Sorting by size is a
great way of finding those pesky large files that are consuming FLASH Disk
space. Sorting by date makes it easier to trace the progress of a project
whose files are contained in their own folder. e-mail Signatures (available
on all models) KeySoft 7.2 adds the ability to set up two e-mail
signatures. Configure an e-mail signature for messages you generate, and
another for messages you forward or reply to. You can see the text of the
signature right in the body of any e-mail message you create. Statistics
Support in the Calculator (available on all models) KeySoft 7.2 offers
intuitive, powerful statistical functions in KeyPlus. Create data sets
within the Calculator using a special data entry mode. Enter your data into
a KeyWord document, and paste it into data entry mode from the clipboard.
Import data sets from many common applications. Save data sets for later
use, and export them for use by other applications. Perform a wide range of
statistical functions on a data set using an intuitive KeySoft menu, or with
hotkeys. DAISY Support (available on BrailleNote and VoiceNote mPower, and
BrailleNote PK) Your BrailleNote or VoiceNote is about to become your
digital book player. HumanWare is the world leader in DAISY playback
technology, through our Victor Reader products. Now, we have incorporated
Victor Reader technology right into KeySoft. Listen to DAISY audio books,
with the flexibility to speed up and slow down the narration and change the
tone of the audio. Set bookmarks, create text notes, and jump to any time
in the book. Text only DAISY books are instantly translated into your
preferred grade of Braille. With books that offer both text and audio, you
have the best of both worlds. Choose to read in Braille for detailed study,
and let the narrator read to you when it suits. Move through DAISY
elements, or use the familiar KeySoft sentence and paragraph navigation
commands in text DAISY books if you prefer. Get ready!
Make sure you have a current Software Maintenance Agreement so you can
download your copy of KeySoft 7.2 when it is released. KeySoft 7.2 from
HumanWare will change the way you work, learn and play.
Now, as promised, my thoughts. First off, after reading over this the first time, I immediately had the thought of, "Well, it looks like they're still playing catch up to the PAC Mate." The PAC Mate has the ability to do all of these things, and more. I'm sure this will be a step up for BrailleNote people though, mainly because they haven't had the ability.
Second, as for the manipulation of files, it's about time they got around to doing that in KeySoft. I was a BrailleNote user for about a year and a half to two years several years ago, so I feel I can comment on this. Even as far back as 2002 or 2003, people were requesting some way of associating files, or having them open in their respective applications. As well as the ability to rename and otherwise manipulate files. That's quite a gap from 2002 to mid 2006.
Finally, from the numbering of the update, you would think it was a minor update. If this is true though, then why are you charged an SMA count for getting the update? And, is it even called an update or an upgrade?
However, this last area can be considered to be peddy speculation. The fact remains that only a few months ago, they were distributing and promoting KeySoft 7. Now they're promoting version 7.2. Its good to see the development cycle and promotion of new versions decreasing from before. After all, it took them a full year to promote, and finally release, version 7.0.
Bottom line though, as a biased PAC Mate user, KeySoft still hasn't done anything that makes me go, "Wow!" Oh well; perhaps in the next update or upgrade.
KEYSOFT 7.2 IS COMING!
HumanWare will be releasing KeySoft 7.2 early in the
4th quarter of 2006, making your BrailleNote or VoiceNote even more useful
and efficient.
Whether you have a BrailleNote or VoiceNote mPower, a BrailleNote PK, or a
BrailleNote or VoiceNote Classic, there is a version of KeySoft 7.2 that
will be available for you. KeySoft 7.2 takes one count from your Software
Maintenance Agreement (SMA). An SMA allows you to receive two major
versions of KeySoft for the price of one. Remember, an SMA can only be used
for a version of KeySoft if it is purchased prior to the release of the
software concerned. So if you are not yet an SMA holder, ensure you get the
best deal on KeySoft 7.2 by purchasing your SMA now. Contact HumanWare or
your local dealer for KeySoft 7.2 pricing. What's in KeySoft 7.2?
Working with Files Is Easier (available on all models)
KeySoft allows extensive manipulation of files from any file list. Anywhere
you can see a list of files, you can copy, erase, move, protect, unprotect
and rename a file. Now, it is possible to mark files for action. Move
through a list of files, mark those files that you need to take action on,
and the file manipulation commands can be applied to the group of files.
Now, when you look through a file list using the Directory option in File
Manager, pressing ENTER on any file will launch its associated application.
Pressing ENTER on an mp3 file for example will immediately cause it to start
playing in the Media Player. In any file list, it is now easier to get it
sorted. You can still sort files alphabetically as you have always done,
however you can now also sort by date and by size. Sorting by size is a
great way of finding those pesky large files that are consuming FLASH Disk
space. Sorting by date makes it easier to trace the progress of a project
whose files are contained in their own folder. e-mail Signatures (available
on all models) KeySoft 7.2 adds the ability to set up two e-mail
signatures. Configure an e-mail signature for messages you generate, and
another for messages you forward or reply to. You can see the text of the
signature right in the body of any e-mail message you create. Statistics
Support in the Calculator (available on all models) KeySoft 7.2 offers
intuitive, powerful statistical functions in KeyPlus. Create data sets
within the Calculator using a special data entry mode. Enter your data into
a KeyWord document, and paste it into data entry mode from the clipboard.
Import data sets from many common applications. Save data sets for later
use, and export them for use by other applications. Perform a wide range of
statistical functions on a data set using an intuitive KeySoft menu, or with
hotkeys. DAISY Support (available on BrailleNote and VoiceNote mPower, and
BrailleNote PK) Your BrailleNote or VoiceNote is about to become your
digital book player. HumanWare is the world leader in DAISY playback
technology, through our Victor Reader products. Now, we have incorporated
Victor Reader technology right into KeySoft. Listen to DAISY audio books,
with the flexibility to speed up and slow down the narration and change the
tone of the audio. Set bookmarks, create text notes, and jump to any time
in the book. Text only DAISY books are instantly translated into your
preferred grade of Braille. With books that offer both text and audio, you
have the best of both worlds. Choose to read in Braille for detailed study,
and let the narrator read to you when it suits. Move through DAISY
elements, or use the familiar KeySoft sentence and paragraph navigation
commands in text DAISY books if you prefer. Get ready!
Make sure you have a current Software Maintenance Agreement so you can
download your copy of KeySoft 7.2 when it is released. KeySoft 7.2 from
HumanWare will change the way you work, learn and play.
Now, as promised, my thoughts. First off, after reading over this the first time, I immediately had the thought of, "Well, it looks like they're still playing catch up to the PAC Mate." The PAC Mate has the ability to do all of these things, and more. I'm sure this will be a step up for BrailleNote people though, mainly because they haven't had the ability.
Second, as for the manipulation of files, it's about time they got around to doing that in KeySoft. I was a BrailleNote user for about a year and a half to two years several years ago, so I feel I can comment on this. Even as far back as 2002 or 2003, people were requesting some way of associating files, or having them open in their respective applications. As well as the ability to rename and otherwise manipulate files. That's quite a gap from 2002 to mid 2006.
Finally, from the numbering of the update, you would think it was a minor update. If this is true though, then why are you charged an SMA count for getting the update? And, is it even called an update or an upgrade?
However, this last area can be considered to be peddy speculation. The fact remains that only a few months ago, they were distributing and promoting KeySoft 7. Now they're promoting version 7.2. Its good to see the development cycle and promotion of new versions decreasing from before. After all, it took them a full year to promote, and finally release, version 7.0.
Bottom line though, as a biased PAC Mate user, KeySoft still hasn't done anything that makes me go, "Wow!" Oh well; perhaps in the next update or upgrade.
Tuesday, December 6
KeySoft 7 Features and Thoughts
Greetings. The following was taken from the message that's making the rounds on the email list, concerning the upcoming release of KeySoft 7 for the BrailleNote line of products. If you own this product, then contact your dealer or HumanWare for more information on upgrading and so forth. I have only listed the features that will be in version 7, which is supposed to be out sometime next month. Here they are:
Key Base, Available on All Models
With KeyBase, you've got it sorted! This new application, available from
KeySoft's Main Menu, is a powerful database manager allowing easy creation
of your own databases. KeyBase ships with many useful databases to assist
you in cataloging your music collection, keeping track of home inventory,
entering recipes, logging ham radio contacts and so much more. But the step
by step wizard-style interface of KeyBase makes it a snap to create your own
databases too. Simply tell KeyBase the names of your fields and the type of
data you want to store in that field. Be specific right down to the kind of
Braille you want to be entered into a field if you wish. Want to share your
database with others? Then you can even customize the messages users read
when they press the help key when entering data into each field.
KeyBase allows easy importing and exporting to and from many applications
including Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access and many on-line banking
systems.
KeyPlus Just Got Smarter with Fractions, Available on All Models
Work with fractions in the updated KeyPlus Scientific Calculator. As well as
performing standard mathematical operations, you can convert fractions to
decimals and vice versa, convert fractions to and from percentages, convert
a fraction to its lowest terms, and much more.
Let the Games Begin, available on all models
One of the most frequent questions asked of HumanWare about the BrailleNote
family has always been, "can you play games on this?" Now, the answer is a
resounding yes, as interactive fiction comes to KeySoft. Interactive
fiction, also known as text adventures, will take you into mysterious worlds
where you can look at your environment, move around, collect objects, talk
to all kinds of strange creatures and sometimes find yourself trapped. There
are hundreds of compatible interactive fiction games available for download
on the Internet, ranging from educational titles for kids right through to
epic fantasy for the serious gamer, and you can play them right on your
BrailleNote or VoiceNote.
Easily switch in and out of games when you need to check e-mail or make a
note, play music in the background while you solve the latest mystery, or
save games for later resumption.
Braille Input for JAWS for Windows, available on all models
Window-eyes users have for some time been able to control their Windows PC
from their BrailleNote in Braille terminal mode. Now, that feature is
available for JAWS for Windows users as well. Compose e-mail, write a
Microsoft Word document or work with your spreadsheets on your PC, all from
your BrailleNote's keyboard.
More Configurable E-mail, available on all models
Some Internet service providers are now using non-standard POP and SMTP
server ports as an attempt to increase security. While most users will not
need to be concerned with this, those customers on Internet providers
adopting this approach can now specify any port for both POP and SMTP
traffic.
More Bluetooth Support, available on BrailleNote and VoiceNote mPower, and
BrailleNote PK
The integrated Bluetooth support in BrailleNote and VoiceNote mPower and
BrailleNote PK just got even more useful! In KeySoft 7 you can,
* Use your device as a remote synthesizer for your PC with no wires
attached. Take your BrailleNote or VoiceNote mPower or BrailleNote PK up to
10 meters (30 feet) away from your PC and still hear what your screen reader
is saying.
* Use your device as a wireless Braille display. With BrailleNote
mPower and PK operating as a wireless Braille display, coupled with the
keyboard input functionality, you have complete control over your PC as far
as 10 meters (30 feet) away from your PC. Take the BrailleNote outside on a
sunny day and keep on working on your PC using the keyboard input
functionality. Control a PowerPoint presentation in front of your audience,
even when the PC is tucked away in an inconvenient place. The possibilities
are limitless!
* Drive a wireless visual display. Want to give a presentation using
data on your BrailleNote? Are you a teacher who wants to be able to check a
student's work with no wires or fuss? The extension of the visual display
function to include Bluetooth makes all this possible. Use a range of
devices for the visual display function including Palm Pilots and Windows
HyperTerminal.
Voice Recorder for BrailleNote PK
The popular voice recorder for BrailleNote mPower arrives on BrailleNote PK
in KeySoft 7. Just press the handy record button on the front of your
BrailleNote PK, and make recordings using the built-in microphone.
Eloquence Speech for BrailleNote and VoiceNote mPower
HumanWare's BrailleNote and VoiceNote mPower becomes the first device of its
kind to offer you a choice of speech synthesizer. Use the highly responsive
and accurate KeyNote Gold speech that has been one of KeySoft's strongest
features, or switch to the familiar Eloquence speech that is now widely
available on access technology products. When Eloquence is active, you may
also choose to have hyperlinks voiced in a different Eloquence voice when
using KeyWeb, making the web really come to life.
Fm Radio for BrailleNote and VoiceNote mPower
That's right, your BrailleNote or VoiceNote mPower is now an FM radio too!
Scan the FM band for your stations and save them as presets. Read the
frequency on the Braille display or the station name if you've saved that
information. Listen to the FM radio while you work on other tasks. Control
the volume of the FM radio separately from the volume of the speech. Even
use the recorder to record FM radio stations.
There you go. For the most part, I think that HumanWare is sticking to their model of only using proprietary software, or software that they make for the BrailleNote and related products. They do appear to be stepping out with regards to the interactive fiction genre. However, compared with the PAC Mate, that's not the same as playing a mainstream game like Jawbreaker, which comes preinstalled on the PAC Mate. Though interactive fiction is better than putting people in a proprietary game environment.
Over all though, I think that HumanWare is still playing catch up with the PAC Mate and Freedom Scientific. FS doesn't have a built in FM radio, but this is one of the things that I think should be optional. Sure, if it were on my PM, then I'd likely use it, but its not something I'm going to run out and get on a note taker either. HumanWare is closing the gap as far as Bluetooth access though, and FS might need to address this issue at some point. Though fixing the lack of built in Bluetooth on the PM might very well require some sort of hardware upgrade, or an upgrade to a newer Windows Mobile framework for the PM. However, at some point FS will need to upgrade the Windows Mobile component anyway in order to stay competitive and to continue to work with other devices.
It would be unfair for me to pass any sort of judgment on the new version of KeySoft if I did not see it, but based on these features, it looks like HumanWare is still running to catch up with the PAC Mate. I don't see anything on this list that makes me say, "Wow, they're really stepping up to the plate with that one." Perhaps in KeySoft 7.5 or 8 they will. Then again, Freedom Scientific will likely have things in PM version 4.0 that will raise the bar that much higher. And so goes the note taker saga.
Key Base, Available on All Models
With KeyBase, you've got it sorted! This new application, available from
KeySoft's Main Menu, is a powerful database manager allowing easy creation
of your own databases. KeyBase ships with many useful databases to assist
you in cataloging your music collection, keeping track of home inventory,
entering recipes, logging ham radio contacts and so much more. But the step
by step wizard-style interface of KeyBase makes it a snap to create your own
databases too. Simply tell KeyBase the names of your fields and the type of
data you want to store in that field. Be specific right down to the kind of
Braille you want to be entered into a field if you wish. Want to share your
database with others? Then you can even customize the messages users read
when they press the help key when entering data into each field.
KeyBase allows easy importing and exporting to and from many applications
including Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access and many on-line banking
systems.
KeyPlus Just Got Smarter with Fractions, Available on All Models
Work with fractions in the updated KeyPlus Scientific Calculator. As well as
performing standard mathematical operations, you can convert fractions to
decimals and vice versa, convert fractions to and from percentages, convert
a fraction to its lowest terms, and much more.
Let the Games Begin, available on all models
One of the most frequent questions asked of HumanWare about the BrailleNote
family has always been, "can you play games on this?" Now, the answer is a
resounding yes, as interactive fiction comes to KeySoft. Interactive
fiction, also known as text adventures, will take you into mysterious worlds
where you can look at your environment, move around, collect objects, talk
to all kinds of strange creatures and sometimes find yourself trapped. There
are hundreds of compatible interactive fiction games available for download
on the Internet, ranging from educational titles for kids right through to
epic fantasy for the serious gamer, and you can play them right on your
BrailleNote or VoiceNote.
Easily switch in and out of games when you need to check e-mail or make a
note, play music in the background while you solve the latest mystery, or
save games for later resumption.
Braille Input for JAWS for Windows, available on all models
Window-eyes users have for some time been able to control their Windows PC
from their BrailleNote in Braille terminal mode. Now, that feature is
available for JAWS for Windows users as well. Compose e-mail, write a
Microsoft Word document or work with your spreadsheets on your PC, all from
your BrailleNote's keyboard.
More Configurable E-mail, available on all models
Some Internet service providers are now using non-standard POP and SMTP
server ports as an attempt to increase security. While most users will not
need to be concerned with this, those customers on Internet providers
adopting this approach can now specify any port for both POP and SMTP
traffic.
More Bluetooth Support, available on BrailleNote and VoiceNote mPower, and
BrailleNote PK
The integrated Bluetooth support in BrailleNote and VoiceNote mPower and
BrailleNote PK just got even more useful! In KeySoft 7 you can,
* Use your device as a remote synthesizer for your PC with no wires
attached. Take your BrailleNote or VoiceNote mPower or BrailleNote PK up to
10 meters (30 feet) away from your PC and still hear what your screen reader
is saying.
* Use your device as a wireless Braille display. With BrailleNote
mPower and PK operating as a wireless Braille display, coupled with the
keyboard input functionality, you have complete control over your PC as far
as 10 meters (30 feet) away from your PC. Take the BrailleNote outside on a
sunny day and keep on working on your PC using the keyboard input
functionality. Control a PowerPoint presentation in front of your audience,
even when the PC is tucked away in an inconvenient place. The possibilities
are limitless!
* Drive a wireless visual display. Want to give a presentation using
data on your BrailleNote? Are you a teacher who wants to be able to check a
student's work with no wires or fuss? The extension of the visual display
function to include Bluetooth makes all this possible. Use a range of
devices for the visual display function including Palm Pilots and Windows
HyperTerminal.
Voice Recorder for BrailleNote PK
The popular voice recorder for BrailleNote mPower arrives on BrailleNote PK
in KeySoft 7. Just press the handy record button on the front of your
BrailleNote PK, and make recordings using the built-in microphone.
Eloquence Speech for BrailleNote and VoiceNote mPower
HumanWare's BrailleNote and VoiceNote mPower becomes the first device of its
kind to offer you a choice of speech synthesizer. Use the highly responsive
and accurate KeyNote Gold speech that has been one of KeySoft's strongest
features, or switch to the familiar Eloquence speech that is now widely
available on access technology products. When Eloquence is active, you may
also choose to have hyperlinks voiced in a different Eloquence voice when
using KeyWeb, making the web really come to life.
Fm Radio for BrailleNote and VoiceNote mPower
That's right, your BrailleNote or VoiceNote mPower is now an FM radio too!
Scan the FM band for your stations and save them as presets. Read the
frequency on the Braille display or the station name if you've saved that
information. Listen to the FM radio while you work on other tasks. Control
the volume of the FM radio separately from the volume of the speech. Even
use the recorder to record FM radio stations.
There you go. For the most part, I think that HumanWare is sticking to their model of only using proprietary software, or software that they make for the BrailleNote and related products. They do appear to be stepping out with regards to the interactive fiction genre. However, compared with the PAC Mate, that's not the same as playing a mainstream game like Jawbreaker, which comes preinstalled on the PAC Mate. Though interactive fiction is better than putting people in a proprietary game environment.
Over all though, I think that HumanWare is still playing catch up with the PAC Mate and Freedom Scientific. FS doesn't have a built in FM radio, but this is one of the things that I think should be optional. Sure, if it were on my PM, then I'd likely use it, but its not something I'm going to run out and get on a note taker either. HumanWare is closing the gap as far as Bluetooth access though, and FS might need to address this issue at some point. Though fixing the lack of built in Bluetooth on the PM might very well require some sort of hardware upgrade, or an upgrade to a newer Windows Mobile framework for the PM. However, at some point FS will need to upgrade the Windows Mobile component anyway in order to stay competitive and to continue to work with other devices.
It would be unfair for me to pass any sort of judgment on the new version of KeySoft if I did not see it, but based on these features, it looks like HumanWare is still running to catch up with the PAC Mate. I don't see anything on this list that makes me say, "Wow, they're really stepping up to the plate with that one." Perhaps in KeySoft 7.5 or 8 they will. Then again, Freedom Scientific will likely have things in PM version 4.0 that will raise the bar that much higher. And so goes the note taker saga.
Tuesday, July 19
PM Vs. mPower: a biased, but comprehensive, review
I welcome any comments, positive or otherwise, on the following review.
On Thursday July 14, I saw the BrailleNote mPower. A sales representative from HumanWare, who shall be nameless, came to my workplace to promote this newest product in the BN line. Note that when I say "BN", I'm referring to the BrailleNote. I've tried to refer to the mPower by name when I talk about it, but "BN," might also mean mPower. I have several thoughts on this product and on what the representative said. This is one of the longer posts that I have done, so get comfortable with your favorite beverage, and let's get started.
First off, let me say this: its about time the BN caught up to the PAC Mate (PM). The new mPower has many things that the PM has had for quite awhile, such as a USB port, stereo sound when wearing headphones, streaming audio, a built-in microphone and the ability to make recordings, and more. The major hardware differences that the mPower has added are extra USB ports, an SD card slot, and built in Bluetooth. However, the Bluetooth isn't that big of a deal since a PM user can buy a Bluetooth card to go in one of the two compact flash slots.
Software differences are not as long, but there are some notable ones, such as: an X-scale processor, which improves the speed of activities within the mPower, 128MB of internal storage area (the PM has only 10.5MB), and several minor differences in menu structure.
As I said before though, the PM has had many of these things for quite some time. And, what it doesn't have, I'm certain Freedom Scientific either has or is looking into implementing. Though, before anyone writes me on this, I have no inside information on any PM development, as much as I wish I did. What I do know is that FS does buy at least one of every kind of note taker when the said device comes out, in order to evaluate what the competition has that the PM doesn't have.
I'm going to break this entry down into sections, with my comments and the representative's comments sprinkled throughout.
Open or closed. As many may or may not know, the PM has an open, Windows style interface and the BN family has a closed, custom design system. The open interface means that you can add, if you wish, third party applications and programs. Verses the closed system where you can't add anything, even if you wanted to; you're stuck with the system you use. The representative came back several times to the fact that it has to do with design, interface and marketing. He said that their products are marketed so that a second grader can sit down and start using the device immediately, with minimal instruction. The downside of this is that you cannot add third party applications, which is a huge selling point to the PAC Mate, in my opinion. Sure, the programs you add may or may not work, but the fact is, you can add them to see if they do work. And many times, JAWS can be scripted to work with the new program. At one point, I even asked him, "But what you're really saying to someone is, 'You have to conform to our interface'." At which he said, after a short pause, "You're right."
The representative said that the major groups that purchase BN's are in education related fields, such as teachers and students, of many different backgrounds. When I asked him about adding third party applications, I mentioned things like a freeware thesaurus or dictionary. He asked me how well this dictionary or thesaurus might work, and what the person would do if the program is not supported by HumanWare. He pointed out that he cannot sell a product that runs programs which are not supported. I responded with, "But if it doesn't work, just uninstall it and try something else." He said that he could not do that; that it goes against his design principles and marketing, of selling products that may or may not work with programs. This point came up again and again in our discussions.
Infra-Red (IR) control. Both the PM and BN have an IR port on them, however there are differences in how they use them. The PM allows you to beam to and from the IR port, files, contacts, appointments, or other things. Both the PM and BN allow you to use your cell phone as a modem and use the IR port as a wireless connection. However, on the BN side, this is the only thing that they have done with their IR port. I sited, as an example, the FS Commander remote control program that Freedom Scientific has developed for the PM, in which you can program in various remote controls into your PM. So you can sit on your couch and only use one device, instead of several, or so you can control your stereo, or any device that receives IR beams. The representative said that this kind of program would not sell as well in the educational market. For whatever reason, he kept coming back to this point in our discussion, even when we had moved on to other things. I'm not sure what he was trying to communicate by doing this. I suppose he was saying that they couldn't develop third party programs like FS Commander and effectively distribute them, given the education sector they mainly sell to. However, when I countered with the fact that they could open their system up to dictionaries or thesauruses, the question of how usable they would be on the BN was constantly brought up. Anyway, the point is, the PM can interface with an unlimited number of things with its IR port, whereas the BN can only interface with a cell phone. I asked him if other programs or devices would or could be made to work with the BN with its IR port, and truthfully, he never answered the question. He danced around it and eventually came back to why FS would develop a remote control program and the fact that HumanWare couldn't sell that kind of program to their market audience.
BN and Maestro. I'm sure many people by now know that PulseData HumanWare and VisuAide merged in early 2005. HumanWare Canada (formerly VisuAide), manufacture, market, and sell the Maestro Hand held Organizer, which is an off the shelf PDA that has been made accessible, but which gives access to off the shelf programs in a Pocket PC environment. The question has been asked many times, by myself and others in the blindness field, including people inside HumanWare I'm sure, of which product will stay and which will go. Or, if HumanWare will keep and continue to develop both. I asked the representative about this, prefacing that many companies have only one product line for a given type of product. They may have several different models or kinds of that product, but they only have one product. Like Freedom Scientific's screen reader is JAWS. Anyway, he made clear that he was only a sales representative and not in upper management. However, he basically said he didn't know. He gave the company line of, "We'll continue to develop and sell both products." However, he also said, keeping in mind that he was speaking personally here and not in any affiliation with HumanWare, that he would like to see them drop Maestro and only support the BN line. He said that if someone wants a speech only note taker, that they could buy one of the classic models of VoiceNotes, which have recently been lowered to about the price of a new Maestro. Again, this was him speaking personally only.
We did get into an interesting talk about the kind of note taker that Maestro is, verses the BN or PM. He said, again, in his words and paraphrasing, who would want to use a note taker with limited note taking ability, such as the Maestro. He said that you can only keep track of phone numbers, addresses, and other small things on there. That the Maestro's interface is such that prolonged text input is troublesome, since you can enter in braille, but you have to enter each dot one at a time and then hit a confirm button. And, that this wasn't meant for taking notes for a long period of time. I mentioned that this is how many mainstream PDA's are though, that they are not meant for prolonged note taking, like the Palm Pilot or other Pocket PC PDA's. I even went so far as to suggest that we as blind people might actually be spoiled, since we have had real note taking devices for many years, dating as far back as the Braille Lite and Braille N' Speak. He didn't really have any comment on this, except to return to his comment that he would rather spend $1300 on a new VoiceNote, than $1300 on a new Maestro, if only for its note taking ability.
Interface. This section may tie in more with the closed operating system, but bare with me. The PM interface allows someone to learn how to use the PM, Windows, and a stripped down version of JAWS. Whereas, the BN interface is very simple, designed specifically for a blind user, in that to create a document, you bring up the Word Processor menu. Its literally that simple. And, for those that may not be familiar with Windows, even though Windows is everywhere and one will have to be familiar with it to get anywhere in this world (in my humble opinion), I can see how a simplified interface might be helpful. However, and this goes back to the operating system, with a simple interface, you limit yourself in what you can do. I brought this up to the representative, with respect to adding other applications. He came back to the support of those applications, and that this is not what HumanWare was about: selling a product that didn't support applications. He went on to comment on the interface and say that certain keystrokes on the Braille oriented (Perkins) PM, were inconsistencies. That the Braille chords used didn't make sense, like L-chord to go to the top of a file. He said that instead of using this, someone could use T-chord, for top of file, etc. I then responded with, "Well, to be fair, on the BN QT (QWERTY or computer style keyboard model), the keystrokes are not consistent either. You press one keystroke to delete one way and another to delete another." He agreed, for what its worth. He said that the QWERTY keystrokes should be written better, but probably won't be since they don't sell a lot of QT units. I then asked him, "So, since you don't sell a lot of QT units, you're not going to rewrite the keystrokes?" His answer, "I didn't say that."
Upgrading. With regards to upgrading a BN that you already have, to a new mPower, the representative said that it would cost $1,995 to upgrade, which involves sending your old BN in, and them switching the display from the old unit to a new mPower, and then returning it to you. He said that the new VoiceNote mPower costs $1,995, so in a sense, people would be buying a VoiceNote mPower with a display. I said that, though I was sure that they would sell a lot of upgrades and mPower's themselves, what about the average user who may not have the $2,000 just laying around for the upgrade. He never really gave a definite answer on this, except to say that given the blind market, there will always be those who can't afford to buy certain kinds of technology. So, as with other things, I suppose that even if you really want it, if you don't have the money, you're stuck. This is a fact of life, but I would have liked to see the upgrade price be a little less, especially for the people who already have a BN. I can understand charging full price fora new unit, which full price is about $6,000, but $1,995 for an upgrade--boy! Looking back on the Freedom Scientific side of things, when they initially came out with their current BX and QX PM units, they offered an upgrade price of about $800 for people that had the first generation PM's, the BNS and TNS units. That seems more reasonable to me than twice that much.
The Battery. Though HumanWare has updated the kind of battery they use in the mPower, over the older BN model, the battery life is still the same: about 20 hours for a BrailleNote and 25 hours for a VoiceNote, on average. They have also, with the new battery, improved the recallibration process for the battery. So, if you have to recallibrate your BN battery, whereas it used to take a weekend, it now takes about 10 hours with the mPower. I'm not sure how long it takes with the PM, since I haven't had to recallibrate my battery yet.
The point about the battery that I found different from the PM is the amount of time you're given to plug it in to charge. The PM gives you 72 hours, from the time that the battery hits 0, to plug in and to charge the battery. Otherwise, you lose all your data in the main memory. The mPower has nothing like this. The representative said that you do have a few minutes, maybe 5 or so, but not hours like the PM. This is unfortunate in my view, since you might have a user that travels a lot and may not be near an outlet when the battery hits 0, which means that they're stuck. The representative said that there has been some talk in HumanWare to allow people to have external battery packs in just these situations. That's better than nothing, but I've heard differing opinions on these external batteries. Some people say that since the battery sticks out, there's a greater chance of bumping it against things and damaging the equipment. Then the unit may have to be sent in for repair. One person told me that she'd rather send in her PM to get an internal battery, than have an external one that might be damaged from contact with things in her environment. This person also told me that after moving the battery in and out many times, that corrosion can build up, and cause problems with the battery's operation, and even that it can bring down the charge the battery provides.
Braille Displays. There is one more major difference between the PM and the BN: the navigation on their Braille displays. Specifically, the fact that there are Whiz Wheels on the PM displays. Freedom Scientific have introduced these wheels, which appear on either side of the display, and allow you to set each wheel to move in one of 4 different increments: lines, sentences, paragraphs or focus panning. What's neat is that you can set each wheel independent of the other. For instance, you can have the left wheel move by lines, and the right wheel by focus panning. The other thing that's great about these Whiz Wheels is that if you set the left wheel to lines, you can change it at any time. For example, if you want to scroll through a file and look for a particular paragraph, you can set the left wheel to paragraphs until you find what you're looking for, and then set it back to lines. I'm sure that the BN's thumb controls are nice, but can you program each thumb control to move by a set increment, e.g., line, sentence, etc? And, can you change these settings on the fly?
In conclusion: the mPower has gained a lot of ground from the classic style of BN. However, it still comes down to a question of interfaces, as the representative admitted. For me, it comes to a question of: Do you want to be in a closed system where you're stuck, or an open system where you can freely try things, that admittedly may not be supported, and see how well they may work? And, if they don't' work, then just remove them and try something else. Plus, there's simply more possibilities with the PM in this regard. For instance, if you know how to script, you can make an application accessible with JFW, or you could even write your own program, which several people have done in the PM community. This cannot be done with the BN, since they have not, and in my opinion will not, released their Software Developer's Kit (SDK).
In my view, there are three things which distinguish the PM from the BN, and are the main reasons why I will not switch anytime soon: the closed operating system, the fact that you cannot add external programs, even if you just want to try them, and the Whiz Wheels. Until HumanWare incorporates something like this into their displays, I don't see them, or anyone else for that matter, catching up to FS anytime soon.
On Thursday July 14, I saw the BrailleNote mPower. A sales representative from HumanWare, who shall be nameless, came to my workplace to promote this newest product in the BN line. Note that when I say "BN", I'm referring to the BrailleNote. I've tried to refer to the mPower by name when I talk about it, but "BN," might also mean mPower. I have several thoughts on this product and on what the representative said. This is one of the longer posts that I have done, so get comfortable with your favorite beverage, and let's get started.
First off, let me say this: its about time the BN caught up to the PAC Mate (PM). The new mPower has many things that the PM has had for quite awhile, such as a USB port, stereo sound when wearing headphones, streaming audio, a built-in microphone and the ability to make recordings, and more. The major hardware differences that the mPower has added are extra USB ports, an SD card slot, and built in Bluetooth. However, the Bluetooth isn't that big of a deal since a PM user can buy a Bluetooth card to go in one of the two compact flash slots.
Software differences are not as long, but there are some notable ones, such as: an X-scale processor, which improves the speed of activities within the mPower, 128MB of internal storage area (the PM has only 10.5MB), and several minor differences in menu structure.
As I said before though, the PM has had many of these things for quite some time. And, what it doesn't have, I'm certain Freedom Scientific either has or is looking into implementing. Though, before anyone writes me on this, I have no inside information on any PM development, as much as I wish I did. What I do know is that FS does buy at least one of every kind of note taker when the said device comes out, in order to evaluate what the competition has that the PM doesn't have.
I'm going to break this entry down into sections, with my comments and the representative's comments sprinkled throughout.
Open or closed. As many may or may not know, the PM has an open, Windows style interface and the BN family has a closed, custom design system. The open interface means that you can add, if you wish, third party applications and programs. Verses the closed system where you can't add anything, even if you wanted to; you're stuck with the system you use. The representative came back several times to the fact that it has to do with design, interface and marketing. He said that their products are marketed so that a second grader can sit down and start using the device immediately, with minimal instruction. The downside of this is that you cannot add third party applications, which is a huge selling point to the PAC Mate, in my opinion. Sure, the programs you add may or may not work, but the fact is, you can add them to see if they do work. And many times, JAWS can be scripted to work with the new program. At one point, I even asked him, "But what you're really saying to someone is, 'You have to conform to our interface'." At which he said, after a short pause, "You're right."
The representative said that the major groups that purchase BN's are in education related fields, such as teachers and students, of many different backgrounds. When I asked him about adding third party applications, I mentioned things like a freeware thesaurus or dictionary. He asked me how well this dictionary or thesaurus might work, and what the person would do if the program is not supported by HumanWare. He pointed out that he cannot sell a product that runs programs which are not supported. I responded with, "But if it doesn't work, just uninstall it and try something else." He said that he could not do that; that it goes against his design principles and marketing, of selling products that may or may not work with programs. This point came up again and again in our discussions.
Infra-Red (IR) control. Both the PM and BN have an IR port on them, however there are differences in how they use them. The PM allows you to beam to and from the IR port, files, contacts, appointments, or other things. Both the PM and BN allow you to use your cell phone as a modem and use the IR port as a wireless connection. However, on the BN side, this is the only thing that they have done with their IR port. I sited, as an example, the FS Commander remote control program that Freedom Scientific has developed for the PM, in which you can program in various remote controls into your PM. So you can sit on your couch and only use one device, instead of several, or so you can control your stereo, or any device that receives IR beams. The representative said that this kind of program would not sell as well in the educational market. For whatever reason, he kept coming back to this point in our discussion, even when we had moved on to other things. I'm not sure what he was trying to communicate by doing this. I suppose he was saying that they couldn't develop third party programs like FS Commander and effectively distribute them, given the education sector they mainly sell to. However, when I countered with the fact that they could open their system up to dictionaries or thesauruses, the question of how usable they would be on the BN was constantly brought up. Anyway, the point is, the PM can interface with an unlimited number of things with its IR port, whereas the BN can only interface with a cell phone. I asked him if other programs or devices would or could be made to work with the BN with its IR port, and truthfully, he never answered the question. He danced around it and eventually came back to why FS would develop a remote control program and the fact that HumanWare couldn't sell that kind of program to their market audience.
BN and Maestro. I'm sure many people by now know that PulseData HumanWare and VisuAide merged in early 2005. HumanWare Canada (formerly VisuAide), manufacture, market, and sell the Maestro Hand held Organizer, which is an off the shelf PDA that has been made accessible, but which gives access to off the shelf programs in a Pocket PC environment. The question has been asked many times, by myself and others in the blindness field, including people inside HumanWare I'm sure, of which product will stay and which will go. Or, if HumanWare will keep and continue to develop both. I asked the representative about this, prefacing that many companies have only one product line for a given type of product. They may have several different models or kinds of that product, but they only have one product. Like Freedom Scientific's screen reader is JAWS. Anyway, he made clear that he was only a sales representative and not in upper management. However, he basically said he didn't know. He gave the company line of, "We'll continue to develop and sell both products." However, he also said, keeping in mind that he was speaking personally here and not in any affiliation with HumanWare, that he would like to see them drop Maestro and only support the BN line. He said that if someone wants a speech only note taker, that they could buy one of the classic models of VoiceNotes, which have recently been lowered to about the price of a new Maestro. Again, this was him speaking personally only.
We did get into an interesting talk about the kind of note taker that Maestro is, verses the BN or PM. He said, again, in his words and paraphrasing, who would want to use a note taker with limited note taking ability, such as the Maestro. He said that you can only keep track of phone numbers, addresses, and other small things on there. That the Maestro's interface is such that prolonged text input is troublesome, since you can enter in braille, but you have to enter each dot one at a time and then hit a confirm button. And, that this wasn't meant for taking notes for a long period of time. I mentioned that this is how many mainstream PDA's are though, that they are not meant for prolonged note taking, like the Palm Pilot or other Pocket PC PDA's. I even went so far as to suggest that we as blind people might actually be spoiled, since we have had real note taking devices for many years, dating as far back as the Braille Lite and Braille N' Speak. He didn't really have any comment on this, except to return to his comment that he would rather spend $1300 on a new VoiceNote, than $1300 on a new Maestro, if only for its note taking ability.
Interface. This section may tie in more with the closed operating system, but bare with me. The PM interface allows someone to learn how to use the PM, Windows, and a stripped down version of JAWS. Whereas, the BN interface is very simple, designed specifically for a blind user, in that to create a document, you bring up the Word Processor menu. Its literally that simple. And, for those that may not be familiar with Windows, even though Windows is everywhere and one will have to be familiar with it to get anywhere in this world (in my humble opinion), I can see how a simplified interface might be helpful. However, and this goes back to the operating system, with a simple interface, you limit yourself in what you can do. I brought this up to the representative, with respect to adding other applications. He came back to the support of those applications, and that this is not what HumanWare was about: selling a product that didn't support applications. He went on to comment on the interface and say that certain keystrokes on the Braille oriented (Perkins) PM, were inconsistencies. That the Braille chords used didn't make sense, like L-chord to go to the top of a file. He said that instead of using this, someone could use T-chord, for top of file, etc. I then responded with, "Well, to be fair, on the BN QT (QWERTY or computer style keyboard model), the keystrokes are not consistent either. You press one keystroke to delete one way and another to delete another." He agreed, for what its worth. He said that the QWERTY keystrokes should be written better, but probably won't be since they don't sell a lot of QT units. I then asked him, "So, since you don't sell a lot of QT units, you're not going to rewrite the keystrokes?" His answer, "I didn't say that."
Upgrading. With regards to upgrading a BN that you already have, to a new mPower, the representative said that it would cost $1,995 to upgrade, which involves sending your old BN in, and them switching the display from the old unit to a new mPower, and then returning it to you. He said that the new VoiceNote mPower costs $1,995, so in a sense, people would be buying a VoiceNote mPower with a display. I said that, though I was sure that they would sell a lot of upgrades and mPower's themselves, what about the average user who may not have the $2,000 just laying around for the upgrade. He never really gave a definite answer on this, except to say that given the blind market, there will always be those who can't afford to buy certain kinds of technology. So, as with other things, I suppose that even if you really want it, if you don't have the money, you're stuck. This is a fact of life, but I would have liked to see the upgrade price be a little less, especially for the people who already have a BN. I can understand charging full price fora new unit, which full price is about $6,000, but $1,995 for an upgrade--boy! Looking back on the Freedom Scientific side of things, when they initially came out with their current BX and QX PM units, they offered an upgrade price of about $800 for people that had the first generation PM's, the BNS and TNS units. That seems more reasonable to me than twice that much.
The Battery. Though HumanWare has updated the kind of battery they use in the mPower, over the older BN model, the battery life is still the same: about 20 hours for a BrailleNote and 25 hours for a VoiceNote, on average. They have also, with the new battery, improved the recallibration process for the battery. So, if you have to recallibrate your BN battery, whereas it used to take a weekend, it now takes about 10 hours with the mPower. I'm not sure how long it takes with the PM, since I haven't had to recallibrate my battery yet.
The point about the battery that I found different from the PM is the amount of time you're given to plug it in to charge. The PM gives you 72 hours, from the time that the battery hits 0, to plug in and to charge the battery. Otherwise, you lose all your data in the main memory. The mPower has nothing like this. The representative said that you do have a few minutes, maybe 5 or so, but not hours like the PM. This is unfortunate in my view, since you might have a user that travels a lot and may not be near an outlet when the battery hits 0, which means that they're stuck. The representative said that there has been some talk in HumanWare to allow people to have external battery packs in just these situations. That's better than nothing, but I've heard differing opinions on these external batteries. Some people say that since the battery sticks out, there's a greater chance of bumping it against things and damaging the equipment. Then the unit may have to be sent in for repair. One person told me that she'd rather send in her PM to get an internal battery, than have an external one that might be damaged from contact with things in her environment. This person also told me that after moving the battery in and out many times, that corrosion can build up, and cause problems with the battery's operation, and even that it can bring down the charge the battery provides.
Braille Displays. There is one more major difference between the PM and the BN: the navigation on their Braille displays. Specifically, the fact that there are Whiz Wheels on the PM displays. Freedom Scientific have introduced these wheels, which appear on either side of the display, and allow you to set each wheel to move in one of 4 different increments: lines, sentences, paragraphs or focus panning. What's neat is that you can set each wheel independent of the other. For instance, you can have the left wheel move by lines, and the right wheel by focus panning. The other thing that's great about these Whiz Wheels is that if you set the left wheel to lines, you can change it at any time. For example, if you want to scroll through a file and look for a particular paragraph, you can set the left wheel to paragraphs until you find what you're looking for, and then set it back to lines. I'm sure that the BN's thumb controls are nice, but can you program each thumb control to move by a set increment, e.g., line, sentence, etc? And, can you change these settings on the fly?
In conclusion: the mPower has gained a lot of ground from the classic style of BN. However, it still comes down to a question of interfaces, as the representative admitted. For me, it comes to a question of: Do you want to be in a closed system where you're stuck, or an open system where you can freely try things, that admittedly may not be supported, and see how well they may work? And, if they don't' work, then just remove them and try something else. Plus, there's simply more possibilities with the PM in this regard. For instance, if you know how to script, you can make an application accessible with JFW, or you could even write your own program, which several people have done in the PM community. This cannot be done with the BN, since they have not, and in my opinion will not, released their Software Developer's Kit (SDK).
In my view, there are three things which distinguish the PM from the BN, and are the main reasons why I will not switch anytime soon: the closed operating system, the fact that you cannot add external programs, even if you just want to try them, and the Whiz Wheels. Until HumanWare incorporates something like this into their displays, I don't see them, or anyone else for that matter, catching up to FS anytime soon.
Tuesday, June 28
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.
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.
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