I've owned the First and Second generation Victor Reader Stream devices.
The one thing Humanware does have going for them in my view is the
pre-recorded voice prompting used on both those devices and I'd imagine
this one too, very precise and very clear.
The speaker of the first Generation was shocking to say the least and -
even in those days - the speaker of an IOS device would surpass it.
The second generation was a much better player and I enjoyed using it
apart from the very slow Wi-Fi connectivity and the still muffled
speaker though it was a huge improvement on the first Generation.
I really like the Hims Inc Blaze ET as it has functionality I believe
should quite definately be in a Book player, not the OCR functionality
so much but there's no denying that the OCR and Colour Reader are
convenient functions.
When I talk about functions in a Talking Book player being pretty much
necessities I mean functions like Bluetooth connectivity, this
functionality in the Blaze ET allows for the connection of everyhting
from Bluetooth headphones and speakers to hearing instruments, Braille
Displays etc so therefore its easy for me to taylor the Blaze ET to my
listening environment thus I enjoy my Talking Books etc much more.
On 11/9/2017 6:19 AM, david griffith wrote:
Personally I am in the polar opposite camp.
Although I used Audible and Kindle and Voicedream Reader as well as
Radio apps on my phone I would never ever regard it as a better option
than my Stream.
As another blind person said to me the other day – he can lay half
asleep in bed whilst reading books with his stream and just press a
couple of buttons and he is where he wants to be. I can use all the
iPhone apps but I normally have to be swiping around to open various
apps, given Siri’s continued inability to recognise what I am saying,
and then once in the apps I am confronted by various swiping
strategies before I can be listening to what I want to listen to.
To pause a book even I normally have to get my phone out, press the
home button and double tap. If I want to navigate forward or backwards
this nmormally involves returning to the actual app which I may have
to enter through app switching and then swipe around to ffind the
relevant button. With the Stream I don’t even have to take it out of
my pocket.
In theory you can get a headset with rmote to use with an iPhone for
instant pausing but I have never found a headset with remote loud
enough. Or I could use an O6 device or Bluetooth portable keyboard but
I think why bother when I already have a stream.
Apparently the Stream is the most popular device humanware have ever
sold, with over 100,000 units sold. Small for the mass market but
significant for our sector I think.
I definitely don’t ever use my iPhone as GPS except in emergencies
as I don’t want to be flashing my phone around in public. Persoanlly
the GPS apps I have used, whilst useful have never provided the same
level of feedback that my Trekker has. Forl example I find the where
am I function in Blind Square very unresponsive no matter how
vigorously I am shaking my phone.
I have also never come across an app which has the ease of POI entryh
and level of intersection information that the Trekker offers.
Where the phones currently win hands down I admit is in the speed of
GPS acquisition and accuracy.
Humanware claim that with the new Galileo GPS support already built
into the Stream chip set hardware the new Trek will have precision GPS
when this comes online in the next year or two. We will have to see.
GPS acquisition is also allegedly improved.
Finally My deafness means that after shock earphones are not an option
for me. Using my phone therefore needs, to get the same
functionality as my Trekker, a small rivo Bluetooth type keyboard
A Bluetooth speaker. These devices need pairing and I need to ensure
that they are charged up before going out. The battery would then run
dry incredibly quickly on my phone. In the end I don’t bother. I
stick my phone in my pocket and take out my Trekker. Job done.
Just my opinion of course.
David Griffith
, and once in the apps .
o
My Blind Access and Guide dog Blog
http://dgriffithblog.wordpress.com/
My Blind hammer Blog
https://www.westhamtillidie.com/authors/blind-hammer/posts
*From: *Gordon Smith <mailto:gor...@mac-access.net>
*Sent: *08 November 2017 18:48
*To: *Techno-Chat ... Technology Enthusiasm!
<mailto:techno-chat@techno-chat.net>
*Subject: *[Techno-Chat]: Humanware - Victor Reader Trek – talking
book player & GPS - Victor Reader Talking Book Players (Stream &
Stratus) - Blindness - Low Vision Aids for Macular Degeneration
Hello everybody
Sadly, HumanWare has put their device beyond the reach of many, yet
again. And not only that, but they’ve made it an untenable product, in
my view. Everything it does, you can do via iOS and Android. That
includes playing talking books and, I’m pretty sure, DAISY content.
Given that the main stream devices have so much more to offer than
simply being a book player and a GPS navigator, I don’t really think
they’re on to a winner this time.
Sure, the functionality is easy to use, and accessible. But then
again, most people would find it just as easy to use a smart phone
with GPS, and something to the tune of the Seeing Eye, (RNIB) Navigator.
But make up your own minds. I’m just expressing my humble opinion as
somebody who is looking to start advising clients on this sort of ting
professionally. My take on this is, sadly, it won’t last long.
>
http://store.humanware.com/heu/victor-reader-trek-talking-book-player-gps.html
<http://store.humanware..com/heu/victor-reader-trek-talking-book-player-gps.html>
========================================
My compliments and kindest regards
Gordon Smith:
<gor...@mac-access.net>
Accessibility & Information Technology Support Specialist..
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