[gps-talkusers] comparing GPS flavors

I echo Vince's hope that this discussion, which started out about State 
policies does not get personal.

These thing simply aren't black and white so nobody is really off base 
here. There are very good GPS devices for the sighted for a couple hundred 
dollars. There are better units with better maps for several hundred and 
even thousands. You pay more money for higher quality maps. The lower cost 
units may have street maps but not in the detail or national coverage more 
expensive systems offer. Many systems like Trekker come with one map region 
and it costs a fair bit for the entire country.

I wish the volume in our small industry was high enough to lower the price 
even in half. It just isn't. So far, blind GPS users are a small percentage 
of adaptive technology users. This won't change until the state departments 
of rehab start funding GPS the way they fund a screen reader or scanner. 
Historically, getting around independently has not been perceived as 
important as reading and writing independently. We are making inroads but 
have a long way to go.

You GPS users are the pioneers and there are definitely sacrifices one pays 
for being a pioneer.

Mike




At 07:17 PM 2/12/2005, you wrote:
>Just to clarify my IGuidance comment was directed at the comment that stated
>that there was no good gps systems for the sighted under 1500 - 3000.  It is
>not useful to a blind or deaf blind user.  It was my 2 cents in a lively
>conversation.  I find this thread very interesting and hope it doesn't get
>personal.
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Richard Myers" <dkmyers28@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2005 7:36 PM
>Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: state policy
>
>
> > Hello, Ann,
> > It was not disinformation.  I said GPS for the blind.  Without the
> > BrailleNote, would that $800 GPS program be useful?  In accordance with
>what
> > our friend Mike May has been saying, that GPS program is severely limited
>in
> > the equipment and version it can work with.  If you want, call my message
> > disinformation, then go pay your $800 for the GPS program and try to use
>it.
> >   You can't unless you buy that BrailleNote, too.
> >
> > As far as the receivers go, I have checked the ads for them and found the
> > advertisements very misleading, not only by omission, but by
> > "disinformation".  The I Guidance system looks good, but I don't know if
>it
> > would work with the BN.  The system consists of a receiver and software,
>and
> > the whole thing is available for under $200.  All you need is a laptop.
> > But, if you are deaf-blind, forget that.  You need a Braille display, and
> > that means big money plus being forced to buy either JAWS or WE because
> > there apparently is no stand-alone Braille software.  I'm not sure if HAL
> > can drive a Braille display, but I really like it.  It is from a Finnish
> > company, the same country that produces the world's best cellphone, the
> > Nokia.  HAL comes closest to being a good and useable interface for my GPS
> > software.
> >
> > You said there are several alternatives for GPS discussed on this list.
> > What did you mean by that?  Right at the moment I can't think of any
> > practical alternatives.  Perhaps you are thinking of the way it was done
> > before GPS and is being done now, using a good memory and a cane or guide
> > dog?  That would work, alright.  In fact, it has many advantages.
> >
> > Let us try not to accuse each other of dis-information unless the other is
> > really off-base.
> >
> > Dick Myers
> >
> > From: "Ann K. Parsons" <akp@xxxxxxxxx>
> > Reply-To: gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > To: gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: state policy
> > Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2005 15:08:43 -0500
> >
> > Hi all,
> >
> > Your information is skewed.  You are giving out disinformation, Dick.
> > First of all the BrailleNote does cost thousands of dollars, depending
> > on which model you buy.  However, the GPS program doesn't cost that
> > much.  It's in the neighborhood of $800.00 to $1,000.00.  The
> > receivers are indeed coming down in price, and this is reflected in
> > the lessening of prices for adaptive software.  However, in order to
> > use the GPS technology, the output from the receiver needs to be
> > adapted so that it can be accessed by a person who is blind.
> >
> > If you read this list, you will soon discover that there are several
> > alternatives for GPS which have been adapted.  None of these, I'm
> > afraid costs less than say $700.00.  It might be well if you would
> > check your information before giving it out to determine if it is
> > disinformation or not.
> >
> > Ann P.
> >
> > --
> > Ann K. Parsons
> > email:  akp@xxxxxxxxx
> > WEB SITE:  http://home.eznet.net/~akp
> > "All that is gold does not glitter.
> > Not all those who wander are lost."  JRRT
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > (8):[(8)
> >
> >
> >
> >

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