[Electronics-Talk] All About Braille Displays

Mon Feb 27 21:11:10 UTC 2017

Hi, Danielle,

Perhaps some dealers still have stock or there some on the 
secondary market.  I still use the Apex.  I need to learn my 
Touch.  You can still do a lot with it, and in many instances, 
you can get on the Web and do email.  However, the operating 
system is old and cannot be much further developped any more.  I 
strongly prefer notetakers to plain braille displays.  If you do 
choose to buy an Apex, don't pay much more than $1500 for it.

Evelyn

 ----- Original Message -----
From: Danielle Ledet via Electronics-Talk 
<electronics-talk at nfbnet.org
To: Discussion of accessible home electronics and 
appliances<electronics-talk at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Mon, 27 Feb 2017 11:18:08 -0600
Subject: Re: [Electronics-Talk] All About Braille Displays

Thank you Evelyn! I know about the discontinuation, but they are 
still
being sold so that is why I asked.  I have no way to examine the
products myself.  I wasn't sure of their relevance, although thay 
can
still be purchased.  Tracy, so the Vario Ultra is can be used for 
both
then? I've heard of it, and I guess you answered my question 
about the
differences between the two.  So how do you connect it to you 
iPhone?
Though I am not thrilled about typing on a flat piece of glass, I 
am
not planning in staying home and doing nothing for the rest of
whatever's left of my life so I want to make sure the investments 
are
right.  This is NOT pocket change!

Annette, I was strongly considering the Orbit for the price.  If 
I can
save, I can afford that on my own.  Thanks Judy for explaining.  
I'll
review the Orbit again.  If it can store files as well as be 
portable,
that should work.  I do like the ability to read books and such 
without
being connected to anything.  That is why I was initially 
interested in
the HumanWare products for their versatility.  People used to 
store
books and music for later, even surf the Web while flying the 
friendly
skies! Lovely! and could fit into a purse or carry-on! How is the 
U2
Mini different from the BrailleNote devices?
Jasmine, this is exactly what I was getting from another guy's 
post! I
don't want to be caught unable to access a website I need.  So I 
guess
that is why it's been discontinured! I've been seeing many of 
them on
a classifieds list! TThanks Ashely! And Thanks Jim! I did not 
know
that the Ultra and Edge did not speak.  Not sure why I thought 
they all
did.  We do have a program and ironically I used to live right 
there in
the city where it is! I did not need them back then and now I do 
and
will likely have to travel back to them.  *sigh!* to check out 
the
offerings.  Geez!

Finally, how do you all connet your notetakers to the Net?

On 2/27/17, Jim McCarthy via Electronics-Talk
<electronics-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
 Dannielle
 Assuming that you reside in one of the United States or its 
territories,
 there is an Assistive Technology Act program available to you.  
Part of what
 these programs are challenged to do is to make available a large 
collection
 of devices in a product category.  So as an example, I oversee 
Maryland's
 program and we have the majority of devices you asked about in 
this email.
 I
 am suggesting check out your state's AT act program first, but 
it may not
 have the selection you really need to see in order to make the 
choice.  If
 not getting that information may be a bit more difficult.  These 
programs
 also should permit you to borrow displays so you can try before 
you buy.
 Your email highlights some of the choices for consideration and  
suggests
 you may be making the purchase yourself rather than getting it 
funded by a
 state rehabilitation agency.  As you say, these devices are 
expensive and
 one
 would not wish to make a purchase she will not be happy with in 
the long
 run.  Notetakers come with the programs built in, calculator, 
calendar,
 email
 client, internet browser and perhaps some more for NLS books and 
a few
 more.
 These devices, of which the Apex definitely is one, have speech 
in addition
 to refreshable braille.  There are devices somewhere less in 
features like
 the braille Edge and the Vario Ultra.  These have the ability to 
take notes
 perhaps storing on storage media, or in the case of the vario 
ultra, on
 media or internally.  Finally, there are devices like the 
BraillePen and the
 Focus, probably also the Smart Beatle, that have no storage but 
drive an
 IOS
 and Android device with the keyboard and allow the user to 
receive braille
 output.  The smart phone has all the applications, many are 
accessible,
 several are not, and even those that are may not have been 
tested by blind
 users or built with our needs in mind.  This class of display, 
like the
 vario
 and the edge, do not speak.  Because one is using the smartphone 
for speech,
 that may not matter.  For programs on the vario, word 
processing, calculator
 and so forth, there will be no speech.  For me personally, when 
I have lots
 of reading, I manage better by listening than reading in 
braille, but there
 are lots of reading apps for smart phones so I can manage that 
fine.  Of the
 products about which I am aware, I think the Vario Ultra to be 
my
 preferred,
 but it is not the least expensive, it's note taker functions are 
relatively
 complicated to learn and perhaps a few other things against it 
if I thought
 for a while.  I owned an Apex for a long time and still do.  
During its life,
 I had probably 5 instances when I needed to send it for repairs.  
I am
 pretty
 sure I purchased it in 2010 so that is almost one repair per 
year.  In my
 opinion, the email and web browser functions of the device are 
antiquated,
 easy to master for blind people, but very slow and not 
efficient.  The
 company will not update that but if one has a smart phone and 
pairs the
 apex
 to the smart phone, you have the power of that browser or your 
choice of
 browsers and the same for email programs.  It seems the bottom 
line is to
 see
 as many of these as you can, talk to their users and try to 
determine how
 you expect to use the device.  You will have it a rather long 
time and quite
 a bit of money will be paid for it so shop wisely now.
 Jim

 -----Original Message-----
 From: Electronics-Talk 
[mailto:electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
 Behalf Of Danielle Ledet via Electronics-Talk
 Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2017 8:30 PM
 To: electronics-talk at nfbnet.org
 Cc: Danielle Ledet; Blind Talk Mailing List; nabop at nfbnet.org
 Subject: [Electronics-Talk] All About Braille Displays

 Hello Everyone,

 This is cross posted.  I've always wanted a Braille display and 
felt I could
 benefit from one.  Hoever, I am quite overwhelmed by all the 
choices and yet
 my income doesn't mesh with the prices! I notice that some such 
as the
 Braille Pen and Brailleant are noted as portable for use with 
smart phones.
 Given that, I know folks who utilize a BrailleNote for such 
purposes.  Which
 Braille display or notetaker do you all recommend and why? Is 
their a major
 difference between those billed as BD's and others billed as
 PDA's/notetakers? Also, what are the drawbacks you notice with 
your
 favorite
 device?

 There is a sale on the Apex, but someone recently postsed that 
he was
 having
 some incompatibility issues with web surfing with it.  I am not 
sure this is
 worth the investment if it is becoming obsolete.  I notice too 
the PK and
 mPower are still being sold.  Are they still supported by 
HumanWare? Lastly,
 what is recommened for a braille printer for home use that is 
still being
 distributed?

 I hope you all made it to the end and can give me some helpful 
usable
 feedback! I just want to make sure that when the dollars are 
dropped they
 are on the correct most relevant choice for myself.

 --
 How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the 
young,
 compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and 
tolerant of
 the weak and strong.  Because someday in your life you will have 
been all of
 these.
 George Washington Carver
 Email: singingmywayin at gmail.com

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--
How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the 
young,
compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and
tolerant of the weak and strong.  Because someday in your life 
you will
have been all of these.
George Washington Carver
Email: singingmywayin at gmail.com

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