Hi all,
FYI, here is a quick comparison between the mPower, 32 cell, and the Apex.
Memory:
Apex has 8gb of internal storage, 64 times the capacity of the 128mb flash
disk in the mPower.
The keysoft system disk in the mPower is half the size of the one in the
Apex.
RAM:
Apex has twice the ram; 128mb compared to 64mb.
Cards and Expansion:
The mPower has an SD slot, CF slot, and PCMCIA slot, whereas the Apex has
just an SD/SDHC slot. This means that the Apex cannot accept CF cards except
through a card reader. However, its huge flash disk renders many cards
unnecessary.
Apex has 3 USB host ports, compared to the mPower's two, though I do not yet
know about the power outputs of the Apex.
Braille:
The Apex comes witha 32 cell display, whereas the mPower can come with a 32
or 18 cell display, or no display at all (the VoiceNote). There is no 18
cell model of the Apex, likewise there is no VoiceNote version.
Speech:
As far as we know, both units run Keynote Gold or Eloquence, as the mPower
has done since keysoft 7.0.
Wifi and Bluetooth:
The mPower has built in bluetooth (version 1.0) and supports the use of type
B or type G wifi cards. The Apex has bluetooth 2.1 built in, as well as B/G
wifi, eliminating the need for a wifi card (so the lack of a cf slot is not
as big a problem since it is not needed for wifi).
Visual Display:
The Apex has built-in VGA, so you can plug it right into a monitor or LCD
projector to show what you are doing. The mPower has this option, but you
would need a compactflash/VGA adapter, of which I have only ever found one,
and that was for $140.
Dial-up and Ethernet:
The Apex has no dial-up modem, though Humanware has indicated that they will
have a USB dial-up modem available for purchase for those who need dial-up.
The Apex does have built-in ethernet, once again eliminating the need for a
compactflash adapter. The mPower does not have ethernet built in (requiring
the adapter), but it does have a built-in dial-up modem.
Serial:
The Apex has done away with the serial port, relying on its mini USB and
upgraded bluetooth instead. The mPower has built-in serial.
Software:
For now, both units have the same software features, even though the latest
mPower upgrade is ks8.0 and the Apex will likely have ks8.1 or 9.0. Expect
an upgrade with new features sometime after the Apex is released.
Windows CE:
The Apex runs under Windows CE 6.0, compared to the mPower's CE 4.2. This
opens the door to many new features on the Apex, such as support for Word
2007 or PDF documents. Such support is not present at the moment, but the
platform is there, finally. The mPower, unless it is upgraded to CE 6.0
(unlikely), cannot run such new features.
Screen Reader Supplementing:
The Apex has the usual Braille Terminal mode, which is finally supported
through the mini USB port. It lacks the remote synthesizer option found in
the mPower, though the mPower does not support remote synthesizer or
terminal over USB.
Infrared:
The mPower has a built-in infra-red port, the Apex does not seem to. This is
not a big loss for most people, but it may be for some. Keep in mind that
the enhanced bluetooth and USB support should help to offset this loss.
Size:
The Apex is as wide and almost as deep as the mPower (9.8x5.5), but it is
only .78 inches tall, compared to the mPower's height of 1.2 inches.
Status Lights:
The mPower has nothing in the way of lights for indicators. The Apex has 3:
a light for bluetooth, one for wifi, and one for charging/battery status.
Scroll Wheel:
In addition to the usual keyboard (braille or qwerty), the Apex includes a
"Scroll Wheel". Not much is known about this, except that it allows for
faster navigation through documents and lists. The Wheel may not be offered
on QT models, only BT.
Audio:
Both units include an internal microphone, a microphone jack, speakers, and
a stereo headphone jack. The Apex, though, has two built-in speakers,
compared to the mPower's mono speaker. The Apex's speakers are just below
the backspace and enter keys on a bt (I am not sure where they are on the
QT) and are about 2x3 centimeters (this according to Maurice Slone). It is
not yet clear if the Apex's microphone jack is mono, like the one on the
mPower, or stereo, but we know that both units' internal microphones are
mono. The Apex will support the use of bluetooth audio devices, whereas the
mPower cannot do this.
I think that is all I have for now. If you have questions or find an
inaccuracy, let me know!
Have a great day,
Alex
New email address: [email protected]
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