[Blindtlk] notetakers: are they worth buying anymore?

[Gary Wunder]

Hello Chris.  I like your question, and I've seen it asked by a number of
people considering major purchases.  In my opinion the notetaker still has
value because it has a longer battery life than most laptop systems I know,
is more compact, and, at leas I think the real problem for most of us is
that if we want to do a lot of work we end up taking our BrailleNote and are
laptop.  This means there is a lot to carry around.

Warmly,

Gary


-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Chris Nusbaum
Sent: Sunday, July 24, 2011 9:02 PM
To: Blind Talk list; NABS list
Cc: BrailleNote list
Subject: [Blindtlk] notetakers: are they worth buying anymore?

Hi all,

I don't have a set opinion on this matter as of yet, but I'd like 
to initiate the discussion.  I'm noticing a trend in the 
blindness technology field: PC's can do most everything a 
notetaker (BrailleNote, BrailleSense, PacMate, etc.) can do, with 
some obvious changes and differences, and in some cases can do 
and support more than the notetaker.  This is also true with the 
ever-improving accessible smartphones and tablets: the iPhone, 
iPad, iPod Touch, (the semiaccessible) Android phones, the KNFB 
Reader, etc.  Yes, the notetakers have built-in Braille displays, 
but you can also install a stand-alone Braille display on a 
computer to display what's on the screen, or you could just buy a 
screen reader (text-to-speech, not text-to-Braille) as a 
replacement for the Braille display...  that is, if you think it 
is in fact a replacement for refreshable Braille.  That's another 
question for all of you in this discussion.  So, here's the 
question: with all the advancements and capabilities of a 
computer and screen readers or stand-alone refreshable Braille 
displays, is it worth it, in your opinion, to buy a notetaker 
anymore? What, given all the things a PC can do, is the real 
purpose of the notetakers now? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Chris

"A loss of sight, never a loss of vision!" (Camp Abilities motto)

The I C.A.N.  Foundation helps visually impaired youth in 
Maryland have the ability to confidently say "I can!" How? Click 
on this link to learn more and to contribute: 
www.icanfoundation.info or like us on Facebook at I C.A.N.  
Foundation.

Sent from my BrailleNote

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