Hello David Actually, this trend is one which some of us find troubling. GW Micro was taken over by Ai Squared, which in its turn was swallowed by Freedom Scientific, which in its turn was swallowed by a new company calling itself VFO Group. VFO Group is now almost the sole player in the Windows market, with the notable exceptions of the Australian charity which produces NVDA, and Dolphin Computer Access, which is a British company.
There are one or two other very small organisations, but they are fighting a losing battle I think. In any event, these changes do not bode well for the consumer in my opinion. Basically, it means that the 10% rise in prices which Sight And Sound blame on the conversion rate between the US dollar and the Pound Stirling, is set to continue this December, and probably for the long term future each year. JAWS For Windows, for instance, is now almost double the price that it was 10 years ago. The thing is, when the conversion rate improves, they conveniently forget to lower the prices again. Thus, the British consumer has no option but to stomach the price increases, come what may. Sight And Sound more or less has the monopoly on Index Braille equipment as well. Yes, some might say, but HumanWare sells it as wel. Trouble with that is that HumanWare has no option but to purchase from Sight And Sound, as they have an exclusive franchise with Index Braille in Sweden. So the changes we’re seeing in the industry now make grim viewing for the future I think. And it’s just as well for us that we now have the option with a lot of hardware and software to adopt main stream technologies. Apple and Google, whether we like them as individuals or not, deserve a great deal of credit for their investment and commitment to accessibility. ======================================== My compliments and kindest regards Gordon Smith: <gor...@mac-access.net> 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 Geographic / Global: +44(0) 1642 688095 • UK Mobile/SMS: +44 (0)7804 983849 • Vic. Australia: +61 38 82059300 • US/Canada: +1 646 9151493 ---------------------------------------- On 9 Nov 2017, at 05:20, david griffith <d.griff...@btinternet.com> wrote: I sympathise with the financial aspect. The rent situation sound appalling for you. In the UK many/most Blind People can access a benefit call Personal Independenc Payment used to be called Disability Living Allowance which is designed to help us meet these sorts of costs. I realise that this sort of benefit will not be available everywhere. I support accessible mainstream but whilst this has massive benefits it also has issues. People who want/need devices with tactile buttons are being driven into the margins alongside the companies which are struggling to provide the specialist kit. The advances in NVDA Narrator and Voiceover ALLIED TO Talkback and Chrome vox on several platforms has placed the commercial Screen Reader companies under enormous pressure. I support all of this but the paradox is that I still want Jaws as it can do stuff that the free options cannot. I am not sure what can be done about it but the advance of accessibility in the Mainstream has placed the Niche manufacturers who try to meet the needs of those uncomfortable with touch screen technology, or in the case of someone like me who simply finds it nicer to use buttons, under severe pressure. I am dismayed by the number of Specialist companies who appear to be going to the wall or sinking without trace over the last year or two. The people who make the Vaio Braille Displays have apparently gone bust recently. Window Eyes is no more having been swallowed up by VFO who entirely predictably have ditched it, as they soon will ditch Magic. Companies like Code Factory whilst still going seem to have a void in their customer support which does not augur well for their future. The Plextalk Daisy and Pocket devices, whilst not apparently fomally inlliquidation have been quietly wound up with no sign of any replacement devices under development. It is no surprise then that the niche manaufacturers are having to charge exrtra to meet their costs given their shrinking market base.. The Kapsys Smart Phone with buttons for example in the UK is costing £499 without kapsys Software and £599 with Software which is expensive when all is said and doen for an Android 6 phone with 16GB of memory. Yet despite its cost it is now the only option for my sister to buy now as she is completely unable to cope with a touch screen. If Kapsys did not exist she would have no option. The other approach is those even more niche companies who charge an absolute fortune for devices like the Orcam which make Humanware products seem cheap by comparison. So personally I am glad that Humanware for the time being are managing to resist the pressure to liquidate that other VI Companies are suffering and more importantly are bucking the trend by continuing to develop products. We who like buttons have at least a chance for the time being.. David Griffith mimnished My Blind Access and Guide dog Blog http://dgriffithblog.wordpress.com/ <http://dgriffithblog.wordpress.com/> My Blind hammer Blog https://www.westhamtillidie.com/authors/blind-hammer/posts <https://www.westhamtillidie.com/authors/blind-hammer/posts> From: The wolf <mailto:hank..smith...@gmail.com> Sent: 09 November 2017 02:22 To: techno-chat@techno-chat.net <mailto:techno-chat@techno-chat.net> Subject: Re: [Techno-Chat]: Humanware - Victor Reader Trek – talking book player & GPS - Victor Reader Talking Book Players (Stream & Stratus) - Blindness - Low Vision Aids for Macular Degeneration as long as the voc rehab agencies continue too purchase these devices there are going to be priced really high pritty much 99.99999 percent of blind people don't even make a income to aford these high end devices myself included 700.00 a month is my total income 581 of that money pays the rent the rest has to cover everything utilities food for my guide dog the basic needs thank god fore food stamps. so the voc rehab agencies are getting them fore the clients when all the funding dries up from the agencies it is going to be really interesting to see what companies end up by going out of business. I understand that this is a nitch market but these AT companies can only do this fore so long On 11/8/2017 7:11 PM, Dane Trethowan wrote: > Its tipical Humanware though really isn't it? Late to the party yet > again. > > There is a segment of the population that can't access an IOS or > Android device so perhaps Humanware's device may be useful for those > people. > > What's the betting too that this device is using out of date hardware? > > > > On 11/9/2017 5:47 AM, Gordon Smith wrote: >> 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> >>> <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 <mailto:gor...@mac-access.net>> >> 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 Geographic / Global: >> +44(0) 1642 688095 >> • UK Mobile/SMS: >> +44 (0)7804 983849 >> • Vic. Australia: >> +61 38 82059300 >> • US/Canada: >> +1 646 9151493 >> >> ---------------------------------------- >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > ------------------------------ This post, like all posts to the Techno Chat E-Mail group has been scanned by our server-side antivirus/malware solution. This should not, however, be viewed as a substitution for your own security strategy. We assume no culpability whatever, implicit or otherwise, for any compromise to your systems as a result of opening any post to this group. Suffice it to say that we remain vigilant within the boundaries of reason. We strongly urge you to do likewise! You have been warned!!! 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