[access-uk] Re: First impression of penfriend...
- From: "Jackie Cairns" <jackie.cairns@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 21:34:44 +0100
Hi Barry et al
Thanks for the added info. I won't be getting one any time soon, but
I've been following the thread with interest as it's useful information
to have. I hope the gripes get resolved eventually as there is a need
for a good quality labelling system.
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 16:37
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: First impression of penfriend...
I suspect the Boila was a bar code system from what you say. Anyway,
the penfriend appears to use RFID tags and a quick swipe across the
label in just about any direction with the penfriend seems to activate
it every time, quickly and easily. It certainly isn't fiddly, in fact,
most of the time I just touch the head onto the label somewhere about
the middle and off it goes.
All the best,
Barry
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jackie Cairns" <jackie.cairns@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, August 01, 2009 3:24 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: First impression of penfriend...
> 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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