Earlier this year, we heard news about an upcoming project involving the National Braille Press and Dean Blazie to create a more affordable braille display and notetaker. Now, a wiki has been launched with some preliminary information on this forthcoming device, which may drastically change the notetaker market. Running the Android operating system, the Braille Wizard will include a 20-cell braille display, 32GB of built-in memory, a GPS receiver, a microphone for voice input, and both braille and speech capabilities. While no price has been given, plenty of references to the high price of notetakers in the $5,000 range are given, so one would be led to believe this device would cost considerably less. Building on the Android operating system also allows for open-source development from third parties, something not currently possible on devices such as the BrailleNote. This all may sound quite exciting, but don't expect to see a prototype until sometime in 2011. We'll certainly be following this one as it develops.
Source: Go to sourceCategory: Notetakers/PDAs
I think it's interesting. A basically all in one braille device running on a mainstream operating system would be cool. Don't get to excited, we all remember how the pacmate flopped. I love my iphone and a braille display, but haveing a good OS in the same device as braille would be nice. The wiki says the device will have a sim card slot and you could use it as a phone. It'd probably be a big phone. I'm still taking a wait and see approach to this device. It's way to early to form an accurate opinion on it.
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J.J. Meddaugh is an experienced technology writer and computer enthusiast. He is a graduate of Western Michigan University with a major in telecommunications management and a minor in business. When not writing for Blind Bargains, he enjoys travel, playing the keyboard, and meeting new people.
