[nfbcs] Independence with a Price Tag

[Tracy Carcione]

I remember several years ago Mr. Vanderheiden of the Trace Center
predicted that talking programs on cell phones would become very common
because everyone would want their phones to talk so they could use them
while driving and not have to look.  I hear lots of stories about the
dangers of distracted driving, but I don't hear that talking cell phones
are common in the mainstream market.  I wonder where the disconnect is?
Tracy


> I think Gary and David really hit the real important points to contemplate
> on this issue.  The cost of developer salaries, benefits and the equipment
> it requires for all involved with creating a software release gets rather
> high rather quickly.  When you then factor in the limited size of the
> market
> for the products, the producers have no choice but to charge the prices
> they
> charge.
>
> This unfortunate basic economic fact does not only apply to the companies
> in
> the adaptive technology field.  Most of the IT companies I have been
> exposed
> to have the same issues.  Indeed most of them are now off-shoring the nuts
> and bolts development work.  When companies who sell their products to
> billions offer a tool for $100.00, they do it because they figured out
> it's
> cost, estimated how many people they will need to have buy it and if
> successful they make a profit.
>
> I personally believe there are only two ways the cost of the adaptive
> technology can come down to a more easily affordable price.  1.  The
> technology crosses over to the general sighted user.  This occurred with
> scanners.  2.  The size of the potential market grows.  Again more users
> would reduce the cost per unit.
>
>
>
> Thanks, William