[blindLaw] recommendation for braille displays and or note takers

[Aser Tolentino]

Hello,

I am a big fan of the new QBraille XL, which is a 40-cell Braille display from HIMS. It has a limited standalone note taking capability, about on par with what you would get from the units you’re looking at. The thing about the cheaper 20-cell displays is that they are very loud and slow compared to the more expensive product lines. I would look into obtaining a larger used display before trying to employ one of the budget models in a demanding environment. Something else you may wish to look into is whether a regional blindness center or rehabilitation agency maintains an assistive technology lending library, as this might be a good way to try out a device before committing to it. Local vendors might also be willing to take a device to your workplace for you to try out in conditions like what you would encounter during your planned use case. I tend to discourage people from adopting the Polaris, Braille Note Touch or other similar devices unless they have an established history of using such devices, as the learning curve is typically more than most people are willing to put up with and the new Android-based devices have some pretty frustrating quirks that can limit their integration into established workflows. Another option is the El Braille from Vispero, which is basically a mini PC docking station for a Focus40 Braille display. It’s pretty neat, but might not be what you’re looking for if you have a laptop you like working with already. I hope that provides some context.

Sent from my iPhone

> On Dec 9, 2019, at 9:48 AM, Josh Loevy via BlindLaw <blindlaw at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hello everyone,
> 
> I have joined a new team at my firm that is going to necessitate a lot more
> time in hearings. I am considering investing in a braille display or note
> taker as a more efficient way of getting and recording information than
> lugging my laptop.
> 
> I would really appreciate some thoughts and recommendations on products
> people have used in litigation and liked. I have been looking at the Orbit
> 20 and Braille Me, mainly based on their cost. (I want to make sure the
> technology will be what I need before I make a bigger investment.)
> 
> Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
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