[NFBCS] FW: Access On: The BrailleNote Evolve from HumanWare

Mon Jun 29 03:23:35 UTC 2026

Hi Joe,
I think that changing the keyboard will have a “profound change on the core experience”, as you describe it, in that if you know Windows, you'll be able to use Windows as you know it and not touch the KeySoft layer at all. Of course you could set KeySoft aside on the braille version too, but it would potentially introduce some cognitive dissonance which the KeySoft layer could help to overcome.
Whether over $6000 is worth it for a mid-spec laptop and a braille display in one package is up to you. I can see why for many it wouldn't be. For me, the ergonomics and the portability trump the price tag.
My main hesitations about the Evolve QWERTY at this point are that hopefully we will also see the Optima next year, which might give us better specs, and I don't hold out much hope that the Evolve QWERTY will have a UK keyboard option. The latter point is obviously not relevant to most of the audience of this list, but coming from the UK, it will make or break the deal for me.
If I'm wrong, and we see an Evolve with a UK keyboard, I'll probably spring for it. The specs will be better than what I have now, so will the ergonomics, and if the form factor of the Evolve 32 is anything to go by, the form factor of the Evolve QWERTY will be enviably small and light!
Matthew

From: NFBCS <nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Joe Orozco via NFBCS
Sent: 23 June 2026 05:07
To: NFB in Computer Science Mailing List <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Joe Orozco <jsorozco at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [NFBCS] FW: Access On: The BrailleNote Evolve from HumanWare

I was finally able to listen to Jonathan’s review in its entirety. Sadly, or fortunately, it discouraged me from making the purchase.

I’m glad Jonathan did the math for us. Too often I have felt as though consumer groups have given companies a pass because the market is too small, the research and development is too expensive, and so on. Yet, if the company’s market really is the educational sector, this should be fleshed out in their marketing. The $6,000 plus price tag feels a little startling even for the educational sector, but I understand this is the way of the world.

I thought I might wait for the QWERTY model. Yet, changing the keyboard doesn’t seem like it will have a profound change on the core experience.

I’m a little bummed. I really was hoping to approach the product as an all-in-one experience. I’ll still check it out on the exhibit floor, and compliments to Humanware for taking a substantial run at blending the notetaker with a mainstream concept. I hope it is the beginning of a new trend.

And thanks to Jonathan for the thorough and honest assessment. It’s good to know we have someone at the helm who can recognize the wonderful things that come of our partnership with the corporate sector but still be able to step back and offer an unbiased assessment. This ultimately benefits the end customer who is not relying on government funds to make the investment. At north of 6K, it is indeed a steep investment.

Very appreciative,

Joe

On Fri, Jun 19, 2026 at 2:05 PM dan TeVelde via NFBCS <nfbcs at nfbnet.org<mailto:nfbcs at nfbnet.org>> wrote:
Hi Jonathan,

I thought your review was comprehensive and you raised some issues I hadn’t thought of. I won’t be getting this device. You noted several things which resonated with me. I have a QBraille and agree with you that it was an innovative device. I stopped using it when I ran into issues with windows 11 and needed a Mantis to do programming. My main concern with the QBraille was its unreliable Bluetooth connections. I think Selvas technical support has suffered recently. In one of their webinars I asked them if they were going to keep the QBraille updated and they were dismissive even when I pointed out that its hybrid interface was worth keeping. I explained how I liked to use it and not need to depend on a screenreader. I found the presence of Windows modifier keys helpful except when I needed to execute complicated JAWS and NVDA commands. I tried using the Windows sticky keys feature but that didn’t work. I think these shortcomings could have been addressed in a new product. Instead, Selvas introduced a Braille display with a stupid name and was a basic copy of the Brailliant with some other features.

When my Braille Sense U2 Mini became obsolete and stopped working I bought a Brailliant 20. I didn’t want a full-fledged notetaker and thought that the Humanware hybrid approach would be sufficient for my needs. Initially I was very satisfied with the device and found connecting it to iOS devices to be easy. I was disappointed with the Victor Reader app and the fact that there are file size limitations even for BRF files. The latest Humanware software update has made things worse. People complained about an issue where in the Victor Reader app where the process of selecting recently read books was slow. Humanware addressed that issue in one of their software updates but then the issue resurfaced with last year’s latest update. I think the processor and amount of RAM might not be sufficient. The user can’t open multiple files in the same application which I would think would be an important requirement for a device. I was astounded to learn that the BrailleNote Evolve doesn’t have a find function for BRF files. How could Humanware have left such an important feature out of the initial implementation. It boggles my mind.

I think we are at a dead end with most notetakers. It seems like Humanware and Sellvas are doing more of the same things with newer generations of hardware and software. I heard a demonstration of the Braille Sense 7 and wasn’t impressed. The only new product which excites me is the BT Braille. I think the Blazie family is listening closely to customers and offering features which have never been available before. Yes, the Linux environment is new to some people but the amount of available hard drive storage is impressive. I will probably buy the BT Braille once the product matures a bit. the Blazie family has worked closely with the National Federation of the Blind and I think the organization deserves a lot of credit for getting the initial notetaker concept off the ground. Jonathan’s product reviews are more useful than just attending a webinar where company representatives tell you about their products. All too often, company representatives tell people what they want them to hear.

I know my e-mail is harsh but I think in this day and age consumers need to do their homework and not take products at face value. I have made that mistake before.

Dan

From: NFBCS <nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org<mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org>> On Behalf Of Mosen, Jonathan via NFBCS
Sent: Friday, June 19, 2026 10:15 AM
To: NFB in Computer Science Mailing List <nfbcs at nfbnet.org<mailto:nfbcs at nfbnet.org>>
Cc: Mosen, Jonathan <jmosen at nfb.org<mailto:jmosen at nfb.org>>
Subject: Re: [NFBCS] FW: Access On: The BrailleNote Evolve from HumanWare

Hello Joe, yes, I have two months’ hands-on experience with BrailleNote Evolve. I will not restate the findings of the review, which is comprehensive.
If you are going to use it for coding, you may wish to, as you say, either connect a qwerty keyboard, or use computer Braille, which has fewer potential ambiguities.
There is more to this question than writing the code though. The three-year-old processor in the device may have a bearing on whether it will meet your needs. You will find outcomes to be speedier for many use cases if you use something like a Mantis Q40 to connect to a computer with a more powerful CPU.
The Mantis Q40 offers local basic note taking without having to buy anything else, which BrailleNote Evolve does not unless you count the BRF editor which has no find function.
Jonathan Mosen
Executive Director for Accessibility Excellence
National Federation of the Blind
410-659-9314 ex 2233
jmosen at nfb.org<mailto:jmosen at nfb.org>

Reminder: Attend National Convention<https://nfb.org/convention>, July 3-8, 2026, in Austin, Texas.
“It’s the time of year where blind people are the majority.”
[National Federation of the Blind logo, Live the life you want tagline, nfb.org]<https://nfb.org/>

From: NFBCS <nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org<mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org>> On Behalf Of Joe Orozco via NFBCS
Sent: Friday, June 19, 2026 10:37 AM
To: 'NFB in Computer Science Mailing List' <nfbcs at nfbnet.org<mailto:nfbcs at nfbnet.org>>
Cc: Joe Orozco <jsorozco at gmail.com<mailto:jsorozco at gmail.com>>
Subject: Re: [NFBCS] FW: Access On: The BrailleNote Evolve from HumanWare

Does anyone here have hands-on experience with the device? I was tempted by the Perkins model but have hesitated based on unconfirmed reports that things were still buggy. That is, of course, to be expected, not a reflection on the device itself, but for things like coding, I wonder if it makes more sense to wait for the QWERTY model. Yes, you can currently connect a QWERTY keyboard to it now, but I’d really like to reduce the number of devices I carry around.

Anyway, just some questions for anyone with firsthand experience.

Actually, if anyone can speak to the Mantis Q40 and whether this would be a more viable and more affordable alternative, that would be great information as well.

Joe

From: NFBCS <nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org<mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org>> On Behalf Of Steve Jacobson via NFBCS
Sent: Friday, June 19, 2026 9:33 AM
To: nfbcs at nfbnet.org<mailto:nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Steve Jacobson <steve.jacobson at outlook.com<mailto:steve.jacobson at outlook.com>>
Subject: [NFBCS] FW: Access On: The BrailleNote Evolve from HumanWare

This week's Access On features a comprehensive review and demonstration of BrailleNote Evolve, the latest generation of BrailleNote from HumanWare running Windows 11 Pro. here are the segments in the episode, which you can skip to using the chapter feature of your podcast player or app. Looking ahead to our gaming Access On webinar 0:00:00 What is BrailleNote Evolve 0:02:13 The evolution that led to BrailleNote Evolve 0:06:11 BrailleNote Evolve with JAWS 0:12:22 Hardware 0:15:25 Dimensions and portability 0:24:38 The keyboard 0:28:13 Setup 0:33:02 Starting, and the Main Menu 0:34:44 Testing the microphones 0:40:01 Word, BrailleNote Evolve, and NVDA 0:42:47 Options 0:58:18 Braille Editor 1:10:14 Victor Reader 1:11:54 File Manager 1:16:41 No Braille Terminal 1:18:16 Final thoughts 1:19:45 Andrew Flatres and Rachel Ramos from HumanWare 1:31:18 Closing and contact info 2:02:08

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/access-on/id1777481188?i=1000773156189

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