I'm not sure why so many people have to pan a product just based on a press release. Can't we wait until it's released, and see what the actual price is and features are? All the press release says is that it won't cost any more than $30. That means it could cost $29.99, $4.99 or even $1.99.
Also, I'm not sure why we have to question their motives. Maybe someone really thinks they have a good idea, wants to make it available to blind and wants to try to break even on the time and energy they spent developing it. I'm really not sure how many rehabilitation agencies are going to buy a blind client a note taking app for their iPhone, and I doubt the AFB or anyone else came up with a business model based on that premise. This doesn't mean they're right, but it also doesn't mean they're evil. I'd also refrain from calling it a ghetto product. That is a disparaging term, at least to me. I don't see why this app may not also appeal to a sighted person. Also, if a blind person or agency wants to release a product, why can't they? Sure, they could talk to a developer of another product or contribute code to an open source project, but why can't blind developers and programmers contribute an application they think will be useful without it being labeled a ghetto product? For good or worse, this product will be released in the App Store. It'll be competing with other products. If people like it and find it useful and worth the price, they should buy it. They shouldn't feel bad for doing so. If people don't feel it's worth the price then they won't buy it. The product will either be successful or it won't. If people have ideas on features that they'd like to see or that would make it a better product then I'd suggest they send that feedback into the AFB.Who knows, maybe that will make it a more useful and valuable product for both the blind and sighted iPhone user. On 13/07/12 06:24, erik burggraaf wrote: > All that for under $30? Amazing how little market research actually > gets done. So, aside from some hotkeys and a magnification feature, > what does this do that you can't get in an existing product for 5 bucks > or less? > > There's no file support. You can only create text files. No word or > rtf or other standard markup formats. > There's no spell-check. > There're no formatting options such as alignments, bold, underline, > fonts, paragraph styles. > No access to air print. > > All for under 30 bucks eh? ...Wow. ...Snore. > > Erik Burggraaf > Introducing Ebony Consulting business card transcription service, > starting at $0.45 per card or $35 per hundred cards. > Ebony Consulting toll-free: 1-888-255-5194 > or on the web at http://www.erik-burggraaf.com > > On 2012-07-12, at 4:41 PM, Steve wrote: > >> This is the announcement, it is not released yet. >> >> >> "A person cannot survive as a true Spartan fan unless he is a bit of a >> masochist and a very large optimist." >> >> Steve >> Lansing, MI >> AccessNote: AFB's New Note Taker for Your iOS Device >> >> Darren Burton and Ricky Kirkendall >> >> The AFB Tech lab is excited to announce that AFB will soon be >> releasing AccessNote, a note taker for your iPhone or other iOS >> device. AFB Tech, in conjunction >> with FloCo Apps, LLC, has designed what is expected to be a >> groundbreaking productivity tool for people with vision loss, and >> developers plan for its launch >> at the App Store later this summer. >> >> AccessNote is a powerful and efficient note taker that takes advantage >> of the tremendous built-in accessibility of your iPhone, iPod Touch, >> or iPad. To >> allow for much greater typing speed, increase accuracy, and permit >> keyboard commands, AccessNote is designed to be used with the Apple >> Wireless Keyboard >> (QWERTY) as well as wireless braille keyboards and displays. >> AccessNote will be completely compatible with VoiceOver and the iOS >> screen reader. It can >> be used without a keyboard, but a keyboard adds efficiency. >> >> Description of AccessNote >> >> Although there is not yet a final price point, AccessNote will be >> priced under $30, and it will have many of the features found in >> traditional note takers >> and accessible PDAs. AccessNote creates notes in the .TXT file format, >> and it can also import .TXT files from e-mail or Dropbox accounts. It >> is designed >> with a clean, simple interface that uses standard iOS design >> techniques, so its layout will be familiar to iOS device users. >> >> The home screen is titled All Notes, which is the heading at the top >> of the screen. The next element is the "Add" button (for adding a new >> note) followed >> by the Search field. Next is the user's list of files and notes, which >> includes a table index for quickly scrolling through notes. Finally, >> there are three >> buttons at the bottom of the home screen: "Settings," "Favorites," and >> "Help." Once the user is in a note, the screen includes a "Back" >> button to go back >> to the All Notes screen as well as a "Review" button for going into a >> read-only mode. >> >> Some of the features designed into AccessNote include: >> >> list of 7 items >> • Compatibility with the Apple Wireless Keyboard and wireless braille >> displays. >> • Fast and efficient navigation. >> • Powerful search features. >> • Automatic saving and syncing with Dropbox files. >> • Customized keyboard commands. >> • A review feature. >> • Options for larger text. >> list end >> >> Compatibility with the Apple Wireless Keyboard >> >> Although typing on an iOS touchscreen is certainly accessible, it is >> not nearly as efficient as using a traditional QWERTY keyboard, a >> primary reason for >> designing AccessNote for use with the >> Apple Wireless Keyboard >> (available from Apple for $69). Another reason is due to how well the >> Apple Wireless Keyboard works with VoiceOver to control an iOS device. >> There are >> keyboard commands for nearly all of VoiceOver's gestures, including >> swiping/flicking, using the rotor, and reading text. AccessNote will >> also be compatible >> with wireless refreshable braille displays. So far, AccessNote has >> been tested with the >> BraillePen12 from Aroga, >> which also has many commands for controlling an iOS device. >> >> Fast and Efficient Navigation >> >> Using the Apple Wireless Keyboard, users have several options for >> navigating a note. These options include navigating and reading by >> character, word, line, >> paragraph, page, or note. Users can also jump to a particular word or >> phrase with the Find feature, and users can also quickly jump to the >> top or bottom >> of a note. These navigation features also work on the device itself >> using standard and custom VoiceOver gestures, and most of the commands >> are available >> on wireless braille displays. >> >> Powerful Search Features >> >> AccessNote has two powerful features for searching notes: Search and >> Find. Search (found on the All Notes screen) is a global search tool >> used for searching >> for text throughout all of the user's files, and it can also search >> for file names. Find is used to search for text within the current >> note that is open. >> To activate the Find feature, users can use the Option + F command for >> the keyboard or a "double-tap and hold" gesture for use on the iOS >> device itself. >> >> Automatic Saving and Syncing with Dropbox Files >> >> To avoid any data loss, all edits are automatically saved when typing >> in a note. AccessNote also syncs automatically with the user's Dropbox >> account, so >> you have all your files all of the time. >> >> Customized Keyboard Commands >> >> The AFB Tech lab was able to create a handful of customized keyboard >> commands for the Apple Wireless Keyboard. These commands include: >> >> list of 6 items >> • Option + C to create a new note. >> • Option + R to rename a note. >> • Option + F to search for text within a note. >> • Option + P to search for a previous note. >> • Option + O to move to the next note. >> • Option + M to mark a note as a favorite. >> list end >> >> Although these custom commands have not yet been added for the >> wireless braille displays, this could come in a future update. >> >> The Review Feature >> >> In case users simply want to read their notes (for example, when >> studying for an exam), there is a convenient "Review" button at the >> top of each note. When >> using the Review feature, AccessNote is in a read-only mode, and thus, >> users don't have to worry about making any unwanted edits. There are >> also "tilt" >> gestures available when using the Review feature. Simply tilt the iOS >> device to the right to quickly switch to the next note or tilt it to >> the left to >> switch to the previous note. >> >> Options for Larger Text >> >> In Settings there is an option to choose the default text size. The >> available sizes are 14 point, 18 point, and 22 point font. AccessNote >> will also work >> with the Zoom feature built into iOS, but Zoom cannot be used at the >> same time as VoiceOver. >> >> Your Feedback Matters >> >> AFB Tech is very excited about AccessNote and has high hopes for its >> release. Because Apple's iOS devices are very powerful, AFB Tech wants >> to take advantage >> of that to allow students and professionals to use the same mainstream >> device that their sighted peers are using. The developers, of course, >> will be looking >> for feedback from those who purchase and use AccessNote, and they are >> anxious to hear your reactions to the new note taker. >> >> This of course turns the tables on the AFB Tech lab rats. For years, >> those in the AFB Tech product evaluation lab have been evaluating >> products designed >> by others and have never been known to pull any punches, so please let >> the lab have it if it has missed the mark. It is ready for the good, >> the bad, and >> the ugly. >> >> The AFB Tech lab appreciates the feedback received from readers using >> the AccessWorld app, which was the first iOS app AFB Tech developed in >> conjunction >> with FloCo Apps, LLC. The developers added several ideas provided by >> the readers to the AccessWorld app and hope to do the same for >> AccessNote upon its >> highly anticipated release. >> >> Stay tuned to AccessWorld and the AFB Blog for announcements of >> AccessNote's official release date. >> >> >> >> "A person cannot survive as a true Spartan fan unless he is a bit of a >> masochist and a very large optimist." >> >> Steve >> Lansing, MI >> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" >> Google Group. >> To search the VIPhone public archive, >> visit http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]>. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email >> [email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]>. >> For more options, visit this group >> at http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" > Google Group. > To search the VIPhone public archive, visit > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. -- Christopher (CJ) chaltain at Gmail -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google Group. To search the VIPhone public archive, visit http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en.
