[access-uk] Re: Fw: [vip-l] Feedback wanted re Braille Apex and/or other Braille displays

  • From: "Vivien Palcic" <vivienpalcic@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Wed, 25 May 2011 14:57:57 +0800

Thanks, David and Jackie. It looks like I may have a chance of getting a Focus 40 and/or Alva BC640 to try out - fingers crossed. 


Regards
Vivien
----- Original Message ----- From: "David W Wood (G3YXX)" <david.g3yxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, May 23, 2011 8:16 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Fw: [vip-l] Feedback wanted re Braille Apex and/or other Braille displays 



I totally concur with Jackie's comments.
The note taker is equivalent to Notepad on Windows machines.
I do use the split display on a BC680 though.

David

Ham call - G3YXX
FOC # - 1685
Licensed - 1969


-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jackie Cairns 
Sent: Sunday, May 22, 2011 1:15 PM
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Fw: [vip-l] Feedback wanted re Braille Apex and/or other Braille displays 

Hi Vivien

The Alva BC640 only has a very basic Notes function, so don't expect
anything too wild there! (smile). But it does come up as a removable drive, 
and you can do things like assign part of the display to another device so
you have two Braille displays in use effectively.  Not something I must
admit I do, but it is feasible.  The Alva is superior to the Focus range
though, it has an awesome feel.  It works too with the Mac.


Kind Regards,

Jackie Cairns
J&M Work-Ability

jandm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.work-ability.co.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of 
Vivien Palcic
Sent: 21 May 2011 02:47
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Fw: [vip-l] Feedback wanted re Braille Apex and/or 
other Braille displays

Hi Jackie,

Thanks so much for your reply. I've actually approached the Australian
distributors of the Alva BC640/680 about the possibility of getting hold of 
one to try out, and/or the Focus displays from Freedom Scientific, which
they also distribute here. I'm yet to hear back from them, but I was
wondering if the notetaker on the Alva handles DOC files or just TXT files? And can it be used to read files someone has sent you - eg via email or on a 
USB drive etc? As far as I know, the BrailleSense notetakers have no
Australian distributor, though it was a fair while back when I checked this, 
so it's worth following up again.

Kind regards
Vivien
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jackie Cairns" <jackie.cairnsplace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, May 20, 2011 9:49 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Fw: [vip-l] Feedback wanted re Braille Apex and/or 
other Braille displays



Hi Vivien

I can recommend the BrailleSense Plus 32 or BrailleSense OnHand.  The
BrailleSense Plus has the features of the Apex, and 32 Braille cells
with a very responsive keyboard.  It supports DOC and DOCX files, and
you can surf the web and use its Email client.  There is also SenseNav
which is the GPS solution that may be purchased in addition.  The
BrailleSense OnHand is slightly smaller but with 18 Braille cells and
a built-in GPS receiver.
But, again, you would need to purchase the maps additionally.

Regarding Braille displays, then I highly recommend the Alva BC640 or
BC680 series.  They are beautiful USB and Bluetooth displays, and the
BC640 can be bought with a built-in basic note-taker.

I hope that gives you some food for thought.


Kind Regards,

Jackie Cairns
J&M Work-Ability

jandm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.work-ability.co.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Vivien Palcic
Sent: 20 May 2011 13:54
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Fw: [vip-l] Feedback wanted re Braille Apex
and/or other Braille displays

Hi list,

I'm forwarding the below message, which I originally posted to the
vip-l list. I will also add that since then I've had the opportunity
to try out a
Brailliant2 40, albeit for only a couple of days, but I nevertheless
enjoyed using it. I would appreciate any feedback from this list.

Regards
Vivien
----- Original Message -----
From: "Vivien Palcic" <vivienpalcic@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <vip-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, April 18, 2011 6:53 PM
Subject: [vip-l] Feedback wanted re Braille Apex and/or other Braille
displays



Hi list,

I sent my poor old BrailleNote Classic off to HumanWare in Sydney a
few weeks ago, and I've received news that the repair costs are well
in excess of what I would consider worthwile going ahead with; and as
I am well and truly past the minimum waiting period for eligibility
to apply for our Lotteries grant here in WA (the last one was indeed
for the old BrailleNote Classic), I'm going to apply for a new
Braille display, either a BrailleNote Apex or perhaps one of the
Braille displays which isn't a notetaker/PDA, just a display. I would
like some feedback from users of either. I did have a look at an Apex
last year when the Association for the Blind had one on loan, but I
believe the most recent Keysoft 9.1 update has led to significant
improvement
- eg handling of Word files, so I'd be interested in people's
experiences, good or bad. One of the things I like most about the
BrailleNote, which I'm sure most users of the device would agree
with, is the very user-friendly interface, along with the
portability. Being able to sit outside on a nice day and read some
article which someone emailed me or carry on with writing my own
emails etc, is something I always enjoyed about the device, and I do
like the slimmer, lighter design of the Apex. The user-replaceable
battery is also a most welcome feature. On the other hand, there are
features I wouldn't see myself using - eg Keychat. (I prefer to
actually chat with my voice, otherwise i'd rather just email.)
{smile} But then again, there is plenty I don't use on the Windows
PC. If I do go down the Apex path, that then obviously opens up the
opportunity for the GPS too, which I would possibly be looking at
later on. I am interested in the 32-cell model, or if I opt for one
of the other displays such as the BrailleConnect or Brailliant (both
made by Baum), I'd possibly even go for the 40-cell model, but either
way, I'm not considering any less than 32 cells. I was using the BN
Classic extensively as a display for my Windows XP machine, both with
JAWS and NVDA, and although I uninstalled JAWS a few months ago and
am just using NVDA now, I'd be interested in people's experiences
with their Braille display with other screenreaders too, including

VoiceOver on the Mac.


Regards
Vivien

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