[Trainer-talk] Blazie Products

Tue Oct 16 17:29:57 UTC 2012

Hi, Barbara.
I believe that you have the latest revision of the beloved Braille 'n 
Speak although I thought it was dated 2002.  It's possible that FS 
released a 2003 update that I didn't download.

Regarding the games ... if you have a PC with a serial port and a 3.5 
floppy drive you could transfer them if you can get a terminal program.  
I don't know if Windows 7 still ships with Hyperterminal but even if it 
doesn't you could likely find a free terminal program which uses the 
Xmodem or Ymodem protocols.  What fun!!!
David
Barbara Loos wrote:
> Interesting rundown on Blazie & other products.  The latest update on my
> Braille 'n Speak is June 5, 2003.  The unit still works, but my disk drive
> doesn't, so I haven't been able to put the games back on.  Sad.
>
> Barbara Loos
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
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> Subject: Trainer-talk Digest, Vol 87, Issue 9
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> Today's Topics:
>
>     1. Happy 25th Anniversary to the Braille 'n Speak (David Goldfield)
>     2. RefreshABraille18 for sell $1300.00 or best offer (Gabe Vega)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Sun, 14 Oct 2012 22:25:14 -0400
> From: David Goldfield <disciple1211 at verizon.net>
> To: List for teachers and trainers of adaptive technology
> 	<trainer-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: [Trainer-talk] Happy 25th Anniversary to the Braille 'n Speak
> Message-ID: <507B740A.9000108 at verizon.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> If my knowledge and memory on Blazie Engineering history is correct then
> this week we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Braille 'n Speak from
> Blazie Engineering.  This device was sold for approximately 15 years both by
> Blazie Engineering and for a few years by Freedom Scientific.
> Here is what I remember regarding milestones from this time period.
>
> October 15, 1987.  One of the first if not the first update for Bns is
> released.  The unit contained just 45 pages of Ram equal to 180K.  Files
> could not be made bigger or smaller and could not be renamed.  Cut, copy and
> paste functions were not yet implemented.
> March 1988.  Bns receives what was likely its first major update which
> included cut, copy and paste commands and the ability to recover files.
> I believe this is also when the calculator and stopwatch were first offered.
> Calc and stopwatch were a $99.00 option but eventually were offered in all
> revisions probably around 1991.
> February 1989. Update introduced to offer commands to make files bigger and
> smaller and added rename capabilities.
> Speaksys was likely available by this time; this was a DOS-based screen
> reader which allowed Bns to act as both a synthesizer and a keyboard for
> your PC, price was around $150.00. Speaksys was eventually revamped and
> updated with more features and became PCMaster, sold for $395.00.  I have a
> Braille copy of the PCMaster manual which I wrote.
> July 1990.  Update was offered to add some voice inflection and the ability
> to write macros to automate functions.  Braille Blazer embosser was also
> introduced that year.  Also introduced was the Bns disk drive.
> Prior to the disk drive you could either transfer Bns files to a computer or
> on casette tape using a tape interface device which was offered for $99.00.
> October 14, 1991.  First revision of the Bns 640 was introduced.
> Contained over 150 memory pages and a smart calendar to obtain the day of
> any date.
> Summer 1992.  Major revision of the Bns 640 was offered including xmodem,
> Ymodem and Kermit upload/download capabilities.  Ymodem meant that multiple
> files could be downloaded/uploaded.  Also the ability to write programs for
> the Bns was introduced and several developers took advantage of this meaning
> that more external programs were offered including Braille translators, a
> macro recorder and many games.  Blazie Engineering eventually offered a
> checkbook manager and a third-party developer wrote a database called
> Braille Base.  Two terminal programs were also offered.  I think I have
> copies of nearly all of this software.
> Late 1992.  Type 'n Speak was introduced.  This offered a paralel printer
> port, an alarm clock and the ability for users to update their units via
> flash.
> Summer 1993.  Braille Lite 18 introduced.  I believe Windows Master was also
> introduced around this time, possibly in 1992.  This was one of the first
> Windows screen readers ever offered.
> Braille Lite 40 came around probably in the summer of 1996.
> I think the last revision to the Blazie line of notetakers was offered by
> Freedom Scientific in the summer of 2002.
>
> Blazie Engineering's products revolutionized the lives of so many blind
> users, myself included, by offering innovative and inexpensive products
> which were very intuitive.  Happy anniversary to the Braille 'n Speak which
> started that revolution!!!!
>
> David Goldfield
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2012 05:14:28 -0700
> From: Gabe Vega <theblindtech at gmail.com>
> To: NFB in Computer Science Mailing List <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: List for teachers and trainers of adaptive technology
> 	<trainer-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: [Trainer-talk] RefreshABraille18 for sell $1300.00 or best
> 	offer
> Message-ID: <3831F63E-3D05-4FB8-874C-4E654B98B5CF at gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
> Hello,
> I have a APH RefreshABraille18 for sell. Unit is in excellent condition, and
> has seen very little use.
>
> The Unit comes with a Rubberized Swade slip on case for protection, and a
> power only retractable USB charging cable.
>
> The RefreshABraille 18 is a very reliable, instant on, bluetooth and USB
> Braille display. I have used it with my iPhone 4S, my Macbook Air, and my
> Windows laptops with no difference in usage or reliability.
>
> I just bought this unit late March of this year and found that although I
> thought it would be cool to try my hand at a braille display again, I am not
> finding that I use it too much, more preferring the Verbatum external
> bluetooth keyboard.
>
> I accept Paypal, CreditCard and will absolutely accept a serious, decent
> offer. so if you are interested. feel free to call or email me.
>
> I have a verified, confirmed Paypal Business account and you can go to
> http://commtechusa.net to check that out towards the bottom of the page.
>
> All I ask is that being that the price is already low, for selling purposes
> I ask that the buyer pays for shipping and insurance.
>
> Again, if you are remotely interested, make me an offer, I am open and will
> consider any offer given.
>
> Thanks
>
> Gabe Vega - Sent from my MacbookAir
> Blog: http://thebt.net
> iMessage/Email: theblindtech at gmail.com
> Phone: (623) 565-9357
>
>
>
>
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