[gui-talk] Fwd: press release: KeySoft 8.0 for the BrailleNote

[Steve Pattison]

From: Scott Erichsen pianoman at scotterichsen.com
To: vip-l at softspeak.com.au

Unveiling KeySoft 8.0

Longueuil, January 29, 2009 - HumanWare is pleased to announce KeySoft
version 8.0, the latest upgrade to the KeySoft software suite. Version 
8.0
will be available for mPower and PK platforms in March. KeySoft 8.0 
requires
one count of a Software Maintenance Agreement (SMA).

What's new in KeySoft 8.0?

Experience new ways to communicate in real time and enrich your book 
reading
experience with this new KeySoft version. Are you interested in learning
more about GPS navigation? You now have the opportunity to try for a 
period
of 90 days the acclaimed Sendero GPS. Version 8.0 is packed with a wide
range of features to enhance the way you work and learn.

1.1           KeyChat
Communicate in real time with colleagues, friends and family using state 
of
the art instant messaging (IM) services. Designed using the newest open
instant messaging standards, KeyChat can communicate through Google 
Talk,
iChat and other chatting services. Google Talk is an innovative and free 
IM
service. It offers an efficient, clutter-free, and easy way to chat. 
Google
Talk smoothly integrates with the popular Gmail system, allowing you to 
chat
in real time with your email contacts as well. Read and write messages 
in
your preferred grade of Braille, manage conversations and follow chat
history with familiar KeySoft commands. Receive an Audio or Braille 
notice
when a message arrives. Add new friends or select from your KeyList
contacts, or simply go online and enjoy!

1.2           Reading Audible.com books
KeySoft 8.0 will support Audible.com books. Audible.com offers a wide 
audio
book collection for general and specialized audiences, including the 
latest
best sellers. Teachers and parents can also join their new Audible Kids
service to access fun and educational content for school age kids or get
tips and ideas on how to help children get the most out of their 
listening
experience. Fully integrated into KeyBook, you can listen to Audible 
books
and customize various settings such as narration speed and audio tone. 
Set
bookmarks, create text notes, and jump to any place in the book. To 
obtain
Audible books, you will need to become a member of the Audible service 
and
use the Audible manager to authorize your BrailleNote to play the 
protected
Audible books. HumanWare customers can enjoy the complete Audible 
collection
for a free 14 day period

1.3           Direct access to the new Bookshare site
The existing support for unpacking electronic books from Bookshare.org 
is
enhanced to include the new .zip or bks2 formats adopted by Bookshare.
KeySoft provides everything necessary to wirelessly access the 
Bookshare.org
web site, download the text, Braille or DAISY electronic book and unpack 
and
read the book, without having to use a PC.

1.4           Support for NIMAS books
KeySoft will now play NIMAS books. NIMAS books are text files with a
structure that is similar to that of DAISY books. KeyBook's rich 
navigation
used with DAISY files is also available for NIMAS files. NIMAS books are
instantly translated into your preferred Braille grade. Choose to read 
in
Braille or let Eloquence speech read to you. Move through DAISY elements 
or
use the familiar KeySoft sentence and paragraph navigation commands. 
NIMAS
(National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard) is the format 
for
educational textbooks in the United States. NIMAS guides the production 
and
electronic distribution of digital versions of textbooks and other
instructional materials so they can be more easily converted into 
accessible
formats. For more information, please visit: http://nimas.cast.org/.

1.5           Get a taste of GPS
KeySoft version 8.0 represents a great opportunity to get familiar with 
GPS.
It includes the latest version of Sendero GPS and users can take 
advantage
of a 90-day free trial period to browse their preferred map or navigate
outdoors. After this trial period, users can continue to enjoy their 
system
at a preferred price. Users are required to download the desired maps 
from
the Sendero site. For real time navigation, you will need a GPS 
receiver.

1.6           More printers available to students
Students and teachers can now select from a wide range of Hewlett 
Packard
printers. Most new models from the Deskjet, Officejet, Laser jet and
Photosmart product lines are supported. Printers supported via the 
KeySoft
generic printing engine must have a USB port. This functionality is only
available to mPower users.
The new printing engine can create images of documents in JPEG format. 
As
JPEG files are compatible formats, users can transfer documents to the 
PC or
to non-BrailleNote users without losing the rich formatting available in
Keyword.

1.7           Eloquence speech is now supported in the PK
Use the highly responsive and accurate KeyNote Gold speech that has been 
one
of KeySoft's strongest features or switch to the familiar Eloquence 
speech
that is now widely available on access technology products.
1.8           French Version
KeySoft 8.0 will be released simultaneously in English and French. The 
same
functions are available on both versions.
Recent mPower & PK Purchases
Customers that have purchased a new mPower or PK units after January 1st
2009 are eligible to receive a free KeySoft 8 upgrade.
Compatibility
KeySoft 8.0 is not supported by the Classic models of the BrailleNote 
and
VoiceNote. As previously stated, KeySoft 7.5 was the last release for 
these
Classic devices.
Contact
Please contact your regional HumanWare office in the USA, Canada, the 
UK,
New Zealand and Australia for regional pricing and orders.

USA: 1 800 722-3393 or 925 680-7100
UK/Europe: +44 1933 415 800
Canada: 1 888 723-7273 or +1 450 463 1717
Australia/Asia: +61 2 9686 2600
New Zealand:  +64 3 384 4555

Regards Steve
Email:  srp at internode.on.net
Windows Live Messenger:  internetuser383 at hotmail.com
Skype:  steve1963