[Electronics-Talk] Smartphone for visually impaired people, There Are Ways To Fund It

Fri Dec 22 13:32:41 UTC 2017

How do you know he is a Federationist ... I will say no more.

Dave

David Andrews | Chief Technology Officer
Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development 
State Services for the Blind
2200 University Ave West, Suite 240, St. Paul MN 55114
Direct: 651-539-2294
Web | Twitter | Facebook

-----Original Message-----
From: Electronics-Talk [mailto:electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Gerald Levy via Electronics-Talk
Sent: Friday, December 22, 2017 5:20 AM
To: Discussion of accessible home electronics and appliances <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Gerald Levy <bwaylimited at verizon.net>
Subject: Re: [Electronics-Talk] Smartphone for visually impaired people, There Are Ways To Fund It

It is absolutely astonishing to me that a Federationist would suggest that a blind person short on cash grovel on a street corner with fiddle and tin cup to raise enough money just to buy a smart phone.  This is prcisely the type of behavior that reinforces the negative stereotype that is widely held by the general public that many blind people are just a bunch of lazy mendicants who are looking for a handout.

Gerald

-----Original Message-----
From: Ashley Bramlett via Electronics-Talk
Sent: Friday, December 22, 2017 1:11 AM
To: Discussion of accessible home electronics and appliances
Cc: Ashley Bramlett
Subject: Re: [Electronics-Talk] Smartphone for visually impaired people, There Are Ways To Fund It

Peter,

good ideas and I was going to recommend that.
I know the price for adaptive equipment is high and I'd have more things like a braillle display if it were affordable.
I make do with what I have such as my old braille notetaker.

However, if you really cannot afford a product and cannot get assistance from family, you can do what you suggested or there are usually assistive tech loans out there.
I know virginia has some sort of low interest loan for adaptive tech. And also, there  might be help from NFB national or state affiliates.

Ashley
-----Original Message-----
From: Peter Donahue via Electronics-Talk
Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2017 4:07 PM
To: 'Discussion of accessible home electronics and appliances'
Cc: Peter Donahue
Subject: [Electronics-Talk] Smartphone for visually impaired people, There Are Ways To Fund It

Good afternoon everyone,

There's always Busking, Crowdfunding, Dumpster diving,Network Marketing, and other ways to increase one's income to cover the cost of assistive technology without getting rehab involved. If you want it bad enough you'll find a way to raise funds to buy it. That's what you would need to do if you were sighted. Some of the ideas above even allow you to do a little community service in the process of increasing your income to cover these costs.

Peter Donahue

-----Original Message-----
From: Electronics-Talk [mailto:electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Michael Russillo via Electronics-Talk
Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2017 3:00 PM
To: S L Johnson via Electronics-Talk
Cc: Michael Russillo
Subject: Re: [Electronics-Talk] FW: Smartphone for visually impaired people

Amen to that; the blindness market is a smaller one--I know, I know, that's been hashed over time and again.  We should see if the company has an installment plan to pay for those tech items gradually; alternatively check with NFB for low-interest tech loans; just my 2 cents.

Peter

On 12/13/2017 3:26 PM, S L Johnson via Electronics-Talk wrote:
> Hello:
>
> Thanks for this information.  I got excited when I began to read about 
> a phone that I could use that was a smart phone with real easy to feel 
> buttons.  Then I got to the price.  Why do all the companies making 
> products for the blind price them so high that most of us cannot 
> afford them?  I know you will all say research and development but the 
> reality is that most blind people, especially retired seniors who have 
> to live on less than $760 per month, cannot afford it.  I wish there 
> was some way of making these products more affordable to all of us.  A 
> smart phone with GPS, OCR scanning and other helpful apps would be a 
> great help to all blind people but only those with the financial 
> resources will be able to have it.  The same is true with the Braille 
> notetakers.  All of these wonderful products will never be in the 
> hands of most of the blind because of their high price.  I know it 
> will never change but I wish it would because I really could use this 
> phone and a new Braille notetaker that is still supported and up to 
> date instead of used equipment that I can no longer get repaired by 
> companies who no longer support them.  I apologize for venting but I 
> am reallyfrustrated!
>
> Sandra Johnson
> SLJohnson25 at comcast.net
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tracy Carcione via Electronics-Talk
> Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2017 11:37 AM
> To: 'Discussion of accessible home electronics and appliances'
> Cc: Tracy Carcione
> Subject: [Electronics-Talk] FW: Smartphone for visually impaired 
> people
>
> Some people recently were asking about easy-to-use phones, so I 
> forward this
> ad:
>
>
>
>
>
> From: Irie-AT [mailto:sales at irie-at.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2017 11:31 AM
> Subject: Smartphone for visually impaired people
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> <https://irie-at.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=fbe22e0e299fe21f72d
> c7bd81&id=544bdebc61&e=5daf9aa555>
> Image removed by sender. SmartVision 2 -the Smartphone for the 
> visually impaired
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Announcing the new SmartVision2!
>
>
> Smartphones too difficult to see or too confusing to use? SmartVision2 
> could be for you.
>
> SmartVision2 is the only smartphone designed specifically for people 
> with visual impairments. Complete with a high-contrast display, speech 
> input and feedback and even a tactile keypad and buttons, SmartVision2 
> can adapt to your needs. And SmartVision2 is very easy to learn and use.
>
> <https://irie-at.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=fbe22e0e299fe21f72d
> c7bd81&id=bbc3dfb59c&e=5daf9aa555>
> Learn More
>
>
>
>
>
> <https://irie-at.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=fbe22e0e299fe21f72d
> c7bd81&id=71639feb93&e=5daf9aa555>
> Image removed by sender. John's Demo Room | SmartVision 2 
> demonstration video
>
>
> Watch a demonstration video now!
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> <https://irie-at.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=fbe22e0e299fe21f72d
> c7bd81&id=971befe084&e=5daf9aa555>
> Image removed by sender. Image of the SmartVision 2 phone menu
>
>
> SmartVision2 isnâ?Tt an app, itâ?Ts an entire Smartphone built from 
> the ground up. The ergonomics of the device, buttons and keypad are 
> all designed and located to maximize ease-of-use for visually impaired 
> people. And all menus and functions are made to be easy to see and 
> simple to navigate. Plus, full tactile and voice controls are in place 
> for non-visual users and for the convenience of visual users.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Need GPS navigation, book reading and OCR/scan & read? SmartVision2 
> Premium boasts the addition of all of these great features! Guide 
> yourself with voice commands with speech feedback using Kapten GPS, 
> read books, and even scan your printed reading materials to have them 
> read back to you.
> 