[nabs-l] The technology in specialized notetakers

Sat Jul 13 23:04:05 UTC 2013

Weight isn't the issue, it's just the convenience of carrying around a
tablet and a BrailleSense verses a laptop, a BrailleSense, and a
tablet.  I have an ultrabook so it's already about as light and slim
as it's going to get, but still in some cases a notetaker is just more
convenient for the reasons that Antonio pointed out.  I also can't
have a mac because the software I need to write music only runs on
Windows, and I don't want to deal with bootcamp or another virtual
machine since I'm probably not tech savvy enough to do so without
breaking something.  Lol.

On 7/13/13, Joshua Lester <JLester8462 at pccua.edu> wrote:
> Kaiti, if you get a MacBook Pro, you'll have a lighter computer.
> Blessings, Joshua
> ________________________________________
> From: nabs-l [nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] on behalf of Kaiti Shelton
> [crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com]
> Sent: Saturday, July 13, 2013 5:14 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] The technology in specialized notetakers
>
> Antonio,
>
> Although I unfortunately don't have the power to do as you suggest
> since I am not a computer science major, I totally sympathize with
> you.  This seems like an issue of inequality to me and has been
> grossly overlooked for a long time.  I remember when I got my first
> laptop for about $600 and the thing was a piece of junk.  A few short
> years later the laptop I got was slightly better and down to $400.
> Now I think the one my voc rehab agency got me and the one I'm typing
> on now was abot that price but it runs a lot smoother, is about half
> as thick, and has more protection from viruses and bugs.  The
> functionality has gone up as the price has dropped, so why isn't that
> true for assistive technology as well.  Humanware is starting to take
> a hint from hims and offer free updates, but I'm wondering if that
> isn't out of desperation to compete with Hims Inc or to reel in
> customers who might be fed up.  The apex has always seemed buggier to
> me than the BrailleSense too at least from my experiences, so
> Humanware might also be trying to appease angry customers who have to
> keep paying for updates in addition to getting  keys unstuck and what
> not.
>
> I really love my BrailleSense On-Hand.  It's very portable, has all
> the functionality of a full-sized notetaker, and I've recently started
> playing around with getting it to connect to my IPhone and tablet for
> braille access.  Since it is so small I can take it anywhere.  I do
> use it in some of my classes that require heavy notetaking as it is
> much less cumbersome on a small desktop and easier to deal with
> because of its size.  I also use my BookSense to record classes and
> read documents for them on the go.
>
> My goal for this year is to phase out the laptop in classes where it
> isn't needed.  I keep all my textbook files on an SD card, so it would
> be easy enough for me to pop it out of my computer and access the text
> files on my BrailleSense.  I will still need my computer for music
> courses so I can access my music software, but for notetaking purposes
> I figure I can just use the BrailleSense in conjunction with a text
> editor on my tablet, or even write it in the body of an email and copy
> and paste it into a continuous file stored on my computer later.
> Carrying around a BrailleSense and a tablet which doesn't even weigh a
> pound will be a lot less cumbersome than carrying a backpack with a
> laptop inside.
>
> On 7/13/13, Antonio Guimaraes <freethaught at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Anjelina,
>>
>> One of the problems you face is due to the lack of support from Humanware
>> products. The Apex notetaker is not quick to add file formats to the list
>> of
>> supported documents. I find Hims, the maker of the Sense line of products
>> a
>> lot more responsive to these types of demands.
>>
>> Note-takers are so expensive, and so specialized that I would not be able
>> to
>> afford one if my voc rehab agency didn't purchase mine. That said, I am
>> virtually naked without my note-taker. It provides the most efficient
>> access
>> to information on the fly for me. It pairs with my iPhone, and much more.
>>
>> There is a time and place for the laptop, and I am finding myself using
>> the
>> laptop more and more. It is easier to collaborate with sighted coleague.
>> The
>> windows or mac environments make it easier to manipulate data, and switch
>> between applications.
>>
>> There is no replacement to the note-taker for me when it comes to taking
>> notes at meetings, accessing a schedule, and the like.
>>
>> I've been spoiled by note-takers since the late 90's, but I am sure I
>> would
>> be able to do without if I really really had to, or if I were starting to
>> use high tech devices in more recent years.
>>
>> I can imagine a blind person would have adequate access to her notes on a
>> smart phone or tablet, a bluetooth keyboard, and some easy way to access
>> the
>> device qquiccckkly.
>>
>> I can get to any file and note in my Braille Sense in under 30 seconds if
>> I
>> know where to look. This is storage and retrieval at its best. The
>> Braille
>> Sense hands from a strap aaround my kneck, and I can get to anything in
>> it
>> very quickly.
>>
>> You cannot even bring up a netbook from hibernate mode to the desktop,
>> let
>> alone access information on a disk. You can't carry and hold a laptop
>> with
>> ease, so it is cumbersome and awekward to look up little things like
>> flight
>> numbers, phone numbers, addresses, and the like on a laptop while
>> traveling.
>>
>> I need lots of reminders from travel directions to train schedules, to
>> calendar appointments. The Braille Sense is the way to go for me.
>>
>> You can pair note-takers to laptops as input and output devices, so other
>> scenarios are possible.
>>
>> I haven't tried this, but I suppose you could pair a Braille Sense to the
>> laptop, leave the laptop at your seat, bring the Braille Sense to a
>> lectern,
>> and pull up notes for a presentation. You could plug a laptop to a
>> projector, and work from your note-taker to access all the features on
>> the
>> laptop.
>>
>> Note-takers continue to improve, and I think manufacturers ahve been
>> adding
>> enough functionality to thhhem to keep them relevant to blind users.
>>
>> I am still waiting for the day when places like AFB will build an app
>> good
>> enough to make storage and retrieval cheaper, and just as easy as it is
>> on
>> the Braille Sense.
>>
>> We're not there yet. Power note-taker users know what we need to ditch
>> the
>> note-takers.
>>
>> I have yet to see a program with full support for folders and subfolders,
>> good search and replace features, spell check, file conversion and
>> support
>> for multiple formats. There are many other things one could build into a
>> note-taker app, but these I mentioned should get us halfway there.
>>
>> It shouldn't be hard to mimic a note-taker environment in a mobile
>> application. I don't know what Hims and Humanware are waiting for.
>>
>> Let my sinnisism step into play again while I say there is no interest in
>> making something low-cost when they ccan crank these things out at over
>> $5000 a piece.
>>
>> The price of technology for the sighted keeps dropping. Why haven't we
>> seen
>> the same in the adaptive technology industry?
>>
>> I hope some really capable, passionate blind computer scientists feel
>> like
>> disrupting the note-taker industry. It's not technocally impossible, and
>> it
>> is desireable for blind people to get affordible quality solutions that
>> will
>> employ and empower more of us to get out there.
>>
>> I've been on my soapbox often in the past two days or so.
>>
>> I can't be the only one who feels this way, though.
>>
>> I hope  I've given you some interesting uses for note-takers.
>>
>> And if one of you is bright, motivated, and passionate enough about
>> changing
>> how mmmuch it costs to be blind, I'd encourage you to pursue your
>> passion.
>> Go get IT done, and ask people for ideas. Go and disrupt the AT industry,
>> and don't forget you've got a beta tester right here.
>>
>> Thanks for reading,
>>
>> Antonio
>>
>> Antonio M Guimaraes Jr.
>>
>> On Jul 13, 2013, at 10:10, Anjelina Cruz <anjelinac26 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> HI all,
>>> I used to heavily rely on my Braille Note but have found for me using
>>> my computer during classes has been more productive. Is there a reason
>>> why the technology in blindness devices seems to lag behind mainstream
>>> technology? For instance, reading docx files has just come to the Apex
>>> this summer.
>>> I'm not at all unappreciative of the tools I have at my disposal,
>>> however I wonder why there isn't more of a push within the blindness
>>> community to modernize some of our tech choices faster.
>>>
>>> What devices have you found help you be a productive student?
>>> --
>>> Anjelina
>>>
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>>
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>
>
> --
> Kaiti
>
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-- 
Kaiti