[Nfbc-info] Note-Taking Devices

Shannon L. Dillon shannonldillon at gmail.com
Fri Sep 13 03:47:09 UTC 2013


Hi Chela,
First, the Focus 14 is too small to be really useful with a laptop. It works
fine for an iPhone, but it's no good for reading and getting an idea of
formatting on the laptop screen. Don't leet your counselor BS you into a
Focus 14. 

As for notetakers, I have had many people tell me their iPhone is sufficient
to take notes with.  I have tried a couple of Bluetooth keyboards, and the
Focus 14, and my experience has not been that great. The iPhone simply can't
keep up with my Brailling. So I don't know what your Braille typing speed
is, but I would really put an iPhone and Braille display or Bluetooth
keyboard to the test before using it as your notetaker. And trying using
them quickly like you're taking notes in a fast paced class. Don't just try
writing a letter or something you can do without concern for time.

Plus, a notetaker you can always connect to a flash drive or memory stick
and get files from other people.  You would have to use Dropbox or email to
get files from other people with your iPhone. So it limits your options for
sharing information with other people. 

My notetaker has been sick this last few months, and I've been trying my
iPhone and my laptop and in my experience, they don't replace the notetaker.
You can't just pop open your laptop and reboot it in the middle of the hall
while talking to someone if they come up with something you want to write
down.  You can't type while standing at someone's desk. You have to find
somewhere to sit down, lay down the laptop and turn it on. I find the
notetaker to be a lot more portable and flexible. And as I said before, the
iPhone doesn't cut it because I type too fast and the words run together and
it starts to drop characters. I never had that with a notetaker, not even
back in the days of the Braille 'n Speak.
 

Saying that, the laptop is great obviously for writing papers and reading
books that are electronic. I wouldn't want to only  have a notetaker. I
would still want a laptop, too.

Hope it helps. Feel free to contact me ifyou want.

-Shannon
   
-----Original Message-----
From: Nfbc-info [mailto:nfbc-info-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Chela
Robles
Sent: Thursday, September 12, 2013 7:30 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: [Nfbc-info] Note-Taking Devices

Hello all,
I have told you while back that I'm going to take the Administrative
Assistant Program starting October 21st and through the summer of 2014 at
Mt. Diablo Adult Education School in my hometown, Concord, California and I
have made a list in conjunction with the financial aid adviser who will be
working with my counselor and I to make sure I succeed. A couple of the
items I listed I think are note-taking possibilities a windows professional
7 equipped laptop and the Braille Focus 14 display.
My question to all of you since I'm not going to divulge my whole list which
is only ten items, which I'm sure you guys don't wish to read unless I'm
wrong about that then let me know.
Anyway my question is what do you guys use for taking notes in school?
Several people from the IOs listserv I'm on say they use their IPads,
IPhones, IPod Touches, MacBookPro's, while others use PC Laptops in
conjunction with braille displays that have the braille keyboard integrated
with the laptop while still others use just the braille display because it
has note-taking functionality itself, yet others still stick to the classic
note-takers such as from Humanware or the pac mate from Freedom Scientific
which mine didn't last. I just really think personally it would be easier to
take the laptop and the braille display along with the digital recorder I
have from Olympus to record lectures, but I want to make sure I know what
others are using but to me it sounds like a lot of people are using their
IDevices or Braille displays in conjunction with the IDevices or as a
stand-alone note-taker, or in conjunction or without laptops whether from
Apple or PC-based, now, but correct me if I'm wrong, but there are still
those who use the older technology such as what I mentioned before from
Freedom Scientific which again my Pac Mate did retire and I'd not get one
again.
I'd like to know before 8AM PST. Tomorrow.
I don't want to limit myself yet I want to make sure I don't break Rehab's
budget smiles.
I have a meeting tomorrow with a tech evaluator name Steven Clark from
Adaptive Technology Services, even though I already gave him the list, I'd
still like to know what others are using to take notes in classes nowadays.
Thanks for your kind responses.
Chela Robles

--
--
Teachers have a sacred task:
It is to give children the skills to understand the world and an expectation
that the world is a trustworthy place; that it is full of light, and love,
and music and that each student deserves--and will have--their own place in
it and the chance to play their own song.
And, as much of these expectations are transmitted non-verbally-and in
Chela's case--out of sight.it is the voice and touch of a Teacher that sheds
light on what the world can be.
Academics-and no one will ever change my mind on this-take a distant second
place. -Dr. Bil Hawkins
--
Chela Robles a Nationally Certified person in Customer Service, certified by
the National Retail Federation Foundation (NRF):
http://www.nrffoundation.com/
E-mail: cdrobles693 at gmail.com
Windows Live Messenger: cdrobles693 at hotmail.com
Skype: jazzytrumpet
I volunteer for Bookshare, to find out more and to volunteer with us,visit:
http://www.bookshare.org/ Need more space, come join dropbox and start with
two gigs of free space and 500 Megabytes as is this is my referral link to
you: http://db.tt/XpUTe0E
--


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