The other list was the British computer Association of the blind list . They have an archive so you should be able to track down the discussion if you want to. It may be that there are other happy users but I did not see them spring to its defense there. Someone who did not have the device but who used to work for the RNIB did say that the fact it did not recognise voices was not a reason for rejecting the device outright which seemed peculiar to me. . Other users complained that the YouTube video on the device made by the RNIB was made indoors and consequently did not show it struggling in outdoor conditions. The RNIB made a spirited attempt at defending it on the list but as I say I did not see any actual users. The RNIB stressed it was a budget device with accessible features but was not specifically designed for people without sight. However it did not seem particularly budget for me as It cost , I think with delivery £230 but The RNIB recommended paying more for a different option if people were not satisfied. I think they were referring to the Trekker as a non budget option which people may get better results from. Certainly other people have posted to that list with positive remarks about the Trekker but it does cost a lot more.
I think the crucial thing is whether the device finds your voice acceptable and it stands and falls by this, as there is no other way of inputting a destination. I think this inflexibility is very disappointing. At the very least you should be able to dictate a post code or have some way to select characters and numbers from a list to enter the desired post code. Without a feature like this it tends to falls down pretty near the start. It recognizes that I want to start a new journey, it will recognize that I am in London but invariably struggled with the street name. Nobody in my family could get it to recognise the next street to where I live for example whilst we were testing it. This street was called Shernhall Street. Not common but a completely reasonable test which the device failed on. What happens is that you say the street name and it will make 10 guesses. If it does not guess right you have to try again. I remember trying to get it to recognise Wood Street and it was only after I had gone through 3 lots of 10 guesses that I got to a collection of Wood Streets across London and could finally select the right one. Before getting there it came up with weird suggestions - one that stuck in my mind was that for some reason it always thought I was saying Wardour Street if I said Wood Street . My plan, when buying it, was to use it in North Wales whilst on holiday and if you know anything about Welsh place names you will see how impractical the voice input system is without a alternative system of entering destinations is. So If it could actually recognise what I am saying I would happily put up with its other foibles. It may be that the software is happier with US and or Australian voices rather than UK ones. I also live in London which is noisy, with lots of traffic. If you live in a quiet area it may perform better. n I honestly do not know if the firmware has been updated, To be honest I tossed mine into the back of a cupboard last February and have not touched it since. If better firmware has come out I would certainly give it another go as it is just wasted money at the moment. If you buy it make absolutely sure you can send it back if it struggles to comprehend where you want to go. Also you should be aware that when I last looked the web site had whole parts with access problems and links that took you to weird places you did not want to go to. It looks as if things are working and being read, that is until you want to actually do anything like enter a contact. I spent an hour with RNIB Hi Tech on the phone and they admitted they had not tested the site and agreed that it was not usable by a visually impaired person. They were going to get back to me if the web site improved but I have herd nothing. David Griffith. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Dane Trethowan Sent: 12 January 2012 00:46 To: Techno-Chat ... Technology Enthusiasm! Subject: Re: Phonak Compilot Okay well I appreciate your points below. This is exactly the opposite to what I'm hearing from someone I know who uses one of these, thus my original interest in the device. Don't get me wrong, I'm not putting you down for what you've said and I'm not doubting your comments nor your experiences. If you don't mind me asking, what other email lists are discussing this and other products? That's the problem with this list, being subscribed to it is sometimes like being subscribed to another world, you only get one point of view on something so its most refreshing to see the below comments on a product. On 12/01/2012, at 11:40 AM, David Griffith wrote: > There was a lot of discussion on another list I was on and I cannot remember anybody who had bought it who were satisfied. 2 had sent it back to the RNIB. I should have dome so also but unfortunately I was waiting for the RNIBHi Tech team to get back to me with suggestions as to how the device could be made usable. I waited so long I went beyond the 30 days and then could not send it back. My wife was furious with me. > > The basic problem is that there is no way of entering any designation without speech input. If the device does not like your voice you are up the proverbial. Other users on a list complain that the recognition would only work indoors without any traffic noise or wind. Several of us, including myself, complained that the device had the infuriating habit of interpreting a GPS command as a a request to play a radio station so you would keep on getting weird and wonderful radio stations coming on as you walked along. > In theory you could set up contacts by connecting the device to a web > site but this section of the site was inaccessible. I left the RNIB > to talk to the company to see if the web site could be made > accessible. However it was waiting for this to happen that I went over > my 30 day return back date. The RNIB have never got back to me with > suggestions as to make this kit usable > > Even if by some miracle it recognised the destination I wanted to go to there were problems When giving directions it did not distinguish between roads on the left and right so you could not count roads as you walked over them. The battery life was dreadful and I was constantly having to charge to get any life out of it. > > The only thing it could reliably do was respond to a where am I command. > > Some people commented that the phone app version is much better than the hardware kit. > . > > David Griffith > [email protected] > > > > On 11 Jan 2012, at 23:10, Dane Trethowan wrote: > >> Always interesting to hear this type of thing, I don't want to be seen to judging the product but I wonder if its a firmware issue? I've not heard of any major problems with the device in Australia and I'm not aware of any in the U.S. >> >> I'm far from an expert when it comes to GPS devices either <smile>. >> >> >> On 12/01/2012, at 12:17 AM, David Griffith wrote: >> >>> I just thought I would mention that I bought the Captain GPS Plus unit >>> from the RNIB. For me it was useless as it could not recognise even basic >>> street names like Wood Street and had no method of inputting any >>> destination apart from voice recognition. >>> Further problems which I can go into if necessary including >>> inaccessible web support but will not clutter up the list unless >>> people want this information. >>> >>> David Griffith >>> >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: [email protected] >>> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Dane >>> Trethowan >>> Sent: 11 January 2012 13:02 >>> To: Techno-Chat ... Technology Enthusiasm! >>> Subject: Re: Phonak Compilot >>> >>> I don't know whether the Captain GPS Plus is any help? >>> >>> No, its not a talking white cane but it is a mobility aid which >>> includes GPS, the difference is that you talk to it and tell it what >>> you want, "Where is McDonalds"? for example and it is supposed to >>> direct you, specifically enhanced for blind people I'm lead to >>> believe giving extra information about footpaths and so on, the Guide Dogs in Victoria use them. >>> >>> Perhaps I'm wrong but that to me is the closest you'll get to a >>> talking cane. >>> >>> I've heard of "Talking Cane" projects but then you have a huge >>> problem with a cane and that's sheer brute force, it gets bashed on >>> the footpath for example as part of its use so I should think >>> protecting circuitry within would be a problem. >>> >>> I'm sure that you'll find a review of a talking cane or similar on >>> Blind Cool Tech at http://www.blindcooltech.com >>> >>> >>> On 11/01/2012, at 10:14 PM, Mrs. Lynnette Annabel Smith wrote: >>> >>>> Hello Chris >>>> >>>> On 10 Jan 2012, at 16:56, Chris Moore wrote: >>>> >>>> . i must admit I have never heard of these either. You can get >>>> white >>> canes with the roller ball which you use as described earlier >>> without tapping, but they don't talk. >>>> >>>> We've been discussing this here a little and yes, it seems pretty >>>> much >>> impractical that a white cane could be made to talk and function as >>> intended. I mean, in a busy traffic environment how are you supposed >>> to hear the cane's instructions or information? As others have said >>> also, perhaps a vibration sensor; maybe even a multi-frequency >>> vibration sensor, nay be practical. Possibly the user with a >>> sufficiently developed sense of touch could distinguish between the >>> frequency of the vibration; I really couldn't comment on that >>> because I'm not one of those people. It is surely impractical to >>> have an earplug inserted in your ear for this purpose because you'd >>> need bidirectional hearing to handle the traffic and other sounds. I >>> guess you'd probably need more than that, thinking about it; maybe >>> 3-dimensional hearing would be a better description so that you can also hear noises and know that they're coming from behind you. >>>> >>>> I'm going to do some more research into this, but I'm pretty much >>>> sure >>> that what you and others have said on list is quite right, talking >>> canes are probably futuristic and, more probably still, not practical. >>>> >>>> . Something Gordon might be interested in for his hearing aids >>>> though is >>> the new Compilot from Phonak. It basically combines a remote >>> control and improved iCom all into one, and even has voice prompt >>> support and voice dialling and caller ID etc and also has improved battery life. >>>> >>>> This comes on the top of us buying 2 iComs and 2 TVlinks. We are >>>> finding >>> that if we try to connect our SL56 and also the iPhone to the same >>> iCom via Bluetooth, the first device somehow becomes unpaired. I >>> will do some more research in the usual place, and I'll also write >>> you off list about this because the situation has changed in the last couple of days. >>>> >>>> This would replace his iCom, oh and you can plug a FM receiver into >>>> it >>> too. >>>> Yes; you can plug an FM receiver into the iCom; but it then doesn't >>>> allow >>> you to use the other functions. Again I'll write to you off list if I may. >>>> >>>> Lynne >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> ======================================= >>>> >>>> The Techno-Chat E-Mail forum is guaranteed malware, spyware, >>>> Trojan, virus and worm-free >>>> >>>> To modify your subscription options, please visit for forum's >>>> dedicated web pages located at >>>> http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/techno-chat >>>> >>>> You can find an archive of all messages posted to the Techno-Chat >>>> group at >>> either of the following websites: >>>> >>>> http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/pipermail/techno-chat/index.html >>>> >>>> Or: >>>> <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]> >>>> you may also subscribe to this list via RSS. 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