[Colorado-talk] need some help deciding on a braise note taker or a braise display

Thu Nov 22 06:19:56 UTC 2018

Hi Becky.
I'm assuming that you would rather use a braille display with your existing technology rather than using an entirely new system that is already struggling to keep up with the demands of tech today? Specialized notetakers are way more expensive than braille displays with basic notetaking functions. Have you considered what size of display you would like? They come in sizes ranging from 14 to 80 cells. I currently use the Focus 40 5th generation, which I'm typing on now, and there is also a 14 cell version. You can connect up to 5 Bluetooth devices and switch among them as you wish, and can also connect 1 device via USB.The 14 cell model sells for $1295, and the 40 2995. It works great with JAWS, decent with NVDA, quite well with the iPhone, and has very basic notetaking features. I had to get mine exchanged 1 time due to the spacebar losing its "springiness", but I'm overall very happy with it.
If you are looking for other, more portable, options, there is the Brailliant BI 14, which is very small and light-weight, but still seems to have issues related to quality control. A friend of mine is on her 4th replacement unit, and I'm writing an article reviewing it now, and I'm about to send my demo unit back to Humanware in exchange for another one. It costs $995 and can also connect up to 5 Bluetooth devices. What makes it unique is that has an app for iOS which permits you to sync notes created in the internal Notes application to an iCloud, Exchange, or Google account where your iPhone  notes. It works with JAWS, but does not have the robust navigation options that the Focus line has since it's not made by the same company who make JAWS.
If you are looking for a 40 cell model, there's a new-comer to the market called the qBraille XL from HIMS. It, unlike the other 2 I've talked about, has dedicated keys such as Alt, Tab, F1 through F12, arrows keys, etc. This functionality exists within JAWS on the Focus, but you must memorize keyboard commands on the Perkins keyboard. This one costs $3150, but also has more internal functions such as clock, timer, a notepad that will open PDF, Word, plain text, and BRF documents. The Focus has the internal notetaking feature as well, but is the most basic of them all, only supporting BRF files and notes you create cannot be saved in plane teut or BRF ofmat like they can with the qBraille XL. However, with the current firmware on the qBraille, it seems to lock up frequently on iOS, and HIMS/Apple have not mapped the function keys at the top of the keyboard. It's also worth noting that several people I have worked with over the past 2 years have found getting technical support from HIMS to be rather challenging. I'm hoping the qBraille issues get resolved, but these have been happening with other HIMS products lately, so I have no idea if or when that will happen.
There is also the much cheaper option of the Orbit Reader 20, which has 20 cells of braille. I wrote an article reviewing it earlier this year if you'd like to have a look. It's biggest selling point is it's small price tag weighing in at $449. I discuss what it is and isn't in the article, as there are some compromises with this one. The biggest of these is cursor routing buttons, which it doesn't have. If you're not familiar with those, they allow you to move the cursor directly to the cell they set above or below. Anyway, here's the article. A Big Compromise in Price With a Small Compromise in Features: a Review of the Orbit Reader 20 http://www.afb.org/afbpress/pub.asp?DocID=aw190103
If you think you want something that has a lot of its own functionality like it's own email, web browsing, and other capabilities, you will be looking at a much more hefty price tag, but I can talk about those options as well if you'd like. I do hope others will also chime in with their thoughts and ideas.

Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving,
Scott 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Nov 22, 2018, at 12:16 AM, Rebecca Sabo via Colorado-Talk <colorado-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi Scott
> I have never used either. I use a iPhone, mac with windows on it.
> I would use the divide for emails, documents, the web etc.
> Becky
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
> On Nov 21, 2018, at 9:04 PM, Scott Davert via Colorado-Talk <colorado-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi Becky.
> This may seem annoying, but I'm going to ask a few questions and then give you options after I get your answers.
> 1. Do you have any previous experience using notetakers or braille displays? If so, which ones have you used? What did you like and dislike about those devices? 
> 2. What do you currently use in terms of technology? E.G. iPhone, Windows, Mac, Android, etc.
> 3. What tasks would you like to be able to use your braille device to complete?
> 
> Best,
> Scott
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On Nov 21, 2018, at 9:57 PM, Rebecca Sabo via Colorado-Talk <colorado-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Hi all , 
>> i need some advice.  I have been in touch with the lions club of denver, and they would be able to help pay portion of a brail note taker.  I was wondering what kind i should get and where ?  If they will only pay for half should I try for a brail display instead ?  what are all of your thoughts ?
>> Becky 
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