Not to sound mean or anything, *but* :) I remember the days when I carried a ten-pound laptop around, not to mention the earlier days when I carried a tape-recorder and two Braille volumes. Should I mention the steam-powered computer with the coal hopper? (grins)
Anyway, I suppose that it depends on what is important to each person. For me, 40-cell displays are very important, so I don't mind the 1-pound extra weight. Teresa "Slow down; you'll get there faster." On Apr 4, 2012, at 4:05 PM, Scott Howell wrote: > I have the Refreshabraille and really like it. I would not mind having > something like 40, but you cannot beat the 18 cells for travel and at $1,700 > it is a good deal. The build quality is certainly there and I gather there > are some displays for less, but may not be worth consideration. > > On Apr 4, 2012, at 12:03 PM, Christine Grassman wrote: > >> I would like to jump in for some opinions from those who have purchased a >> Braille Pen, RefreshaBraille or the Perkins nottetaker: I want a Braille >> display, solely for purposes of reading iBooks and Read to Go Books on my >> iPhone. I have always preferred Braille, and miss it terribly, though I am >> thrilled to be able to download a newspaper and listen as I commute. As far >> as I am concerned, I just want something simple and straightforward for this >> purpose. Please feel free to write me off-line about this, and if anyone has >> a link for information comparing the less expensive, lightest-weight, >> portable Braille displays, I would appreciate getting it. Thanks. >> (I don't care much about input on the display, just output.) >> >> Christine >> On Apr 4, 2012, at 11:42 AM, Teresa Cochran wrote: >> >>> I had to buy a new Braille display when I got my Mac Mini, because I >>> couldn't use my Braille Lite 40. >>> >>> I much prefer 40-cell displays, and as far as I'm aware, the Focus 40 Blue >>> is the least expensive of those by far. Most run around at least $5000 US. >>> >>> Teresa >>> >>> "The Golden Age of science fiction is twelve."--Pete Graham >>> >>> On Apr 4, 2012, at 4:42 AM, erik burggraaf wrote: >>> >>>> Well, window-eyes actually supports a lot more than apple does, but apple >>>> for sure supports all of the modern ones. Except that they are >>>> footdragging on the brialliant BI displays. Most of the ones they're >>>> missing are legacy serial and parallel devices. >>>> >>>> Best, >>>> >>>> Erik Burggraaf >>>> Currently on ebony promos: Ebony consulting on android accessibility, New >>>> drive imaging services available. To read more and subscribe, visit >>>> http://www.erik-burggraaf.com/mailman/listinfo/ebony-promos_erik-burggraaf.com >>>> >>>> Ebony Consulting toll-free: 1-888-255-5194 >>>> or on the web at http://www.erik-burggraaf.com >>>> >>>> On 2012-04-04, at 6:46 AM, Eugenia Firth wrote: >>>> >>>>> I asked about the price of a Focus 40 Blue. They said $2,800. Now I think >>>>> that's high, but it has 40 cells. The more cells, the more money. I think >>>>> $5,000 is for those 80 cell displays. What you're going to do with your >>>>> braille, display just like computers, determines how many cells you need. >>>>> I have to have 40 because of doing braille proofreading. However, if I >>>>> wanted one to carry around for church so I could read my Bible or hymn >>>>> music, on an iPad, maybe one of those 12 or 18 cell ones would be the >>>>> ticket. It would be even better to carry around with an iPad or iPhone if >>>>> the price were less than $1500. You would have to have a good reason or >>>>> be lucky enough to afford the luxury to spend $1500 on a display for your >>>>> iPad while traveling. I have found, because I do a little traveling with >>>>> my 40 cell display that it does add significantly to the weight of your >>>>> MacBookPro to carry the display around. >>>>> >>>>> To make this topic more Mac related, I was impressed, to say the least, >>>>> when I found out how many braille displays would work with VoiceOver. >>>>> There were ones on the list I had never heard of. I don't believe any of >>>>> the other screen readers could say that their program could support that >>>>> many displays. There's a fair number with Jaws, and somebody could >>>>> correct me about this, but I don't think it's as many as VoiceOver. >>>>> >>>>> Regards, >>>>> Gigi >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Eugenia Firth >>>>> gigifi...@sbcglobal.net >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Apr 3, 2012, at 9:06 PM, David Tanner wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> I understand where you are coming from, but it is good to see that there >>>>>> are some displays starting to come down to a somewhat more reasonable >>>>>> price. For example, the Braille PPen with 12 cells for $999 is not a bad >>>>>> price even though it only has 12 cells. The new 16 cell display and >>>>>> basic notetaker from Perkins Products for $1,549 is a better deal too. >>>>>> And, the Refresh A Braille from American Printing House for the Blind >>>>>> with 18 cells for $1,695 is a good deal, and a very well made display. >>>>>> >>>>>> Don't get me wrong, I realize these prices are still too high for many >>>>>> people, but at least we are starting to see prices down to where more >>>>>> people may at least have a chance of saving up to buy one. But, at >>>>>> $5,000 for a 40 cell display very few people can afford a Braille >>>>>> display without help from somewhere. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "James Mannion" <mannion...@gmail.com> >>>>>> To: <macvisionaries@googlegroups.com> >>>>>> Sent: Monday, April 02, 2012 11:13 PM >>>>>> Subject: Re: A Question Regarding OCR >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>>> Hi Mark, >>>>>>> I envy you acquiring the braille display especially. I really wish I >>>>>>> were incorrect, but I know I am not missing anything or out of date in >>>>>>> my understanding that the price of braille displays are just >>>>>>> rediculously out of sight in price about 3 to 4 times over and then >>>>>>> some. Still being a common man and feeling blessed and lucky to be >>>>>>> able to achieve a few thousand in savings at any point in time at best >>>>>>> I don't think a braille display for personal use is anywhere in my >>>>>>> near future. Maybe I have already said too much, but what it takes to >>>>>>> be able to obtain such technology just makes you throw your hands up >>>>>>> in frustration. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On 4/2/12, David Tanner <david.tanner...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>>>> And, I bet it is a lot cheaper too. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- >>>>>>>> From: "Jim Gatteys" <jgatt...@gmail.com> >>>>>>>> To: <macvisionaries@googlegroups.com> >>>>>>>> Sent: Monday, April 02, 2012 9:35 PM >>>>>>>> Subject: Re: A Question Regarding OCR >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Hi all! >>>>>>>> Has anybody used Abby fine reader express for the mac? I just >>>>>>>> downloaded a >>>>>>>> trial version and it was much better than a few years ago. It worked >>>>>>>> with >>>>>>>> my old epson perfection scanner and I was able to scan and edit a >>>>>>>> document. >>>>>>>> I guess it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of kurzweil but for >>>>>>>> basic >>>>>>>> stuff it seemed fine. I am seriously considering a purchase of fine >>>>>>>> reader. >>>>>>>> Jim >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> On Apr 2, 2012, at 8:21 PM, David Tanner wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> It is alive and well... Do you have version 12 patch 4? That is the >>>>>>>>> latest release and there is some support for at least one digital >>>>>>>>> camera >>>>>>>>> in that patch upgrade. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> As far as Kurzweil 1000 on the Mac; the news isn't good. There is >>>>>>>>> Kurzweil3000 for the Mac, but the folks at Cambian Learning don't >>>>>>>>> think >>>>>>>>> they can make enough profit on us blind folks so they say they will >>>>>>>>> not >>>>>>>>> release a version for Apple because if every blind person baught a >>>>>>>>> copy of >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Kurzweil1000 for Mac they still couldn't make enough profit to make it >>>>>>>>> worth it for them to do that. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Brent Harding" <br...@hostany.net> >>>>>>>>> To: <macvisionaries@googlegroups.com> >>>>>>>>> Sent: Monday, April 02, 2012 8:04 PM >>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: A Question Regarding OCR >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> Any hope for those of us Kurzweil users? I could live with my old >>>>>>>>>> Epson >>>>>>>>>> Perfection scanner, but the new HP all in one takes forever. It's >>>>>>>>>> true >>>>>>>>>> that it's quieter by a lot, but it's probably 30 to 45 seconds on the >>>>>>>>>> scanning phase. I hate the mail now more than I ever did, but I don't >>>>>>>>>> have the space nor USB ports for both devices on the desk. If I ever >>>>>>>>>> went >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> back to college, I'd seriously look into a sighted person over what I >>>>>>>>>> have now. >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "M. Taylor" <mk...@ucla.edu> >>>>>>>>>> To: <macvisionaries@googlegroups.com> >>>>>>>>>> Sent: Monday, April 02, 2012 5:30 PM >>>>>>>>>> Subject: A Question Regarding OCR >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> Hello Everyone, >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> In addition to being the proud owner of a Focus 40 Blue, I also >>>>>>>>>>> obtained >>>>>>>>>>> Freedom Scientific's Pearl camera along with OpenBook 9.0. >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> To put it simply, I am stunned with the OCR performance in both >>>>>>>>>>> OpenBook >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> and >>>>>>>>>>> the accuracy of the camera along with the dazzling speed of the >>>>>>>>>>> image >>>>>>>>>>> acquisition experience. >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> I think what blows my mind the most is the motion detection that >>>>>>>>>>> allows >>>>>>>>>>> one >>>>>>>>>>> to turn pages and when the new page is in view of the camera, it >>>>>>>>>>> automatically takes a photo and begins the OCR process. >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> I swear it feels as though I have a sighted person reading for me. >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> I could go on and on but ... >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> I realize that the pearl has been out for quite some time and am >>>>>>>>>>> wondering >>>>>>>>>>> if anyone knows if it will work with anything on the Mac. >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> I know one thing for sure, with the Pearl in my toolbox, I have put >>>>>>>>>>> my >>>>>>>>>>> scanner away for good. >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> Mark >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>>>>>>> Groups "MacVisionaries" group. >>>>>>>>>>> To post to this group, send email to >>>>>>>>>>> macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >>>>>>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>>>>>>>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>>>>>>>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>>>>>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>>>>>> Groups >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>>>>>>>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >>>>>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>>>>>>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>>>>>>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>>>>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>>>>> Groups >>>>>>>>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>>>>>>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >>>>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>>>>>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>>>>>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>>>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> ----- >>>>>>>> Chat with me on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jimintexas >>>>>>>> Twitter: https://twitter.com/jimintexas >>>>>>>> Skype: jimintexas >>>>>>>> Yahoo or Aim/Ichat: jgatteys >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>>>> Groups >>>>>>>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>>>>>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >>>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>>>>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>>>>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>>>> Groups >>>>>>>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>>>>>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >>>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>>>>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>>>>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> 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