[access-uk] Re: First impression of penfriend...

  • From: "Jackie Cairns" <jackie.cairns@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 15:24:16 +0100

Hi Barry

It was just that the labels were so tiny and fiddly to scan, and I got
that frustrated with it because it kept saying "bye-bye" when I didn't
scan the label in the appropriate time.  It came mightily close to being
introduced to a pane of glass in the shape of a window!! (smile).  No
offence, but it just wasn't my kind of labelling system really.  I'm
still a dab hand with the old Dymo gun and tend to use it for odds and
sods.

Glad you like your new toy!! 


Jackie Cairns
 Braille Specialist
 Email: Jackie.Cairns@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 Sight and Sound Technology Ltd
 Welton House North Wing
 Summerhouse Road
 Moulton Park
 Northampton
 NN3 6WD
 Telephone: 01604 798024
 Fax: 01604 798090   
 Web: www.sightandsound.co.uk

-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Barry G
Sent: 01 August 2009 14:44
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: First impression of penfriend...

Hi Jackie - afraid I don't know as I never used or saw the Voila
labeller I'm afraid - but I'm a picky old duffer and am more than happy
with the penfriend on first acquaintance.

What was the prob with the Voila?  If it helps, you can email me your
phone number I'll phone you so we can talk, or if you want to get my
number so you don't give yours away, let me have your direct email &
I'll send it to you.

All the best,
Barry G

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jackie Cairns" <jackie.cairns@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, August 01, 2009 1:54 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: First impression of penfriend...


> Hi Barry
>
> Could I please ask you, or anyone else who has tried working with this
> gadget yet, is it anything like the Voila labeller?  Please tell me it
> isn't! (smile).
>
>
> Jackie Cairns
> Braille Specialist
> Email: Jackie.Cairns@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Sight and Sound Technology Ltd
> Welton House North Wing
> Summerhouse Road
> Moulton Park
> Northampton
> NN3 6WD
> Telephone: 01604 798024
> Fax: 01604 798090
> Web: www.sightandsound.co.uk
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf
> Of Barry G
> Sent: 01 August 2009 11:46
> To: Access Mailing List
> Subject: [access-uk] First impression of penfriend...
>
> Well, mine came this morning and here's my first impressions...
>
> The labelling and reading function works well, it's easy to use,
smaller
> and lighter than I expected.  It picks up the tags and plays the note
> quickly, and the sound quality is fine - it does exactly what it says
on
> the box and I reckon it's an excellent little device.
>
> My concerns...
>
> Mine came with a short fly lead to convert between the standard
> headphone jack and the smaller jack socket on the penfriend - someone
> mentioned that there had been a manufacturing glitch and the wrong
jacks
> were fitted to the early batches.  It would seem that these
> mis-manufactured models have been issued to customers.
>
> I tried the mp3 player function and there are no instructions for
using
> this feature on the product guide at rnib.org other than telling you
to
> paste the music to the mp3 folder on the device.  That's fine, but
there
> are no instructions for operating it.  Can't remember which, but
either
> the power or the record button toggles play/stop.  Sound quality is
not
> sparkling, but it's acceptable in a device that doesn't try to be a
> dedicated mp3 player.   There appears to be no way of moving from file
> to file however, so at first glance, it's not really very useable.
>
> My single serious gripe is the volume!  The product guide and the tags
> on the packaging correctly say that the device defaults to the same
> volume each time the machine is switched off and on, and this is
rather
> high.  The real pain, on mine at least, is that it jumps to this high
> volume each time a new label is scanned, even though the volume has
been
> turned down, so you have to reset it on each scan!  I'm hoping that
> there may be firmware updates that will include a fix for this, but
> there is no mention of this in the product information.
>
> Finally, the online product info sheet says the following:
>
> RNIB are developing some associated products that are pre-recorded.
If
> you wish to listen to RNIB's pre-recorded information then you will
need
> to use the download feature. You must have access to the web and
connect
> to www.rnib.org.uk/penfriend <http://www.rnib.org.uk/penfriend> . You
> will see a list of titles available for download. These titles are
free
> or are part of any subscription system that you may have joined with
> RNIB. Click on any single title to download and save on to your
> computer's hard drive. For example, c:\penfriend\downloads. After you
> have downloaded all the titles you are entitled to, connect PenFriend
to
> the computer using the USB cable.  Next, enter or double click on any
> title and an audio installer programme will appear, and then just
follow
> the simple instructions on screen. This programme will automatically
> load the audio file onto PenFriend. Repeat the process for the other
> titles that you have downloaded. Remember, a copy of all titles is
> always kept on your hard drive so there is no need to back up. The
audio
> files will be kept on the AP4 folder in PenFriend.
>
> Well, the link doesn't exist or is broken.
>
>
>
> All the best,
>
> Barry G
>
>
>
>
>
>
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