[nabs-l] The technology in specialized notetakers

Sat Jul 13 23:11:32 UTC 2013

Notakers are great for convenience; I would like one.

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kaiti Shelton
Sent: Saturday, July 13, 2013 7:04 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] The technology in specialized notetakers

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

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