[nabs-l] an interesting article

sami osborne via nabs-l nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Sun May 18 13:42:40 UTC 2014


Hi all.

Below I will paste an article that my mom emailed to me 
yesterdayou
The article is about a Braille phone designed by a British 
company called OwnPhone.
I have found this article interesting so I thought that you guys 
might also be interested.

It describes the phone that they made and also what kinds of 
phones they have made in the past.  You can ignore the ending, as 
it just describes VoiceOver and Android, and we all know about 
them, don't we?

Note: currently, this phone is only avialable in the UK, so 
people like Sandra Gayer can buy it.
By the way Sandra, feel free to chime in if you already have it 
and share how you like it.
So as promised, the article below which Ow will paste right now.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks,

Sami.
 Braille phone goes on sale in 'world first'
London-based firm OwnFone has released what it says is the 
world's first Braille phone.
  The front and back of the phone is constructed using 3D 
printing techniques and can be customised.
  Other companies have designed Braille phones in the past, but 
OwnFone says its device is the first of its kind to go on sale.
  For those who can't read Braille, the company can print raised 
text on the keypad.
  The phone, currently only available in the UK, retails for £60 
and according to its inventor Tom Sunderland, 3D printing the 
front and back of the device helped to keep the costs down.
  "3D printing...  provides a fast and cost-effective way to 
create personalised Braille buttons," he says.
  The device is designed to provide an instant connection between 
blind users and their friends and family.
  Haptic touchscreen
In 2012, OwnFone launched what was one of the world's first 
partially 3D printed phones.
  A year later, the company developed a special child-friendly 
version called 1stFone, a credit-card sized device with 
programmable buttons for crucial contacts.
  OwnFone's new Braille phone is based on these previous two 
devices, keeping its small form factor and colourful design



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