[Nfb-krafters-korner] OT I Pad and netbook

Annette Carr amcarr1 at verizon.net
Sat Mar 12 14:07:03 UTC 2011 

Hi All,

It has been quite some time since I posted.  This has been due to a computer
failure in January.  Joyce I struggled with choosing between a Notebook,
netbook or MacAir.  I went with the notebook for all of the same reasons
that Laura has stated below.  I Already have an iPad and love it, so I was
giving strong consideration to the MacAir.  But since at work we use Windows
based computers, I decided to stay with a notebook.  In the middle of the
computer failure, I jumped right in and bought the Verizon iPhone and have
not looked back.  The iPad has become a family tool that stays in the
kitchen/family room.  I just have to get the family trained to turn off the
voice over with the triple finger double tap instead of from within the
settings.

I am really happy with my combination of a Windows 7 notebook and an iPhone.
As far as whether you should wait until June is up to you, but consider that
it really isn't all that far off and no matter what you decide, there will
always be something new on the market after you make your purchase.

Annette


-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Laura White
Sent: Friday, March 11, 2011 10:22 AM
To: List for blind crafters and artists
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] OT I Pad and netbook

Hi Joyce,
I just went through this very same thing!  I ended up purchasing a notebook
and here were my reasons...
1.  More power, higher speed and versitilty. With my new lap top I have 4 GB
of DDR internal memory, its basically the ram that helps the computer load
quickly.  I have 500 GB of storage space on my hard drive.  I don't game but
I do store books, music etc. so the space is not unwelcome.
2.  Size and portability,  My laptop is an HP pavilion DM4.  Its technically
considered a notebook which means that is a size inbetween the netbook which
is the smallest and the lap top which is the biggest portable computer.  My
notebook is 14 inches and 4 pounds!
3.   internal optical drive,  The internal optical drive is what we
non-computer people call the CD drive.  With the netbook I looked at it
lacked a CD drive.  Jaws does work on a net book but due to the smaller size
they don't always have as much processing power as a notebook might.  FOr
instance when I was shopping recently the netbook
I looked at had 2 Gb of ramm compared to the 4 I am getting.   Another
factor in my decision was that without a CD drive how was I going to put MS
office on my computer?  I didn't want to have to buy an external optical
drive because that cost more money. 


4.  internal processors, When you look for a computer here is a tid bit of
information I learned this week while shopping.  When you look at the
computer specs look for it to say something along the
following:  I3. I5 or I7 intell dual core processor.  These three processors
are the newest and fastest processors on the market right now.  They don't
cost extra to hav e in a computer but they speed up the system of your
computer.  I'm not a gamer so I didn't care about speed but I want the
newest product that I can aford and I chose my HP notebook and added on the
I5 processor because while in school I need some get up and go from my
computer so to speak.
5.  Screen readers,  With HP, Dell, Acer etc they are all windows based.
Right now all the computers on the market have windows 7 premium home or
professional already installed on them out of the box.
 This version of windows works with Jaws 11 or above.  In terms of the
Ipad... All Apple computers come preloaded with a software that enables it
to talk out of the box.  you need sighted assistance  to turn on the speech
but after that you should be all set.
The difference between the IPAD and a traditional lap top is weight, and the
keyboard.  Netbooks, laptops and notebooks are heavier.  The
Ipad is thin, portable but entirely touch screen.   I personally
didn't want to have to use my finger to scroll around a screen that lays
flat in order to navigate.
6. final thoughts.  As with any computer its your choice.  I think Apple has
great technology and I do own an IPOD touch that talks.  I like that it
works just fine but I've barely used half the available features because
typing on it is a difficulty.  Apple has it set up in such a way that in
order to type with the talking feture you touch the letter and then in order
for it to be entered you double tapp with a fingertip on that letter.  Its
not a fun experience for me but I've heard others really like it.
What ever you choose Joyce you can't go wrong.  Notebooks and net books all
have wireless capabilities, web cams, internal microphones for Skipe and
some have blue tooth and ability to connect to your phone just like an IPAD.
My suggestion to you is go to Office Depot, best Buy or another store and
touch all the available laptops on display.  Take notes of what features you
like and then go to the nearest Apple store or ask a friend to let you touch
the IPAd.  Thats how I did my homework. With the new IPAd 2 coming out today
I might avoid the Apple store this weekend though.
I did not mean to compose a novel.  If you have any questions feel free to
ask.  I'm no expert, just a consumer who likes to do her research.

Laura

On 3/11/11, Blindhands at aol.com <Blindhands at aol.com> wrote:
> I need some info and your thoughts on this please:
>
> I know that an I Pad is just like an I phone but you can use the I Pad 
> with  your Why5 or what ever you call the wireless internet in the 
> house.  I also  believe you can get all the aps for the I Pad that 
> they have for the I phone.  [Is this correct?]
>
> The talk all seems to be about the I Pad and I even heard a comment 
> that it  will be replacing the lap tops.  Have you heard anything like
this?
>
> Now I need some info on net books.  Can you get a netbook to work  JAWS?
> How can you get it into the netbook, as I thought it does not have a  
> cd drive on it.  I know you can purchase an external cd drive, but it 
> seems like that is over kill and money you saved on the netbook you 
> put back in.
>
> I would like to be able to use this for reading email, access to the 
> internett and to listen to music.  I have played with an I phone and I 
> know there is a lot of apps that can do lots of things and you don't 
> need a keyboard to do it.  While down in Baltimore the group was all 
> talking about using the aps for Dragon Dictate to type instead of the 
> picture and touching the screen.  I am trying to decide if I want an I 
> Pad or netbook or  laptop.  I thought I wanted an I phone, but I 
> really am home most of the  time so the I Phone may not be the best, 
> besides that would be a monthly fee for  the internet and phone 
> service. [$30 per month for each phone][my John already pays
> that for his]    So I have to decide to save more for the I  Pad or get
the
> other.
> Joyce  Kane
> _www.KraftersKorner.org_ (http://www.krafterskorner.org/) 
> Blindhands at AOL.com _______________________________________________
> Nfb-krafters-korner mailing list
> Nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-krafters-korner_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> Nfb-krafters-korner:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-krafters-korner_nfbnet.org/l
> ewhite86%40gmail.com
>

_______________________________________________
Nfb-krafters-korner mailing list
Nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-krafters-korner_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Nfb-krafters-korner:
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-krafters-korner_nfbnet.org/amcarr1
%40verizon.net

More information about the NFB-Krafters-Korner mailing list