hello, The manual I downloaded from the Humanware website, says that the braillenote mpower is 2.9 lbs and my braillenote classic is 3 lbs so to me that seems like quite a difference is this not true. Thanks, Robert
> ----- Original Message ----- >From: "ron custer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: "Braillenote List" <[email protected] >Date: Mon, 5 Sep 2005 11:14:39 -0400 >Subject: Re: [Braillenote] My M-power Observations thus far >I am not sure why people think that the new MPower weight is less than the >classic Braille-notes. >if you look at the documentation, the weight is the same. >----- Original Message ----- >From: "David Standen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: "Braillenote List" <[email protected] >Sent: Monday, September 05, 2005 9:27 AM >Subject: re: [Braillenote] My M-power Observations thus far >> Hi Jim, >> I can't comment on the braille display, but I agree with you about the >> speech, the weight and the speed in the mPower, compared to my older >> Voicenote QT. >> I was also able to listen to the Humanware May 2005 newsletter, but >> noticed on some of the links that the speech kept pausing, then continuing >> from where it left off. I wasn't too concerned about this, as I know this >> happens on regular pc's as well. I also listened to Jonathan's audio tour >> of the mPower without a hitch, as the speech came through quite clearly. >> I was very impressed indeed. >> I have charged my mPower 3 times since the arrival of my unit and twice >> the unit got to 100%, and the battery reached 99% on the other occasion. >> The battery has also gone right down to 0%, and thank goodness I have not >> had to perform the dreaded reset. >> David >>>----- Original Message ----- >>>From: "James Aldrich" <[EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>To: [email protected] >>>Date: Sun, 04 Sep 2005 11:35:14 -0600 >>>Subject: [Braillenote] My M-power Observations thus far >>>Hello all, >>>Here are my M-power observations since I received it on Friday, September >>>2nd. I'm writing this with the M-power so anyone wishing to evaluate how >>>this EMAIL may look once it reaches the list can feel free to analyze how >>>well this works as they wish. Just don't analyze my poor writing (grin >>>smile)! I hope what I say will ease some of the concerns about this >>>product on this list. >>>My wife Dar thought the M-power was lighter when she first saw it out of >>>the box. We both were impressed with the newer braille display. The >>>intensity of how the dots come up can be adjusted in the braille display >>>menu. I haven't seen much difference in the settings of the display so I >>>keep it on the default of 5. One can hardly tell whether the display is >>>functioning or not. One doesn't notice the thump thump on this newer >>>display as the dots change position as one does with the older displays. >>>Of course, new is always better than the old but this truly is a sharp >>>display. It is a pleasure to read with it. It is a far better display >>>than the immediate competition, there is no contest! The M-power display >>>may not have the wear and tear of the older displays because of its smooth >>>operation but time will tell. >>>I think the speech is clearer perhaps better pronunciation. The speech >>>voice is much the same as it was but I think the M-power speaks more >>>clearly. It may or may not make a difference to anyone depending on >>>hearing loss. I'm more pleased with the speech on my M-power than my 32 >>>BT even though I still say the speech on my older unit is quite good! Ear >>>buds and headphones work so much better on the M-power. One doesn't need >>>to drastically set the volume higher for headphones. I rarely set the >>>volume between the speaker and headphones with the M-power. >>>I charged the battery twice since I received this unit. The battery gage >>>went to a hundred percent both times and stayed at a hundred percent once >>>I disconnected the AC adapter. It went down to 99 percent soon after the >>>charger was disconnected and the battery seems to last quite a while >>>between charges thus far. On the second time of charging, I noticed that >>>the gage was at 94 percent after two hours. I left the M Power plugged in >>>much longer and once I got home from church, it was at 96 percent. The >>>percentage was the same when I disconnected the adapter. I kept it >>>plugged in till the gage reached 100 percent. I think the gage may have >>>calibrated this time around which accounted for how long the battery took >>>to charge. I didn't get much notice once the battery reached zero >>>percent. I'll know more in time about the battery life but I'm not >>>complaining thus far. >>>Kathy Williams take note! I downloaded 133 messages with both BN units. I >>>left the messages on the server. The BN 32 BT took 6 minutes and 16.6 >>>seconds according to the M-power stopwatch to download all 133 messages. >>>The M-power took 2 minutes 7.18 seconds according to the BN BT stopwatch >>>to download the same mail. Emptying the trash and clearing database space >>>is a snap! One barely has a chance to breathe and the process is done! >>>This unit is quick! I'm keeping messages on the server for a while longer >>>so I hope to update you on how much quicker the M-power is than my older >>>BN BT. Of course, one must consider the limited disk space and the >>>processor speed when comparing the two units ability to download EMAIL. I >>>like the way the M-power turns wireless on automatically when one wishes >>>to go on the web or download EMAIL. One still must turn wireless off >>>after being on the web or downloading EMAIL. I neglected to say I'm on a >>>wireless DSL connection here. >>>Being able to listen to streaming audio on a portable device is truly >>>nice! I would say the M-power works well on the "free streams". ACB Radio >>>was the first stream I tried. It was a snap to get to and listen. I also >>>listened to a MONTANA Radio Station stream, and some other streams on Bill >>>Sparks dot com as well as radio-locator dot com. I tried to get into the >>>XM Radio site, listen at XM Radio dot com. I got into their web site okay >>>but when I tried to receive a stream, I was told by their site in no >>>uncertain terms that I needed to update my web browzer since my present >>>browzer couldn't support the new features in their player. I got such a >>>kick out of what I heard, I tried it again! One can get their site as I >>>described it above and one must write it together, or one can go to >>>wwwddxmradioddcom and select "listen now". One can get a three day trial >>>on their programming otherwise one pays $7 a month to get the stream or >>>close to $14 a month if one has one of their! >> ! >>> receivers. >>> WSM Radio is another site which became a "pay site" so doubt it is >>> available to the M-power. This is why I say the M-power probably works >>> best on the "free streams". >>>Passing files from my PC to the M-power is so much faster now through the >>>network. I was able to get both MP3 and wav files to my M-power and play >>>them with no difficulty. I was pleasantly surprised to find how quickly I >>>was able to copy these files and play them with no difficulty whatsoever. >>>I may have found one file that wouldn't play but it wouldn't play on my PC >>>either. The playback on the wav file player is very good. I'll have more >>>to say about it later. I went to Voice of the Nation's Blind dot org to >>>listen to a particular file. I could hear one file from that site with no >>>problem but I couldn't hear the file I wished to listen to. I kept >>>hearing something about unfamiliar media so couldn't hear what I wanted to >>>hear. This morning, I was able to hear the introduction of the May >>>Humanware Newsletter on the humanware site. I'll listen to more of it >>>when I have time. I can see that I have a wonderful world of streaming >>>audio waiting for me when I wish to he! >> a! >>> r new info >>>rmation or music. I'm looking forward to being a part of this new world >>>with my M-power. >>>The most disappointing feature to me on the M-power is the Memo Recorder. >>>Perhaps I don't understand digital recording very well! This is the first >>>digital recorder I have used at length. The memo recorder plays back wav >>>files very nicely provided they were recorded or created elsewhere. Based >>>on how my unit operates, this memo recorder is good for voice only whether >>>it is on the low quality settings or the high quality settings. One can >>>record their audio memos if they aren't too far from the microphone. One >>>doesn't have to hold the M-power or external microphone to their face >>>though. The default factory setting for recording with the internal >>>microphone is level 12. When I attempt to record at this setting, my >>>recording is faint and the recording is weak with a fuzzy distorted sound >>>as if I were talking through wax paper. The speech is not intelligible >>>and the speech is intermittent! Level ten seems to give me the best >>>recording quality but I hear a degree of whit! >> e! >>> noise and >>> a slight frying sound in the background of my recording. Speech from the >>> notetaker comes in very well for obvious reasons if I happen to leave my >>> unit in record and attempt to operate other functions with my M-power. >>> The memo recorder in my unit is adequate for memos and I might send voice >>> attachments in an EMAIL or two, but I don't think it would record music >>> very well especially that piano recital. There are other devices on the >>> market which would better serve such a purpose. I think a $20 to $40 >>> cassette recorder could do as well or better for a recital than would my >>> particular M-power unit. There might be some kind of component breakdown >>> inhibiting my unit from recording properly, I really don't know! To my >>> knowledge, the memo recorder isn't stereo either. I could be wrong about >>> this conclusion though. I can safely say my unit doesn't support levels >>> 11 through 15 with the internal microphone. I placed the level with an >>> external microphone to 35. I couldn't hea! >> r! >>> anything >>>at all from that attempt to record. I could hear the external microphone >>>when I set the record level to a lower setting. I may need to check the >>>battery in the microphone perhaps. The playback is fine with my memo >>>recorder but I question whether the record feature is working properly in >>>my unit. I'll be happy to send anyone interested attachments when >>>recording at level 10, 11 and 12. This should show what I'm talking >>>about. >>>Web braille seems to be working better on the M-power. I can now reach >>>the listing of braille books at the end of the web page. I can again get >>>into the list to download volumes once again. My older BN BT was able to >>>get that page as well so maybe NLS fixed the problem, I really don't know! >>>I haven't downloaded any books lately so that is for another EMAIL. >>>I haven't interfaced my M-power with my Juliet braille embosser but I hope >>>to accomplish that soon! I haven't tried the bluetooth feature so that is >>>something I'll look forward to. >>>I'll be happy to try web sites when I can to see how accessible they will >>>be for the M-power if that would be helpful to anyone. >>>As I wrote this EMAIL, I noticed the speech cut out for no apparent >>>reason. I turned the speech to on request to off and back on again and >>>everything was fine. This happened three times while I wrote this post. >>>Thanks for reading! >>>Jim Aldrich >>>___ >>>To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to >>>[EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit >>>http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote >> ___ >> To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit >> http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote >___ >To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit >http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote
