Hi Robert and others At the risk of making myself unpopular, I want to suggest that although this is not a FS list and the PacMate is not a HumanWare product, discussion of the pros and c ons of each piece of equipment is useful. For one thing, it helps us remember why we have a BrailleNote and brings to the attention of HumanWare what parts of a rival product we BrailleNote users would like to see incorporated into the BN wherever possible.
How is one to make an enlightened decision about what piece of technology is best for each individual if one can't discuss it with other blind adaptive technology users. There might be another list for discussions such as these but would that particular list have any effect on the companies currently producing these products? Besides, most of us have demonstrated in our emails that we don't care for the PacMate so it's no threat to HumanWare. What I do agree with is that the HumanWare staff have to look at our messages and it's best to keep them to a minimum where at all possible. Once one has reported a fault with software or their BN to the list, send an email to HumanWare or call your nearest HumanWare rep to voice your frustrations and please, let's stop putting each other down. Cheers! Michele -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of robert stigile Sent: Saturday, 16 September 2006 10:33 AM To: Braillenote List Subject: re: [Braillenote] moderator Hello, I am only trying to keep some normalcy on this list. No, I am not the moderator, but I know the list rules, and products that are not of Humanware's, is not topic for this list. Lastly, we will never get back to helping each other with braillenote problems if we continue to put people down and say things that are not curteous of one another. Have a great day, Robert Stigile Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > ----- Original Message ----- >From: Sharon Campbell <[EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: Braillenote List <[email protected] >Date sent: Fri, 15 Sep 2006 18:58:31 -0500 >Subject: [Braillenote] moderator >Who is the moderator of this list? I thought it was Andrew Ridden. For >some reason, I'm getting mixed signals. All you have to do is look at >the message below from Robert Stigile. Who do you think you are, King >Tut? God bless and keep smiling!! >> ----- Original Message ----- >>From: robert stigile <[EMAIL PROTECTED] >>To: Braillenote List <[email protected] >>Date sent: Fri, 15 Sep 2006 16:39:40 -0700 >>Subject: Re: [Braillenote] [PM] Freedom Scientific's >OpenPlanforHumanWareNotetaker users >>Hello Dave, >>This is not on topic for this list. >>thanks, >>Robert Stigile >>Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>>From: "david" <[EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>To: "Braillenote List" <[email protected] >>>Date sent: Fri, 15 Sep 2006 18:31:17 -0500 >>>Subject: Re: [Braillenote] [PM] Freedom Scientific's Open >>PlanforHumanWareNotetaker users >>>I will probably do this. I'm becoming sick of the closed >>software >>>environment. It's all about a person's preferences. >>>----- Original Message ----- >>>From: "Ray Campbell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>To: "Braillenote List" <[email protected] >>>Sent: Friday, September 15, 2006 4:10 PM >>>Subject: RE: [Braillenote] [PM] Freedom Scientific's Open Plan >>>forHumanWareNotetaker users >>>Wow, the competition is going to heat up now. I've already sunk >>so much >>>into my BN I wouldn't dream of doing this. Plus, frankly, I like >>the >>>keyboard on the BN much better than the PacMate. >>>Ray Campbell, HelpDesk Technician >>>Adaptive Technology Center >>>Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired 1850 >>>W. Roosevelt Road Chicago, IL 60608 >>>312-997-3651 (Voice/Relay) or >>>888-825-0080 (voice/Relay) >>>[EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>AIM Screen Name: tclhelp >>>-----Original Message----- >>>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of >>Sharon >>>Campbell >>>Sent: Friday, September 15, 2006 3:43 PM >>>To: [email protected] >>>Subject: [Braillenote] [PM] Freedom Scientific's Open Plan for >>>HumanWareNotetaker users >>> ---- Original Message ------ >>>From: "Jonathan Mosen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>Subject: [PM] Freedom Scientific's Open Plan for HumanWare >>Notetaker >>>users Date sent: Fri, 15 Sep 2006 16:20:52 -0400 >>>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE >>>Sales Contact: Charlie Madsen, Inside Sales Media Contact: Brad >>Davis >>>Blind/Low Vision Group >>>800-444-4443 or 727-803-8000 >>>www.FreedomScientific.com >>>Trade in HumanWare Notetakers with >>>Freedom Scientific's Open Plan >>>Trade in any proprietary HumanWare notetaker and get the features >>you >>>want today with Freedom Scientific's PAC Mate. >>>(St. Petersburg, Florida, September 15, 2006) - Freedom >>Scientific's >>>Open Plan, announced today, will help blind users of VoiceNote, >>>BrailleNote, mPower, and BrailleNote PK notetakers upgrade to an >>open >>>platform that uses the familiar Windows interface and runs >>mainstream >>>applications. >>>For the remainder of 2006, users in the United States and Canada >>can >>>trade in one of the aforementioned HumanWare products and save >>more than >>>70 percent on a PAC Mate(tm) Accessible Pocket PC. Models with >>20 or 40 >>>cells of refreshable braille will be discounted 60 percent. Purchase >>>prices after trade-in are: >>>* PAC Mate BX400 and QX400 speech-only units: $700 >>>* PAC Mate BX420 and QX420 20-cell braille units: $1,500 >>>* PAC Mate BX440 and QX440 40-cell braille units: $2,250 >>>The Open Plan is especially attractive to 18-cell BrailleNote >>Classic >>>users thinking about transplanting their braille cells to an >>mPower. >>>Transplanting to an mPower leaves you with the same amount of old >>cells, >>>but trading in the old unit for one of the PAC Mate's 440 models >>gets >>>you 40 new cells. That's 22 extra new cells for the price of a >>>transplant! If you want to save some cash, instead of upgrading your >>>old >>18-cell >>>HumanWare unit, trade it in for a PAC Mate 420 model, and get two >>extra >>>cells and all the benefits of the open platform for $700 less. The >>>Open Plan also gives VoiceNote users, who are excluded from >>the >>>HumanWare Transplant Program, an inexpensive braille upgrade >>option. >>>Those taking advantage of the Open Plan will be able to choose >>from more >>>onboard applications, read from more braille cells, and access >>>mainstream applications and peripherals. Students learn the >>Windows >>>operating system as they use the PAC Mate, knowledge they will >>draw from >>>for the rest of their lives. >>>PAC Mate users can communicate via MSN and AOL instant messaging, >>>synchronize with Microsoft Outlook's e-mail inbox, tasks, and >>notes, >>>balance their checkbook, and manage spreadsheets. BrailleNote >>owners >>>are still waiting to get in touch with those features. While >>they wait, >>>PAC Mate users are working with a host of other features >>BrailleNote >>>doesn't have. Features like bar code scanners that identify and >>>describe many common household items, support for all Word >>documents, >>>Skype Internet telephony, reference materials like encyclopedias >>and >>>recipe databases, virtual private network access, and support for >>a >>>broad range of network cards and other peripherals. >>>"Since I became a PAC Mate user, I've used numerous exciting >>features >>>that the closed nature of the BrailleNote prevented me from being >>able >>>to deliver to customers when I managed that product," said >>Jonathan >>>Mosen, formerly of HumanWare, now Vice President of Blindness >>Hardware >>>Product Management at Freedom Scientific's Blind/Low Vision >>Group. "My >>>PAC Mate has become an essential tool for me. Not only am I more >>>productive on the job because of features like the full >>synchronization >>>and VPN support, but it's my accessible remote control for all >>our >>>appliances that use a remote." >>>Mosen also said he likes how the PAC Mate gives him such a vast >>>selection of entertainment options and supports all common >>streaming >>>media formats. >>>"A closed platform can't possibly keep up with all of the >>innovation >>>being unleashed by Microsoft and the many third party developers >>that >>>write software for Pocket PC devices. I have no doubt that once >>>BrailleNote and VoiceNote users get their hands on a PAC Mate, >>they'll >>>be amazed at the world of possibilities on offer," Mosen said. "I can >>>even do high quality audio recordings on it!" >>>Find out more about the PAC Mate by visiting the Freedom >>Scientific Web >>>site. Contact Freedom Scientific Sales if you have questions or >>wish to >>>take advantage of the Open Plan. >>>This program cannot be combined with any other discounts. The >>trade-in >>>units must be in good working condition, as determined by Freedom >>>Scientific. Freedom Scientific reserves the right to refuse any >>>trade-in or to change or cancel any aspect of this program at any >>time >>>at its sole discretion. >>>About Freedom Scientific >>>Freedom Scientific is the world's leading manufacturer of >>assistive >>>technology products for those who are blind and vision impaired >>and >>>products for the special education and learning disability >>markets. >>>Freedom Scientific(r) and PAC Mate(tm) are either trademarks or >>>registered trademarks in the United States and/or other >>countries. The >>>names of companies and products mentioned herein may be the >>trademarks >>>of their respective owners. >>>Jonathan Mosen. >>>Vice President, Blindness Hardware Product Management Freedom >>Scientific >>>BLV Group LLC >>>11800 31st Court North >>>St. Petersburg, FL 33716-1805 >>>________________________________________ >>>Don't forget to check out: >>>http://www.pacmategear.com ! >>>_______ >>>PMList mailing list >>>[EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>http://pacmategear.com/mailman/listinfo/pmlist_pacmategear.com >>>To unsubscribe, send a blank email to: >>>[EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>and don't forget to reply to the confirmation 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 >>>___ >>>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 ___ 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
