[bookport] Re: NLS Beta Program

  • From: "Bill" <052338@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sat, 4 Nov 2006 05:13:44 -0600

As we all know, it is springer designs that designed, modify and manufacture the bookport. It is up to them to make any hardware, firmware or software changes and no doubt they can make any changes to the unit that will meet our needs. APH can certainly have some influence on springer designs, and have doubtless done so in the past. But, they cannot dictabe what changes are to be made. The real "culprit" here, I think, is NLS. Why would they come out with a format for their book download program or for their new digital player that is not currently widely used such as mp3? Is it because they must be different or are they just not living in the real world. Much money wasted here I think. Give APH credit when credit is due. I think they've done a great job. 


BILL
----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Bowman-Jones" <mikebowmanjones@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, November 03, 2006 7:41 PM
Subject: [bookport] Re: NLS Beta Program



Greetings, Everyone.
I alluded to this issue quite some type in another message indicating that NLS and DAISY could really have an impact on the Bookport. However the unit is modified, I hope that APH will give existing customers a significant price decrease (free is better, of course but maybe not feasible) when this occurs. 

Michael
----- Original Message ----- From: "Don Barrett" <donter@xxxxxxxxxxx> 
To: "Bookport" <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, November 03, 2006 5:08 PM
Subject: [bookport] NLS Beta Program



I've been off of the list for a bit so if this has already been covered,
someone please straighten me out, but if not, it really is time for it to be 
addressed directly by APH.
As you know, the NLS beta program testing the facility to download and read 
digital books is proceeding quite well.  I am told that the site may be
available
to all NLS patrons sometime around the middle of 2007. Since the handling 
of these materials by the BookPort will require hardware, firmware, and
software
changes, it would seem that time is of the essence if the Bookport is to
undergo a redesign, pass all of the rigorous beta and other testing, and
make
a smooth transition to allowing its owners to read NLS-produced materials in digital form when the site becomes available. Can you all shed any light on this? I can just imagine that when the NLS site goes live, any device that is not ready to deal with those materials will suffer much negative press to 
say nothing of decreased sales
and popularity. Since the BookPort is probably the coolest device invented since the electric coffee-maker, I would hate to see it undergo such a bumpy transition. NLS implementation time just is not that far off, and I believe 
APH has a responsibility to its customers to make a public commitment to
support this reading system for the blind which will be free and available 
to all non-print reading citizens.  As I say, I may have missed this
discussion, so if this has already happened, I will gladly back off, and
wait for it all to play out.
On the other hand, APH has been alluding to a new unit for literally years, and given the true closeness of the NLS implementation date (perhaps half a year or there abouts to if all goes well), we really need the real deal and 
soon.  Please what is going on.

Don Barrett




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