I know that in the U.S. anyhow, if a technology is seen as benneficial, it usually gets into the schools and special ed. money is around to purchase. But I totally agree -- refreshable braille is just too expensive ... I fall right through the cracks -- I'm working 2 part time jobs which keeps me fed and housed, but little more. Refreshable braille would be a wonderful thing for me, but there's no way that me or my employers will ever be able to afford it. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Stephen Dawes" <sdawes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <speakup at braille.uwo.ca> Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2001 10:44 AM Subject: RE: New Braille Notetaker From Papenmeier > My problem with this whole thing is the cost. Once again a piece of > technology has been made and a high cost is attached to it. If students and > individuals are to take advantage of this innovation, then why isn't cost > taken to consideration. Cost is not a factor for the professionals of the > world, as their companies are more then likely to purchase the device for > them. Cost becomes a problem when Little Johnny wants or needs one, and Mom > and Dad are struggling to keep on top of things as it is. Refreshable > Braille technology has been around since late 1970's / early 1980's, and I > can't say that I have noticed a noticeable drop in the cost that is > associated with this old technology. > > Don't get me wrong, I am not singing the blues for myself because cost is > not a factor for me, but I am thinking of those who benefit from this > technology, and won't because of the cost. Yes, this is a limited market. > But how long can this limited mark be continually taken to the cleaners > before people start saying enough is enough. > > Well, that is my soap box contribution before the first cup of coffee today! > > Steve Dawes > PHONE: (403) 268-5527. > E-MAIL ADDRESS: sdawes at gov.calgary.ab.ca > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: speakup-admin at braille.uwo.ca > > [mailto:speakup-admin at braille.uwo.ca]On Behalf Of David Poehlman > > Sent: 2001 June 27 8:31 AM > > To: speakup at braille.uwo.ca > > Subject: Re: New Braille Notetaker From Papenmeier > > > > > > ah, but if the cdr is built in??? > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Janina Sajka" <janina at afb.net> > > To: <speakup at braille.uwo.ca> > > Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2001 9:54 AM > > Subject: Re: New Braille Notetaker From Papenmeier > > > > > > You miss the point, I think. DTBs will be distributed in many ways--even > > over the net, eventually. But, even if one gets a CDR based book, one > > would still prefer to copy it to one's hd before heading off to the > > library, the schoolroom, the conference room, the airport, etc., etc. > > It's > > the same old argument I've made here before--having stuff hanging off > > your > > portable unit is less than optimal. The more you need to connect > > something > > else using a cable, the less inclined you are to do so in many portable > > situations--like on the school bus, for example. > > On Tue, 26 Jun 2001, > > Saqib Shaikh wrote: > > > > > surely digital talking books will be distributed on cdrom, and not on > > hard > > > disk, so all they need is to support a usb/pcmcia/parallel cdrom > > drive. > > > saqib > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: "Janina Sajka" <janina at afb.net> > > > To: <speakup at braille.uwo.ca> > > > Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2001 11:09 PM > > > Subject: Re: New Braille Notetaker From Papenmeier > > > > > > > > > > Actually, this memory storage defect is rather serious. Digital > > Talking > > > > Books are really here if you're a K-12 student in a blind school in > > the > > > > U.S. They're also already a reality in Japan and Sweden. They're > > coming > > > > next spring in Canada and Great Britain. They needs hundreds of Mb > > per > > > > book on average, so will not be well supported in this device at > > all, > > > > unless Papenmeier get a real hd inside but soon. > > > > On Tue, 26 Jun 2001, Rich > > > > Caloggero wrote: > > > > > > > > > Now, can you get a hard drive in a PCCard (pcmcia) form? This > > might make > > > it > > > > > truly usable. Well, actually, for a straight portable computer for > > > personal > > > > > organizing and business applications, it looks great. However, 16 > > > megabyts > > > > > isn't even 4 moderately long mp3s. > > > > > > > > > > Rich > > > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > > > From: "Gregory Nowak" <romualt at megsinet.net> > > > > > To: <speakup at braille.uwo.ca> > > > > > Sent: 26 June, 2001 5:33 PM > > > > > Subject: Re: New Braille Notetaker From Papenmeier > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Enough to keep me personally entertained. > > > > > Greg > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Tue, Jun 26, 2001 at 03:16:00PM -0400, Mike Calvo wrote: > > > > > > How many of your best mp3 files would fit in 16mb I wonder. > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > > > > From: "Gregory Nowak" <romualt at megsinet.net> > > > > > > To: <speakup at braille.uwo.ca> > > > > > > Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2001 2:49 PM > > > > > > Subject: Re: New Braille Notetaker From Papenmeier > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Sounds like Freedom Scientific and > > > > > > > Paulse Data just got some formidable compatition. > > > > > > > Any word on the price of this thing? > > > > > > > Greg > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Tue, Jun 26, 2001 at 05:38:02PM +0100, Saqib Shaikh wrote: > > > > > > > > Thought this may be of interest to people: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The new notetaker that works! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Papenmeier will be demonstrating their new ELBA braille > > > notetaker, > > > > > at > > > > > > > > sight Village on the 16th to the 18th July. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The ELBA Papenmeiers New Braille Assistant, combines all > > of your > > > > > > computer > > > > > > > > and Braille requirements into one compact and easy to use > > device. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > With the ELBA, you can surf the web, send and receive > > e-mails, > > > > > listen > > > > > > to > > > > > > > > your favourite MP3 files, and write a letter to your Boss > > all at > > > the > > > > > > same > > > > > > > > time! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The Braille Assistant comes with a complete suite of > > programs, > > > all > > > > > > menu > > > > > > > > driven, for easy use, with the added functionality of quick > > keys > > > for > > > > > > power > > > > > > > > users. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > It includes a modem, network card, serial and parallel > > interface > > > , > > > > > USB > > > > > > > > port and PCMCIA slot, all as standard! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The ELBA offers its users the choice of querty or Braille > > imput, > > > and > > > > > > > > provides output and feedback with excellent speech with a > > choice > > > of > > > > > > > > languages, and 18 or 32 cell refreshable Braille display. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > With its multi-tasking abilities, large storage facilities > > for > > > > > storing > > > > > > > > your documents and MP3 files, combined with Papenmeiers > > > world-renowned > > > > > > build > > > > > > > > quality, the speed and stability of the Linux operating > > system, > > > the > > > > > ELba > > > > > > is > > > > > > > > the Braille Notetaker that takes note of your requirements, > > and > > > works > > > > > > for > > > > > > > > you. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The full specifications are as follows: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Program Suite > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Word processor, File Manager, File transfer to and from > > PC, File > > > > > > converter > > > > > > > > (read and write WinWord compatible format), Braille > > translator, > > > > > E-mail, > > > > > > > > Internet browser, Scientific Calculator, MP3 Player, > > Voicenote, > > > > > > Spreadsheet, > > > > > > > > Scheduler / Planner, Address book, Data base, Cellular phone > > > > > management, > > > > > > > > Root shell (bash) for power users allowing direct access to > > the > > > Linux > > > > > > > > system. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The ELba comes with the following ports: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Serial (RS232) with standard 9-pin connector, Parallel > > with > > > standard > > > > > > > > 25-pin connector > > > > > > > > > USB Client, PS/2 keyboard, Standard Type II PCMCIA / > > Cardbus > > > slot > > > > > > Ethernet > > > > > > > > (RJ45) > > > > > > > > > Internal 56k modem, or optionally, internal ISDN card > > instead of > > > > > modem > > > > > > > > (RJ45) > > > > > > > > > Speaker Output, Microphone Input > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Remote Braille Display capabilities > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Braille Terminal to allow Braillex Elba to act as a > > Braille > > > display > > > > > > and > > > > > > > > Braille keyboard for other computers > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Visual Display Support > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Connection via the serial port to an (optional) external > > LCD > > > display > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Technical Specifications > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > 32-bit Digital StrongARM RISC processor > > > > > > > > > Linux operating system > > > > > > > > > DRAM 32 Mbytes > > > > > > > > > Flash Memory 16 Mbytes > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Physical Characteristics > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Dimensions: 300 x 215 x 50 mm (11.8" x 8.5" x 2") > > > > > > > > > ca. 2 Kg (4.5 lb) for 32-cell version > > > > > > > > > Aluminium-magnesium case > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Carry Case > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Soft carrying case with shoulder strap. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Papenmeier UK > > > > > > > > > Telephone Number 0870 6061506 Fax 01245 231157 > > > > > > > > > E-mail Braillex at globalnet.co.uk > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > > > > Speakup mailing list > > > > > > > > Speakup at braille.uwo.ca > > > > > > > > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > > > Speakup mailing list > > > > > > > Speakup at braille.uwo.ca > > > > > > > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > > Speakup mailing list > > > > > > Speakup at braille.uwo.ca > > > > > > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > Speakup mailing list > > > > > Speakup at braille.uwo.ca > > > > > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > Speakup mailing list > > > > > Speakup at braille.uwo.ca > > > > > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > > > > > Janina Sajka, Director > > > > Technology Research and Development > > > > Governmental Relations Group > > > > American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) > > > > > > > > Email: janina at afb.net Phone: (202) 408-8175 > > > > > > > > Chair, Accessibility SIG > > > > Open Electronic Book Forum (OEBF) > > > > http://www.openebook.org > > > > > > > > Will electronic books surpass print books? Read our white paper, > > > > Surpassing Gutenberg, at http://www.afb.org/ebook.html > > > > > > > > Download a free sample Digital Talking Book edition of Martin Luther > > > > King Jr's inspiring "I Have A Dream" speech at > > > > http://www.afb.org/mlkweb.asp > > > > > > > > Learn how to make accessible software at > > > http://www.afb.org/technology/accessapp.html > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > Speakup mailing list > > > > Speakup at braille.uwo.ca > > > > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Speakup mailing list > > > Speakup at braille.uwo.ca > > > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup > > > > > > > -- > > > > Janina Sajka, Director > > Technology Research and Development > > Governmental Relations Group > > American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) > > > > Email: janina at afb.net Phone: (202) 408-8175 > > > > Chair, Accessibility SIG > > Open Electronic Book Forum (OEBF) > > http://www.openebook.org > > > > Will electronic books surpass print books? Read our white paper, > > Surpassing Gutenberg, at http://www.afb.org/ebook.html > > > > Download a free sample Digital Talking Book edition of Martin Luther > > King Jr's inspiring "I Have A Dream" speech at > > http://www.afb.org/mlkweb.asp > > > > Learn how to make accessible software at > > http://www.afb.org/technology/accessapp.html > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Speakup mailing list > > Speakup at braille.uwo.ca > > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Speakup mailing list > > Speakup at braille.uwo.ca > > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Speakup mailing list > Speakup at braille.uwo.ca > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup >
