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

Mon Jan 28 13:49:22 CST 2008

Hi,

I think this is an interesting breakthrough, but I am hesitant  
personally to update as I am enjoying my reader as it is. The idea of  
putting it on a mobile is great but as it only works with one type of  
phone at the minute it is something I will hold off with.

Also, trading your older reader in for this seems rather odd as to be  
honest, having a standalone product for a reader seems better. Just my  
thoughts really, don't necessarilly take them on board.

Best

-James-
On 28 Jan 2008, at 19:29, Chris Meredith wrote:

> 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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