[nfbcs] Notetakers vs. netbooks

Sun Sep 20 14:34:08 UTC 2009

Yes -- except that to use a braille display you need a little screen reader 
running, such as talks or mobilespeak on your cell phone.  The phone itself 
doesn't do it.
--le

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Wm. Ritchhart " <william.ritchhart at sbcglobal.net>
To: "'NFBnet NFBCS Mailing List'" <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, September 20, 2009 8:44 AM
Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Notetakers vs. netbooks

After reading this thread, I think the only reason for either of these
products is to have the Braille display for reading or preference.  The
average cell phone does every other task given and costs much less.  Some of
the smart phones are supposed to be able to use the Braille display through
blue tooth and/or USB.  Although I have never tried it.  My Braille note
taking is done with the true dinosaur method of slate and stylus.

Thanks, William
-----Original Message-----
From: nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of qubit
Sent: Friday, September 18, 2009 6:42 PM
To: NFBnet NFBCS Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Notetakers vs. netbooks

PS: I am living in the stone age with respect to notetakers. I have an M40.
It is a pain to use with its proprietary operating system and lousy
interface compared to what's on a current notetaker or netbook.  But it does

what I need -- lets me take braille notes silently while listening to a
lecture, and also outline notes for public speaking events.  The stopwatch
is also nice.  But the file system is a real pain and editing in the "word
processor" is a joke.
I seldom carry my notetaker with me as I have a lot of functionality on my
cell phone -- except for the braille, but the phone's screen reader supports

braille displays, so if I have a display and a keyboard with me I can
actually use the phone as a notetaker.
I am wondering what the future will be of this technology -- the cell phone
and the notetaker.
What all do you do with a packmate, or whatever notetaker you use?

To add something else into the mix, read the following link which came
across another list I'm on.  Now that's funny, but could have promise. What
do you think?
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/09/18/nokia_braille_reader/

Note also that Apple is putting research into blind accessibility of the
IPhone. But it is much less useful than the above, so far.  I'm not up to
date on this technology so can't comment -- perhaps someone else knows more.

I'm locked into Nokia, being a knfb reader user.
Thanks.
--le

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "qubit" <lauraeaves at yahoo.com>
To: "NFBnet NFBCS Mailing List" <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, September 18, 2009 5:17 PM
Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Notetakers vs. netbooks

If you want accessible GPS you can also get it on a cell phone, if you have
a Nokia phone.  I have Access, which accesses wayfinder.  Since I can't walk
and therefore don't travel much myself, I have little use for GPS, except in
a car with someone else driving.
Anyway, thought I'd mention it.
--le

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John G. Heim" <jheim at math.wisc.edu>
To: "NFBnet NFBCS Mailing List" <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, September 18, 2009 5:09 PM
Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Notetakers vs. netbooks

I bought a Pac Mate because I wanted a braille display and a GPS. I got it
used so the Pac Mate was only about the same cost as what it would have cost
me to buy a notebook and a talking GPS.

I've found that I could get along without the braille display though. I'd
rather have Windows XP so I could run more software. I am a systems
administrator and I really need to be able to map network shares, do ssh,
etc.

That's why I said I'd buy a notebook if I had it to do over again. Not that
I don't like the Pac Mate.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tracy Carcione" <carcione at access.net>
To: <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, September 18, 2009 1:07 PM
Subject: [nfbcs] Notetakers vs. netbooks

> Is there a good reason, other than a built-in braille display, to buy a
> notetaker instead of a netbook?
> The weight of the netbook seems about the same as that of many notetakers,
> and it runs off-the-shelf software.  Of course, one would have to add the
> extra weight and space of a braille display, which could be a drawback.
> Someone told me that netbooks have trouble running speech, but another
> person said she'd had no problems.  The netbooks I saw online look to be
> more powerful than my old laptop, and smaller.
> And a netbook is a whole heck of a lot cheaper than a notetaker, even one
> without braille.  So what are the drawbacks?  Why aren't most blind guys
> buying netbooks instead of notetakers?
> Just curious, and wondering if I should replace my old laptop with
> something new and snazzy.
> Tracy
>
>
>
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