[nfb-db] Communication Options and Technology

[Haben Girma]

Hi there,
I'm contemplating all my options for communicating with the public in 
such places as restaurants, offices, etc. I'm a braille reader with 
significant hearing loss and very good speech. I am familiar with the 
Screen Braille Communicator, but I find it uncomfortable to use. 
Firstly, the braille display is tiny, and secondly the QWERTY keyboard 
for the other person is awkward to type on. My PAC Mate has a much nicer 
QWERTY keyboard, so I've contemplated using my PAC Mate to communicate 
with the public. The problem with the PAC Mate is that the braille 
display faces the person typing. Hence, I would not be able to read what 
the person writes until after they have finished, and then the PAC Mate 
would need to be pushed back across the table to me. The ideal setup for 
me would be for the PAC Mate's braille display to wirelessly receive 
information from the main body of the PAC Mate. That way, someone could 
type on the PAC Mate to me while I'm facing them on the other side of 
the table reading what they are saying on the PAC Mate's braille 
display. Now, is this at all possible with the PAC Mate? The ALVA BC640, 
which I also have, has built-in bluetooth functionality. Would the PAC 
Mate be able to connect with an ALVA BC640 to get it to do what I want?

All ideas and suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Haben