[bookport] Re: Locking the Bookport

  • From: "Pipakis, Spero" <SPipakis@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Fri, 14 May 2004 13:04:31 -0400

I lock it so I don't accidentally start reading.  If you are going to
pack for a long time, just remove the batteries.  I can live with it the
way it is.

Spero Pipakis
Coordinator
Access Technology Center
Pittsburgh Vision Services
412 682 5600 3415


-----Original Message-----
From: ptorpey [mailto:ptorpey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]=20
Sent: Thursday, May 13, 2004 9:46 PM
To: bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [bookport] Locking the Bookport


As in anything, there are trade-offs with the various methods proposed
for locking the Bookport when not in use.  Here are some of my own
feelings on the subject:
1.      On the one hand, I like the fact that the unit beeps if a button
is pressed when the Bookport is locked.  If there were no audible sound,
there would be no way of telling when the Bookport is "on" or "off" when
the headphones are not plugged in, and accidentally pressing a r reading
key could keep the unit reading forever without the user knowing.

2.      On the other hand, the beep can be a bit disconcerting (as
someone on the list pointed out, it was a problem going through airport
security!).  Sometimes the unit will beep if being locked and jostled
around in a bag.  Overall, I don't think this is a big problem for me,
and I would prefer to hear the beeps when the unit is locked so that I
could easily verify that the Bookport is locked when I don't have the
headphones plugged in.

3.      Here is an alternative proposal - What do folks think?  The real
function I think people are looking for is a way of telling whether the
unit is "on" or "off" when the headphones are not in use.  Thus, it
isn't necessary for "any" key to produce an audible tone when pressed in
order to identify the on/off state.  Perhaps only one key needs to
produce an audible beep to "test" the state of the device.  Here, there
are two choices:
        a.      Pressing the particular key produces a sound only when
the unit is locked.  At least this way, there would be fewer accidental
beeps (since right now, ANY key pressed produces an audible sound).  Of
course, this doesn't eliminate all of the accidental beeps.
        b.      None of the keys will produce a beep when the unit is
locked.  In order to check to see if the unit is locked or not, the user
presses a particular key which is set to produce an audible beep only
when the unit is "on".  Maybe the 5 key can be used for this.  Maybe a
key combination?  In either case, if the user heard a beep when the
key(s) is pressed, they would know that the unit is "on", and if no beep
was heard, they would know the unit was "off" and locked.

        Well, just an idea - Any others?

4.      Another trade-off is how to lock the unit.  On the one hand, it
is very convenient to quickly lock and unlock the unit with the 1-3
combination.  On the other, this makes it easy for the unit to become
unlocked when packed for traveling.

5.      Another idea (as suggested) might be to have a key sequence lock
the device - Maybe even a user-defined "password" (not so much for
security, but so that the user can choose a number/key sequence that
they can easily remember).  Alternately, both types of locking modes
might be used - one for "quick lock" (i.e., not packed and traveling),
and another for "secure lock" when the unit is packed in a bag.

Anyway, that's it!  What do others think?

-- Pete






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