[real-eyes] Re: Killer IBill Review
- From: "jose" <crunch1@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <real-eyes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 28 Dec 2009 12:51:56 -0600
I want one for my birthday.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Reginald George" <sgeorge@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <real-eyes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, December 18, 2009 11:24 AM
Subject: [real-eyes] Killer IBill Review
> Linked from the Blind Bargains newsletter. As he says below for anyone
> blind or deaf blind, this is the product to get.
>
> Access Ability
> A blog serving higher education professionals in the Disability Support
> Service (DSS) field. A public forum where professionals can find resources
> and news, air concerns, brainstorm solutions, and find like-minded
> individuals to share thoughts. We also invite students with disabilities
> and
> their family members to share in the discussions.
> Thursday, December 17, 2009
> Review of the iBill talking banknote identifier
>
> I previously posted the news announcing the introduction of the iBill
> electronic banknote identifier, and now, I offer my review of this latest
> piece of assistive technology for the blind and visually impaired.
>
> I'll admit that when I first read that
> Orbit Research
> was offering this tool at size, weight, speed, and price thresholds that I
> have never heard of previously, I was skeptical. I thought to myself that
> this must be a bit of exaggeration on some part. Surely, this device
> couldn't
> do everything they advertise and they can still sell the unit for only
> $99.
>
> Well, the people at Orbit Research were right.
>
> I'll boil the iBill down to a few words: Compact, lightweight, fast,
> accurate, easy to use, and, most importantly, in the realm of assistive
> technology, affordable.
>
> The iBill is small enough to carry in your pocket. Measuring 3 inches wide
> (just wide enough to insert the end of a bill) by 1.6 inches long, and
> less
> than ¾ of an inch thick, it fits easily in your pocket or purse among your
> keys and USB jump drives. When you hold it, the iBill fits handily in your
> palm.
>
> And, being lightweight is another one of its feature facets. At just 1.5
> ounces, you hardly even realize the iBill is present until you need it.
>
> The iBill has only two buttons on it to operate the unit and change
> between
> the five output settings, the iBill is very simple to use. It comes with
> both a quick start guide and a user's manual, both of which are well
> written
> with clearly defined directions, and easily explaining the unit's design
> and
> operation.
>
> I tried the iBill with bills in denominations or $1, 5, 10, and 20. I'll
> give the iBill the benefit of the doubt and figure it will do as well on
> the
> $2, 50, and 100 denominations that I didn't use.
>
> I intentionally tried to test the limits of the iBill. I first inserted
> each
> bill correctly, making sure the corners and edges were smooth and flat. It
> correctly identified each bill I gave it in about one second. The iBill
> literature claims a recognition speed of one second. Check.
>
> I tried to see if the product would give incorrect readings if the bills
> had
> folded or wrinkled corners. When it couldn't identify a bill, it beeped to
> let me know it was trying to figure it out, but after about 3-5 seconds,
> it
> gave me an "Error" message. It never misidentified a bill. If it couldn't
> recognize a bill, it announced, "Error." The iBill brochure says it is
> 99.9%
> accurate. Check.
>
> The output settings on the iBill include low, medium and loud spoken
> audio,
> a vibration mode, and a tone mode. The spoken audio modes were very
> acceptable for different settings and announced clear, easy to understand
> spoken denominations in a female voice.
>
> The tone mode worked very well to identify the bills, too. There is a low
> tone in sequences of 1, 2, and 3, tones for $1, 2, and 5 bills, and a high
> tone in that same sequence for $10, 20, and 50 bills, all respectively, as
> well as a low-high, low-high sequence for $100.
>
> However, Where I see this as a powerful tool, besides as a quality bill
> identifier for those of us who are totally blind, is as an equally great
> product for anybody who is deafblind. With the vibration mode, there are
> sequences of short or long pulses in identical sequences of the tone mode
> to
> quickly identify the different denominations. There's even a very long
> pulse
> for an error message.
>
> The iBill I tested was a pre-production review unit. I was told that there
> was a design change to the battery compartment cover, as the
> pre-production
> model's cover was difficult to open. I didn't need to change the battery,
> as
> they had a brand new one installed, but was curious to see how difficult
> it
> would be to open. After trying several times, I never did get it open, so
> I
> hope the new model is easier to open.
>
> I also demonstrated this product to several visually impaired students and
> professional staff members who work with these students. With a brief
> introduction, all but one of the students was able to quickly make the
> iBill
> work. The one who had the most difficulty was the only one who was totally
> blind. All were impressed with the design speed, and accuracy of the
> iBill.
>
> The only constructive feedback anybody offered was a suggestion that there
> might be an inset on one of the rear corners where a key ring might be
> attached. This was suggested as possibly aiding in orienting the user to
> the
> iBill. There were no complaints about how the iBill operated.
>
> To conclude, let me compare the iBill to previous models of similar
> products. In the past, I've handled a bill identifier that was probably
> three times the size of the iBill and several times the weight. That
> device
> was bulky and not easily carried in one's pockets. Additionally, the
> lowest
> price I've ever seen for one of those units was $189. On those three
> fronts
> the iBill charges to the front of the pack, and it does so with a hard to
> beat accuracy rate and identification speeds faster than the KNFB Reader
> Mobile. For giving independence to people who are blind and visually
> impaired, this is a product that should find its way to one's toolbox of
> assistive technology.
>
> If you're interested in this product, the first shipments of the iBill are
> going out next week, just in time for Christmas. Those who have already
> contacted the company are being processed first. There will also be an
> online order form on the company's web site in the near future, so that
> you
> can order the product directly. I've told Santa to grab me one and even he
> had to leave his name and phone number. Even jolly old Saint Nick has to
> wait to get one of these.
> Posted by Ron Graham at 12:52 PM
>
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>
>
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