[nabs-l] The technology in specialized notetakers
justin williams
justin.williams2 at gmail.com
Sun Jul 14 00:49:44 UTC 2013
I tried; they told me no sense they bought me a laptop. I guess I can't
blame them, but I'm still trying to concoct a justification.
-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kaiti Shelton
Sent: Saturday, July 13, 2013 8:06 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] The technology in specialized notetakers
If you can justify that it would be beneficial to you, you might be able to
get your voc rehab services to get you one. That's what most people have to
do since they're so expensive. It might be worth a try.
On 7/13/13, justin williams <justin.williams2 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 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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>>
>>
>> --
>> Kaiti
>>
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> --
> Kaiti
>
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--
Kaiti
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