[Blindtlk] notetakers: are they worth buying anymore?

[Cari Ford]

I like my notetaker, though I wish I had the Apex rather than the Mpower. I
also have a netbook but I find at school I do not want to take notes on the
Netbook because it's really hard to hear the speech and focus on the
lecture. I like immediate braille output. I could get a braille display for
the Netbook but it's another thing to carry around. I am not into all the
Iphone, Itouch and all the other I-products. 
Peace, 
Cari 
PS, I do have a good friend who has converted to the Iphone and Imac and
loves it. He is selling all his stuff that he doesn't use anymore. I think
he said he had a braille display for it but not sure. 


-----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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