[blindza] Next pseudo gadget got hold of this past weekend
- From: "Jacob Kruger" <jacobk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "NAPSA Blind" <blind@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2011 11:43:42 +0200
Ok, this is partly relevant, since I got hold of it specifically for use along
with my screen reader in an open plan office environment, etc.
Anyway, had been looking for some form of wireless headset for a little while
that would preferably be somewhat portable, would be battery powered or
rechargeable on both ends - base/transmission unit as well as
headphones/receiver, etc. etc., with part of the idea being that while do use
normal headphones, the lead sometimes gets in my way when I am trying to do
things with my hands, inbetween typing on the keyboard, etc., and sometimes it
would just be nice to not be restricted by an audio lead, etc., and the sort of
final thing is sometimes it might be nice to use an audio gadget of sorts
without it being too obvious that I had earphones in my ears, etc., but that
one's still not perfectly doable due to the size of the headphones, but at
least they're relatively comfortable/lightweight.
Basically it's a base unit around 20cm high when standing up, around 3cm thick,
and around 10cm back to front, and it can run off 3 AAA batteries in both base
unit, and headphones, which while they're ones that fit over your ears, they're
relatively lightweight, and quite comfortable.
The base unit also has a DC power socket, but it didn't actually come with the
relevant power unit, but that should be easy enough to find at the right sort
of shop since it's generally just the diameter of that socket that makes sure
it's the right voltage, etc.
What you do is turn on the base unit, and then turn on the headphones, and it
has it's own volume control, and a microphone input socket, and then also
another 2 press buttons on it, which let you reset it to base unit reception,
or to sort of scan through FM radio channels - so it sort of doubles as a
battery powered FM radio if you want that.
On the base unit, there's an on/off slider switch, and another slider switch
that lets you switch it between audio input, or acting as a form of baby
monitor/spy device where it uses a built in microphone to then let you listen
to what's happening around it, and the stereo audio line it comes with also has
a standard RCA converter lead to let you plug it into things like TVs, etc.,
but anyway.
The range is meant to be around 10 meters, but depending on surroundings, it
actually seems a little bit further transmitting than that - sometimes anyway,
and while it's not the loudest set of earphones, they do seem to provide pretty
decent sound quality, and it does also handle stereo well enough.
Lastly, while had been asking one of the local, decent computer shops to look
for something like a bluetooth unit for me, etc., they firstly seemed to think
these weren't too easy to find, and the prices they came back with were around
R700+, but when happened to be in a smaller local computer shop this past
weekend, that, among other things sells some other gaming accessories, and
second hand PC games, etc., I asked them, and they had this XGR set there on
the shelf, for R140, and it's full name is something like an XGR 6 in 1
wireless headset including FM radio, microphone support, etc.
Like said, primary thing is it will let me avoid using normal headphones with a
lead, but would also let you, for example, listen to an audio book/podcast from
a little bit of distance away from the output source if you wanted to, or could
be used as a sort of spy device to listen to something happening next door
whithout being physically present - sit in on meetings, whithout being
present...<smile>
Stay well
Jacob Kruger
Blind Biker
Skype: BlindZA
'...fate had broken his body, but not his spirit...'
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