[access-uk] Re: More on KNFB reader for phones
- From: "Andy Collins" <andy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 3 Feb 2008 14:57:40 -0000
Jackie - James from S&S in his email to this list said if we had any
questions to contact him on or off list, that's why I've been posting some
of my messages here, so hopefully when he's back at his desk, we might get
some more definitive answers -
Andy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jackie Cairns" <cairnsplace@xxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, February 03, 2008 12:14 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: More on KNFB reader for phones
| Hi Paul and Ray et al
|
| My concern about pricing of access tech here is that there is sometimes a
| sharp price difference between dealers for the same piece of kit. For
| example, the RNIB will sell you the Braillino for about £2,600, whereas
both
| Force Ten and Computer Room Services can get it for you for £200 or so
less.
|
| Similarly, Blazie will do the Omni for the Pac Mate with battery for
around
| £520, whereas Sight and Sound are adding £30 to that.
|
| I know that certain dealers will add on more for carriage than others, but
| this discrepancy is beginning to concern me when we are talking about the
| same pieces of kit that are imported from abroad.
|
| I questioned RNIB about the Braillino being as much above the other
dealers,
| and they told me they are allowed to charge what they like.
|
| Then we have TNAUK selling a web radio for £275 which hasn't completed its
| trial yet. It's all rather disheartening and is beginning to stink of
| greed, unless I'm very wide of the mark here and missing something that
| isn't apparently obvious.
|
| Jackie
|
| Email: cairnsplace@xxxxxxx
| Skype Name: Cairnsplace
| ----- Original Message -----
| From: "Ray's Home" <rays-home@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
| To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
| Sent: Sunday, February 03, 2008 12:53 AM
| Subject: [access-uk] Re: More on KNFB reader for phones
|
|
| > Well, I've heard all 68 minutes or so of the presentation on the KNFB
| > embedded cell phone reader, and the listening is interesting for more
| > than the obvious reasons. Before I say more, some quick jump to
| > points might be good for those who cannot waite to get to the meat.
| >
| > 23 minutes in givbes you Ray Kurtzveil's intro and future gazing - and
| > he's known as a futureologist. Things like image and object
| > recognition improvements, including, he claims, faces.
| >
| > thirty minutes in or so, main presentation of what the present
| > software does, and demos of it working on text, to tremendous rapture
| > by the audience.
| >
| > 50 minutes: Question time, including cost of software and phone etc.
| > and where Americans can buy.
| >
| > Speaking mostly from emory interesting points are the reader will work
| > in a phone without a screen reader, and one that's not activated.
| > Very good Screen enlargement is also there too for those with some
| > sight,. Good help and keyboard guidance built-in, and presenter
| > believes the reader software should be usable with very minimal
| > training for many if not most people.
| >
| > The phone itself (Nokia n82) measures 4" x 2" x1" thick, and weighs in
| > at 4 oz.in Its said to be very tacktile and the keys more
| > identifiable than many. Sells for $500 or less in the US. Has built
| > in GPS MP3 player, and high quality camera of course. I say all this
| > to give some idea of what those fortunate enough to have the dosh will
| > get in the phone itself.
| >
| > The software, to be much improved on, turns out to cost $1595.00 in
| > the US. Now, here's where we come to that pricing issue again. that
| > would equate to a straight UK conversionof less than ?800.00. So, why
| > cannot we have it for less than ?100.00? Say ?950.00 for reading
| > anywhere! What a sales point that could be for those who can push the
| > poat out? AS opposed to rather more than that, seemingly.
| >
| > Not sure a UK audience or consumers are going to be quite so raptured
| > and take the message to the country as they're encouaged to do in the
| > US! The demo or presentation indeed had more the flavour of a
| > revivalist meeting, with sounding horn, and loads of shrieking and
| > applause. Maybe a sort of primary? Not without good reason!
| >
| > I only wish potential UK buyers had as much to shout about. AS it is
| > the software, as I say, is going for $1595.00, so God knows what the
| > 37 dealers there actually pay for it. Or what our sole distributer
| > pays for it, come to that. I'll bet is less than $1595.00. Okay, so
| > business is about profit; yes, I've got that message. When does
| > profit turn to greed and extortion? Sorry folks, but yes, you can
| > have a marvel of a device here, which can only get better. You'll pay
| > much more dearly for it than folks across the Atlantic. Unlike them
| > too, you won't be accessing a 3 per cent loan to help buy it. That in
| > itself would be a good idea, but not sure why anyone should help
| > bolster an already ludicrus profit margin.
| >
| > Those remarks aside, I do urge anyone who's not heard the launch of
| > the KNFB cell phone reader to go on over to:
| >
| > http://www.blindbargains.com/redirect.php?redirect=2614
| >
| > And download or simply listen to the file.
| >
| > Cheers,
| >
| > From Ray
| > I can be contacted off-list at:
| > mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx
| >
| >
| > -----Original Message-----
| > Steve Nutt
| > Subject: [access-uk] Re: More on KNFB reader for phones
| >
| >
| > Hi Ray,
| >
| > Well James Everson of Sight And Sound is on this list, so I would be
| > very
| > interested in his comments on this. As a reseller of adaptive tech, I
| > too
| > feel this is overpricing, even allowing for overheads.
| >
| > All the best
| >
| > Steve
| >
| > -----Original Message-----
| > Ray's Home
| > Subject: [access-uk] Re: More on KNFB reader for phones
| >
| > Paul, the 'over-inflated' UK price is more worthy of a post from me!
| > (smile).
| >
| > Think the difference is three or four hundred quid! Presume there's
| > no
| > training being offered if you buy the software alone, as surely some
| > will
| > want to do. So, where exactly is the support and whatever in that?
| > Sure
| > many would like to pay rather less than a thousand quid for the
| > software, if
| > only they could!
| >
| > Wouldn't be so concerned if this was more obviously another leaning on
| > Access to work provision, but we're talking enhancing of dailly living
| > here.
| > This makes it look very like extortion to me.
| >
| > I'd dearly like to see a defence of this, but as we often say here,
| > I'm not
| > holding my breath!
| >
| > Cheers,
| >
| > From Ray
| > I can be contacted off-list at:
| > mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx
| >
| >
| > -----Original Message-----
| > Paul Leake
| > Subject: [access-uk] Re: More on KNFB reader for phones
| >
| >
| > an interesting presentation and an intention to continue to develop
| > the
| > product for the future. Pity that the u k price seems over inflated
| > though!
| >
| > Cheers
| >
| > Paul
| >
| > paul.leake@xxxxxxxxxxxx
| > ----- Original Message -----
| > From: "Steve Nutt" <steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
| > To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
| > Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2008 5:51 PM
| > Subject: [access-uk] More on KNFB reader for phones
| >
| >
| >> Hi folks,
| >>
| >> Take a look, or should I say a listen, to this file. You can
| > download it
| >> from:-
| >>
| >> http://www.blindbargains.com/redirect.php?redirect=2614
| >>
| >> All the best
| >
| >
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