[Electronics-talk] Digital Talking Book Players

[Steve Jacobson]

Jim,

While I don't disagree with you in general, I want to avoid any possible misunderstanding.  GW Micro did come out with 
an update to the firmware that they called 1.1.  I suspect you were referring to the next update after 1.1 that will correct 
more of the remaining bugs, though, but I didn't want to allow confusion to arise because there is a 1.1 already.  

It would definitely not be fair to not make people aware of the fact that there are still some bugs to be fixed in Version 
1.1, though, particularly with respect to sometimes loosing one's place in a book.  However, the smaller size and the 
synthesized voices that they use as well as more flexible recording makes the BookSense worth it to me, but your points 
are well taken.  I really hope they get their next update out soon.

Best regards,

Steve

On Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:33:38 -0700, Jim Barbour wrote:

>Hey Darrin,

>Below is a comparrison I wrote up a few months ago.  It is mostly
>written as "things I do and don't like about the booksense", in which
>I make it pretty clear that the stream is usually the right answer.

>First let me say that I heard the same podcast and felt that the
>podcaster (sorry, I've forgotten his name) give the stream very short
>shrift.  I'm assuming that's because the stream has already been
>talked a lot about, and he wanted to cover other devices.  However,
>the result was that the stream didn't look so good in the comparrison.

>Of the devices he tested, I feel pretty strongly the the stream and
>the booksense are the two best.

>One final note, gw micro has still not come out with their 1.1
>software release.

>Date: Fri, 7 Aug 2009 16:44:47 -0700
>From: Jim Barbour <jbar at barcore.com>
>To: gw-booksense at gwmicro.com
>Subject: Re: [GW-Booksense] to stream and sense owners

>First, the real bottom line is that it will be hard to make a good
>comparison until GW-Micro comes out with their next firmware release.

>Currently, I own both a booksense and a strem and I'd say that the
>booksense is missing some very necessary features, and has some very
>noticeable bugs. 

>So, if I had to pick one *today* and have it work *today*, then I'd
>have to pick the stream.

>However, if GW-Micro can get the features in and bugs out, the
>booksense has several things going for it that make it a very
>attractive option.

>Areas where I feel the booksense excels

>The booksense has a much nicer text to speech synthesizer.
>The booksense is smaller, and has a nicer shape.
>The booksense does a better job exposing the folder structure on the SD card.
>The booksense is faster moving forward/backward within books, music, etc.
>The booksense can select items from a folder and play just those items.
>The booksense does a much better job recording, including recorded to MP3.
>The booksense can play newer iTunes files.
>The booksense XT has a radio, internal storage, and bluetooth.

>Problems the booksense has that make it hard for me to recommend

>The booksense has several bugs related to properly playing NLS books, and perhaps other daisy books.
>The booksense doesn't have any computer software to help you manage downloaded books, music, podcasts, etc.
>The booksense can't speed up audio as fast as the stream.
>Even with the 1.1 beta, the booksense doesn't always keep its place in folders, daisy, music, books, playlists, etc.
>The booksense doesn't tell you which playlist you're in.
>The booksense can't yet play RFB&D files.

>I hope this helps,

>Jim

>On Fri, Oct 16, 2009 at 10:46:02AM -0400, Darrin Porter wrote:
>> In fear of starting a heated debate, I would like to ask which of the five or six machines that will play the new NLS 
digital talking books the group thinks is the best.
>> 
>> I am in the market for one and can't really decide which one to get.  The one I've heard the most about is, of course, 
the Victor Reader Stream and, several months ago, would have probably bought it without question.  But recently, I 
listened to an accessable devices podcast that, at least to me, suggested that the Book Senth was probably the best 
deal.
>> 
>> So, experiences?  Suggestions?
>> 
>> I would like to use it both with and without earphones and will probably play music, podcasts and other audio as well 
as the NLS books.  Not much interested in Audible.com books, but may use the text-to-speach feature to read E-books.
>> 
>> Darrin
>> 
>> 
>> Darrin Porter
>> Senior Technical Engineer
>> 
>> 
>> United Ocean Services, L.L.C.
>> 601 South Harbour Island Boulevard, Suite 230
>> Tampa, Florida  33602
>> (813) 209-4247 (office)
>> (813) 744-0011 (cellular phone)
>> (813) 242-4849 (fax)
>> DARRIN.PORTER at UNITED-MAR.COMM<mailto:DARRIN.PORTER at UNITED-MAR.COMM>
>> 
>> 
>> 
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