What is maestro? Josh
> ----- Original Message ----- >From: "C. L. Kennedy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: Braillenote List <[email protected] >Date: Fri, 03 Jun 2005 23:39:15 -0400 >Subject: Re: [Braillenote] Future of BrailleNote hardware >If you want to use USB and blootooth, get a PK. As for the processor, the >BrailleNote or any member of the BN family, is not meant to replace a PC, >but rather as a companion. Also, these devices run Windows CE and KeySoft, >not XP and whatever. So, of course there will be differences in developing >software for the BN family. Again, the BN family does not use Pocket >anything. Therefore, why not just use a laptop or possibly something like >Maestro for recording? >Just my thoughts . . . >C. L. Kennedy, Poet >Subscribe to Poets' Paradise E-zine: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >Diary: >www.kennedypoems.diary-x.com >FR*EE downloads available! >http://www.lulu.com/KennedyPoems >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Doug Lawlor" <[EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: "'Braillenote List'" <[email protected] >Sent: Friday, June 03, 2005 11:30 PM >Subject: [Braillenote] Future of BrailleNote hardware >> Hello list, Although I am sure in the coming months we will see some >> exciting software upgrades for the BrailleNote family of products I feel I >> must express my concern on the lack of modern day hardware for the >> BrailleNote/VoiceNote family. I would welcome comments from all users on >> this subject. I would like to note although I talk about software >> development I am not a developer so comments from software developers >> would >> be welcome. I feel if I am going to use this platform as a business tool >> in >> coming years it is necessary for me to make my views known on the >> limitations of the current hardware as I see it. Therefore, I am putting >> my >> comments on this list so we can hopefully establish some dialog on this >> topic. Before I point out the negatives with this unit I would like to >> mention some of the positive points these units have to offer. >> 1. The BrailleNote has a good clean simple interface. It is nice to be >> able >> to work with the same type of menu structure regardless of the application >> you are in. >> 2. Braille support is consistent throughout the suite of applications. >> 3. The Braille display is very good. I do not have any complaints here. >> 4. Good battery life. It is nice to be able to charge this unit up and >> have >> enough power for a week of usage. No extra batteries are necessary. This >> is >> a good thing. >> 5. I like the ability to be able to turn the unit off and still be in the >> last application used when the unit is powered back up. This is very good. >> 6. I like the idea of having a 32 cell Braille display in a compact unit >> that can fit into a book bag or briefcase. >> Now I would like to talk about the problems I see with the current >> hardware >> configuration as it stands now. >> 1. There is No USB connection. if a user wishes to connect the BrailleNote >> family to a modern day laptop it is necessary to use bulky USB to Serial >> adapters to make this happen. The main problem with serial connections is >> that they are very slow and not suited for transferring large files in the >> multimegabyte size. My current dell laptop does not have a serial port >> built >> in making this task a cumbersome process for when one wants to use the >> Braille display of the BrailleNote or transfer a file from the unit. Yes, >> I >> know a flash card reader will solve the latter problem and I do have one >> of >> these. >> 2. No blue Tooth connection. If one wishes to run the excellent >> BrailleNote >> GPS product from Sendero group it is necessary to carry an extra battery >> box >> containing a serial to USB adapter for the EarthMate GPS receiver. If the >> BrailleNote family could support Bluetooth the user could do away with the >> extra battery/cable kit and just carry a compact Bluetooth receiver. The >> Bluetooth connection could also be used for use of the Braille display on >> the PC. >> 3. No modern day processor - As I understand it the BrailleNote family >> currently runs on the MIPS platform at 133 MHZ. I can see this presenting >> problems for developers who wish to develop software to run both on the >> BrailleNote Family (MIPS) and the new PK (XScale). If Humanware's goal is >> to >> have third party developers write software for there products it would >> make >> much more sense to have both products running on the same or similar >> hardware platform. This is currently not the case. Why should developers >> have to deal with two platforms and maintain two code bases to write >> software for a very small number of users? How difficult will it be for >> Humanware to have a trained support team to deal with each platform? This >> in >> the long run is going to drive up the cost of development. The main goal >> should be to bring the cost of software development for these devices >> down. >> Given the current hardware state of this product I do not see this >> happening >> anytime soon. >> 4. The BrailleNote family currently has no way to input and output stereo >> audio. The ability to input and output stereo audio would make it possible >> for truly accessible recording software to be written giving the blind >> user >> a truly accessible digital recorder. I don't know of any hardware based >> digital recorder which will allow the blind user to do basic things such >> as >> set and read input levels or see how much time or space is left on a >> flashcard. Voice over IP is another issue. Given the fact that it is >> possible to have voice over IP applications such as Skype run on handheld >> pocket pc devices I feel this will become an important issue as Voice over >> IP becomes more prevalent in the work place. Devices like the BrailleNote, >> given the right hardware and software, could really shine in these areas. >> My >> use of Skype on the Pc, even with scripts for my screen reader, has not >> been >> the most straight forward experience. >> 5. The current serial and parallel ports should be done away with. Given >> the >> fact that most of the current crop of laptop computers do not come with >> these ports indicates that the market is not looking for such legacy >> hardware anymore. We would be much better off if we could connect to >> modern >> day USB printers. hard discs, audio devices, barcode scanners, and the >> list >> goes on. >> I look forward to people's comments on the future of this product. I feel >> the BrailleNote could have a lot more potential if resources were directed >> to the above areas of improvement. >> Doug >> ___ >> To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit >> http://list.pulsedata.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.pulsedata.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote
