[nabs-l] notetakers: are they worth buying anymore?

[Brice Smith]

Kirt,

I'll play devil's advocate: Is the combination of opening and saving a
document on your netbook or laptop truly such a hassle to you that you
(or your state agency for the blind or another funding source) can
justify paying more than $6000 for a notetaker? I'll argue that if the
convenience of a notetaker is for "taking notes" as you mention,
taking notes can be done fairly quickly with a netbook or laptop, a
slate and stylus, a small voice recorder, or even your phone -- all at
less than one sixth the price of your Apex. An Apex or other notetaker
might be a luxury for note taking that perhaps makes life easier, but
do the benefits really outweigh the costs?

On 7/24/11, Chris Nusbaum <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I don't have a set opinion on this matter as of yet, but I'd like
> to initiate the discussion.  I'm noticing a trend in the
> blindness technology field: PC's can do most everything a
> notetaker (BrailleNote, BrailleSense, PacMate, etc.) can do, with
> some obvious changes and differences, and in some cases can do
> and support more than the notetaker.  This is also true with the
> ever-improving accessible smartphones and tablets: the iPhone,
> iPad, iPod Touch, (the semiaccessible) Android phones, the KNFB
> Reader, etc.  Yes, the notetakers have built-in Braille displays,
> but you can also install a stand-alone Braille display on a
> computer to display what's on the screen, or you could just buy a
> screen reader (text-to-speech, not text-to-Braille) as a
> replacement for the Braille display...  that is, if you think it
> is in fact a replacement for refreshable Braille.  That's another
> question for all of you in this discussion.  So, here's the
> question: with all the advancements and capabilities of a
> computer and screen readers or stand-alone refreshable Braille
> displays, is it worth it, in your opinion, to buy a notetaker
> anymore? What, given all the things a PC can do, is the real
> purpose of the notetakers now? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
>
> Chris
>
> "A loss of sight, never a loss of vision!" (Camp Abilities motto)
>
> The I C.A.N.  Foundation helps visually impaired youth in
> Maryland have the ability to confidently say "I can!" How? Click
> on this link to learn more and to contribute:
> www.icanfoundation.info or like us on Facebook at I C.A.N.
> Foundation.
>
> Sent from my BrailleNote
>
> _______________________________________________
> nabs-l mailing list
> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nabs-l:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/brice.smith319%40gmail.com
>


-- 
Brice Smith
North Carolina State University, Communication - Public Relations
Brice.Smith319 at gmail.com