[access-uk] Re: TALKING PICTURES
- From: "Ray's Home" <rays-home@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 3 Aug 2006 11:43:58 +0100
When you look at the hardware components alone Ian, the price does seem
grossly inflated for the KNFB reader. The software though that makes point
and read possible is the other constituent part and the one that makes this
product inovative. I know too well a lot of progamming hours will have gone
into that. Again there is the asemblage of the various parts to work
optimally.
From what I've said previously, I cannot be accused of wanting something for
nothing, or way belowe real cost price. That though brings me to the point
you ended with, the remark about the Bill Gates Foundation and a subsidy.
What I find confusing, and a bit worrying, is the way traditional notions of
charity and business are getting mixed and not it would seem to the benefit
of the blind in terms of affordability and getting useful products to many
who could really benefit from using them. It is only a suspician - I have
no evidence - that NFB, while it may have made an 'investment' also might be
looking for a return. I wonder if RNIB is maybe going this root with its so
called 'membership' scheme. Again, only a suspician, but I suspect
membership could be as much to do with building a customer base and data
base for selling services.
I think a good old fashioned subsidy by the larger charities and more so,
government, is what's called for to bring this stuff within reasonlable
price limits.
From Ray
I can be contacted off-list at:
mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf
Of Ian Macrae
Sent: 02 August 2006 3:58PM
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: TALKING PICTURES
Points taken Tristram. However, to begin with the simplistic approach,
which I accept may not be a good place to start, the constituent parts,
namely a PDA and a Digital Camera, even a relatively high end one, are both
products which have come within the pockets of many individuals who probably
have both. And their aggregate price comes nowhere near the cost of the
KNFB. Surely the potential global market for something like this must be
much bigger than might be thought at first glance, particularly if it was
priced at a point which brought it into the financial reach of more people.
And then, if the likes of the Gates Trust could be persuaded to give it a
leg up, who knows what might be possible.
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Tristram Llewellyn
Sent: 02 August 2006 15:50
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: TALKING PICTURES
"I know to well that fairness doesn't enter into the equation of the pricing
of commercially produced products, even when a US charity/VI rights group is
involved, as appears to be the case here."
A charity like NFB should I think at least be applauded for being brave
enough to have some involvement to push research in the direction of users
needs. Likewise Kurzweil incorporated and others will have trouble
convincing venture capitalists to make the investment required in a product
that would have a limited market and therefore would take longer to get the
payback. Investment from interested groups means a project like this
actually gets off the ground at all. Whilst such resources can be made
available It may however not have the resources to plough in such that
production units can be produced at anything below a commercially viable
price, notwithstanding addional costs of servicing users etc. The other
aproach would be to not get involved with any research on that basis
bringing everybody closer to the same notional level, and leave the desires
of users to coincide (or not as the casse may be) with the free market to
provide for the needs of a particular small a
nd specialised group.
Regards.
Tristram Llewellyn
Sight and Sound Technology
Technical Support
www.sightandsound.co.uk
----- Original Message -----
From: Ray's Home
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, August 02, 2006 2:53 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: TALKING PICTURES
Agreed Tristram, and if its thought that I believe a truly portable, on the
move, ocr reading device could be had for a couple of hundred quid, then I'd
like it known that I definitely do not think that price tag will will ever
be seen for something like the KNFB device.
If it were to come in for less than 2k then I would think that would be a
price that begins to look more affordable and, dare I say it 'fair' although
I know to well that fairness doesn't enter into the equation of the pricing
of commercially produced products, even when a US charity/VI rights group is
involved, as appears to be the case here.
From Ray
I can be contacted off-list at:
mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of
Tristram Llewellyn
Sent: 01 August 2006 4:20PM
The problem of being able to OCR from a picture taken with a normal camera
like in the KNFB Reader has occupied some very clever people in Kurzweils
research arm for quite a number of years in researching and developing this
technology. Whilst it is almost inneviable that others may try to get into
this market you are not very likely to find a £200 competitor to what has
only just presently been brought to market this year in the form of KNFB
reader in the very immediate future.
Regards.
Tristram Llewellyn
Sight and Sound Technology
Technical Support
www.sightandsound.co.uk
----- Original Message -----
From: Chipmunks
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2006 2:07 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: TALKING PICTURES
I think a little while ago, I read about a phone being marketed in
Korea came with ocr. Of course, I have no idea how it compares to the
Kurzweil Reader.
Doris
At 01:49 PM 8/1/2006 +0100, you wrote:
>Just had a look at the KNFB portable reader and it's very
>impressive. However, a sighted colleague has raised an interesting
>point. If we have phones which can talk and which have cameras on
>them, how long will it be and what would it take before they can do
>the same thing at a much smaller cost? Any thoughts?
>
>http://www.bbc.co.uk/
** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe]
** If this link doesn't work then send a message to:
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
** and in the Subject line type
** unsubscribe
** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the
** immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq]
** or send a message, to
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq
http://www.bbc.co.uk/
This e-mail (and any attachments) is confidential and may contain
personal views which are not the views of the BBC unless specifically
stated.
If you have received it in error, please delete it from your system.
Do not use, copy or disclose the information in any way nor act in
reliance on it and notify the sender immediately. Please note that the
BBC monitors e-mails sent or received.
Further communication will signify your consent to this.
** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe]
** If this link doesn't work then send a message to:
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
** and in the Subject line type
** unsubscribe
** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the
** immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq]
** or send a message, to
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq
__________ NOD32 1.1687 (20060801) Information __________
This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system.
http://www.eset.com
** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe]
** If this link doesn't work then send a message to:
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
** and in the Subject line type
** unsubscribe
** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the
** immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq]
** or send a message, to
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq
Other related posts:
