Welcome To Wednesday! I’ve had my ElBraille for just a fraction under 24 hours as I write. And I wanted to provide the group with a few initial thoughts regarding the device.
Firstly, I wish that Freedom Scientific would make up their minds exactly what they were including in the box! I downloaded the electronic manual for the device a couple of weeks ago, and it says that, in the box, you should find: • ElBraille Dock Station • AC Adapter with plugs for Australian, Europe, United Kingdom and US • Print and Braille User Manual • Eco-Leather carry case with shoulder strap • USB3.0 cable • SD Card For System Backup. Whereas, in my box, I found: • ElBraille Dock Station • AC adapter with plugs for Australia, Europe, United Kingdom and US • Eco-Leather Carry Case with shoulder strap Spot the difference? Well yes, you’ve guessed it. I received no user manual in any format whatever. Neither did I receive the USB3.0 cable. The UK dealership is still experiencing issues, as they put it, with the SD System Backup. They say that although I should not need it any time soon, they will eventually ship the backup out to me. Well, last point first. If you don’t need the system backup, why would Freedom Scientific go to the trouble of creating and distributing that in the first instance? I am, of course, well well aware that sometimes, specifications can change without notice. Which appears to be what has happened here. However, an update to their own manual would have been nice. Anyway, the device itself. It comes with JAWS pre-installed and, assuming you have one, activated on your license. It should be pointed out here that the activation of ElBraille counts as one of your three available activations, so be careful. The device is solidly built, and the buttons and other controls are easy to identify and feel. The exception to this being the recessed power button. I’m getting used to it now, but it’s a bit fiddly at first. I have yet to try NVDA on the device,, but using JAWS 18 with all latest Windows 10 updates, it’s very responsive and quite nice to use once you get used to the fact that by default you have no QWERTY keyboard. That obviously means you need to get used to controlling everything via the Braille display’s keyboard. Regarding the Focus, it’s not as simple as they make out to actually install the Focus 14 Blue into the dock station. If you’re familiar with that device, you’ll be aware that the Focus has four small slots into which clips on the case hook. The same arrangement is used on the ElBraille. So you need to be sure to position the device very precisely before you actually press it home. If you get it even slightly wrong you could damage both the ElBraille and the Focus. Before you actually clip it into place, you have to lift a small magnetic cover that’s attached to the main ElBraille by a small piece of rubber cord. This cover conceals a very small USB Micro connector which you have to insert into the Focus. The ribbon attached to the connector is about a quarter of an inch long, and you have to gently lift the connector so that the cable is perpendicular to the ElBraille. Once inserted, you mount the Focus onside the dock, and secure all of the hooks I mentioned earlier. Then, you put the magnetic cover back into position and you’re ready to go! First, of course, you need to charge the battery in the ElBraile. The initial charge cycle takes 5 to 7 hours to complete. You have to use the supplied switch-mode AC adapter to charge the device. The battery is internal, and is not user replaceable. It’s a 4800MAH capacity battery, which reputedly gives you 17 to 20 hours of battery life per charge cycle, even with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® connected. The device itself has 2GB of RAM, which is the working area for all programme data. There is 160GB of Flash storage, which is where your user data goes. That isn’t at all bad for a device in its class. It uses an Intel Atom® processor, clocked at 1.84GHz. Again, quite adequate for a portable device of its size. Heat dissipation is excellent throughout the device, even with intense use. The case is quite rugged. Although it is possible to accidentally press buttons when the case is closed, (I’ll explain that more shortly). The case itself is made from Eco-Leather, which basically means that it is eco-friendly wen disposed of correctly. It also means it’s been done using cheaper grade, or even recycled materials. When the device is used within the case, the top cover of the case folds forward and, optionally, tucks underneath the device, forming a very effective and, I find, helpful stand which raises the device, at about a 30º angle, about an inch off the desk or table. This makes the Focus slope gently towards you which, I personally, find extremely comfortable to use. The one thing I find odd about the ElBraille is that the power control of the Focus is not exposed at all. Therefore, I need to find out how you switch it to Bluetooth® mode for use with another device. The manual says you can, but gives no specifics which is understandable. It’ in the Focus manual, to which I need to refer. However, I always thought that the command to toggle between Bluetooth®, USB and status mode was dots 1, 2 and 3, in combination with the power button. If true, how can you toggle? I shall prepare an audio demo of this shortly. I’m better at doing it that way than trying to describe it all in an E-Mail. More very soon. ================================================= My compliments and kindest regards Gordon Smith: <[email protected]> Accessibility & Information Technology Support Specialist.. This Message Was Created Using 100% Recycled Electrons. If you can avoid printing it, please do so. Think of the environment, save a tree! Contact: • UK Free Phone: 0800 8620538 • UK Mobile/SMS: +44 (0) 7907 823971 • Vic. Australia: +61 38 82059300 • US/Canada: +1 646 9151493 • UK Geographic / Global: +44(0) 1642 688095 ---------------------------------------- ——
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