[bookport] Re: Suggestion for New Feature
- From: "Don Barrett" <donter@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2006 22:17:33 -0400
Right on, Dave.
And guess what A P H's numero uno motivation is in designing features into
the Bookport! Ease of use, nope; good feature set, nope; appeal, nope; it's
to make money, and they do that by doing the other things and doing them
well. The more features they can add for which there is a good market, they
will sell more BookPorts, and that's our wonderful marketplace. That's why
mainstream companies don't give much of a hoot about accessibility; aside
from Section 508, there's no money in it. APH doesn't care about the
sacredness of the Bookport as a book reader only or the philosophy of purist
technology; they care about what features are wanted by blind people who
can't afford anything over $400, and in doing so, they will continue to keep
the BookPort the valuable versatile, and wonderful unit it is. If there is
a cry for the note taker and it will fit in the firmware, voila, there it
is; the same for alarms, and whatever else the market wants. To keep the
unit the way it is out of fear of function creep is just plain, well, not
thinking in a market driven fashion.
Don
-----Original Message-----
From: bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of David Tanner
Sent: Tuesday, April 11, 2006 9:57 PM
To: bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [bookport] Re: Suggestion for New Feature
That is what I thought too, but I have noticed that that only works as long
is it doesn't cross with the wants of certain people on the list who love to
be critical of any idea that isn't theirs.
My concern at this point is that I see the Book Port as a device which could
fill the need for a good book reader, and also the need for an easy to use
organizer. It is fine for the techie bunch to say "well I have a PDA and
don't need another one". But, I can think of a lot of blind folks that I
work with as an assistive technology specialist with a state agency for the
blind who can't use those wonderful PDAs and never will have the ability
level to use a device as sophisticated as PacMate, BrailleNote, Maestro,
etc. For them the best solution has been the Parot VoiceMate, but that is
no longer made. For a long time it was the unit of choice, but over the
past two years the workmanship went to pot on those units and we along with
other agencies had to quit recommending them.
My point is there are a lot of non-techie people who could get a lot of use
from a hand-held unit with a simple notetaker, alarms, basic calculator, and
a simple way to save names, addresses and phone numbers. These people may
or may not be able to use the book reading features, but those who can use
the book reading features could also make use of the other features.
I guess I am a little tired of the technically gifted, who have the money to
buy, and ability to use a PDA coming out with blatent attitudes that tell me
that they have no idea what so many blind people cannot do or afford to do.
Finally, it is those independant living people who need this type of
technology who state counselors may spend $300 or $400 for, but you will
never convince them to purchase a $1200 or higher PDA for one of these
folks.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bruce Toews" <DogRiver@xxxxxxxx>
To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, April 11, 2006 10:43 AM
Subject: [bookport] Re: Suggestion for New Feature
: But let's give APH some credit here. They know what's workable and what's
: not. That's why they've told us to let the suggestions flow. They'll sort
: out the possible from the impossible, the practical from the impractical.
:
: Bruce
:
: --
: Bruce Toews
: E-mail and MSN/Windows Messenger: DogRiver@xxxxxxxx
: Radio Show and Podcast: http://www.totw.net
: Web Site (including info on my weekly commentaries): http://www.ogts.net
: Info on the Best TV Show of All Time: http://www.cornergas.com
:
: On Tue, 11 Apr 2006, Walt Smith wrote:
:
: > The real problem, though, is that if an address book were added, the
_next_
: > "little enhancement" that'd be requested would be the ability to do
e-mail
: > on the device. These things are always incremental--I've been following
the
: > blindness technology field for fifty years and that's been the universal
: > experience. It's not necessarily that an address book, per se, is bad
: > (although I oppose it), but what the _next_ demand would be based on the
: > fact that it'd been included. The same with a radio--you put one into
the BP
: > and the next thing that would be demanded would be the ability to record
: > from the radio to the BP.
: >
: > ----- Original Message -----
: > From: "David Tanner" <david-tanner@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
: > To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
: > Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 5:07 PM
: > Subject: [bookport] Re: Suggestion for New Feature
: >
: >
: > Following your argument that it is a book reader and music player then
Book
: > Port shouldn't have an alarm feature or a notetaker.
: >
: > why are some people so insistant that the Book Port should not be
flexable?
: > You would think I were talking about some big expensive addition. I
doubt
: > that it would take much more programming code than the alarms feature,
and
: > probably would not be as difficult to write and make it work right as
the
: > alarms feature.
: >
: > Your excuse that it will drive the cost up seems to have become the
standard
: > excuse for those who want no change.
: >
: > Frankly, a lot of college students are using Book Port, and for them the
: > devices that will perform the most functions without having to carry
around
: > tons of things are what are going to be successful. I also have my
doubts
: > that one of the primary objectives of APH was to make an accessible MP3
: > music player. I am sure the idea was to play books that might be in MP3
: > format, but so long as there is sufficient memory why not include
another
: > feature that I think most users would find useful.
: >
: >
: > ----- Original Message -----
: > From: "Mark Lee" <lee.mark@xxxxxxxxx>
: > To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
: > Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 3:13 AM
: > Subject: [bookport] Re: Suggestion for New Feature
: >
: >
: > : I'm not fighting it, and it would be a nice feature to have, but let's
: > : remember what the bookport's primary function is, namely, to read
books
: > and
: > : listen to music. Putting an address book templet in a Braille 'n
Speak
: > : makes since, since it was a PDA. If I need to take down a quick name,
: > : address, phone number, etc. with my bookport, I usually record a memo
and
: > : transfer it to something else when I get home. I guess what my point
is
: > how
: > : much will this feature be actually used? Before long, the bookport
will
: > : become more a personal data assistant than a book reader. The more
: > features
: > : are added, the higher the price will be. I don't want the bookport to
one
: > : day cost as much as a Braille note. It would be very nice to have an
: > : all-in-one device that fit in a pocket that you can use to do
everything
: > : from reading books to taking notes to making phone calls, etc.
: > : Unfortunately however, more features mean higher prices. I understand
: > that
: > : this is the 21st century, and technology is getting smaller, faster
and
: > more
: > : flexible. However, with adaptive technology as high in price as it
is, it
: > : doesn't become cheaper.
: > :
: > : Mark
: > : ASK, "WHAT GOALS WOULD YOU SET FOR YOURSELF IF YOU COULD NOT FAIL?"
Don't
: > : ask if it's possible or impossible. Don't worry about failing. Focus
on
: > what
: > : you want, and let that be your guideline.
: > : ----- Original Message -----
: > : From: "David Tanner" <david-tanner@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
: > : To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
: > : Sent: Saturday, April 08, 2006 10:06 PM
: > : Subject: [bookport] Re: Suggestion for New Feature
: > :
: > :
: > : > Nothing, but I guess I would ask you what is wrong with a small
: > : > address/phonebook application. I can't think that it would need to
take
: > : > much more code than the alarms app, and could make management of
names,
: > : > addresses and phone numbers easier.
: > : >
: > : > I heard the same question as yours when an address/phonebook was put
: > into
: > : > Braille 'N Speak.
: > : >
: > : > My other most immediate response was to ask what's wrong with coming
: > into
: > : > the 21st century? But, some people will fight making things easier
at
: > all
: > : > costs.
: > : >
: > : >
: > : >
: > : > ----- Original Message -----
: > : > From: "Mark Lee" <lee.mark@xxxxxxxxx>
: > : > To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
: > : > Sent: Saturday, April 08, 2006 12:51 PM
: > : > Subject: [bookport] Re: Suggestion for New Feature
: > : >
: > : >
: > : > : What's wrong with putting names, phone numbers, etc. into a notes
file
: > : > and
: > : > : searching the file with the search feature?
: > : > :
: > : > : Mark
: > : > : ----- Original Message -----
: > : > : From: "David Tanner" <david-tanner@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
: > : > : To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
: > : > : Sent: Saturday, April 08, 2006 1:21 AM
: > : > : Subject: [bookport] Suggestion for New Feature
: > : > :
: > : > :
: > : > : >I would like to see a simple address-phonebook on the Book Port.
Let
: > : > me be
: > : > : >a bit more spacific about what I would want it to do so that you
: > : > realize
: > : > : >that I am taking into consideration memory limitations on the
current
: > : > Book
: > : > : >Port.
: > : > : >
: > : > : > I would like this simple address/phonebook to be able to enter
first
: > : > and
: > : > : > last name, address, home - work - mobile phone numbers and a 200
: > word
: > : > memo
: > : > : > memo field. The database could be searched by first and/or last
: > name.
: > : > : >
: > : > : > The idea would be to keep it simple, keep it small, and if it
makes
: > a
: > : > : > difference I could see a limit of no more than 200 entries.
: > : > : >
: > : > : > Skype user name: dtat100
: > : > : >
: > : > :
: > : > :
: > : > :
: > : > :
: > : > : --
: > : > : No virus found in this incoming message.
: > : > : Checked by AVG Free Edition.
: > : > : Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.4.0/305 - Release Date:
: > 4/8/2006
: > : > :
: > : > :
: > : >
: > :
: > :
: > :
: > :
: > : --
: > : No virus found in this incoming message.
: > : Checked by AVG Free Edition.
: > : Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.4.0/306 - Release Date:
4/9/2006
: > :
: > :
: >
: >
: >
:
:
:
: --
: No virus found in this incoming message.
: Checked by AVG Free Edition.
: Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.4.1/307 - Release Date: 4/10/2006
:
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