[bookport] Your problems with your book port
- From: "Neal Ewers" <neal.ewers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2007 13:19:28 -0600
James, I also am very sorry that you are having troubles with your unit.
I have also owned mine for about 2 years and have not had one bit of
trouble with it. As for parsing html, you have a good point and one
that I hope will be taken up at some point. I also suspect that there
will be more work done on DAISY files, but don't quote me because I
don't work for APH, I'm just a happy user. However, that is not said to
make light of your experience. It is frustrating that the market for
things like the BookPort is small enough that the price has to be as
high as it is. This is not the fault of APH, as I suspect you know.
It's just called staying afloat in a not very large market. The only
way you can do this is to charge more money than you would if everyone
in the world wanted a BookPort. So, I guess this raises an interesting
question. I know that APH is trying to produce units that are easily
used by persons who are blind. I also hope that they have considered
ways to make this product more universally appealing to people who are
not necessarily blind. It certainly might bring down the price. But
the real question is, would they have to pay more to develop such a
unit? For example, I don't believe the bookport has any printed
information on the unit to help people who see know what buttons do
what. If APH decided to place print labels on the front of the unit,
the unit itself would probably have to be larger especially if you
wanted it to be used by persons with low vision. And there would have
to be other changes made as well. So, there you go. You would have to
spend more money in order to be more universally applicable to more
people with perhaps very little knowledge of whether or not the unit
would be purchased by other than people who are blind. And now we have
the new Olympus recorders which have talking menus and which also read
audible.com books. There is just a lot of competition already out there
for the mass market. Thus, my guess is that about all APH can do is to
focus on people who are blind and thus will still have to charge a
higher than normal price for the device.
Again, I'm sorry you have had the trouble you have had, but as is
suggested in the message below, I do believe you are in the minority. I
know, that doesn't make you feel better, so I'll just offer my sympathy
and get off the soap box now. Good luck to you in getting this worked
out.
Neal
-----Original Message-----
From: bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Sandy Licht
Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2007 11:43 AM
To: bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [bookport] Re: Interesting rumor
James, I have used my Bookport every day for two years, and I haven't
had any problems at all. I'm sorry you have, but from everything
I've read on list for the last two years, you are in the minority. I
believe the design to be a good one. In all electronics, there are
some units that fail.
At 06:42 PM 1/17/2007, James Jolley wrote:
>Hi,
>
>It will be interesting to see what APH come up with, because
personally, I
>find that the Bookport is rather badly designed. It's tacky rubber keys
for
>a start have lead me to have to question that decision when they
designed
>the unit. One wonders wether or not they suspected that longevity
wouldn't
>be an issue, and as usual as blind individuals, we have to make yet
another
>purchase to keep up with the joanses as it were.
>
>Secondly, my unit has developed a rather interesting problem in that
the
>left channel drops out periodicly. This is plain rediculous as it's
never
>been dropped or anything. The entire design of the board is suspect in
my
>view.
>
>I don't deny that the software that allows one to transfer files is ok,
but
>it's not quite as sophisticated as we are lead to believe. For
instance,
>when transfering HTML files, the system is unable to read tags for
headings
>and so on, rather pointless. What always interested me is why APH
didn't
>parce the HTML directly, instead of having to rely on word for it's
output?
>Also, why should one be required to use a secondry daisy reader, when
surely
>good programming practice would have the book port transfer include an
>appropriate DLL with the appropriate library functions to accomplish
those
>tasks?
>
>To be absolutely honest, I have had no end of trouble with my unit.
I've
>sent it back to our destributer in the UK, had it repaired, and after 9
>months of use, it is faulty again. One wonders wether springer's design
team
>took into acount how mutch these units would be used.
>
>Interestingly, I own a Book courier also, and although not as feature
ritch,
>it's overall design is significantly better, plus I have had no
problems
>with my unit.
>
>What do people think? I am naturally expecting the usual that goes on
on
>most blindness lists, the inevitable winers, but here's hoping eh?
>
>-James-
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
>On Behalf Of Richard Ring
>Sent: 17 January 2007 22:49
>To: bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: [bookport] Interesting rumor
>
>
>Greetings all:
>I have heard the following interesting rumor. The current Bookport
(at
>least the hardware) was a joint effort between APH and Springer Design
Inc.
>The rumor that is making the rounds is that the Bookport 2 is being
designed
>by a joint effort between APH and a company called Levelstar, whose
current
>product offering is a device called the Icon, which is a rather
interesting
>Linux-based PDA.
>
>
>
>
>--
>No virus found in this incoming message.
>Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.16.13/632 - Release Date:
16/01/2007
>16:36
>
>
>
>
>--
>No virus found in this incoming message.
>Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>Version: 7.1.410 / Virus Database: 268.16.14/636 - Release Date:
1/18/2007
Sandy Licht
Jeremiah 29:11 - 14 A .
11 For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are
plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me
in earnest, you will find me when you seek me. 14 I will be found by
you," says the Lord.
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