Hi, I heard it was $29.0 in USD which is over 30 in AUD. I think it sounds like a good product, but too late, as I have two similar products, one for free and one for less than $2. I think this one does have some extra features, but its release is too late and the features aren't worth the extra $28.
I have happily been using notes or TextPad lite or Nebulous notes to take notes in meetings or lectures and haven't had too much trouble navigating with my apple keyboard. I think it will be in the same boat as the Sendero GPS, you will have to really want it to purchase it over similar offerings. Just my 2C worth, Brett. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Stacey Robinson Sent: Friday, 13 July 2012 11:43 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: AccessNote AFB's New Notetaker for your IOS Device 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. -- 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.
