[access-uk] Re: Braille PDA's
- From: "Dave Taylor" <dave@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2006 10:26:12 -0000
Hi,
I know you can use UK computer braille on the Braille Sense!
----- Original Message -----
From: "Graham Page" <gpage@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, December 01, 2006 6:22 AM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Braille PDA's
>I was thinking more of the qwerty keyboard. I don't know much about the
> Braille keyboard as I'm not a pacmate owner.
>
> It may be that by the time you read this someone will have already
> provided
> you with a decent explanation.
>
> Regards
>
>
> Graham
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ari" <aridamoulakis@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2006 9:31 AM
> Subject: [access-uk] Re: Braille PDA's
>
>
> Thanks Graham, that's very interesting. You mentioned the keyboard driver,
> does this mean I can then type in UK computer braille as I'd rather love
> to
> do that, where can I get it from? It's right what you say about the
> localisation problems. I wish there was a synthesizer for British English
> on
> the PM like I use on my PC. Synthetic speech for it is also expensive! I
> wanted to put Dutch on because it could read Afrikaans, and the
> distributor
> wanted about 299 pounds for the synthesizer!
> It's interesting that everyone's mentioning the buying of FS products in
> the
> UK. Here there used to be two dealers of FS products, but now there's only
> one, some people are quite upset, saying that FS only gave the right to
> sell
> to the one dealer because the other dealer was selling competing products
> alongside FS products, and now they want to see if there's any possibility
> of going to our trading authority to complain about that. As my one friend
> points out, in the normal world where there's many products of different
> kinds, a company doesn't have the power to force a dealer to only stock
> its
> product.
> Ari
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Graham Page" <gpage@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2006 9:38 AM
> Subject: [access-uk] Re: Braille PDA's
>
>
> Hi Ari.
>
> I think the points you make about the PacMate are interesting and I would
> agree completely.
>
> I think the PacMate was really designed with the qwerty keyboard user in
> mind. Braille was a bit of an afterthought to satisfy popular demand.
>
> I think the reverse is true for Braillenote. The QWERTY keyboard is small
> for many and using the qwerty keyboard for controling the Braillenote will
> seem a bit odd to users of Windows.
>
> Generally though, the 2 products have a fairly similar range of core
> functions as standard, though PacMate is really a Windows Mobile 2003 PDA
> in
> a different case with an integrated Braille display (if that model is
> chosen), a keyboard and some software to allow for Braille translation
> etc.
> This means that Excel documents, for example, are directly supported and
> you can install extra main stream software. The Braillenote does not
> support formats like Pocket Excel and mainstream programs will not work
> with
> it.
>
> Pacmate is not particularly strong on localisation for different
> countries,
> though I believe a UK keyboard driver is now available. I think the spell
> checker is still US english. Pacmate works with Mobile 2003 applications,
> though with the recent launch of Windows Mobile 2005 the PacMate is crying
> out for an update.
>
> I think the problem you raise concerning the PacMate losing its data if it
> fully discharges is serious enough, though you can take precautions
> against
> this by always saving to a memory card. The problem is worse if the
> machine
> crashes during use unexpectedly however as all data is lost.
>
> This is a problem with virtually all windows Mobile 2003 devices. Windows
> Mobile 2005 supports devices with Persistent memory which means they
> continue to hold data when a battery is flat. You also get much better
> Word
> and Excel support with windows Mobile 2005. This has meant that Mobile
> 2003
> syPDAs are now virtually impossible to get and there is no demand for
> them.
> Windows Mobile 2005 requires different hardware and the operating systems
> are not backward compatible.
>
> I think it is important that the PacMate is updated to a Windows Mobile
> 2005
> platform soon or any advantage gained by using a less proprietary platform
> than other notetakers such as the Braillenote will be lost.
>
> Braillenote uses a more proprietary platform than PacMate and was designed
> primarily with users of a Braille keyboard in mind. I have found mine to
> be
> reliable and data does not get lost if the batteries lose their charge.
>
> Compatibility is probably still the biggest issue with Braillenote. The
> support for word documents is still similar to that offered in early
> Windows
> CE devices. Tables for example, are not supported. Programs such as the
> Planner, the address list and the database are designed with visually
> impaired people in mind and some argue that this leads to better
> productivity.
>
> I would say that these are the 2 main products sold in the UK, though
> Braillesense is a third option though I don't know how well this works.
>
> Also, if a Braillesense breaks down I don't know if it can be fixed here
> or
> if it has to go back to GWMicro in the US.
>
> Regards
>
> Graham
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ari" <aridamoulakis@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2006 6:47 AM
> Subject: [access-uk] Re: Braille PDA's
>
>
> Hi all,
> Just to give some of my thoughts to Ian about braille pdas, as I struggled
> with the question of which one to buy last year.
> Here in South Africa, we can only get the braillenote and pac mate. I was
> thinking of importing an ELba, but the things that put me off was that,
> even
> though it's a linux-based, flexible pda, it is much heavier and you don't
> get source code with it, i.e Papenmeier didn't release it. Reading the
> manual and posts to the ELba lists, it seemed also as if it was tricky to
> get the ELba to do some everyday tasks, and there haven't been hardware
> upgrades for ages. The ELba was OK for its time, but probably now is
> outdated.
> I chose the Pac Mate instead of the Braillenote, firstly because I liked
> the
> design, and secondly because you could also install other applications
> onto
> it, although, since I never was able to get a propper "test-drive" of the
> braillenote, I sometimes wonder about my decision for the following
> reasons:
> I am a student at university who uses the Pac Mate for taking notes and
> organising my calendar. My two main problems are these:
> In the braille keyboard model of the PM, calendar entries can't be entered
> in contracted braille.
> I also had problems with the word processor, where I can't, for example,
> do
> assignments, since you can't create tables, and I don't think it has many
> formatting options. A major problem with the PM (don't know if it's like
> that with other notetakers) is that if you don't use it for a long time
> you
> have to keep it charging. I made the unfortunate mistake when I had
> holidays
> to just leave the PM uncharged for about a week or two, imagine my
> surprise
> when I found that I'd lost all my work, installed files, basically
> everything. For me the PM definitely can't even replace my computer for
> doing work and assignments.
> I don't know much about the Braille Sense as we don't have it here, but if
> anyone wants, I have a text mannual of the ELba.
> It might be the best solution to really think about a pda with a mobile
> screenreader and a braille display, but, if like me you enjoy typing in
> braille, you'd have to probably get a braille keyboard for it.
> Ari
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Steve Nutt" <steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2006 6:04 AM
> Subject: [access-uk] Re: Braille PDA's
>
>
> Hi Graham,
>
> All phones running Talks have the possibility of using Braille. I myself
> drive an N70 with a Braillino, using Braille input, and it is great. N70
> in
> your pocket, Braillino round your neck, and you're good to go.
>
> All the best
> --
> Computer Room Services: the long cane for blind computer users.
> Telephone Low-call: 08452 606 277
> International: +44(0)1438 742286,
> Fax: +44(0)1438 759589
> mobile: +44(0)7956 334938,
> Email: mailto:Steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Web site: http://www.comproom.co.uk
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
> Of
> Graham Page
> Sent: 29 November 2006 22:41
> To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [access-uk] Re: Braille PDA's
>
> Hi Ian.
>
> While I accept that loads of messages to the list saying the same thing
> could cause a serious upsurge in traffic, I think the general question and
> particularly its findings may be of interest. So will you be in a
> position
> to send details of what you find to the list?
>
> Secondly, you have mentioned the main UK contenders in Braillelite,
> Pacmate,
> Braillenote/voicenote and the braille sense. I know there were products
> like the Elba which looked interesting too but don't think that ever got
> off
> the ground, certainly in the UK.
>
> Are you also counting Mainstream PDAs with Braille displays or Braille
> keyboards? there are a number of solutions in this field though I think
> most would work better with QWERTY keyboards, Braille displays can also be
> attached.
>
> There's the Hal screenreader with a PDA such as the Dell Axim and also the
> Maestro software which can be bundled with Trekker. I don't know if
> Maestro
> has Braille dribers yet though. Humanware would.
>
> TALKS can, in theory, be used with a Braille display though I don't know
> of
> anything but the communicator being used in this way.
>
> It would certainly be interesting to know which poortable Braille solution
> is most popular however.
>
> Regards
>
> graham
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ian Beverley" <iancbev@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>; <brailleuk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 9:38 PM
> Subject: [access-uk] Braille PDA's
>
>
> Hi guys
>
>
> I have some questions that I hope as many of you as possible could help
> me with. Now this is not part of any scientific research, but is really
> a plea for thoughts and opinions. Unless, anybody feels that this would
> be of more general interest, could you reply to me off-list by using the
> details given at the bottom of this E-mail. Furthermore, I'll put my
> work E-mail address on there too, so it does at least give options.
>
>
>
> For the purposes of this, I'm counting a Braille PDA as counting
> anything from the BrailleNote to PacMate, BrailleSense to the Braille
> Lite and anything around this area.
>
>
>
> 1. For those who have one, what type of Braille PDA do you use? Is
> this for study, work or private use?
>
>
>
> 2. Do you import information onto your PDA and if so, in what
> format? i.e. MS word, RTF, etc.
>
>
>
> 3. What would you say are the most commonly used Braille PDA's
> within the UK?
>
>
>
> This should start things off. I hope that as many of you as possible
> can respond to this. This is work related, but I can assure you that
> everything that you say does not get passed on to anybody else and full
> confidentiality is respected.
>
>
>
> Thanks in advance
>
>
>
> Ian.
>
>
>
>
>
> iancbev@xxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:iancbev@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>
>
>
> MSN <mailto:ianbev72@xxxxxxxxxxx> ianbev72@xxxxxxxxxxx
>
>
>
> Skype bevers01
>
>
>
> ib@xxxxxxxxxx
>
>
>
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