I would like to jump in for some opinions from those who have purchased a Braille Pen, RefreshaBraille or the Perkins nottetaker: I want a Braille display, solely for purposes of reading iBooks and Read to Go Books on my iPhone. I have always preferred Braille, and miss it terribly, though I am thrilled to be able to download a newspaper and listen as I commute. As far as I am concerned, I just want something simple and straightforward for this purpose. Please feel free to write me off-line about this, and if anyone has a link for information comparing the less expensive, lightest-weight, portable Braille displays, I would appreciate getting it. Thanks. (I don't care much about input on the display, just output.)
Christine On Apr 4, 2012, at 11:42 AM, Teresa Cochran wrote: > I had to buy a new Braille display when I got my Mac Mini, because I couldn't > use my Braille Lite 40. > > I much prefer 40-cell displays, and as far as I'm aware, the Focus 40 Blue is > the least expensive of those by far. Most run around at least $5000 US. > > Teresa > > "The Golden Age of science fiction is twelve."--Pete Graham > > On Apr 4, 2012, at 4:42 AM, erik burggraaf wrote: > >> Well, window-eyes actually supports a lot more than apple does, but apple >> for sure supports all of the modern ones. Except that they are footdragging >> on the brialliant BI displays. Most of the ones they're missing are legacy >> serial and parallel devices. >> >> Best, >> >> Erik Burggraaf >> Currently on ebony promos: Ebony consulting on android accessibility, New >> drive imaging services available. To read more and subscribe, visit >> http://www.erik-burggraaf.com/mailman/listinfo/ebony-promos_erik-burggraaf.com >> >> Ebony Consulting toll-free: 1-888-255-5194 >> or on the web at http://www.erik-burggraaf.com >> >> On 2012-04-04, at 6:46 AM, Eugenia Firth wrote: >> >>> I asked about the price of a Focus 40 Blue. They said $2,800. Now I think >>> that's high, but it has 40 cells. The more cells, the more money. I think >>> $5,000 is for those 80 cell displays. What you're going to do with your >>> braille, display just like computers, determines how many cells you need. I >>> have to have 40 because of doing braille proofreading. However, if I wanted >>> one to carry around for church so I could read my Bible or hymn music, on >>> an iPad, maybe one of those 12 or 18 cell ones would be the ticket. It >>> would be even better to carry around with an iPad or iPhone if the price >>> were less than $1500. You would have to have a good reason or be lucky >>> enough to afford the luxury to spend $1500 on a display for your iPad while >>> traveling. I have found, because I do a little traveling with my 40 cell >>> display that it does add significantly to the weight of your MacBookPro to >>> carry the display around. >>> >>> To make this topic more Mac related, I was impressed, to say the least, >>> when I found out how many braille displays would work with VoiceOver. There >>> were ones on the list I had never heard of. I don't believe any of the >>> other screen readers could say that their program could support that many >>> displays. There's a fair number with Jaws, and somebody could correct me >>> about this, but I don't think it's as many as VoiceOver. >>> >>> Regards, >>> Gigi >>> >>> >>> >>> Eugenia Firth >>> [email protected] >>> >>> >>> >>> On Apr 3, 2012, at 9:06 PM, David Tanner wrote: >>> >>>> I understand where you are coming from, but it is good to see that there >>>> are some displays starting to come down to a somewhat more reasonable >>>> price. For example, the Braille PPen with 12 cells for $999 is not a bad >>>> price even though it only has 12 cells. The new 16 cell display and basic >>>> notetaker from Perkins Products for $1,549 is a better deal too. And, the >>>> Refresh A Braille from American Printing House for the Blind with 18 cells >>>> for $1,695 is a good deal, and a very well made display. >>>> >>>> Don't get me wrong, I realize these prices are still too high for many >>>> people, but at least we are starting to see prices down to where more >>>> people may at least have a chance of saving up to buy one. But, at $5,000 >>>> for a 40 cell display very few people can afford a Braille display without >>>> help from somewhere. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "James Mannion" <[email protected]> >>>> To: <[email protected]> >>>> Sent: Monday, April 02, 2012 11:13 PM >>>> Subject: Re: A Question Regarding OCR >>>> >>>> >>>>> Hi Mark, >>>>> I envy you acquiring the braille display especially. I really wish I >>>>> were incorrect, but I know I am not missing anything or out of date in >>>>> my understanding that the price of braille displays are just >>>>> rediculously out of sight in price about 3 to 4 times over and then >>>>> some. Still being a common man and feeling blessed and lucky to be >>>>> able to achieve a few thousand in savings at any point in time at best >>>>> I don't think a braille display for personal use is anywhere in my >>>>> near future. Maybe I have already said too much, but what it takes to >>>>> be able to obtain such technology just makes you throw your hands up >>>>> in frustration. >>>>> >>>>> On 4/2/12, David Tanner <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>> And, I bet it is a lot cheaper too. >>>>>> >>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- >>>>>> From: "Jim Gatteys" <[email protected]> >>>>>> To: <[email protected]> >>>>>> Sent: Monday, April 02, 2012 9:35 PM >>>>>> Subject: Re: A Question Regarding OCR >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Hi all! >>>>>> Has anybody used Abby fine reader express for the mac? I just >>>>>> downloaded a >>>>>> trial version and it was much better than a few years ago. It worked >>>>>> with >>>>>> my old epson perfection scanner and I was able to scan and edit a >>>>>> document. >>>>>> I guess it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of kurzweil but for >>>>>> basic >>>>>> stuff it seemed fine. I am seriously considering a purchase of fine >>>>>> reader. >>>>>> Jim >>>>>> >>>>>> On Apr 2, 2012, at 8:21 PM, David Tanner wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> It is alive and well... Do you have version 12 patch 4? That is the >>>>>>> latest release and there is some support for at least one digital camera >>>>>>> in that patch upgrade. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> As far as Kurzweil 1000 on the Mac; the news isn't good. There is >>>>>>> Kurzweil3000 for the Mac, but the folks at Cambian Learning don't think >>>>>>> they can make enough profit on us blind folks so they say they will not >>>>>>> release a version for Apple because if every blind person baught a copy >>>>>>> of >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Kurzweil1000 for Mac they still couldn't make enough profit to make it >>>>>>> worth it for them to do that. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Brent Harding" <[email protected]> >>>>>>> To: <[email protected]> >>>>>>> Sent: Monday, April 02, 2012 8:04 PM >>>>>>> Subject: Re: A Question Regarding OCR >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Any hope for those of us Kurzweil users? I could live with my old Epson >>>>>>>> Perfection scanner, but the new HP all in one takes forever. It's true >>>>>>>> that it's quieter by a lot, but it's probably 30 to 45 seconds on the >>>>>>>> scanning phase. I hate the mail now more than I ever did, but I don't >>>>>>>> have the space nor USB ports for both devices on the desk. If I ever >>>>>>>> went >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> back to college, I'd seriously look into a sighted person over what I >>>>>>>> have now. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "M. Taylor" <[email protected]> >>>>>>>> To: <[email protected]> >>>>>>>> Sent: Monday, April 02, 2012 5:30 PM >>>>>>>> Subject: A Question Regarding OCR >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Hello Everyone, >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> In addition to being the proud owner of a Focus 40 Blue, I also >>>>>>>>> obtained >>>>>>>>> Freedom Scientific's Pearl camera along with OpenBook 9.0. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> To put it simply, I am stunned with the OCR performance in both >>>>>>>>> OpenBook >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> and >>>>>>>>> the accuracy of the camera along with the dazzling speed of the image >>>>>>>>> acquisition experience. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> I think what blows my mind the most is the motion detection that >>>>>>>>> allows >>>>>>>>> one >>>>>>>>> to turn pages and when the new page is in view of the camera, it >>>>>>>>> automatically takes a photo and begins the OCR process. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> I swear it feels as though I have a sighted person reading for me. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> I could go on and on but ... >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> I realize that the pearl has been out for quite some time and am >>>>>>>>> wondering >>>>>>>>> if anyone knows if it will work with anything on the Mac. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> I know one thing for sure, with the Pearl in my toolbox, I have put my >>>>>>>>> scanner away for good. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Mark >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>>>>> Groups "MacVisionaries" group. >>>>>>>>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>>>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>>>>>>> [email protected]. >>>>>>>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>>>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>>>> Groups >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>>>>>>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>>>>>> [email protected]. >>>>>>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -- >>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>>> Groups >>>>>>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>>>>>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>>>>> [email protected]. >>>>>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> ----- >>>>>> Chat with me on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jimintexas >>>>>> Twitter: https://twitter.com/jimintexas >>>>>> Skype: jimintexas >>>>>> Yahoo or Aim/Ichat: jgatteys >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>>>>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>>>>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send 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