[Reader-users] classic

Sat Feb 2 17:08:16 CST 2008

Some glaring flaws in that approach:
* Without an operating system, you can have no third party screen reading application.  No third party screen reading application, no reading text messages.  No reading text messages, you then have to get a sighted person to read your single-page (i.e. approximately 75 characters by 56 lines, or a vast array of text messages) document.  Both your independence and your text message plan go right out the window at that point.
* A version of K1000 on the server would have the potential for several requests to be queued.  So you snap a picture, providing you could access the camera on your phone with no screen reader or self-voicing application because of the at best limited API that the lower end phones give application programmers, MMS it to the server (providing you could access the MMS application), wait for the server side application to check the MMS mailbox (let's assume it polls the inbox once per minute, just to be liberal), it does an OCR on the picture (we'll give that the ten seconds it'll probably take), then queues the results for delivery as the approximately 26 text messages your single page of text would be.  Providing your carrier doesn't chop text messages as email off at character 160.
* Alternately, let's assume that it accounts for carriers chopping text messages at the 160 character boundary and our server side OCR package sends nice, individually wrapped text messages to yourphone at yourcarrier.com.  How are these messages to be reassembled if, say, network latency somewhere between www.cheapocrontheserver.com and your phone's email to SMS gateway has them arriving in nonsequencial order?

Whilst I think that we could easily do server side OCR, for optimal speed of transfer, you'll need an application to receive the results (maybe calling the OCR as a web service) and read them.  That kind of interaction with the phone's hardware requires a higher level of programmability than the lower end phones allow.  So, no, using the phone's internals isn't nearly as daft an idea as you might otherwise think.  Of course, if anyone HAS an idea for incorporating a screen reader, a means to read text messages, a means to access the camera, read SMS messages, etc. into a lower end (i.e. free to $49.95) phone, PLEASE let me know.

Regards,
Chris Meredith
Software Design Engineer in Test
Windows Engineering Tools and Release
Phone: +1 (425) 722-8226
-----Original Message-----
From: reader-users-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:reader-users-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of James Jolley
Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2008 12:54 PM
To: Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader user list
Subject: Re: [Reader-users] classic

Hi,

Why should I give credit to a company that screws us? Also, I think
that there must be other ways of doing this. Perhaps having the
pictures sent via the MMS protocol and recognised by a version of
K1000 on a server. the results could then be sent back to you either
as a text or something similar. Surely using the phones internals is a
daft way to go.

On 2 Feb 2008, at 20:30, Dave Wright wrote:

> Indeed, you are correct in that there are a few phones out there
> with 5mp
> cameras and xenon flash, however they tend to not have stable
> operating
> systems. The two phones I know of are a soney ericson model and a
> Samsung
> model. KTI is constantly searching for new technology to assist in
> this
> venture, who knows if the technology doesn't develop, instead of
> sitting
> here and complaining about it, perhaps some individuals should
> consider
> getting out in the field and developing it themselves. It is fairly
> easy for
> us to talk about what could be better, and how we could have done
> things
> different, but it is a different story to be out in the field doing
> the
> developing. Just a thought guys. Lets do our best to give credit where
> credit is due here.
>
>
>
> Regards,
> Dave Wright
> University of Illinois at Chicago, UIC
> Email: dwrigh6 at uic.edu
> Mobile: (832)518-0707
> Please visit and Support:
> http://www.blindscience.org
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "James Jolley" <james.jolley at homecall.co.uk>
> To: "Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader user list"
> <reader-users at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2008 2:02 PM
> Subject: Re: [Reader-users] classic
>
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> I don't personally credit this at all. I wonder what KNFB reading
>> technologies are playing at?
>> Giving back your old reader to get a mobile phone that will be out of
>> date in a year is beyond stupidity. What is the point of having
>> everyone's old reader back if there already out of date? Also, the
>> fact that I have only had one update to the software in the 11 months
>> or so of use is completely unfair. Sight and Sound technologies
>> should
>> give those of us who haven't had it more than a year some of our
>> money
>> back. 2625 pounds I paid for this.
>>
>> Best
>>
>> -James-On 2 Feb 2008, at 19:19, william lomas wrote:
>>
>>> well i'm sorry i'd demand a refund to all of you who brought the
>>> classics, you ahve had nor will have, no significant updates to the
>>> product you have spent money on. how can they have maxed out the
>>> hardware, it beats any phone.
>>>
>>> On 2 Feb 2008, at 19:01, Keith and Tracy wrote:
>>>
>>>> as of today, on the KNFB reader listserv, the classic, as it is now
>>>> called,
>>>> will not have updates to the software.  Officials at the KNFB HQ
>>>> state that
>>>> the hardware will not support any more software updates, as they
>>>> say, they
>>>> have tapped out what the hardware can handle.  The phone does not
>>>> have to be
>>>> activated, to be used as a phone.  It does have a GPS receiver,
>>>> which, when
>>>> loaded with waypoint software, will allow someone to know where
>>>> they
>>>> are,
>>>> but I haven't used the software, and don't know how useful it
>>>> is.  I
>>>> personally think that those who got the classic version are getting
>>>> screwed,
>>>> the upgrade will cost a total of about $4100 US total, so it's kind
>>>> of a
>>>> kick in the butt for us who decided to help the company out and buy
>>>> it when
>>>> it first came out.  Buyer beware I guess.  The same happened when
>>>> sighted
>>>> people first bought hybrid cars.  The batteries in the engine would
>>>> catch
>>>> fire when they first came out...
>>>>
>>>> Keith
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: "william lomas" <lomaswilliam at googlemail.com>
>>>> To: <reader-users at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2008 11:04 AM
>>>> Subject: [Reader-users] classic
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> hello to all
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> I am a potential user of the KNFB reader
>>>>> for some time now here in the united kingdom, i ahve been
>>>>> considering
>>>>> this fabulous sounding product to aid in my indipendance
>>>>> what though is the status going to be if i get the classic, as
>>>>> it is
>>>>> now known. will i get future upgrades
>>>>> if not, why not. not everybody want a mobile phone do they? surely
>>>>> the
>>>>> reader using the classic runs on a much higher specification PDA
>>>>> than
>>>>> any phone?
>>>>> will
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> Reader-users mailing list
>>>>> Reader-users at nfbnet.org
>>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/reader-users
>>>>>
>>>>> __________ NOD32 2845 (20080202) Information __________
>>>>>
>>>>> This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system.
>>>>> http://www.eset.com
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>
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