Thank you for all this and again its food for thought though I'm scratching my head wondring why a so-called professional organisation such as the RNIB would produce a Youtube video on a GPS device indoors? Very odd indeed!
I have been in London, no not living there as such but on a holiday and I do appreciate where you're coming from when you speak of noise and I can only conclude that - since my visit 21 years ago - the noise factor has most likely become worse. If a device boasting voice recognition can't work in a noisy environment then there's no hope for it, whether that device be the Captain GPS+, an iPhone or anything else. Noise cancelling software is pretty good these days and very cheap. On 12/01/2012, at 1:23 PM, David Griffith wrote: > 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. The feed is at: >>>>> <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.x >>>>> ml> >>>>> >>>>> --------------------------------------- >>>> >>>> >>>> ======================================= >>>> >>>> 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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The feed is at: >>> <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.xml >>>> >>> >>> --------------------------------------- >> >> >> ======================================= >> >> 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. The feed is at: >> <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.xml> >> >> --------------------------------------- > > > ======================================= > > 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. The feed is at: > <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.xml> > > --------------------------------------- > > > ======================================= > > 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. The feed is at: > <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.xml> > > --------------------------------------- ======================================= 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. The feed is at: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.xml> ---------------------------------------
