But then you would most likely have a fold down keyboard that is noisy like the touch's keyboard. The Polaris' keyboard is super quiet and in my opinion, a lot quicker to type on than using touch braille. That is why I prefer the Polaris. I like that we now have choice with our notetakers, one that's designed for touch braille and one that is designed for people who want a quiet and fast braille keyboard.
Debbie -----Original Message----- From: Gordon Smith [mailto:gor...@mac-access.net] Sent: Saturday, 24 June 2017 1:42 AM To: Techno-Chat ... Technology Enthusiasm! <techno-chat@techno-chat.net> Subject: Re: [Techno-Chat]: Braille Sense Polaris: First Impressions That is utterly the wrong approach. The Touch, for example, gives you the option. You don’t have to use the touch screen at all, but it’s there if you want too. The device is intended for the use of the vision impaired and the blind and, of course, the deaf blind. Like the Hims tablet, the Touch also has a vibrating motor which can be configured for events. And its touch screen is there for all. If you’re blind, you can toggle off the video output to conserve battery power, but even with the video disabled, you can still type on the touch screen and, optionally, still use gestures. So I’m sorry, but I think that Hims has made a gross error of judgement there. Of course, it may be that the Samsung hardware on which the device is based did not easily lend itself to a touch screen. I think it’s a dreadful shame though, as with the inclusion of a touch screen it would have been a truly spectacular device. Now, it is true that one can perform some touch gestures on the Braille display itself. So that may go some way to addressing the issue. I haven’t had the opportunity to try that aspect yet. But I’m sure I shall, and soon. But having played with the divide, in terms of its interface It comes a poor second in my opinion. In terms of specifications, it comes out the clear winner. I need it to be understood that I am totally unprejudiced with these comments. I am not, as some people have accused me of being recently, a HumanWare man through and through. I’m just trying to be objective. > On 23 Jun 2017, at 10:37, Dane Trethowan <grtd...@internode.on.net> wrote: > > I think the absence of a touch screen on a device may very well be a blessing > for Hims Inc as not everyone is interested in a touch screen. > > 3GB of RAM is more than enough, though some of the newer Android devices have > 4GB - and some 6GB - 3 is still ample, my absolute minimum would be 1GB, the > Neo Set Top Box I use has 2Gb and it speeds along most of the time but with > 1GB you do notice things slowing down, another device I have - can't remember > its name, its an Android Desktop computer - only has 1GB. > > Obviously I've not seen one of these machines but I can tell you that I like > stereo speakers on a device, they make the world of difference even when > listening to spoken word. > > Does the machine have any Bluetooth capabilities? It would be nice if you > could stream audio from the unit to say a B&W T7, headphones, hearing > instruments or similar. > > Conversely it would be nice to stream to the machine from say another mobile > device. > > I like Chrome very much, I use it here on the Sony xPeria in the Android > world and on the Windows PC. > > I have to admit that - for me personally - I'm not at all interested in a > Note Taking device with a Touch Screen, I'm thinking about the purchase of an > ElBraille though I do like the Hims Inc way of doing things. > > I had a Voice Sense a number of years ago and I do miss that machine in > several ways though the software could no longer be updated so it was > pointless keeping that device. > > I sincerely hope Hims Inc have done some work in the Wireless connectivity > department, on the Voice Sense the Wi-Fi was truly and utterly dreadful. > > Anyway thanks for letting us know about the device. > > > > On 23/06/2017 7:20 PM, Gordon Smith wrote: >> Good Friday to you one and all >> >> I've just spent a happy couple of hour teaching a client to use her new >> Braille Sense Polaris, whilst at the same time gaining an insight into the >> product myself. >> >> Whilst the Polaris has some interesting facits, it isn't a device that's on >> my own shopping list, for a number of reasons. So, let me tell you a little >> about the device, and why I've formulated my opinions of it. >> >> Firstly, like the Braille Sense U2, there is no touch screen on this tablet. >> I use that word very guardedly, for that very reason. Hims do call it a >> tablet though, so I guess I must also. >> >> The Polaris has a very Braille Sense look and feel. It has 11 physical keys >> on the keyboard. One key is a Return key, and there are also control and >> Altogether keys, harping back to Windows. The device is powered by Android >> 5.1 Lollipup. However, as the operating system evolves, so will the Polaris, >> to a degree. Some of the frameworks of Android are not yet updated for >> accessibility, which prohibits the same kind of rapid growth that we are >> seeing with Android. >> >> As I was saying. Their are 11 physical keys on the keyboard, plus >> touch-sensitive function keys which, again, resemble quite closely the >> Braille Sense U2. >> >> The Braille display has 32 cells. Interestingly, the display itself has a >> Braille cell cover, protecting the display from dust and other possible harm >> whilst not in use. That is, I must admit, a very welcome a.ition. >> >> For reasons best known only to her, my client did not bring her case with >> her. So I didn't get to see that. But I am given to understand that it is, >> like the U2, a nice soft leather case with reinforced plates where the >> controls are located. >> >> The device looks almost identical to the U2. With the noteable exception >> that the LCD unit is flipable, enabling easy access for someone with vision. >> >> The technical specifications ofthe device are very interesting. It has an >> Octa-core Samsung processor, clocked at 3.1GHZ. It has 3GB of RAM, and a >> 64GB flash disk. The SAID-XC card reader is just the same as that of the U2. >> >> Network support is good. It supports the new ACCORDING dual-band >> protocol, and is backward-compatible. It has the usual built-in software >> tools typical of the Braille Sense family, including electronic scientific >> calculator, word processor, UEB and Nemath compatible braille math support >> and a schedule manager. There is also the usual Contacts app, and all the >> other things you would expect of a Braille Sense. >> >> I'm given to understand that all of the Sense tools have been re-written >> from the ground up, so they are not just ported from Windows Mobile. As I >> said earlier, the processor is a 64-bit Samsung Octa-core, <meaning it has 8 >> cores>, and one thing I will say is that it is us very very very fast! >> >> It came out very favourably when I loaded a -plex PDF document into the >> reader. The rendering took just a fraction of a second. On the old U2, it >> takes upwards of 5 seconds to process the same ducument. >> >> It directly supports wirless charging, has a USB 3.0 host port and can be >> charged wired using either it's own charger, <same charger as the U2>, or >> via the USB Micro client. >> On the front of the unit are the same media keys that you'd find on the U2, >> and the media player is handled in the same way as the U2. >> >> Needless to say, Google is fully supported, so it is possible to import all >> of the apps you'd find in the Play Store. >> >> The stereo speakers on the device sound quite good. I only had a quick >> listen, as I spent most of the time first sejting it up for my client, then >> showing her around the device. For me, as somebody used to the Hims way of >> doing things, it took no learning time. That, for some reason, amazed my >> client. She expected that she's have to leave the device with me so that I >> could set it up for her. No need for that. I was also a# to import her own >> network profile, so she can go home and start using it right away. >> >> The web browser is quite interesting. those who like Chrome will be pleased >> that learn that the Hims browser is just a modified version of Google's >> browser. Modified so as to enable accessibilyoung right out of the box. >> >> In summary, whilst I'm looking forward to helping Claire familiarise herself >> fully with her new device, it is not a device that I personally will be >> considering. I still believe that the BrailleNote Touch, whilst lacking in >> some respects, is a better all-round Android device. My main reason for >> saying that is because the Touch adopts a much more main stream approach to >> tablet uie. >> >> Whilst the Braille display itself supports multitouch gestures on the >> Polaris, I still like to be able to utilise the fully-fledged touch screen. >> >> I hope to acquire an ElBraille shortly, so will give you my thoughts when I >> do on that device. I'd give the Polaris 7 out of 10. I'm sure Hims have >> their reasons for their apfroach. But it isn't an approach for me. >> >> ============================== >> >> My Compliments And Kindest Regards >> Gordon Smith >> 'Accessibility And Information Technology Support Specialist >> ------------------------------N - ) jYi l ay7 z D1 . m秱Ƨ [ʋ >> z "u槶+ ? pj [ ӆ+, vz- z Z .n b b w *. ' . +r ڵ 2Y欲鞞 . >> X Z ޮ) '" + ~ ڟ'( + 2 צ . x *h h . + ~' h >> pz j) j{p b ^n u z 欢u r ʋ % G ǘ Z z| w b jw ֧E$ >> b >> jYi l a + Z m >> qǬ w M X ^r r ! !j : . ʋ ~ - :" b >> 躗 Zqǩ ky b a{ >> +u8^ z ^ ǧu Ơz - b k Ǭ ) zx" 歵 ! !j {^r r S >> + W |8 z [j ! ^~ + W ֛ ,j ל z ] >> + ל z gz z ^ . ^jǬzwZnV g ^r r zל z gz r i m . >> + + ] ,~ + W + ˩ ! !j t=== > > -- > > ********** > "Live each day as if you were goiing to die tomorrow, learn each day as if > you were going to live forever" > > ------------------------------ > > This post, like all posts to the Techno Chat E-Mail group has been scanned by > our server-side antivirus/malware solution. This should not, however, be > viewed as a substitution for your own security strategy. We assume no > culpability whatever, implicit or otherwise, for any compromise to your > systems as a result of opening any post to this group. Suffice it to say that > we remain vigilant within the boundaries of reason. We strongly urge you to > do likewise! 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