[bookport] Re: bookport suggestion

  • From: "David Tanner" <david-tanner@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2005 01:05:56 -0600

Wow, I guess I didn't realize that it would require that small amount of code.  
Then I say that it would be a good thing.  Just don't expect me to understand 
how to do the trig. But it would be great for those who need it.



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kevin Jones" <kevin@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2005 6:34 PM
Subject: [bookport] Re: bookport suggestion


: It wouldn't take any more processing power to add scientific functions along
: with the basic ones to the bp calculator. Just have it in Braille mode like
: the bns calculator commands were. Since any process any cpu does in math it
: hardly requires any real power, and writing the code for a calculator
: wouldn't be that difficult. Someone could write code  to calculate the 6
: basic trig functions in 100 lines of code or less.
: 
: -----Original Message-----
: From: bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
: On Behalf Of Tyler Wood
: Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2005 2:17 PM
: To: bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
: Subject: [bookport] Re: bookport suggestion
: 
: That's a lot, considering the processor power of the BP. Who knows, for 
: those features may very well be added some day.
: ----- Original Message ----- 
: From: "David Tanner" <david-tanner@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
: To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
: Sent: Monday, November 14, 2005 11:40 PM
: Subject: [bookport] Re: bookport suggestion
: 
: 
: > Well, I guess I would like a bananna split.  Actually, what I think would 
: > be nice would be to add Grade 2 support to the notetaker, put in a simple 
: > calendar and calculator.  Now, for clarity sake, I am not talking a 
: > scientific calculator, I mean a calculator I could use to calculate simple
: 
: > things that would only include add, subtract, multiiply, and devide.
: >
: >
: >
: > ----- Original Message ----- 
: > From: "Josh Kennedy" <jkenn337@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
: > To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
: > Sent: Monday, November 14, 2005 12:05 PM
: > Subject: [bookport] Re: bookport suggestion
: >
: >
: > : ok. I understand now. I still plan to get a bookport as soon as 
: > possible, so
: > : I can read books and play mp3s and record and take text notes.
: > :
: > : Josh
: > :
: > : ----- Original Message ----- 
: > : From: "Sarah Cranston" <cranston.sarah@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
: > : To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
: > : Sent: Monday, November 14, 2005 11:57 AM
: > : Subject: [bookport] Re: bookport suggestion
: > :
: > :
: > : > Josh,
: > : >
: > : > I don't know why no one, especially from APH, hasn't addressed this.
: > : > Perhaps there is a good reason not to, so I apologize if I'm stepping 
: > out
: > : > of bounds here.  I also apologize for expounding on this longwinded 
: > and
: > : > pointless thread, but I feel there is one point which has been 
: > neglected
: > : > and should be addressed.
: > : >
: > : > The "1992/1993 Braille 'n Speak technology" of which you speak is
: > : > completely irrelevant to the BookPort.  The two devices were designed
: > : > entirely differently, with different functionality in mind.  I think 
: > the
: > : > main reason the BookPort isn't a Braille 'n Speak, or an equivalent
: > : > thereof, is because of it's very small amount of firmware.  If I 
: > remember
: > : > correctly, the BookPort only has a few hundred K for storing and
: > : > manipulating the firmware.  This is because it doesn't need a whole 
: > lot to
: > : > handle text files and MP3s.  The BNS contains quite a bit more memory,
: 
: > and
: > : > possibly a faster processor.  There simply isn't enough room to turn 
: > the
: > : > BP into a BNS.  Besides, the BNS, while handy for reading, was 
: > originally
: > : > designed as a notetaker, and does its best work as a notetaker.  The
: > : > BookPort, on the other hand, was designed to read books, hence the 
: > name,
: > : > and the notetaker was a nice little add-on which APH generously 
: > provided.
: > : > I don't know how they got it in there, and I'm very impresse
: > : > d that it works as well as it does.  I'll feel the same about a
: > : > calculator, when and if it comes along.
: > : >
: > : > In order to turn a Book Port into the equivalent of a BNS, you would 
: > need
: > : > a whole new board, with more storage space for firmware, and a faster
: > : > processor.  We would all have to send our BookPorts back to APH for
: > : > upgrades--sounds like a certain PDA manufacturer, doesn't it?--and I 
: > won't
: > : > be doing that any time soon.  For one thing, I can't imagine sending 
: > my BP
: > : > away and living without it for however long it would take to upgrade 
: > it,
: > : > and second, spending more money on top of what the unit already costs.
: > : > Most BP owners I know of found the current price just barely 
: > affordable,
: > : > and a price hike, like that which would become inevitable were the BP
: > : > turned into a BNS equivalent,  would push it right out of a lot of
: > : > peoples' budgets.
: > : >
: > : > So, what I'm trying to say, is that you are taking a perfectly 
: > delicious
: > : > orange, and asking it to be a banana, or maybe even a cucumber. 
: > <Smile>
: > : > Both foods have there values and uses, they both have the right to 
: > exist,
: > : > and anything anyone can do to further perfect either should be
: > : > appreciated, but they can't be substituted for each other, unless 
: > someone
: > : > has some very interesting tastes.  <Smile>  Oranges make the best 
: > Orange
: > : > Juliuses, and cucumbers do great things for a green salad.  But can 
: > you
: > : > imagine a hybrid?  Yikes!
: > : >
: > : > Just three and a half cents from a happy owner of a BP, and a former 
: > BNS
: > : > user.
: > : >
: > : > Sarah
: > : >
: > : >
: > : >
: > : > -----Original Message-----
: > : > From: bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
: > : > [mailto:bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Josh Kennedy
: > : > Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2005 8:44 PM
: > : > To: bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
: > : > Subject: [bookport] Re: bookport suggestion
: > : >
: > : >
: > : > yep, another reason why we should implement some of that 1993 braille 
: > n
: > : > speak technology in there.
: > : >
: > : > Josh
: > : >
: > : > ----- Original Message ----- 
: > : > From: "Wstephan@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <wstephan@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
: > : > To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
: > : > Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2005 9:07 PM
: > : > Subject: [bookport] Re: bookport suggestion
: > : >
: > : >
: > : >> Certainly yes, size is an issue, but over and above that, it's 
: > entirely
: > : >> possible to use a Bookport while walking, or doing any number of 
: > other
: > : >> things.  A Pac mate doesn't lend itself very well to being used under
: > : >> many
: > : >> conditions, especially where inclement weather is a factor.
: > : >>
: > : >>
: > : >> Bill Stephan
: > : >> Kansas City, MO
: > : >> (816)803-2469
: > : >> Email: Wstephan@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
: > : >>
: > : >>
: > : >> -----Original Message-----
: > : >> .From: "Josh Kennedy"<jkenn337@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
: > : >> .Sent: 11/10/05 7:24:05 PM
: > : >> .To: "bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx"<bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
: > : >> .Subject: [bookport] Re: bookport suggestion
: > : >> .
: > : >> .but if you have a pacmate or pda then why have a bookport?
: > : >> .Well a bookport is smaller, guess it's all personal preference.
: > : >> .
: > : >> .
: > : >> .Josh
: > : >> .
: > : >> .----- Original Message ----- 
: > : >> .From: "Wstephan@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <wstephan@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
: > : >> .To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
: > : >> .Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2005 7:23 PM
: > : >> .Subject: [bookport] Re: bookport suggestion
: > : >> .
: > : >> .
: > : >> .> Well, my suggestion is a bit different.
: > : >> .>
: > : >> .> I'd like for someone to develop transfer software that could run 
: > on a
: > : >> Pac
: > : >> .> Mate.  Bill Stephan
: > : >> .> Kansas City, MO
: > : >> .> (816)803-2469
: > : >> .> Email: Wstephan@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
: > : >> .>
: > : >> .>
: > : >> .> S -----Original Message-----
: > : >> .> .From: "DanFlasar@xxxxxxx"<DanFlasar@xxxxxxx>
: > : >> .> .Sent: 11/10/05 2:34:08 PM
: > : >> .> .To: "bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx"<bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
: > : >> .> .Subject: [bookport] Re: bookport suggestion
: > : >> .> .
: > : >> .> .I'll have to agree with Dave here. I love my Bookport - it's
: > : >> versatility
: > : >> .> .keeps showing up in unexpected ways.  I was working out yesterday
: 
: > on
: > : >> a
: > : >> .> treadmill
: > : >> .> .when the I finished the book I was reading ("Vancouver" - 
: > available
: > : >> from
: > : >> .> .Bookshare - a Mitchener-esque history of the city of Vancouver -
: > : >> .> excellent!).
: > : >> .> .Instead of having to change a tape (assuming I'd had the 
: > foresight
: > : >> to
: > : >> .> include
: > : >> .> .a tape for another book or magazine, I just went to the  index 
: > and
: > : >> chose
: > : >> .> from
: > : >> .> .among 20 other books I'd downloaded from Bookshare.  I  chose "Me
: > : >> Talk
: > : >> .> Pretty
: > : >> .> .One Day" by David Sedaris.   It's like having a  little library 
: > with
: > : >> me
: > : >> .> at all
: > : >> .> .times.
: > : >> .> .    I have a Parrot Voicemate as a PDA which works fine for  me. 
: > I'm
: > : >> .> fine
: > : >> .> .with the Bookport providing the functions it does.  I  see it as 
: > a
: > : >> .> portable
: > : >> .> .reading machine.  I'd love to have better voice  capabilities, 
: > and I
: > : >> do
: > : >> .> get a
: > : >> .> .little annoyed at hearing St. Louis pronounced as  Street Louis, 
: > but
: > : >> I
: > : >> .> get what it
: > : >> .> .means.  If anything, I'd like to see it  take on some Kurzweil
: > : >> .> .characteristics.  For example, I'd like to have a  dictionary
: > : >> on-board,
: > : >> .> which could be
: > : >> .> .automatically cross-referenced to a book I'm  reading.
: > : >> .> .    For example, if I heard a word that I'm not familiar  with, 
: > I'd
: > : >> like
: > : >> .> to
: > : >> .> .be able to key to the word, hit a key combo and get a  definition
: 
: > for
: > : >> it.
: > : >> .> .    Not asking for much, am I?
: > : >> .> .Dan
: > : >> .> .
: > : >> .> .
: > : >> .>
: > : >> .>
: > : >> .
: > : >> .
: > : >>
: > : >>
: > : >
: > : >
: > : >
: > :
: > :
: >
: >
: >
: > -- 
: > No virus found in this incoming message.
: > Checked by AVG Free Edition.
: > Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.13.2/170 - Release Date: 15/11/2005
: >
: > 
: 
: 
:

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