[bookport] Re: Enhancements to Bookport Device
- From: "Marlaina Lieberg" <marlaina@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 3 Dec 2004 08:58:07 -0800
Hi James. I think free flow of ideas is great. I guess my philosophy is
that let's not ask a coffee maker to squeeze the juice and bake the bread
when it's been designed to brew the best cup of coffee you'll ever have.
I think the Braille functionality on BookPort is great, and it does make
searching so much easier. I'm not sure why there is a memo feature, since
it's a reading device and it already does allow for bookmarks. If it were
billed as a mini personal notetaker, well that would be a different matter.
I think it should mirror as closely as possible other reading devices like
Otis, just to keep the development tight, the cost down, and the number of
things to decline as small as possible. As I said, were i designing it, I'd
have left out memo but added an alarm. We probably often all fall to sleep
with it running, thus the sleep timer, so it's logical to me that it should
serve as my clock to awaken me in the morning. I'd also have shaped the
alpha buttons differently. Neither of these are show stoppers, but it's my
thought they'd add more than a memo recorder adds. But the key words here
are my thought, and my thought may not be the same as your thought. But,
each is equally valid.
I'm sorry if I've come off as shooting down any of your or anyone else's
ideas here! Happily, the APH staff have a fabulous sense for what this
little device should do, and they stick to that sense while still reading
our input.
Happiest of Holidays to you!
Marlaina
----- Original Message -----
From: "James Jolley" <james.jolley1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, December 03, 2004 5:14 AM
Subject: [bookport] Re: Enhancements to Bookport Device
> Hi,
> I agree. Without wishing to sstair up a hornets nest, why is it that
> whenever viable suggestions are made, the same few people always have to
> shoot us down? Take for instance my suggestion a while back about
improving
> braille input. That was shot to bits by a select few people who seem to
> think that we're detracting from what the BookPort is. We're not. APH
have
> already done that, it doesn't just read us text files does it? It has a
> clock, memo, braille input, so really, why shouldn't we make this better.
>
> I am completely sick of this "keep it as it is attitude". If I spend my
> hard earned cash on a BookPort, surely any enhancement is welcome. After
> all, how many sighted products defeat this "stick to basics" philosophy?
> Mobiles, mp3 players with calculaters, even games on digital watches but
you
> never ever see sighted folks saying, don't alter the funcionality. There
> always ready to lap up this idea of multi-function devices.
>
> Best
>
> -James-
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Gary Wunder" <gwunder@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Friday, December 03, 2004 4:27 AM
> Subject: [bookport] Re: Enhancements to Bookport Device
>
>
> > Hi Francis. I have had the benefit of seeing many comments in response
to
> > yours prior to my writing and so I gather the prevalent sentiment is to
> > leave this wonderful device alone. I love the unit as it is, but if
> > computer
> > power or software design will at some time allow it, I'd love to see a
> > pronunciation dictionary. In twenty years I bet we'll have a real
> > dictionary
> > like the one we enjoy with the K1000 and what a blessing it is.
> >
> > I respect all of the folks who love the BP as it is, but I also respect
> > you
> > thinking aloud about things that will someday make it even better.
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Francis E. Khan" <fekhan@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> > To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2004 2:35 PM
> > Subject: [bookport] Enhancements to Bookport Device
> >
> >
> > Hello Bookport Users:
> > These are a few thoughts I have about Bookport. For your information, I
> > received my unit on November 23 this year and so far, have read about
> > twelve
> > books, all from the CD which came with the package. For the most part,
> > the
> > pronunciation of words is very good but there are instances where
someone
> > can get confused. Take the word "pitiable" which I came across in one
of
> > the Sherlock Holmes stories. It is pronounced "pishiable" and the word
> > "mustache" is pronounced "mustake". Do any of you recall a software
> > program
> > we used with the DOS operating system? It was a great program and we
> > could
> > always correct the pronunciation of words by adding lines to the special
> > table provided for that purpose. Additionally, those of us who could,
> > purchased upgrade chips for the DoubleTalk synthesizer which corrected a
> > lot
> > of the pronunciations and a lot more.
> >
> > I am not sure exactly what the firmware updates are all about as I
haven't
> > downloaded any since last week but on the Bookport there are two screws
> > holding the back cover so some of the hardware must be accessible. Just
a
> > thought and I am wondering whether some chips in the case can be
upgraded
> > in
> > the future to enhance the product even more.
> >
> > I would appreciate hearing your comments and, who knows, we might have
an
> > even better Bookport in the not too distant future.
> >
> > Francis Khan
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
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