Hi Dave --
I agree that is is definitely optimal to get a computer and learn at least
the basics. But what I said was that even in America, there is a large
senior citizen population that is really not interested in learning the
computer and they or their families might well be interested in getting this
type of device.
The only drawback I see for them is that if there's an update that improves
the scanner or some other part of the hardware, it might not be possible for
them to upgrade without buying a new unit. Software upgrades would probably
be much easier, especially as it has a cd player, and therefore probably can
accept software updates by cd.
Now that being said, my Mom is 80 and has been using a computer for the last
20 years, which she was anxious to learn so she could create greeting cards,
publish newsletters, do genealogical research, correspond both via email and
by writing letters in a word processor to print...
But my mother is amazing. She had a technical career in airway operations
during world war 2 and into the 50s until she married and quit work to raise
a family. So she is technically minded in the first place. And she is very
active and spry for someone her age, running circles around people half her
age, and most people wonder at her stamina and enthusiasm. (So do I! and I
know because in recent years I have had to be home with medical problems and
live with her. I need now to figure out the best arrangement when she is
gone!)
But back to the SARA, not all senior citizens are as technically inclined
and outgoing as my mother, and at that age they are usually not interested
in a lot of education.
So for that reason, I think this product is viable and useful for a sector
of the population, even though I myself will never buy one.
So that's my 2 cents.
I suppose you disagree, and I do admit the price is high, but if it is
successful maybe the price will come down a bit.
Take care!
--le
----- Original Message -----
From: "david poehlman" <david.poehlman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <guispeak@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, November 18, 2004 7:41 AM
Subject: [guispeak] Re: SARA
anyone can produce and sell anything they want. Anyone can use a computer
if they are propperly prepared and or if the computer is propperly prepared
or almost anyone any way. My point here is that in the us at least many
people won't be able to afford it, in fact, many of the people who will
actually *need* it won't be able to afford it.
It is as much as a computer of course as all things like this are computers,
but the cost just doesn't justify the narrow application. On the scanning
quallity someone raised you'll be happy to note that this is probably pretty
good as most of what happens in analysis and ocr happens in software and the
software has become quite good at it although I still would not want to
depend on it solely as my source if I were attempting to get an education
where points for knowing facts count.
Johnnie Apple Seed
----- Original Message ----- From: "Laura Eaves" <leaves1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <guispeak@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, November 18, 2004 4:03 AM
Subject: [guispeak] Re: SARA
I think it's a computer / scanner / cctv with all the technical complexity
hidden from the user. I agree with george that there are probably a lot of
(probably mostly) elderly persons who don't want to bother learning how to
use a computer, but want to be able to read. This sounds like it would have
a market.
And if it is moderately portable, all the more.
Of course, having a computer, I would never buy it for myself. But I'm glad
someone is producing one.
Take care.
--le
----- Original Message ----- From: "david poehlman" <david.poehlman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <guispeak@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, November 17, 2004 7:13 PM
Subject: [guispeak] Re: SARA
Well, it's a sooped up cd player because for a lot less money, if you have
a
pc, you can get what you need to do your scanning and ocr and guess what,
you can already play cds on your pc.
Johnnie Apple Seed
----- Original Message ----- From: "beth" <fb-oe@xxxxxxx>
To: <guispeak@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, November 17, 2004 6:32 PM
Subject: [guispeak] SARA
It's much more than a souped-up CD player, it scans and reads. How accurately remains to be seen. Has accuracy improved in the last five years? I'm also interested in Pulse Data's ScanaR. Anyone use that? Beth
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