[Nfbc-info] Note-Taking Devices

[David Andrews]

The thing I don't like about the Focus is that 
the travel of the keys is so small, that is the 
distance you have to push them.  It is so shallow 
that I don't like the feel of brailling on it.  I 
tried the Brailliant a couple times and liked it 
better, the feel that is, but haven't used it extensively.

Dave

At 11:16 PM 9/12/2013, you wrote:
>What about the Brailliant braille displays or the Apex?
>
>--
>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
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>--
>
>On 9/12/2013 8:56 PM, Brandon Keith Biggs wrote:
>>Hello,
>>I use a
>>Braille Plus 18 
>><http://shop.aph.org/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_Braille%20Plus%2018_1-07466-00P_10001_11051>
>>for reading books, taking quick notes, 
>>recording my voice lessons, searching the web 
>>really quick in the hall, and listening to 
>>music. I use an IPhone for testing and calling 
>>people and doing things that the Braille Plus 18 can't do.
>>But I always use my computer to take notes in 
>>class and that way I can search the internet, 
>>do tests, email and do what ever else while I'm 
>>taking notes. Switching apps is really fast on 
>>the BP18, but not quite as fast as it is on the computer.
>>Thanks,
>>
>>Brandon Keith Biggs
>>
>>On 9/12/2013 8:47 PM, Shannon L. Dillon wrote:
>>>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