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

Mon Jan 28 19:08:56 CST 2008

You can use the KNFB Reader Mobile without a SIM card, or activating 
it as a phone.

As to the specifics of upgrade, you will have to ask them.

Dave

At 01:29 PM 1/28/2008, you 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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>
>
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