[nabs-l] Question about technology

Sun Apr 24 18:42:04 UTC 2011

Kirt:

It's a note-taker -- very-much like the Apex.  In fact, I might have bought
an Apex except that it had not come out in the fall of 2008 when my trusty
Braille Lite 2000 was stolen (along with much else) from the back-seat of my
truck (it has a crew cab).

The BS Plus does a pretty fair job of web pages and email, allowing one to
use the web browser to biew HTML email like Office 2010 does with Windows
Explorer.  The BS Plus handles .DOC and .DOCX files although the most it
will produce independently are .RTF files.

The braille translation, although based upon Duxbury, is a bit quirkier than
that of the apex or so I understand.  And HIMS is doing its own U.S.
marketing now so it remains to be seen what tech support will be like.

AS I say, had the Apex come out in 2008, I would have bought it.

The *real* question is now that the iPhone 4 is here, would I just get a
portable Bluetooth braille display for it or would I again purchase a
note-taker?  I don't know the answer to that one.

Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Kirt Manwaring
Sent: Sunday, April 24, 2011 10:57 AM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Question about technology

Mike,
  Fair enough- I totally agree that indidivual preference is the most
important factor to consider here.  But I'm curious, what's your
experience been like with the Braillesense?  How is it with
webbrowsing, email, etc?  Is it built like a notetaker or a computer?

On 4/24/11, Mike Freeman <k7uij at panix.com> wrote:
> Also, braille displays with piezoelectric elements have to be carefully
> assembled by hand.  The net result is that it costs something like fifty
> dollars a cell.
>
> Mike
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf
> Of David Andrews
> Sent: Sunday, April 24, 2011 9:17 AM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Question about technology
>
> There are many moving parts which have to be carefully manufactured as
they
> must be durable enough to be activated hundreds of thousands of times,
> without failure.
>
> There are a couple potential technologies on the horizon, which may be
less
> expensive, but nothing in the foreseeable future.
>
> Dave
>
> A cheaper refreshable braille technology has been worked on for 30 years
or
> longer, and nothing has emerged to replace piezoelectric cells.
>
> Dave
>
> At 11:40 PM 4/23/2011, you wrote:
>>Why are the displays, so expensive?
>>Blessings, Joshua
>>
>>On 4/23/11, Nicole B. Torcolini at Home <ntorcolini at wavecable.com> wrote:
>> > Not exactly sure, but I think that they are going to run just
>> about the same
>> > ($200 for no display, $400 for 18 cell display, $600 for 32 cell
>> > display) regardless of where you get one.
>> >
>> > ----- Original Message -----
>> > From: "Joshua Lester" <jlester8462 at students.pccua.edu>
>> > To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>> > <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> > Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2011 8:26 PM
>> > Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Question about technology
>> >
>> >
>> >> Where can I get a good deal on an Apex?
>> >> Thanks, Joshua
>> >>
>> >> On 4/23/11, Kirt Manwaring <kirt.crazydude at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >>> Joshua,
>> >>>   The PAC Mate is a little bit behind the Apex in terms of the
>> >>> latest up-to-date technology.  That, however, shouldn't stop you
>> >>> if you are more comfortable with it.
>> >>>   However, I will say that if you liked the Braillenote you saw,
>> >>> it's a fair bet you'll like the Apex.  The design's the same,
>> >>> basically everything you could do on the old braillenote you do
>> >>> the same way on the Apex, the Apex just has more bells and whistles.
>> >>>   Personally, if it were me, I'd get the Apex because the PAC Mate
>> >>> is no longer being updated by Freedom Scientific and it's a
>> >>> bulkier machine.  I used a PAC Mate for like 5 years, I loved it,
>> >>> and I still miss it sometimes.  But my Apex can do more, the
>> >>> braille display is just as good as it was on the PAC mate, and
>> >>> it's easier to carry around.  But, as I said, if you really like
>> >>> the PAC mate better after looking at both machines, get the Pac Mate.
>> >>>   All the best,
>> >>> Kirt
>> >>>
>> >>> On 4/23/11, trising <trising at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>> >>>> I absolutely love my Pacmate BX440. If I could only have one
>> >>>> piece of technology, this is the one i would have. I can take
>> >>>> minutes as the Secretary for the NFB of Michigan. I can also read
>> >>>> books. I can also edit minutes and other documents. I am very
>> >>>> partial to having Braille under my fingertips for accuracy as a
>> >>>> Secretary, so I very much prefer having Braille rather than just
>> >>>> Jaws. This all depends on what you are used to and what you are
>> >>>> familiar with.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Terri Wilcox
>
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