[nabs-l] Did Anyone At Convention See the Neo Braille

Sat Jul 9 22:14:31 UTC 2016

I just remembered an advantage to the touch. In a firmware update, KNFB reader will be a part of the touch, so if you enjoy that amazing app, it will be included on the touch. Looking forward to testing that out.
Cullen
> On Jul 9, 2016, at 5:31 PM, Karl Martin Adam via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi Ashley,
> 
> As an Apex user, I would definitely suggest getting a newer notetaker like the Touch or the Neo or maybe even the Braillesense.  I like my Apex a lot, but the software is hopelessly out of date because it's running Windows CE, which has been dead for years.  That means basically every website I go to tells me that my browser is not supported and that I need to upgrade to a modern browser, and a lot of them don't work at all.  It still works now, but if you're going to buy something, I wouldn't invest in a notetaker that is at the edge of being obsolete.  There are a few things the Touch doesn't do that the Apex does.  It no longer reads keyword files, and it now has a separate word processor that defaults to using docx and a braille file reading and writing utility instead of one word processor that can do both.  They've also gotten rid of block commands and replaced it with highlighing chunks of text, which I personally find annoying.  And the databases from keybase are no longer supported, and there isn't a way of transfering the e-mail or address list databases, though Mike Tindal told me there's a way of uploading my addresses to GMail from the Apex so I'll still have them on the Touch.
> 
> HTH,
> Karl
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Ashley Bramlett via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> Date sent: Sat, 9 Jul 2016 16:57:10 -0400
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Did Anyone At Convention See the Neo Braille
> 
> Hi Katie,
> I'm also interested in a new notetaker. But I might just purchase the apex
> before they stop making them.
> Does the braille note touch have everything the apex does plus more bells
> and whistles?
> How much does the braille note touch cost versus the neo braille?
> 
> My understanding is the apex has internet capability through wifi built into
> it. It also has bluetooth connections available to a smart phone or tablet
> such as an ipod touch or ipad.
> Also the apex has ability to read NLS books from bard unlike my braille
> Note.
> So, I think the apex or new Braille touch would meet my needs.
> Still interested in the neo braille so I can decide.
> 
> Ashley
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Katie Wang via NABS-L
> Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2016 6:15 PM
> To: david.thomas at davidthetechguy.com ; National Association of Blind
> Students mailing list
> Cc: Katie Wang
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Did Anyone At Convention See the Neo Braille
> 
> Hi Vejas and all,
> 
> I also plan to replace my Braille Note Apex with a new note-taker
> within the next year or so, so I'm very interested in this thread. I
> have been intrigued by the Braille Note Touch - Do people have
> specific opinions/thoughts about its user interface? Is the touch
> screen intuitive to use? Could most functions be carried out using the
> keyboard cover if one prefers not to use the touch screen? Thanks for
> any input!
> 
> Katie
> 
> On 7/7/16, David Thomas via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hello,
> The notetaker missing in this discussion is the El Braille. This notetaker
> is a full Windows 10 Machine with 14 cells of refreshable braille, and a
> promising outlook as it will receive updates at the same time that other
> Windows 10 devices get updated. Another benefit of this device is the
> ability for network administrators to easily integrate it into
> pre-existing networks, and for the blind user to be able to use all
> business protocols such as exchange, Skype for Business, and other
> business collaboration packages on the market today. My worry about the
> group of Android notetakers that are being released to the market today is
> the possibility of them not being updated. An example of an Android
> notetaker gone wrong is the APH braille Plus that was released in 2011
> running 2.3 gingerbread. At that time gingerbread had been out for 1 year,
> and Google had already unveiled Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Yes I
> understand it is a lot of work to keep a notetaker up-to-date, but it is
> really a necessary thing if we are expected to compete on a level playing
> field.
> The next question this brings me to is "Do we actually need a notetaker?"
> I personally have come to the conclusion of no, and have implemented a
> system using an iPhone, and a braille display for my simple note taker
> needs. This solution insures that I am using a mainstream device while
> retaining the lovely braille output we have come to love.
> Regards
> David Thomas
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NABS-L [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Karl Martin
> Adam via NABS-L
> Sent: Thursday, July 7, 2016 3:27 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Cc: Karl Martin Adam
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Did Anyone At Convention See the Neo Braille
> 
> The Neo is an Android notetaker with the ability to download and use all
> accessible Android apps from the Google Play Store, just like the Touch.
> The BrailleSense doesn't have that capability, and it's an older design,
> so you would have it for fewer years before they come out with the next
> hardware revision.  I didn't really compare the Neo to the BrailleSense in
> terms of specs because I was mostly looking at the Touch and the Neo.
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: justin via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> To: "'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'"
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> Date sent: Wed, 6 Jul 2016 14:37:38 -0400
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Did Anyone At Convention See the Neo Braille
> 
> How does it stack up to the braille sense u2?
> Justin
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NABS-L [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Karl Martin
> Adam via NABS-L
> Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2016 1:47 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> Cc: Karl Martin Adam <kmaent1 at gmail.com
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Did Anyone At Convention See the Neo Braille
> 
> Yes I did see it.  The guy from Irie didn't know much about how the
> software or user interface works (Irie is only the distributor not the
> manufacturer), so I don't know how efficient it is to actually use.  It is
> less expensive than the Braillenote Touch though with significantly better
> memory, processor speed, and running a newer version of Android, and most
> importantly for me will have the option of a qwerty smart case, so I am
> very excited to learn more once it actually comes on the market at the end
> of the month.
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Vejas Vasiliauskas via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> Date sent: Thu, 07 Jul 2016 10:35:33 -0700
> Subject: [nabs-l] Did Anyone At Convention See the Neo Braille
> 
> Hi All,
> I was wondering if anyone at convention who went to the exhibit hall, saw
> the Neo-Braille, presented by Irie AT.  It is a notetaker that is so new
> that many people have not heard of it.
> In fact, I never heard it announced anywhere else at convention, so if I
> hadn't gone to their table I probably never would have heard about it
> myself.
> If you did see it, I would appreciate it if you could tell me your opinion
> on it and whether you feel it would make a good notetaker.  I currently
> have a Braille note and am looking within the next year of either getting
> the one I just described, or a Braille sense U 2.
> Thanks.
> Vejas
> 
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