Begin forwarded message:
From: "Vince Thacker" <[email protected]>
Date: March 20, 2013, 6:56:24 PM CDT
To: "The Accessible Phones Discussion List" <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: My ScanStand Review
Reply-To: The Accessible Phones Discussion List <[email protected]>
Thanks, Ibrahim. Someone's turned a good idea into a load of rubbish, by the
sounds. Maybe we could all do better making our own from bits and pieces we
have lying around. Couldn't be much worse, by the sounds of it.
Vince.
----- Original Message -----
From: Ibrahim Gucukoglu
To: The Accessible Phones Discussion List
Sent: Wednesday, March 20, 2013 11:47 PM
Subject: My ScanStand Review
Hi Everyone.
A lot of interest has been expressed on this and other lists regarding the
Stands can portable document scanning aid for the IPhone and related devices. I
received mine today, and let me say firstly that I am extremely disappointed, I
will explain why in the paragraphs below.
Firstly, there’s the construction. On unpacking the device, I removed what I
thought was the packaging for the Stands can unit, only to discover to my
amazement and dismay that the stand is in fact made of cardboard. This
cardboard is folded in to a flat pack design, rather like post office boxes and
has to be assembled by folding the parts over the corresponding flaps following
the arrows on the cardboard. Magnets hold the open box like structure together,
and if the Scan Stand pro is purchased, there is also a rather sharp row of LED
lights with a wire dangling out the side which plugs in to either the optional
mains lead or the 9 vault battery pack which is supplied. I found it difficult
to assemble and certainly wouldn’t have been able to do it very quickly.
Additionally, since this is made of cardboard, there are the downsides to using
such a material including easily bending or squashing the stand and of course
the classic getting it wet, spilling coffee on it etc., its not the sort of
thing that would stand up to much punishment in other words. Also, being
portable and designed to go everywhere, I wouldn’t think it would last very
long either. In summary then, this is essentially a piece of folded cardboard
resembling an open sided box with a few magnets and row of LED lights with a
whole on the top where the device camera is focused.
Now we come on to the results obtained with two applications, Prizmo and Text
Detective. Firstly, let me point out that I am totally blind and used this
without sighted assistance, so once I had the box assembled I placed my IPhone
as accurately as I could, with the camera dead centre of the circular cut out
in the box, note too that there is absolutely no physical mark or indication I
know of that shows how the device is supposed to be placed, so I had to
experiment and this I did. I also tried scanning in normal light conditions and
in the dark with the LED lighting supplied by the AC mains lead, I haven’t used
the battery pack option as this gives a reduced light output owing to the lower
voltage. Firing up Text Detective, I placed a document in the open side of the
box as directed, flush with the back wall of the box and the camera dead centre
and was unable to obtain any OCR results under any lighting condition, either
room or LED. I experimented with Prizmo too and got marginally better results
using the LED lighting than I did using the room light, however these were
hardly good enough to make much sense of.
In conclusion, this device unfortunately is not worth either your time or hard
earned money. Its flimsy construction, fiddly setup with no indication as to
how your device should be placed is going to make it a tough sell to all but
the most persistent and determined VI user. I’d hedge my bets that one could
spend the time and learn to hold your IPhone in the correct position or indeed
make a simple tripod on which you could rest your device while scanning for the
less steady handed and obtain better results, not to mention save the £30
you’ll spend on this cardboard box.
All the best and I hope I haven’t disappointed anyone, I’d rather be frank and
honest, something I believe I have a reputation for.
All the best, Ibrahim.
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_______________________________________________
ATI (Adaptive Technology Inc.)
A special interest affiliate of the Missouri Council of the Blind
http://moblind.org/membership/affiliates/adaptive_technology
