[gps-talkusers] Re: trekker experiences

  • From: "Michael May" <mikemay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Fri, 3 Dec 2010 08:14:43 -0800

Interesting analogy with the guide dog with vision problems. Not sure that
quite applies but makes for a fun idea.

True, any time you have a built in GPS receiver you have the benefit of
convenience but the slight drawback of not being able to use the latest
sensitive GPS receiver. One nice thing about the Voice Sense QX and Braille
Sense OnHand, they have GPS built in but can also connect to an external
receiver.

In my book, the higher priority when selecting a device is the user
interface. All of these devices do the basics of telling you where to turn
and with a touch of a button, they might tell you the nearby location
information.

However, when you want to set an address or search for points of interest,
there is nothing as efficient as a full Braille or QWERTY keyboard. The
means of doing this on an iPhone or on the new Breeze is slow compared to
typing on a keyboard. 

I think what people end up doing is fewer searches because it is a pain to
do so on these small keypads or touch screens. It is unfortunate to
sacrifice functionality for portability or convenience. Price is obviously
also part of that equation.

There are always trade offs. At the risk of being a broken record, there
isn't one perfect accessible GPS device that suits all the people all the
time. There are pros and cons to all these devices. It is a matter of
recognizing what those factors are and trying to match them to your needs,
capabilities and budget. 
I am a huge fan of having built in Braille in my portable device. If you can
afford it or find a sponsor, this is the best of all worlds. If you can
throw in an iPhone with LookAround, the bases are covered nicely.

Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: gps-talkusers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:gps-talkusers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jim Noseworthy
Sent: Friday, December 03, 2010 4:59 AM
To: gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: trekker experiences

Hello:

Actually, as a person who is very familiar with both the iPhone apps and the

Breeze, if you are looking for an orientational gps system, then the Trekker

is definitely a better unit in spite of it's very serious drawbacks.  One of

those serious drawbacks, one that is shared by both systems, is the fact 
that it is not possible to use an external GPS receiver.

For navigation, Nokia phones with Nokia maps provides a better solution as 
external GPS receivers can be used on those systems.

Of course, you could jale-break the iPhone and try an external GPS solution 
thus changing the game.

With regards to the Breeze supporting Braille:  the simple fact of the 
matter is that the hardware cannot support that option.

It's a strange thing but the weakist link in both systems is the GPS 
receiver itself.  It would appear that we are in to technology rather than 
practical issues such as dependability and safety: kind of like having a 
guide dog with vision problems.

Cheers.



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tanner, David (DEED)" <David.Tanner@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, December 03, 2010 8:37 AM
Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: trekker experiences


> Want a cheaper solution then look at iPhone or iTouch 4 with Navagon or 
> Tom Tom  with VoiceOver and Sendaro Look Around.   That solution will cost

> nothing close to the cost of Breeze, and a person can even have 
> refreshable Braill with that solution if they want.  Trekker never has had

> Braille support, and from the reactions I have gotten from top people at 
> Humanware it never will have Braille support because sighted management at

> Humanware doesn't think it is important.
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: gps-talkusers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
> [mailto:gps-talkusers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of gary melconian
> Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2010 7:58 PM
> To: gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: trekker experiences
>
>
> It costs $895 less than any other blind designed gps solutions out there
> also in future the human ware developers will be porting most of the
> features from the old trekker pro into the trekker breze and to make the
> product ieven more and  more powerful  ofa device for their pro user who
> have had trekker pro versions. The new trekker breze is a full off the
> ground solution from human ware and not an off the shelf solution from the
> past .  that is all that  I know at this point. I am planning  on looking
> into that  solution as I  have a trekker pro and I am thinking one of 
> these
> days it will stop working for me and will have to find a cheaper solution.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: gps-talkusers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:gps-talkusers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Ricky Prevatte,
> LMBT 1154
> Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2010 4:32 PM
> To: gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: trekker experiences
>
> How much?
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Josh Kennedy" <jkenn337@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2010 2:22 PM
> Subject: [gps-talkusers] trekker experiences
>
>
>> Hi
>>
>> Well guys I got my trekker breeze. I took a walk last night and also this
>> morning. I used it to make my house and a small alley a landmark and my
>> church a landmark. The breee did real good with making pedestrian routes
>> to and from the church to my house to the store and back. It also told me
>> about lots of points of interest that I did not even know were in my 
>> area.
>
>> I like the trekker. I will compare it to the kapten with latest kapten
>> updates when I get the kapten of course. Oh one thing that I would like
>> humanware to do is instead of buying trekker maps on cd, offer trekker
>> breeze maps as a download from their site after purchase.
>>
>> Josh
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