[nfb-db] Communication Options and Technology

[Mussie]

Actually Haben, you can purchase a wireless keyboard (there are models 
larger than the QWERTY KB of the SBC available) so you won't need to use the 
stylus. Face To Face can also work on a laptop or desktop PC.
Mussie
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Haben Girma" <habnkid at aol.com>
To: "NFB Deaf-Blind Division Mailing List" <nfb-db at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, May 14, 2009 10:21 PM
Subject: Re: [nfb-db] Communication Options and Technology



I've also seen a FaceToFace setup, and I don't much like it. The PDA for
the sighted person to use requires the use of a stylus to poke at the
tiny touch-screen keyboard. A friend of mine has tried typing on it and
found it very slow and uncomfortable. For fast and efficient
communication the sighted person would need a comfortable keyboard.

Haben

Yirmiyah wrote:
> Hi Haben,
>
> I have no personal experience with this product, but Freedom Scientific 
> makes an add-on for PAC Mate called FaceToFace.  I've cut and pasted some 
> of the relevant text from their data sheet on the product.  I'm hoping 
> that someone who has personal experience with it can also contact you, but 
> hopefully this information is a start:
>
> FaceToFace includes the
> application and a CompactFlash®
> Bluetooth card. It can be run on a PAC
> Mate 4.1 or PAC Mate Omni. The PAC
> Mate Omni is available with either a
> 20-cell or 40-cell refreshable braille
> display, however, the PAC Mate and
> braille display must be purchased
> separately.
>
> For a truly portable solution FaceTo-
> Face is available with a companion
> HP iPAQ Pocket PC for the sighted
> half of the conversation.
>
>
> On May 14, 2009, at 8:56 PM, Haben Girma wrote:
>
>>
>> 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
>>
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>
>
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