[Reader-users] Let's get some discussion going

Mon Jan 28 13:29:37 CST 2008

Wow.  Just saw the specs on this at the KNFB website (although this new device would give me exactly three times as many phones as I have SIM cards).  Some questions I have as to the new device:

1. Is it required that a SIM be in the phone in order to operate?  I completely forget how Symbian works in that, although I know Windows Mobile will let you use some device functions without the SIM.  I suppose that, all else failing, I can try adding a line to my existing account and things.
2.  What is the timeframe in which the upgrade path will be announced?  Will the upgrade be offered free to those that bought their device after a certain point?  I presume you will have to send in your old device, but will this be done in such a way as to allow you to keep the old device until the new one arrives, at which point you'll be billed the difference unless you send the old unit back (similar to what Freedom Scientific did with one iteration of the PAC Mate), or will you be required to send the old unit in before you get the upgrade?

-----Original Message-----
From: reader-users-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:reader-users-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of James Gashel
Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2008 8:55 AM
To: 'Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader user list'
Subject: Re: [Reader-users] Let's get some discussion going

Hi Laura:

If you are interested in checking out the knfbREADER Mobile, I promise you
that we are not going to lead you astray.

Developing this product has been far more difficult than just shoving
software into a cell phone.  The phone we are using has the unique camera
and technical specifications needed to function as a high quality Reader.  I
don't want to imply that everything will work exactly the same as or always
as good as our first portable reader.  In some instances our new Reader
actually out performs our first Reader, but in some other conditions it may
not.  My personal experience is that the two are within about a five percent
range of one another on the performance scale, provided you learn to use and
maintain them correctly.  The techniques for taking good pictures are not
the same, but the results certainly can be.

Please stand by for our announcement coming up on Monday and then feel free
to check it out from there.

Thanks, J. G.
*************
James Gashel
Vice President of Business Development
K-NFB Reading Technology, Inc.
telephone (443) 854-0854
toll free (866) 836-9988
fax (781) 263-9999
jim at knfbreader.com

-----Original Message-----
From: reader-users-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:reader-users-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of tribble
Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2008 9:35 AM
To: Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader user list
Subject: Re: [Reader-users] Let's get some discussion going

Hi James -- I do hope the A/B units will continue to be supported as I and
many others have invested a lot of money in it -- but as for whether it is a

good idea to go mobile, I think it is great as a pocket sized unit would be
so much easier to carry around, and the hardware is out there that can
support such a thing -- most all phones now have cameras and processors, so
putting the software on it seems like a natural evolution. I am reminded
though of the use CodeFactory made of the phone cameras to write software to

identifier color and lighting for blind users.  The software only costed
something like $30 but I thought it was a really creative use of the camera,

which many blind phone customers thought they would never need to use.
however, I bought the color recognizer and frankly it didn't work worth a
hoot -- I mean, you had to recalibrate it every time your surroundings
changed or it would give ridiculous results, and if a blind person needs to
depend on knowing when lighting changes in order to use the recognizer, it
turned out to be a loser.  But I must say it was a nice try. In the end I
did go and buy the color test from APH for their ridiculously high price,
which differs in that it has its own light source and doesn't depend on --
and in fact can't work when there is -- ambient light.  They have a cheaper
model for a third the price, but I opted for the color test as I tried the
other one at convention on some clothes I brought along and it didn't work.
I have been happy with the color test.

But back to the reader, if there are similar gotchas for the knfb stuff
being put on a mobile phone, then I would be leary of sinking money into it.

Otherwise, if it indeed would work as well as the original units, I might
scrape into my budget yet again and consider getting one -- maybe after it
has been out a while.  (I'm still reeling from an unexpected veterinarian
bill for my little dog who got away and tangled with a fast moving car...)
Is there a projected price tag on the mobile reader?
Cheers!
--le

----- 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, January 26, 2008 6:28 AM
Subject: [Reader-users] Let's get some discussion going

Hi folks,

I got to thinking about this after the news regarding the mobile
product line. What do people think to perhaps buying it as a secondary
machine if they could afford it? For me, thinking on what Jim said,
the A and B units surely would continue to have updates as the PDA in
both of them is fast for what we're doing. After all, it doesn't take
600 MHZ or so of processing to do OCR, indeed I remember doing it on
open book years ago with a 486 DX33. In honesty, do people think that
the unit is small enough as it is? Getting these things onto mobiles
is all well and good but as you know, aiming and holding a mobile
phone straight is difficult for some. My only worry about all this
miniaturization is that we may forget that these are reading machines
first and foremost.

What do people think?

Best

-James-
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