From: Les.Kriegler@f207.n260.z1.fidonet.org (Les Kriegler)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Braille N Speak Compl
Date: 12 Aug 92 21:22:21 GMT
Reply-To: Les.Kriegler@f207.n260.z1.fidonet.org
Organization: FidoNet node 1:260/207 - The Recovery Room, Rochester NY
X-Fidonet: Blink Talk Conference

Index Number: 23862

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

 WW>      The reason you saw hundreds of people at the ACB convention with
 WW> their Braille 'n Speaks tossed over their shoulder is..

 WW> 1.  Many of them probably have never used a computer, wanted to use a
 WW> computer, and simply wanted a braille input device that can store all
 WW> those little things that sighted people keep in a similarly sized paper
 WW> pad.

Willie, I remeber meeting a friend of mine who was sighted ina
Radio Shack about a year ago.  He had a device which wieghed
about a pount which had a variety of functions, including a
notepad, scheduler, calculator, etc.  It was rather
inexpensive, and I thought it would be great if a blind person
had a similar device.  The Braille and Speak is such a device,
and overall, it is an excellent piece of equipment.  However,
the price should come down to some degree.  One question I
would pose here is how often do you see the price of adaptive
equipment come down?  It's not fair to compare out devices
with those on the commercial market.  Many products have come
down more that fifty percent during the past year or two
alone.  While it's not practical to expect that dramatic a
drop for a market which pales in comparison, it seems that
some kind of reduction should be in order, particularly when
one considers how popular the B.N.S. apparently is.
 WW> 2.  Chuck spoke about his 6 pound notebook, which I assume doesn't
 WW> include the external synthesizer he would also have to carry around if
 WW> he wanted to use it like a Braille 'n Speak!  You have any idea what the
 WW> difference between 2 pounds and 6 pounds plus can mean to convenience?

Your point is well-taken there.  While portability is worth
something, you would have to spend upwards of $2000 for a
laptop with speech and screen reading software.  The B.N.S.
disk drive is a nice feature, but not an essential in using
this device.
 WW> 3.  The size and unobtrusiveness of a notebook computer and synthesizer
 WW> and a Braille 'n Speak can't even begin to be compared, and anyone who
 WW> thinks they can has obviously not experienced carrying them both around,
 WW> something I have done!

I haven't tried it myself, but I gather that you are unable to
acquire a carrying case for both units?
 WW> 4.  Although comparing a Braille 'n Speak and a notebook computer may
 WW> not be an apples and oranges thing, it is most definitely an oranges
 WW> versus grapefruit thing, and yes, although this doesn't justify a high
 WW> price tag at today's standards, the BNS has been around a hell of a lot
 WW> longer than the new, low priced notebook computers!

All the more reason to begin to lower the price!
 WW>      I will admit, the price of the Braille 'n Speak coming down would
 WW> make me a lot happier, but you guys comparing it with the price of a
 WW> notebook computer cracks me up!  Let's add to that notebook computer
 WW> price a synthesizer, a speech program, and just the software necessary
 WW> to duplicate the things the Braille 'n Speak does do, and we're talking
 WW> a far more expensive item.  Even after we do all this, the portability
 WW> just isn't there, nor is the braille input capability some may prefer!
 WW> How can you be ignoring the fact that a notebook computer isn't an

This debate will not be solved here, but as more programs are
written for the B.N.S. the unit's value will increase
substantially.  By the way, as we push for enhancements and
added capabilities, let's not forget basic editing
capabilities and push for improvements where appropriate.
For example, Over write mode limits the user to one character.
It really would be much more useful to have over write mode
work with an unlimited number of characters, as is the case
with insert mode.  With the 640, I should think that should be
workable.  Regards, Les

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