Hello,
I don't know what the writer's reasons are for objecting to
calling the Bn or Apex a computer, but I know what my reason is.
In the past, whenever I've complained about something my device
won't do, Someone on the list tells me to get a computer. After
I explain that I don't have a computer and don't know how to use
one, someone then reminds me that the BN is made to compliment a
computer and I should not expect it to perform as a personal desk
top, laptop, or notebook computer. I realize that by definition,
the BN is a computer, but until it can do for a visually impaired
or totally blind person what a PC does for the sighted world,
it's still just a very expensive device that can't even do what a
cell phone can do.
It can't describe the picture in the E-mail I receive; it can't
read PDF or HTML files without help from the sporadic working of
the internet; it has difficulty navigating dialogue boxes; it's
limited in the size and amount of attachments it can send; I
haven't been able to download music with mine (listen to music,
but not download it to a card; currently it can't download my
requests from the National Library Service; and many other things
a PC or cell phone does. I personally would appreciate all you
"GEEKS" who use a PC with your PDA to stop telling us what these
devices can do. Why not spend your time trying to create
devices which will do what you say our BN's can do and sell them
to us much cheaper than we buy our "ALMOST" computers for now.
That's my opinion of the BN being a computer, and I agree with
the writer!
Sammie D. Clay
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joseph Lee" <[email protected]
To: "'Nicole B. Torcolini at Home'"
<[email protected]>,<[email protected]
Date sent: Thu, 16 Dec 2010 16:11:59 -0800
Subject: RE: Computer or Not? was Re: [Braillenote] FAQ 4
(technical): What isand what is not possiblewith a BrailleNote?
Hi,
As a follow-up: what's your reasoning behind your thoughts?
Cheers,
Joseph
-----Original Message-----
From: Nicole B. Torcolini at Home
[mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Thursday, December 16, 2010 4:02 PM
To: Joseph Lee; [email protected]
Subject: Computer or Not? was Re: [Braillenote] FAQ 4
(technical): What is
and what is not possiblewith a BrailleNote?
Personally, I do not like calling the bn a computer. Yes, it has
many of the
software and hardware components of a computer, but I still do
not consider
it a computer. Just throwing that out there. Thoughts?
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joseph Lee" <[email protected]
To: <[email protected]
Sent: Thursday, December 16, 2010 3:43 PM
Subject: [Braillenote] FAQ 4 (technical): What is and what is not
possiblewith a BrailleNote?
Hi folks,
yet another FAQ post - mostly in connection with words posted on
the list
about CE6 and other things:
1. Can BrailleNote run programs?
yes and no. BrailleNote will run programs made by HumanWare or
ones
Humanware licenses its SDK or development tools - at this time,
Sendero
Group is the only one. There are provisions to allow rapid
creation of
third-party programs, but the key that is missing is the actual
development
tools that programmers need to write applications that'll run on
the
BrailleNote.
2. Can a desktop program be run on a BrailleNote?
No. Windows CE devices uses slightly modified programming
tools, or API
(Application Programming Interface) different from regular
Windows or
desktops. if you attempt to run these programs, you'll get a
message
saying,
"program is not a valid win32 application."
3. Can VOIP clients be implemented, or possible to be used by a
BrailleNote?
No - for now. There are numerous factors, including licensing,
availibility
and integration strategies involved when coming up with this
client or
others.
4. Is it possible to work with unsupported devices?
Yes and no. If the unsupported device presents basic features
that
BrailleNote can handle e.g. getting power from a USB port,
presenting
storage options, etc., then it'll work with the device. If the
unsupported
device presents nothing that BrailleNote can utilize, then it'll
not
work -
for the time being. The condition here is if a device driver
for that
specific device or a family of devices is created, which then
allows a
BrailleNote to communicate with that device. However, there are
devices
which requires a firmware update, such as possible use of SDXC
(Secure
Digital EXtended Capacity) cards which requires flashing
(installing) new
firmware.
5. Can a user use a cellular connection kit i.e. USB cell
modems?
No for the time being. It requires creation of a device driver
that allows
a
BrailleNote to recognize that celular modems are just a family
of
connectivity devices - much like 56K modems.
6. Can one charge a cell phone with the BrailleNote?
Yes (confirmed).
7. Can a user change boot priority or other system options?
No. A bootloader is a special program or a function that allows
a device
to
start; BrailleNote's bootloader presents options such as
formatting system
partitions, performing tests on hardware and so forth. Although
one can
access some functionality of bootloader or read the debug
message from the
bootloader, there is no way of changing things such as boot
priority,
network debugging and others. The most useful way of using the
bootloader
(particularly on the mPower) is to upgrade KeySoft via
bootloader menu or
viewing technical information that comes out of debug port
(which happens
to
be the serial port).
8. Can one write program code or HTML files on the BrailleNote?
Yes and no. Yes, since one can use text document (ASCII format)
to write
program code or HTML code (be aware of some formatting
problems). No,
because there is no way of testing the code - apart from HTML or
other web
code, since one can save the file and open it using KeyWeb.
9. Can a user do absolutely anything with a BrailleNote?
Conditionally. There are things that users can try out, such as
connecting
some devices; but just because BrailleNote is a computer does
not mean
it'll
be a computer replacement.
10. What are things that Windows CE 6 can bring to keySoft?
It all depends on what HumanWare thinks of it. Surely KeySoft
can take
advantage of better memory management. Other potentials include
more
secure
Wi-Fi via WPA2 (since CE6 supports it), running more programs
and so
forth.
Hope this helps. if you were unsure of answers given or have
any comments,
feel free to let me (and others) know.
Cheers,
Joseph
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