Good Sunday to you all I’d just like to reaffirm what I posted in an earlier message, and add a little more information which I hadn’t discovered or neglected to mention last time.
The Orbit Reader 20 isn’t quite like other Braille displays. There are a couple of very nice little touches which I haven’t seen on any other model. That isn’t to say the functionality isn’t there, it’s just that I personally haven’t seen it on any comparable device of its type. The Orbit Reader 20 uses a modern style of menu keys and menu navigation. In the centre of the display, there is the usual circle of buttons, which make up the up, down, left and right arrow keys. And, predictably enough, there’s the select button in the centre of the circle. The main menu and associated functions can be called up quickly by pressing the up arrow key and the select key at any time. This even works if the device is in “Remote”, (often referred too as “Terminal” mode). The advantage being that, let’s say you have a file open in the internal editor where you’ve made some notes which are pertinent to the task you’re working on on your remote device, be it a mobile, notebook, tablet or desktop device. You need to quickly access the information in your notes. With many other devices, the only way to get out of Terminal mode is to turn off the device and start over. The notable exception here being the HumanWare BrailleNote Tuch. But obviously, in order to access your notes, if using one of the devices other than the Orbit or the Touch, you’d have to ensure that you’d saved your notes before exiting Terminal mode, or you’d lose them. Now, I hear you say, why not just keep your notes on the remote device. Yes, that’s certainly another approach – I wouldn’t deny that for a moment. And obviously, if that works for you then that’s great. I’m not trying to suggest one method is better than the other. I’m simply saying that the option is there. Anyway, I digress. When using the Orbit, all you have to do is press the up arrow and select keys simultaneously, and you’re into the device’s main menu again. From there, you can simply. Navigate to your open file and press select. Then, you have the devices editing and reading functions at your fingertips. When you’ve finished, simply use the menu to return to “Remote” mode, and you have your Braille display back again on your remote device, subject too any commands you may need to issue on the remote device to have it re-discover the Orbit. The Orbit can pair with multiple Bluetooth® devices simultaneously, so you don’t need to keep re-executing the Bluetooth® pairing routines over and over. It simply connects to the last available device which is present at the time. Now, again, I’m not trying to compare the Orbit with other devices which cost in excess of 10 times what the Orbit Reader 20 does. I’m just making the point that the device is an extremely versatile and friendly portable companion to, for instance, your iPhone or iPad, Android devices or notebook. Oh and, of course, USB is supported as well, although it might have been nice had it used USB 3.1 or later. But one can’t have everything and the main thing is it works, giving you a more than adequate, portable and rugged Braille display for a fraction of the price of typical mechanical devices higher in the price range. I am successfully using one of these devices as a display when I do radio work at the studio of our hospital network. I no longer need to carry my Focus 40 around with me, and as soon as I get to the studio, all I need to do is plug the device into the computer, power it on and then execute NVDA. Works like a charm every time. Braille quality is very good indeed. Cells are nice and firm, without being too firm. Responsiveness is excellent, and control of NVDA via Braille movement keys is first class. I plan to buy one of these devices for my own use when I’m able. The only UK supplier is RNIB, and that suits me fine. I believe that the Australian supplier is no longer making these things available. If that is the case, I’m astounded. Unless, of course, there’s a conflict of interests. Maybe they sell other more costly solutions, and see the Orbit as a threat to. Their profits, I really don’t know. Anyway, in my humble opinion, an excellent all-round device, well worth the money.
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