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

  • From: "Carol Pearson" <carol.pearson29@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 22:35:23 +0100

Now, I've been looking for plastic cards (or at least dividers) for a while. Where do you find those? Stables I suppose! <Smiles>


--
Carol
carol.pearson29@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On Twitter:  http://twitter.com/songbird49a

---- Original Message ----
From: "martin wilsher" <m.wilsher@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, August 01, 2009 9:52 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: First impression of penfriend...

HI Jackie:

I too had issues at first with the viola labbeler, but
worked through them within a few days.  Indeed, I use
plastic cards to stick the labels to, making them larger
and easier to handle.

-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jackie
Cairns
Sent: 01 August 2009 21:30
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: First impression of penfriend...

Hi Martin

Glad you found it helpful, I certainly did not.  I found
the labels so tiny, and by the time I'd lined up the unit
to scan, it went off and annoyingly bid me "bye-bye".  I
think, in fairness, that talking labelling equipment has
moved on a bit since, and I hope people get use out of
their new device. It would take something exceptional for
me to stop using the Dymo gun I have to say.


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 martin
wilsher
Sent: 01 August 2009 16:26
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: First impression of penfriend...

Hi jackie, I found and still find, the voila talking
labeller easy to use. It's saved me a lot of mislabeled
chicken and food poisoning over the years, but personal
prefrance is always a factor in all these things.
-----Original Message----- From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jackie
Cairns
Sent: 01 August 2009 15:24
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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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