VR Stream vs. iPod 4/4/2008
Although this blog post bears the ominous title of "VR Stream vs. iPod", making it sound like an epic face-off, I would like to begin by stating that I do not think it is an either/or proposition; nor do I pretend to be doing a full comparison of these two devices. Here's my aim: I want to describe my experiences as a sighted user confronted with both devices, and using them side by side. Here's how it all started: I have owned an iPod nano for a year or so. I like it a lot. My husband has the full-size iPod. When the VR Stream came out, I got an early look at it, and liked its design and functionality. I could not (and can not) see any reason why a sighted user might not enjoy one. I convinced Anne (Taylor, our Director of Access Technology) to let me put this hypothesis to the test, and have been using the VR Stream ever since. This post will cover some of the pros and cons that I have come across in everyday use. I am perhaps an atypical iPod user in that I don't care for video content (the screen is too small, even in the latest releases; and besides, I just don't see the point), so I don't much miss the iPod visuals on the VR Stream. The coverflow and video are pretty, but mostly I just want to shove the thing into my pocket or iPod dock and listen to it. What I did miss were the basic visual cues that tell me where I am. As a sighted user learning to navigate by voice feedback rather than visuals takes a little bit of an adjustment. The learning curve is a little bit longer, and the navigation is more complex in the VR Stream than it is on the iPod. Fortunately HumanWare has a great concise user guide online, and yes, I may have asked my blind colleagues one or two questions; but only one or two. It would not do any harm if HumanWare would put out an expanded manual as well as the short manual they currently have. Mostly, though, the operation of the VR Stream is pretty intuitive, once you get used to the audio cues. There are a number of features available to blind users on the VR Stream that a sighted consumer won't use – NLS books, RFB&D books, and similar content is not going to be available to a sighted user; but much of what is designed to benefit a blind user can be useful to a sighted one. I love the fact that when I am driving or walking around, I don't have to check a screen to navigate. I like the text-to-speech, and the fact that I can put the latest BBC News articles on it and have those read to me. It takes a bit of getting used to the speech, but it works well for me, particularly when I'm reading for information, rather than pleasure; but then who would use text-to-speech for reading for pleasure when there are audiobooks? I signed up for Audible when I got the VR Stream and was immediately hooked. The digital format has made the prices a little more reasonable, and as a stubborn multi-tasker I am enthusiastic about audiobooks. I can read and cook, read and drive, read and do laundry; it's fabulous. Of course, one can listen to audiobooks on the iPod, and I have certainly done that; but there are considerable advantages to the VR Stream. It is much easier to lose where you are in a book on the iPod, and it doesn't allow you to bookmark. On my nano, the iPod forgets where I am whenever I sync it with iTunes. The VR Stream on the other hand remembers where you are unless you tell it to go elsewhere in the book. It is also much easier to navigate within audiobooks on the VR Stream, since you can set by which time jump you want to go back/forward (1-5-10 minutes), and can go to the next header, or to a bookmark you choose; and you can put in a time index manually. HumanWare’s choice to use SD cards rather than internal memory to store content is handy if you like switching out batches of content or if you want to be able to simply plug the card into another device like a PC or stereo. The SD cards are also easily replaced if any mishap occurs. Some people will prefer the iPod’s internal memory, especially in the larger capacity iPods. The biggest handicap that the VR Stream has when compared to the iPod is not any one capability or feature though – it is the package you get. With the iPod and iTunes combo, the user has a single interface to manage the library, purchase any kind of content, gather podcasts and upgrade the software. iTunes has its downsides, and not everybody likes being locked into one not-so-flexible system, but overall the ease of use outweighs the downsides, especially for less tech-savvy users. If I want to use the VR Stream to listen to podcasts, listen to Audible books, upgrade software, and buy music, I have to (and please correct me if I am wrong – I hope there's a better way!) use, for example, Mediafly for podcasts, Audible's interface for their books, the HumanWare website and Windows Explorer for the software upgrade and Napster for the music. I realize that a big part of the reason for this situation is Apple's near-monopoly of portable music players, which gives them a lot of leverage in getting other services to use iTunes as their medium; but I do think that it would help the VR Stream if some of these functions (for example music library, software update and audiobooks) could be handled through a single user interface. As it is, the Stream is going to appeal most to groups of users that either have a specific function they really enjoy, or ones that are a little more confident with technology. There are obvious benefits to using it when driving or, say, running; likewise I believe that many professionals will enjoy the option of taking voice notes with it and being able to transfer those to a PC easily. In its current form, the VR Stream is unlikely to be an iPod killer, but I firmly believe that there is room in the mainstream market for it, as it is, in my opinion, the best audiobook player out there, the best device to have in the car, and the best for extra functionality – voicenotes and text-to-speech especially. You certainly couldn't get me to give mine up. Now if HumanWare would find a way to do everything in one application, who knows what would happen then… Clara Van Gerven Source: http://www.nfb.org/nfb/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=316&SnID=1332588961 No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG. 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