[Reader-users] A family of readers?

Wed Nov 22 22:36:52 CST 2006

Peter et al,

I would be a hypocrite if I told people not to dream.  When I put out a 
newsletter every month, I ended it with the phrase, "helping people to 
fulfill their dreams and achieve better health".  I believe that when you 
have no more dreams, you are dying.  My point was that I wanted to answer 
th4e question about directions for items.  I would love it if it were also 
available on the reader.  Right now, nothing reads dates.  I dream of a 
device that can do it.  It would make me much less dependent upon a sighted 
intruder.  And let's be honest.  It was a dream that gave us the reader we 
currently have.  It was a belief and a dream that spurred the birth of our 
great NFB.  And if we do not dream up ideas, how will we know what to set as 
our first, second, third, etc priorities?  So we must dream.  And who knows? 
If you share your dream and enough people agree with it and clammer for such 
things, it might just change the minds of the developers.  So dream!!

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net>
To: "Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader users list" 
<reader-users at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 22, 2006 9:44 PM
Subject: Re: [Reader-users] A family of readers?

> Hello Lauren and listers,
>
>    It was Kurzweil himself who told us to imagine possibilities for this
> device and others to come in the future. We heard him with our own ears at
> the convention last summer during his presentation.  We're only doing what
> he wanted us to do so let the possibilities flow.
>
> Peter Donahue
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Loren Wakefield" <isaiah5719 at mchsi.com>
> To: "Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader users list"
> <reader-users at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 22, 2006 8:50 PM
> Subject: Re: [Reader-users] A family of readers?
>
>
> I still wish there was a device that could read the dates on products.  As 
> a
> vendor, it is a problem that I deal with on a daily basis, and sighted 
> help
> is not always available.
>
> Having said this, being able to read material in the hotel room, or 
> finding
> a book and wanting to know what it is, or a myriad of other on-the-spot
> demands and curiosities that the reader handles is really a cool and 
> awesome
> thing.  I also am looking forward to see what other advances come with 
> this
> and other great innovations come out of the Jernigan Institue.
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net>
> To: "Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader users list"
> <reader-users at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 22, 2006 10:13 AM
> Subject: [Reader-users] A family of readers?
>
>
>>
>> Good morning everyone,
>>
>>    I've been reading the messages concerning desired features of the KNFB
>> Reader and the concern that the machine should be as simple to use as
>> possible. While I appreciate the idea that simplicity should be the name
>> of
>> the game there are those with specialized living and work situations who
>> need particular types of print to be read on a regular basis. I 
>> understand
>> that the objective was not to invent a Swiss Army Knife but to create a
>> portable reader that is easy to use and low maintenance. Perhaps
>> consideration could be given to introducing a, "Family" of KNFB Readers
>> for
>> use in specific situations. For example a machine with a built-in Braille
>> Display for the deaf-blind although being able to interface the reader
>> with
>> a PC or a portable notetaker makes more sence. Perhaps a, "Delux" model
>> could be developed that includes a bar code reader for labels on cans, or
>> the ability to read digital read-outs.
>>
>>    We heard that in the future one will be able to enter a room and take 
>> a
>> picture and know where objects and people are in the room. This could be 
>> a
>> useful feature to some, but others would consider it an unnecessary 
>> add-on
>> that will only jack up the price and the amount of required tech support
>> needed to keep the unit working. Perhaps several units could be offered 
>> to
>> satisfy a wide variety of needs. For those just wanting a reader the
>> current
>> unit should suffice, but for those wanting the ability to read print from
>> specialized devices and such a unit should be made available to meet 
>> those
>> needs. This is similar to what NLS, and a number of the technology 
>> vendors
>> have done with CC TVS and digital playback devices. Anyway just my two
>> cents. Now I'm back up a tree to finish stringing our Christmas Lights.
>>
>> Peter Donahyue who won't need a KNFB Reader to tell him the colors of the
>> bulbs in the light strings.
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>> Reader-users at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/reader-users
>>
>
>
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