Christopher, Thanks for putting into words my exact feelings. I can't stand the term getto when referring to blind people. I for one, am looking forward to the app. Stacey and GEB dog Chesley On Jul 13, 2012, at 6:54 AM, Christopher Chaltain wrote:
> 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. -- 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.
