When you say “We’ll” be offering to send out cards, who exactly are the “We”? I take the points and yes I can see the advantages. Presumably, therefore, you would somehow download your books from their library and you’d have to copy them to some accessible media so that the Pi® could see it. How are they accessed? You would presumably have to know how to use Windows or whatever in order to download your books in the first place. Ergo, you may as well just use a Window-based player and be done with it, saving the additional cods of the Pi® unit. :)
I am being cynical here, not at all serious. But yes, OK, let’s be serious about this because I can definitely see the advantages. I take the point regarding the external player. PlexTalks are great, in my experience, but as you rightly imply they are quite expensive. It cost me almost £200 to have my unit repaired because the CD drive failed in it and that is the guts of the unit so it wasn’t a matter of choice. I have the PlexTalk PTR2 which is old technology now but it does work. Actually this technology could interest me greatly as DAISY is one medium I’m going to have to produce in my new job. So perhaps I need to amend my signature a little. :) Kind regards <--- Gordon Smith ---> <[email protected]> Information Technology Accessibility Consultant; Providing Help & Support To Young People LivingWith Visual Impairment, plus Braille Transcription services. Telephone: United Kingdom: Free Phone: 0800 8620538 Mobile: +44 7907 823971 Europe and other non-specified: +44 1642 688095 Or: +44 1642 941776 United States Of America And Canada: +1 646 9151493 Or: +1 209 436 9443 Australasia: +61 38 8205930 Or: +61 39 0284505 Fax: +44 1642 365123 Follow Us On Twitter: <http://twitter.com/maciosaccess> Skype: <skype:mac-access-dot-net?call> ------------------------------ On 2 Nov 2013, at 14:15, Dane Trethowan <[email protected]> wrote: Big difference, we're talking about a system that doesn't require any knowledge to get it running, that's the main point, all the user need do with "Daisy Pi" is plug it in and turn it on, wait a few seconds and the user hears "Daisy Pi Is Ready" and at that point you read to your hearts content. You don't have to have a Screen Reader, you don't need to know how Windows 8 or any other operating system works etc. For want of a better way of putting it, "Daisy Pi" is like having a Book Sense, a Victor Reader Stream, A Plextalk etc, only difference being that the "Pi" can be configured for more situations and environments. Its unfortunate that we decided not to put everything into one box as is the case with something like the Book Sense, doing this just adds cost to the whole project and we wanted to make the whole thing as cheaply as possible, in affect all the user has to do is to purchase a "Pi" and other accessaries tuned to his or her needs. When we feel a little more confident with "Daisy Pi" and how its working we'll be offering to send out SD cards, these cards contain both the "Daisy Pi" software and the LYNUX operating service so all the user has to do is to insert the SD card, "Plug In" and "Switch on". On 3 Nov 2013, at 12:56 am, Gordon Smith <[email protected]> wrote: > This is a totally different issue I think. DAISY players are also available > in software, for free, for Windows users anyway. So why the fuss? > > > Kind regards > > <--- Gordon Smith ---> > > <[email protected]> > > Information Technology Accessibility Consultant; > Providing Help & Support To Young People LivingWith Visual Impairment, plus > Braille Transcription services. > > > Telephone: > > United Kingdom: Free Phone: > 0800 8620538 > > Mobile: > +44 7907 823971 > > Europe and other non-specified: > +44 1642 688095 > > Or: > +44 1642 941776 > > United States Of America And Canada: > +1 646 9151493 > Or: > +1 209 436 9443 > > Australasia: > +61 38 8205930 > Or: > +61 39 0284505 > > Fax: > +44 1642 365123 > > Follow Us On Twitter: > <http://twitter.com/maciosaccess> > > Skype: > <skype:mac-access-dot-net?call> > > ------------------------------ > > > > > On 2 Nov 2013, at 10:21, Dane Trethowan <[email protected]> wrote: > > I'm no expert on Braille displays but I'll give you an example of what I'm > talking about. > > Over here people are making a noise about the cost of Daisy Talking Book > Players and perhaps they have a point, you're looking at $400.00 to buy one > outright, you can rent the player if you like but as far as I'm concerned > that's a lost cause as the money you're shelling out doesn't actually help > you own one in the end but that aside for the moment. > > There are developers I've come into contact with who have developed open > source Daisy reading software for other platforms, the idea being that you > could buy a Raspberry Pi for example for $20.00, insert a SD card pre-loaded > with operating system and software and go for your life! play all the books > you could ever use so the paradox is that when people are offered something > which is next to nothing then they appear not to be interested. > > I'm working with someone on a Daisy Player for the Pi and we're not the only > one's, I know this thanks to "Google". > > > On 2 Nov 2013, at 9:07 pm, Jackie Brown <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Hi Dane >> >> Picking up on your point about people turning up their noses, I do agree >> that there are a lot of people with differing disabilities who expect >> something for virtually nothing, and life is just not like that. Perhaps we >> will get to hear more about the new way of producing Braille displays that >> will make them more affordable soon. >> >> >> Kind regards, >> >> Jackie Brown >> Twitter: @thebrownsplace >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [email protected] >> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Dane Trethowan >> Sent: 02 November 2013 10:02 >> To: Techno-Chat ... Technology Enthusiasm! >> Subject: Re: Next Generation Braille Notetaker Just Released >> >> I take your point about budgets as I'm on one myself. >> >> I can't afford one of these new generation PDA's, well not at the moment at >> any rate but I will certainly entertain the idea of getting one in the >> future should the chance present itself, of course there may be other >> devices which come along in the meantime. >> >> Regarding the IOS and Android situation? AFB - American Foundation For The >> Blind - in their Access Word publication sum this up in a good way, IOS has >> revolutionised the way we use products however most Apps available on the >> Apps store are not designed specifically with blind or deaf people in mind >> so enter PDA devices such as Braillenote, the Sense line of products and so >> on, I'm not sticking up for manufacturers of this equipment and their price >> tags either but to be fair, prices have dropped one hell of a long way in >> the last couple of years, yes perhaps still too high but as special needs >> customers that's always going to be the way. >> >> And now another side to this whilst I think of it, there are very accessible >> alternatives out there but when they're presented to people in the blind >> community they turn up their collective noses, I take my hat off to those >> who are working in the field of open source software for various operating >> systems etc, these are the people who are putting technology into the palm >> of a hand for next to nothing when it comes to price and asking for very >> little in return, mainly feedback and donations towards development. >> >> >> On 2 Nov 2013, at 8:40 pm, Jackie Brown <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >>> Hi Gordon >>> >>> I couldn't agree with you more. For most people on a budget, they are >>> prohibitive and, as you say, many are moving to Apple or Android devices >> and >>> just want Braille support via a cheaper option like the Seika Mini. The >>> Hims products, in the main, are nice, but not realistically affordable if >>> you are having to shell out yourself! >>> >>> >>> Kind regards, >>> >>> Jackie Brown >>> Twitter: @thebrownsplace >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: [email protected] >>> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Gordon Smith >>> Sent: 02 November 2013 09:35 >>> To: Techno-Chat ... Technology Enthusiasm! >>> Subject: Re: Next Generation Braille Notetaker Just Released >>> >>> Sounds great but the price is just way too high. Given that other >>> manufacturers are now moving towards decreasing their prices to meet the >>> demands of this kind of competition, I think they have chosen the wrong >> time >>> to release such an expensive model. >>> >>> I totally grant that in terms of features, it beats the Freedom Scientific >>> and HumanWare products hands-down. But the price, well, I guess it may >> not >>> mean much to somebody who lives on Millionaire's Row. But unless you >> happen >>> to be able to get it via an agency you're going to have to save for quite >> a >>> while before you can afford one of these devices. >>> >>> As I said earlier, even the people at HumanWAre Europe have admitted that >>> technically the HumanWare Apex current generation simply cannot compete. >> No >>> point denying that, it's fact. But even so, whether or not there is a >>> take-up of these things remains to be seen. >>> >>> Kind regards >>> >>> <--- Gordon Smith ---> >>> >>> <[email protected]> >>> >>> Information Technology Accessibility Consultant; >>> Providing Help & Support To Young People With Visual Impairment, plus >>> Braille Transcription services. >>> >>> >>> ======================================= >>> >>> 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> >>> >>> --------------------------------------- >> >> >> ********** >> >> Dane Trethowan >> Skype: grtdane12 >> Phone US (213) 438-9741 >> Phone U.K. 01245 79 0598 >> Phone Australia (03) 9005 8589 >> Mobile: +61400494862 >> Fax +61397437954 >> >> >> >> >> ======================================= >> >> 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> >> >> --------------------------------------- > > > ********** > > Dane Trethowan > Skype: grtdane12 > Phone US (213) 438-9741 > Phone U.K. 01245 79 0598 > Phone Australia (03) 9005 8589 > Mobile: +61400494862 > Fax +61397437954 > > > > > ======================================= > > 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> > > --------------------------------------- ********** Dane Trethowan Skype: grtdane12 Phone US (213) 438-9741 Phone U.K. 01245 79 0598 Phone Australia (03) 9005 8589 Mobile: +61400494862 Fax +61397437954 ======================================= 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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