[bookport] Re: bookport suggestion
- From: "Kevin Jones" <kevin@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 15 Nov 2005 01:49:17 -0600
The old bns classic did not have much if at all more firmware than the
current bookport, and the processors were similar in power.
-----Original Message-----
From: bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Josh Kennedy
Sent: Monday, November 14, 2005 12:05 PM
To: bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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
>> .> .
>> .> .
>> .>
>> .>
>> .
>> .
>>
>>
>
>
>
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