Mike: don't worry about his message it is quite clear from his message that he is only thinking of what he wants. He is not taking in to consideration dexterity issues large hands or a host of other issues. If he wants such a device he should put his own money where his mouth is and build his own. Or he can go buy a Mystro that has what he wants and he can buy a Bluetooth display to go with it.
Folks I am only writing this because we all have a responsibility to recognize that not all blind users are power users and many blind users have other issues we know nothing about. When a company designs a product they do so with an eye to there market or they sell nothing. Ergonomic devices aren't built because someone wants comfort. O yes these mini devices like PDA's are going to cost society billions in the next few years because if you think carpotunnel is becoming an issue wait till all these users have had them a while. Terry Bray System Support Analyst Adaptive Technology Services - Strategy and Planning Desktop Planning & Design ENTERPRISE INFRASTRUCTURE OPERATIONS, Technology & Solutions Phone 416-549-6190 -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Mike Welty Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 8:34 AM To: Braillenote List Subject: re: [Braillenote] A Smaller Braillenote what do you think you are doing? Try using some of the features you want to remove. People use the modem for dial-up connections, a good example here is me. People also use the PC card slot with an adaptor to work with CF cards. Try looking at the BN from a country person's point of view. > ----- Original Message ----- >From: Alex Parks <[EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: BN Mailing List <[email protected] >Date: Mon, 13 Feb 2006 20:09:44 -0500 >Subject: [Braillenote] A Smaller Braillenote >Sarah: >Are you familiar with a BookPort? It is a small device, about >4x6x1 inches, that can play some media formats, as well as read files >such as brf, doc, txt, html, DAISY, and so on in a synthesized voice. >It allows the user to type in Braille. (It has six rows of three keys, >each a small, round, rubber key). >These types of keys can be used for BT models. I am honestly not sure >about QT; I just always figured that if you needed Braille/speech, you >could write Braille. Sorry to all you QT users out there. >My friend has a Dell PDA (as I mentioned) with bluetooth, WIFI, SD, CF, >64 MB rAM, 128 MB flash memory, a 624 megahertz X-Scale processor >(faster than the MPower), a built-in speaker/microphone, and more. It >is a bit less than the size of a BookPort. Those BP keys I mentioned >would fit on its surface in the standard configuration that the BN >family (excluding the >PK) has, with a spacebar in its usual spot with maybe three contacts >for the motherboard. (This would avoid the problem I have with my >MPower--the spacebar insists on getting stuck in the down position on >one side, rendering the whole unit unusable). >The frame could be widened to the PK's size to fit the Braille display, >but a voice-only version of this shouldn't have to be much bigger than >the PDA I was describing, allowing for the features of the next several >paragraphs. >Anyway, instead of the big thumb keys, just put in two joysticks. >Two, instead of one, so that many more functions can come from the >combinations--press both down, press one in and move the other... >As far as Braille displays go, just use two 16 or 18 cell displays, >stacked. This would make it as wide as the PK, but with as much or >more display than the 32 cell displays. (Not to mention the option of >displaying two documents for note >taking...) >For media slots, the SD, CF, and USB hosts are fine. Just take away >the PCMCIA slot, as most WIFI cards are CF or SD, and, in my >experience, no basic electronics store sells PC cards anymore. >You could take out the 56K modem and replace it with DSL, or just skip >the whole thing. A new WIFI chip is the size of a dime, and I imagine >conventional transceivers are not much bigger, so they could easily >fit. >The speakers (Yes, two. When listening to audio with my MPower, its a >bit annoying to have all stereo effects cut off) and microphone >wouldn't be a problem. >As much as I hate to do this, compare the BN to the Braille Sense by GW >Micro. It is hardly bigger than an MPower, yet has PS/2, ethernet, two >CF slots, a built-in LCD display, a built-in microphone, a VGA port, a >32-cell display, a multi-tasking operating system (up to 7 tasks) with >64 MB RAM/ROM... While it is still big, it fits much more into a space >not much bigger than an MPower, though I like the BN's MUCH more than >any other blindness PDA. >Well there. In a nutshell, the Braille PDA whose hardware, software, >and basic design I have been revising for the last three or four years. >I have an incomplete outline of what I have so "creatively" named "The >Ultimate BrailleNote". It has all the hardware, its placement, and >some of the software to be put into this dream machine, and I've even >measured everything to see if it would fit. >Well, you asked how I would shrink a BN, and there it is. Sorry it was >so long, but there was no easier or less painful way to explain. >Have a great day, >Alex >___ >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 ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email ______________________________________________________________________ ___ 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
