[Trainer-Talk] notetaker, other options

Wed Mar 21 12:26:13 UTC 2018

And it's the same product manager behind both of them.  I'm truly
unimpressed and disappointed in that device.  I had a unit overheat and
begin to smell like burning while it was charging, so they swapped that one,
and the second one was better, but it does have a charging motor that runs
during that process.  

-----Original Message-----
From: Trainer-Talk <trainer-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Scott
Davert via Trainer-Talk
Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2018 8:06 AM
To: List for teachers and trainers of adaptive technology
<trainer-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Scott Davert <kc8pnl at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Trainer-Talk] notetaker, other  options

If you only want to do simple tasks like check your email or basic media
consumption, I suppose the ElBraille could be an option. It's a very
expensive one for such things though. To add to what Dean said, if you, for
example, have a microsoft Word document and a web page loaded in Firefox or
Chrome, if you press the keyboard command equvalentt of Alt Tab to switch
between active programs, it takes several seconds to switch from one program
to the other. The device also tends to get hot quickly, or at least, the one
I tested did. If you are interested in the elBraille, you may wish to give
this article a read:
https://nfb.org/blog/article/3407
If I'm honest, it feels like the ElBraille is history repeating itself. Does
anyone remember the PacMate? It's the same type of situation here. Great
concept, poor delivery.

Just my thoughts,
Scott

Sent from my iPhone

> On Mar 21, 2018, at 6:11 AM, Dean Martineau via Trainer-Talk
<trainer-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> There are several reasons why I returned my ElBraille after buying it.  I
> was very excited about it, but don't miss it at all.  I know some people
> like it.  The biggest reason is that it can't really be used as a
notetaker
> the way we are used to doing, that is, you can't put it to sleep, and
cannot
> modify it to make this possible.  So, while it has good battery life, in
> order to get instant use functionality, you have to leave it on all the
> time.  The reboot process is slow by notetaking standards.  Add to this
that
> it dan't charge using USB and the battery isn't user-replaceable.  There
> were also a lot of little bugs which might eventually be fixed, but by the
> time I found them I wasn't interested in spending the time documenting
them,
> ad the machine was going back.  Yes, the concept has some allure.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Trainer-Talk <trainer-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Zhi
Huang
> via Trainer-Talk
> Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2018 9:01 PM
> To: 'List for teachers and trainers of adaptive technology'
> <trainer-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Zhi Huang <zhi.huang72 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Trainer-Talk] notetaker, other  options
> 
> Hi Sarah:
> 
> You mentioned that you use JAWS with a focus 40 blue.  I am curious if you
> use the Focus, qwerty keyboard, or a combination of both to navigate?  If
> you use the focus to navigate at all, then I would say the ElBraille would
> be best because you would not have to learn too many new navigation
methods.
> If you use a qwerty keyboard to navigate, then you would either have to
> learn the navigating methods of the focus using JAWS or connect a qwerty
> keyboard.
> I should also mention that if you use Word, and want to stick with Word,
> then the ElBraille would let you do this.  Of course, you would have to
> install Word on the ElBraille, unlike other notetakers that comes with a
> word processor preinstalled.
> I should mention that I do work for a vender that sells the ElBraille;
> however, as an instructor, I have had opportunities to explore the
> BrailleSense Polaris, and teach the BrailleNote Touch.  I do carry a
laptop,
> but if I was to get a Notetaker myself, I would personally get an
ElBraille
> because it has What I would want.  Hope that helps.
> 
> 
> Zhi Huang
> Assistive Technology Specialist
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Trainer-Talk <trainer-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Sarah
> Harris via Trainer-Talk
> Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2018 10:48 AM
> To: trainer-talk at nfbnet.org
> Cc: Sarah Harris <sarahandfamily04 at gmail.com>
> Subject: [Trainer-Talk] notetaker, other  options
> 
>   Good afternoon. I have been having problems with my laptop, so I'm
> thinking about purchasing either a BrailleNote Touch or a Braille Sense
> Polaris. I will   mostly use the Word feature for my work as a staff
> reporter at a newspaper as well as the novels I write. Would a notetaker
be
> a good option, or should I just buy a new laptop? I use  Jaws and a focus
40
> blue. The focus is getting old, so I need to replace that as well. Any
> recommendations would be appreciated. Thank you. 
>     Sarah 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
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