I saw my first Braille Note in November 2000 and I went into debt to
assure
that I got one, it was wonderful, I used it every single day for years
and
until the past year or so never regretted the purchase. However, when I
too
was informed my transplant could not have a service agreement with no
notice, then informed I could upgrade but had to send the full purchase
price and they would write me a check later, and then this last upgrade
to 8
which offered me nothing I needed, because I don't want chat, would look
for
a very small device to carry if I wanted GPS instead of a heavy Braille
note, and the lack again of better Word support, I doubt I will be buying
an
Apex and it is sad because the vision Pulsedata brought to the industry
was
so very good, what has happened over the past two years breaks my heart.
Once the customer truly mattered, service was reasonable, now, we'll just
look at this list and listen to people saying it takes 3-6 weeks for a
battery replacement, and you get the picture I am seeing.
I am near tears because I truly did think Braille Note was the future for
many blind people, I convinced friends to buy them, and I still use mine
but
mostly now for reading and note taking that I don't have to show to
anyone
or that I can retype into Word where it formatted properly. It takes me
forever to fix a document that is in Word XP, 2003 or 2007 to be even
close
to usable so I avoid it whenever I can but so much learning is done
through
my fingers. What was a wonderful product now meets only part of my
needs.
Sad, Sad, and Sad.
Rose Combs
[email protected]
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Earlene
Hughes
Sent: Sunday, November 15, 2009 8:22 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: [Braillenote] customer viability in the face of planned
obsolescence
I agree with the post below. I said I wouldn't purchase another
BrailleNote
when HW without notice, wouldn't renew my service contract for my
transplanted EmPower. But, I wanted Sendero's GPS, so I bought a PK. I
really like my PK, and I'm disappointed that there isn't going to be an
upgrade plan for it. The reason I am posting my thoughts here, is not to
complain; I hope someone from HW will read enough comments from some of
us
and find some way to accommodate their whole customer base in their
business
model.
Have a good day all.
--Earlene
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Cheree Heppe
Sent: Saturday, November 14, 2009 10:20 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Braillenote] customer viability in the face of planned
obsolescence
Cheree Heppe here:
Listening to the ACB Radio presentation on the new Humanware product, the
APEX, last night made me worry.
The plan, as I understand it, is to offer two more upgrades, SMA's or
whatever they're supposed to be, for existing MPower and PK Braillenote
devices. After these two final SMA's, no more will be forthcoming and
these
MPower and PK devices will become legacy technology to force transition
to,
and purchase of, the next generation.
How long will it be until the next generation, multi-thousand dollar
productivity Braille input/output device with eight gigs of hard drive
and
no mention of improved Word support will also become obsolete?
Forced obsolescence and similar tactics make me less and less willing to
even try to acquire such devices.
Those of us blind people who work find it hard enough to buy equipment on
our own or leverage such purchases by jollying along our employers or the
various rehab agencies with the latest benefits of the latest and
greatest.
They buy these because why? Do they really think we are achieving
parity?
And the ones who don't work because they can't leverage the technology,
maybe, well, they don't count at all.
Then, thousands of dollars and a learning curve or two later, maybe in
two
or three or four years, we go through the same song and dance, the same
financial strictures to upgrade because our gadgetry is obsolete?
Why not develop modular design to allow plug in upgrades of drives,
firmware
and other replaceables around a re-usable refreshable Braille matrix.
Would
a modular design, preserving a refreshable Braille display and machine
matrix as the base for changing firmware and such perhaps reduce the cost
and increase the flexibility and longevity of these specialized devices?
We can chase Microsoft and computer design and have a hope of staying
current with it because the cost is low enough, tailored for the mass
market.
Braille technology represents niche usage. Most blind people willing and
capable of using refreshable Braille should have the real choice to use
this
valuable technology.
What solution could be realistically sought to fit the expense and usage
more closely to the user population?
I use a PK and like it. I don't wish to change. I like the small, quiet
Braille input keyboard and the PK's small size. So, I'm going to be
using a
legacy Braille device before long, it seems.
I can keep current with mainstream technology, but some must still feel
that
our Braille is still second class.
Regards,
Cheree Heppe
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