I, too, am really disapointed that Springer has decided not to go ahead with producing the new BC. And, yes, it would have been good if the folks at Springer had let all of us who were eagerly awaiting the new product know what was going on. I have been a very very happy BC user. I do a lot of travelling overseas and my BC has been invaluable for reading books and listening to music and other MP3 files. I think springer did an excellent job designing the BC; it worked well, was easy to use and was very reliable. I hope that springer is consulting on assistive technology and can help others make good products for blind and other disabled users. Thanks to Katie and the other Springer folks who have been so responsive to our questions and upgrade suggestions. I'm really sad that we won't have a new BC. I hope that, in the future, Springer will be able to produce a new device - - I plan to stay subscribed to this list for news. I will use my two BC's until they break, then make a decision which device to purchase. Thank you, Springer, for making a product that enhanced the quality of my life as a disabled person and, frankly, helped me keep my sanity on some long, boring trips!! John Riehl