----- Original Message -----
From: "Tony Sweeney" <tonymsweeney@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "ireland vip news" <irelandvipnews@xxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, June 15, 2015 10:11 AM
Subject: [IrelandVIPNews] Kapsys SmartVision Smart Phone
(Morning all,
Came across the below article on a UK list written by Jackie Brown.
Sorry about the urls but nothing I can do about them for this list.
The one at the bottom is probably the best for sourcing the product in
euros.)
(Article begins:)
I have often been asked whether there is a modern Smartphone on the
market that offers the scope of a touchscreen device with tactile keys.
Thanks to
French company Kapsys, the SmartVision might just be the answer.
THE CONCEPT
SmartVision is a handset that offers users three ways of interacting
with its Proprietary software based on the Android 4.0 operating system.
About the
size of an iPhone 5, SmartVision has a large screen with a tactile
keyboard at the bottom for inputting data. It also comes with a voice
activated system
that lets you control the phone by speaking to it. So this means that
you can navigate the screen by touch, type on the tactile keyboard, or
dictate commands
with your voice to get your jobs done.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX
The package contains a SmartVision handset, battery, USB cable and
charger, docking cradle, earbuds, lanyard, protective case, and print
documentation.
A user manual is available to download from the Kapsys website in Word
format, and there is an onboard tutorial.
NAVIGATING THE HANDSET
With the phone facing you, just over two-thirds of the front of the
handset is covered by a touchscreen. A four-row tactile keypad occupies
the remainder.
The top row of keys, from left to right, comprise an ok or answer
button, left and right arrow keys, and a cancel/back or end call button.
The second
row consists of numbers 1, 2, 3, and star. The third row has numbers 4,
5, 6, and 0. Finally, the bottom row comprises 7, 8, 9, and hash. The
concept
of having the normal bottom row on a conventional telephone-style keypad
laid out vertically was rather off-putting to me to begin with until I
got used
to it.
The top edge of the Smartphone contains the stand-by/power button on the
right, hole to attach a lanyard in the centre, and a 3.5mm headphone
socket on
the left.
Volume up and down buttons can be found midway down the left edge of the
phone. A connection port for the docking cradle is situated at the
bottom left
end of the handset. A USB port for charging the phone is positioned on
the top right side of SmartVision, while the voice activation key is
below it.
The rear of the handset comprises the camera lens, an orange SOS rocker
button towards the top, and a battery compartment below it. Removing the
battery
cover was very difficult at first because I could not feel any
indication of where it opened. If you place a fingernail at the very
bottom edge of the
handset at one end, however, you should be able to lift up the cover to
reveal the battery compartment where the SIM and memory cards also reside.
USING THE PHONE
The Kapsys SmartVision will need to be charged when you receive it, so
insert the battery and either use the docking cradle or simply connect
the USB lead
to charge it for approximately four hours.
SmartVision is an unlocked device, so you will require a micro SIM card
with the operator of your choice to use it for making and receiving
calls, text
messages and other tasks. The handset also supports Bluetooth and WiFi.
When you turn on the phone for the first time, by pressing and holding
down the power button on top of the device until you feel a vibration,
you will
hear a welcome chime. Built-in TTS will guide you through a setup
process. Use the top row of buttons on the keypad, which all have
various tactile markings,
to confirm, amend or cancel the choices on offer. When this process is
complete, you will be placed on the home screen of SmartVision, and are
ready to
begin exploring.
Items on the home screen comprise: Phone, Messaging, Email, Settings,
Favourites, and Applications. Use the left and right arrows to navigate
between
these options, or slide your finger around the screen until you find the
icon you want, then press the OK button to confirm.
The main functions of SmartVision do not need much explanation. You may
send and receive text or Email messages, add contacts to the phone book,
connect
a WiFi network, turn on Bluetooth, write a note, use the calculator,
record appointments or reminders, and set the time or date.
But there are some interesting additional features on SmartVision too.
You can use the colour identification app, scan documents using the OCR
facility,
or search the Google Play Store to make purchases such as apps or music.
And there is assistance at hand with the SOS button that, when
activated, will
dial 10 numbers you designate as emergency contacts. Whatever you do on
SmartVision, you are guided by the software’s built-in speech or
magnification
programs.
Those who have met Kapten GPS in the past might be interested to know
that there is a built-in version on SmartVision. You are able to create
routes and
save them, using the Points Of Interest feature on the way. You can
choose pedestrian or vehicle modes when planning your routes as well. I
took SmartVision
out with me in both the car and on foot, and was quite impressed by the
amount of information it reported back. Not only did it give directions,
but it
told me about shops, restaurants, hotels and petrol stations in the
vicinity. I was also pleased with the battery life when using Kapten on
the handset.
Most phones tend to be very data hungry, but SmartVision relies on GPS
satellites for its information rather than an Internet connection which,
in turn,
conserves battery usage.
OCR
I personally found OCR quite slow, but then you would expect it to be that
way as it isn't the fastest handset in the world. For me, the phone's
selling point is GPS, but some people will like having tactile buttons for
texting and navigating.
CONCLUSION AND PRICING
This particular all-in-one proprietary system is not for me, primarily
because I have both iOS and Android platforms on touch-screen devices to
work with
on a daily basis. I find there are limitations with specifically adapted
Smartphones such as Telorion, Georgie and now SmartVision. But there are
many
people who find touch-screen technology extremely difficult to use, and
would therefore welcome and benefit from such an innovation offered by
Kapsys.
For me, general navigation and inputting information was slow yet
straightforward, though I found that reviewing data I entered was a tad
hit or miss when
using the two arrow keys. I am used to moving around a touch-screen with
one finger quite quickly, and double-tapping on the item I want in a
situation
with iOS or Android. What you need to do on SmartVision when using the
touch-screen method is move your finger around the screen, and once you
have found
the correct icon, keep your finger on it while moving to the OK button
on the physical keypad below. This is a rather challenging combination,
but I understand
it is a preventative measure for accidental screen activation.
When using the voice activation system to perform tasks on SmartVision,
you must be very specific about what you tell the device to do. This is
because
voice activation has a limited resource for commands. A short press of
the voice button is designed to enter commands like “battery status”, or
“what
is the time”? A long press of the voice button is relevant when
dictating notes or text messages where there is an edit field for data
input. I found
it very inaccurate when using Kapten GPS. I tried several times to
dictate an address for a car journey, and it did not play ball at all.
Perhaps it
has something to do with pronouncing some place names where I live in
Northern Ireland?
Using the traditional keyboard entry method for adding information is
good, but I do not like the ergonomic design of the keypad, where the
bottom row
of star, zero and hash keys are placed vertically next to numbers 3, 6,
and 9, respectively. I understand this was to allow for a larger screen,
but it
might confuse novice users, or anyone with orientation issues.
I do have concerns about the shelf life of a product like SmartVision,
but a lot of thought has gone into its concept. There are two flavours
to choose
from: SmartVision Lite is priced at £349, while SmartVision costs £499.
The latter includes Kapten GPS and OCR, plus charging cradle and
protective case.
SmartVision Lite can be upgraded though if you want these extras at a
later date.
SmartVision or SmartVision Lite is sold in the UK by either Computer
Room Services, 01438 742286,
www.comproom.co.uk,
or Sindhi Systems, 01162 498100,
www.sindhisystems.co.uk.
For those people who really cannot use a touch-screen handset, but who
want to take advantage of what a Smartphone offers, then SmartVision is
definitely
worth considering. It is lightweight and compact, and boasts all the
features you would expect from today’s technology.
www.kapsys.com
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