Re: JAWS and Pocket PC
- From: "Kiran Kaja" <kk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 28 Feb 2005 17:36:02 +0530
I believe its both a technical and economic issue. The multitude of PocketPC
devices on the market means that not all devices may be alike even though
they run on Windows CE. I remember listening to an interview on MainMenu
just before Pacmate was released and the person from FreedomScientific was
saying that they had to make a lot of low level changes in Windows CE to
make it work on Pacmate with Jaws.
The economic issue is that it would be difficult to price the software for
such devices. Since the demand for it may not be high initially, FS would
want to charge more than what it is currently doing for the PC version. A
variety of devices means higher testing and support costs.
But I think its more technical than economic. Infact, FS may be seriously
working on it as we discuss.
Kiran.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Edward Marquette" <emarquette@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, February 28, 2005 10:24 AM
Subject: JAWS and Pocket PC
If you are not interested in using JAWS on anything smaller, lighter, and m=
ore portable than a laptop, then delete this without reading further.
It=E2=80=99s been a year since I commenced my search for a talking PDA phon=
e. I=E2=80=99m no closer than I was a year ago.
What I=E2=80=99m wondering is whether the absence of a Pocket PC version of=
JAWS is a technical or an economic matter.
Actually, we know a version of JAWS for the Pocket PC operating system does=
exist -- the PacMate.
The PacMate, however, is virtually the size of a laptop and cannot double a=
s a cell phone. For me, that=E2=80=99s a non-starter.
It seems so ludicrous to carry around both a PC and a cell phone. Many of =
my sighted friends do, but they are quickly switching over to PDA phones --=
even though they hate giving up their Blackberries.
I looked at VisuAide=E2=80=99s Maestro, but I=E2=80=99m not really sure it =
is ready for prime time. It certainly lacks cell phone functionality, and =
there is no browser yet.
Alva has a unit, but it costs as much as a small car, and the Braille Note =
PK, from Pulse Data, is over the top in terms of expense.
I looked into the TALKS software for smarter cell phones, but it runs only =
on the Symbion (sp) operating system, which is fine for less than truly ser=
ious business types, but is more recreational than commercial.
So, there remain all those Pocket PC devices out there that won=E2=80=99t t=
alk. JAWS could solve that problem, but if Freedom Scientific is wedded to=
the business model of the proprietary, single use, vastly over-priced and =
over-sized piece of hardware, I guess we will remain stuck.
If the problem is technical, then I guess I can understand, but somehow I s=
uspect it isn=E2=80=99t just a technical matter.
=20
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