[gui-talk] A Pacmate or a Braillenote?

[Dane Trethowan]

Yes, I'm looking at this angle as well. I'm a Mac user most of the time and
it would be very nice to be able to use a Braille Display with my Macbook,
Leopard is to be released at the end of this month and Braille Support will
be part of the built-in Screen Reader VoiceOver, I was just wondering
whether (given the cost of a display on its own) whether I may not be better
spending a little extra in getting a note taking device into the bargain,
gives me something to think about anyway and at least I have plenty of
options to consider.


-----Original Message-----
From: gui-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:gui-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of ljmaher at swbell.net
Sent: Tuesday, 9 October 2007 9:45 PM
To: 'NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [gui-talk] A Pacmate or a Braillenote?

Hello,

You have other options.  You can get a USB or blue tooth enabled Braille
display which can connect to a laptop (Humanware's Brailliant display) or a
display which can link to many off-the--shelf devices--even controlling
those devices from a keyboard on the Braille display  (See September's
Access World http://www.afb.org/aw/main.asp).

Regards
Louis Maher


-----Original Message-----
From: gui-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:gui-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Dane Trethowan
Sent: Sunday, October 07, 2007 11:44 PM
To: gui-talk at nfbnet.org
Subject: [gui-talk] A Pacmate or a Braillenote?

Hi Everyone!

Ok, if I may outline my situation here, regrettably my hearing has become
worse so I'm looking at various pieces of equipment which will allow me to
A: make the most of what remaining hearing I have and B:, allow me to work
and play affectively as my hearing keeps degrading, unfortunately it looks
as though degradation will continue but not to worry <smile>.

I have a Braille display here but it is well past its prime, that is to say
no new computer systems will work with the thing because new computers these
days are not equipped with serial or parallel ports so I've been pondering
this problem, if I were to get a new Braille display then I may as well pay
the extra and get a portable device such as a BrailleNote or Pacmate and
yep, coming to this conclusion has meant that I've had to swallow a little
of my pride as I've been of the opinion that these devices have been "pieces
of over-priced trash" in the past <smile>.

So I'm asking, what device would be better in my situation or are they both
on a par with each other? I have to admit that the GPS features that the
latest version of the Braillenote offers sounds most attractive.

I'd be interested to hear from both Keynote and Pacmate users or perhaps
from anyone who has a device which beats those two, one just never knows
what's out there these days.

Thanks!

 


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