[nabs-l] Interesting topic for discussion: Is TechnologyTurning into Our Enemy?

[Tina Hansen]

All of you have raised some excellent points.

Like some of you, I believe there will be a place for the old technology, 
but once the old technology becomes dated and can't be replaced, then you 
either have to give up, go without or buy things you need from the new 
technologies.

Speaking as one who's been around a while, I believe that the Internet is 
not going away, and that we're not going to go back completely to the way 
things were in the past. We need to use the Internet as a tool to spread our 
message.

Like many, I find it a challenge to resist the latest fads and trends, and I 
fear that swimming with the currents could pull any of us down the wrong 
road if we don't know how to cope. This, in my view, is why some 
organizations are struggling to reach the younger generations, especially if 
the older leaders are not comfortable with Facebook and Twitter. They 
haven't learned how to use these tools, and are not comfortable, so they 
avoid them. Yet I feel that's not a good strategy either.

I recognize that the iPhone is becoming very popular, and can understand the 
push to get on the iPhone bandwagon. You see your peers carrying one, and 
you want one, too. I don't blame anyone for feeling this way; it's not 
uncommon. Personally, even though I see many students in my area carrying 
one, I don't need it.

Some of you still have an older cell phone which meets your needs, and 
that's commendable. It also illustrates the need some of you are bringing 
up: I want a cell phone that only makes calls and nothing else. I know that 
some years ago, one company tried to market a cell phone like this, but I 
don't know what became of it.

I'm not discounting developments like the KNFB Reader Mobile, since some of 
you are probably using it for your schoolwork.

Someone commented about the young girl who cried because their i phone gave 
out. I know that recently, for me, my computer died and had to be replaced 
right in the middle of my coursework. This set me back, but I was able to 
rely on other tools to get the job done, as well as finding a way to borrow 
a computer that I could use during the time my unit was being replaced. I 
still have a classic Braille writer on hand, and that helped me during that 
time.

I also want to bring up a point that sometimes gets overlooked in this 
discussion: older technology can be a problem to store. I no longer have a 
cassette player or record player because I live in an apartment, and these 
take up a good deal of space. I probably will never buy anymore vinyl.

Also, hardcopy Braille books can take up space, which is why I'd like to see 
some technology that will display a full Braille page, yet cost less than 
current Braille displays.

As I think about this, I think we all need to ask ourselves some questions 
when it comes to buying technology: how much is too much, and where do you 
draw the line?

I know this is hard, especially in the blind commmunity, since you can't 
learn about, say, the various accessible book readers by going to a local 
electronics store. Yet, many of us want and need at least one of these units 
for school, work, and whatever. That is why, though we have our technology 
center at our national headquarters, there is still the need to have some 
kind of technology center in every state so that a blind person can learn 
about what's out there.

To those of you who still are using a tape player, I say, use it until it 
gives out, but if you don't want it, look into the new digital recorders. If 
you have a Braille writer on hand, stick with it.

Someone commented about the popularity of video games, and the potential 
concerns about kids being overstimulated. I agree that this is troubling, 
especially since I'm not a gamer myself. I may watch someone playing a game, 
but I don't go on for hours when I could be doing something better with my 
time.

Like some of you, I'm not one who buys every new piece of technology that 
comes out. The only reason I have more than one book reader is that I feel a 
responsibility to the blind community in my area to help them learn about 
what's out there. Yet I won't buy the iPhone, simply because I have what I 
need.

Could I use a laptop? Sure, but maybe later on. Could I use a cell phone? 
Maybe later. What about an iPod touch? Well, probably not. Yet the trend 
towards these technologies is not easy to resist. They're popular, and the 
push is strong, but I feel that there are times when you need to go against 
the current. For some of you, this could be one of those times, and for 
those of you who have an iPhone, I'd say, use it, but always have a backup 
tool on hand should it break down.

This leads me to another observation: Some of you like the old technology 
for its simplicity. Is it possible to combine the simplicity of the old 
technologies with the many benefits of the new? I know that some companies 
are trying, and if any of you have a new NLS talking book player, you admire 
its simplicity and usefulness.

My big recommendation when you look at technology is to buy each tool, based 
on your needs, and use it for what it does best. There is the quest out 
there for the perfect device that will do everything equally well, and I 
believe that while the iPhone comes close, some people would rather not use 
it, either because they're not comfortable with it or it just doesn't meet 
their needs. Plus, if you just buy an iPhone and use it for everything, it 
could break down, and if you don't have an alternative, you could be stuck. 
That is why I like to have at least two of the book readers on hand, so that 
if the battery is low on one, the other is ready to go into service.

I say all of this to add my thoughts to the dialog, and to hear some of 
yours. Thanks.