Here are some things to be aware  of about the Blaze.  internet radio and
downloading podcasts work just like the bookport plus and plextalk pocket.
The Stream has a much better implementation of internet radio and podcasts. 
I
feel that the Stream has a better way of organizing it's content.  The Blaze 
will not be able to play content from Audible or read brf files.

-----Original Message----- 
From: Buddy Brannan
Sent: Saturday, April 11, 2015 6:11 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: A Recent Interaction With HumanWare

My Book Sense (standard) worked great for about 3 years, then died =
during a reflash. Haven't sent it for repair. I'll be interested to see =
what happens with their newest Blaze player.

--
Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
Phone: 814-860-3194=20
Mobile: 814-431-0962
Email: [log in to unmask]




> On Apr 11, 2015, at 3:15 PM, Jordan Gallacher =
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>=20
> I had the same issue with them a few years ago regarding my =
BrailleNote not
> working correctly.  I recommend highly the book player from Hims Inc.  =
The
> one I have works great, and it has been through a lot in the past 5 =
years.
> Jordan
>=20
> -----Original Message-----
> From: For blind ham radio operators =
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> On Behalf Of Buddy Brannan
> Sent: Saturday, April 11, 2015 11:40 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: OT: A Recent Interaction With HumanWare
>=20
> Sorry for any stray nasty characters here.
>=20
> Still haven't decided what I'll do about this. Their response to my =3D =
email
> will help determine that, perhaps.=3D20
>=20
> Just posted to my personal blog at=3D20
> http://buddy.brannan.name/blog/2015/04/what-to-do-about-humanware/
>=20
> What To Do About HumanWare?
>=20
> Back in August, I purchased a second generation Victor Reader =
Streamfrom =3D
> HumanWare at a promotional price. While I thought that the included =3D
> accessories were a bit stingy (a case with no belt clip and no SD =
card), =3D I
> thought the device itself was well designed and well executed. The =3D =
user
> interface was a worthy follow-up to the first generation. It has =3D
> easy-to-use controls that are intuitive, and really, I liked mine so =3D=
much
> that I often used it instead of other players I have around here, =3D
> including ones on the iPhone.=3D20
>=20
> Back in February, my Stream developed a problem. Some important =
controls =3D
> (play, fast forward, rewind, and the sleep timer button) started =
acting =3D
> strangely. They would either intermittently not work, or they would =3D
> intermittently act as though multiple buttons were pressed at the same =
=3D
> time, or one button was pressed multiple times. Both hoping the =
problem =3D
> was a fluke and would clear itself up, and also because I had more =3D
> important things to deal with at the time, I put the player aside. =
When, =3D
> recently, I pulled it out again and the problem persisted, and my =
other =3D
> irons in the fire were well into resolution, I called HumanWare tech =3D=

> support and sent my Stream off for repair. They received it Tuesday, =
and =3D I
> received the following Email from them today:
>=20
> Recently you sent us equipment for repair.
>=20
> After evaluation,  the technician found out that the damages caused to =
=3D
> your unit cannot be repaired.
> We will have to replace the unit.
> He also found out that these damages are not manufacturing issue and =
so =3D
> cannot be covered under warranty.  We took some pictures.  If you need =
=3D
> copy of them, please let us know.
>=20
> Please find attached a copy of the quotation for a replacement unit.  =
As =3D
> soon as we receive your purchase order or payment we will proceed the =
=3D
> order and the unit will be sent to you.
>=20
> Please take note that after receiving this quote, if you do not wish =
to =3D
> proceed with the replacement unit, HumanWare will return the =
unrepaired =3D
> unit and freight will be at your expense or a diagnostic fee, if =3D
> applicable.  In case you do not require the unrepaired unit back, =3D
> HumanWare will dispose of it for you. Failure to reply will lead to =
unit =3D
> disposal after a period of 3 months following quote issuance.
>=20
> If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the =
customer =3D
> service department.
>=20
> Sincerely,
>=20
> Customer Service, HumanWare Inc.
>=20
> My first reaction wasn=3DE2=3D80=3D99t disappointment over my problem =
not =3D being
> covered under warranty. (I did read the attached PDF and saw that =3D =
I can
> get my out of warranty problem replaced for half the cost of a new =3D
> unit.) No, my first reaction was to marvel at the sheer rudeness of =
the =3D
> email. The problem wasn=3DE2=3D80=3D99t a manufacturing problem, =
it=3DE2=3D80=3D99s =3D
> your fault, and we=3DE2=3D80=3D99ve got pictures to prove it. Rude and =
=3D
> confrontational all on its own, but remember, this is a company whose =
=3D
> primary audience includes people who are blind. This specific =3D
> product=3DE2=3D80=3D99s main users, and buyers, are people who are =
blind. =3D Those
> would be people who cannot see pictures, no matter how damning the =3D
> evidence.=3D20
>=20
> Of course, if this were merely an oversight, it might be excused, but =
=3D
> it=3DE2=3D80=3D99s a pattern. HumanWare has put out several marketing =
=3D campaigns
> with product teasers that were purely visual in nature. Hey, =3D look =
at the
> picture of our new product! We won=3DE2=3D80=3D99t tell you what =3D =
it is, nor will
> we describe the picture, but you=3DE2=3D80=3D99ll love it! Oh, =3D by =
the way,
> it=3DE2=3D80=3D99s a braille display, we find out later. Really?=3D20=3D=

>=20
>=20
> I should stress here that I don=3DE2=3D80=3D99t find fault with their =
=3D conclusion
> necessarily. After all, I could have accidentally done =3D something =
or other
> to break the thing. That sort of thing happens =3D sometimes, in spite =
of our
> best intentions. My problem is with their =3D delivery, which struck =
me as
> abysmally bad customer service. I therefore =3D replied with the =
following:
>=20
> Hello:
>=20
> Thank you for your Email regarding my damaged Victor Reader Stream. =3D =
While
> I appreciate your telling m that the repair is not covered under =3D =
warranty,
> not being a manufacturing defect, I can=3DE2=3D80=3D99t say I =3D =
appreciate your
> delivery. You have pictures and are happy to send them? =3D Great! =
This would
> do me, as a blind person, and by the way one of your =3D primary =
markets, any
> good, exactly how? Would it really have taken you =3D that much more =
time to
> have explained, in plain language, what the =3D problem was?
> =3DE2=3D80=3D9CUnfortunately, it looks as though your Stream got =3D =
splashed with
> water.=3DE2=3D80=3D9D Or =3DE2=3D80=3D9CUnfortunately, we found =3D =
foreign matter in your
> play button.=3DE2=3D80=3D9D Or perhaps, =3D =3DE2=3D80=3D9CUnfortunately=
, a peanut butter
> sandwich will not fit in the SD =3D card slot.=3DE2=3D80=3D9D? Really, =
an Email that
> says, =3DE2=3D80=3D9CSorry, it=3DE2=3D80=3D99=3D s your problem, and =
we have pictures to
> prove it=3DE2=3D80=3D9D is rude and =3D confrontational, besides being =
terribly
> unhelpful to a blind person, who =3D is, I may stress, part of one of =
your
> primary markets. I would suggest =3D that this is an unacceptably poor =
level
> of customer service.=3D20
>=20
> Allow me, if I may, to craft an Email that you may use in future =3D =
dealings
> of this nature. I=3DE2=3D80=3D99ll even give this to you at =3D =
absolutely no cost.
> Feel free to use it in full or in part. Do not, =3D however, use the =
Email you
> sent me in future dealings of this nature.=3D20
>=20
> =3DE2=3D80=3D94=3DE2=3D80=3D94=3DE2=3D80=3D94-Cut=3DE2=3D80=3D94=3DE2=3D=
80=3D94=3DE2=3D80=3D94-
>=20
> Dear [Insert customer name here]:
>=20
> We are writing to follow up with you regarding your recent repair =3D =
request,
> with RMA #XXXXXX.=3D20
>=20
> After inspecting your [product name], our technicians have determined =
=3D that
> the damage cannot be repaired, and a full replacement of the unit =3D =
will be
> required. We found the following problems:
>=20
> * There was foreign matter dropped into the controls.
> * Liquid damage from [water, coffee, etc.] is apparent.
> * A peanut butter sandwich will not fit in the SD card slot. Please do =
=3D not
> attempt to put one there.
> * A crack in the control board indicates a drop from a significant =3D =
height.
> [And so forth]
>=20
> If you wish to inspect the damage as outlined above, we can provide =3D =
photos
> upon request.=3D20
>=20
> Unfortunately, this damage is not covered under the limited =3D
> manufacturer=3DE2=3D80=3D99s warranty, as it is not a manufacturing =
defect. =3D
> Please see the full statement of warranty here: [insert URL to limited =
=3D
> warranty]
>=20
> Since your [product] was returned to us within the warranty period, we =
=3D are
> prepared to offer you a non-warranty replacement at half retail =3D =
price plus
> applicable shipping and tax. Please reference [invoice =3D number] =
when you
> phone if you would like to take advantage of this =3D offer. For your =
records,
> we have attached an accessible PDF with full =3D offer details. This =
offer is
> good for 90 days from today.
>=20
> Alternatively, if you wish to have your damaged [product] back, we =3D =
require
> that you pay return shipping charges. If you do not wish to take =3D =
advantage
> of our replacement offer and do not want your damaged =3D [product] =
back, we
> will be happy to responsibly dispose of it for you at =3D no =
additional
> charge.
>=20
> If you have any questions or concerns, please phone or Email. We are =3D=

> available weekdays from [range of hours], Eastern time.=3D20
>=20
> We appreciate your business. Thank you for being a HumanWare =
customer.=3D20=3D
>=20
>=20
> Sincerely,
> Joe Schmoe
> HumanWare Customer Service
>=20
> =3DE2=3D80=3D94=3DE2=3D80=3D94=3DE2=3D80=3D94-CUT=3DE2=3D80=3D94=3DE2=3D=
80=3D94=3DE2=3D80=3D94-
>=20
> Let me stress here that I have no doubt that you really do have =
pictures =3D
> of the damage. I also have no problem believing that the problem is =
not =3D
> covered under the warranty terms, not because I know what caused the =3D=

> problem (I don=3DE2=3D80=3D99t), but because, let=3DE2=3D80=3D99s face =
it, stuff =3D
> happens, sometimes stuff even happens of which one is unaware. It =
would, =3D
> therefore, be really helpful if you could tell me, in plain language, =
=3D the
> nature of the problem, so that I know what caused the keys to do the =3D=

> strange things they were doing. I would really appreciate this =3D
> information.=3D20
>=20
> I really love the Stream. It=3DE2=3D80=3D99s a fantastic product. It =
does what =3D
> it does very, very well. It is well designed and easy to use, and
> I=3DE2=3D80=3D99=3D
> ve found that I have started using it in favor of other book =3D
> players I have around here, including ones on the iPhone. So, yes, it =
=3D
> really is a great product for the tech savvy blind guy, too. I would =3D=
even
> like to get a second one for my wife, who has just lost all of her =3D
> remaining vision, has very little feeling in her fingers, and is not =
at =3D
> all technology friendly. She has a first gen Stream and likes it a =
lot, =3D
> and I know she=3DE2=3D80=3D99d like the new one even more. =
Unfortunately, due =3D to
> the nature of your communication, I honestly don=3DE2=3D80=3D99t know =
what =3D I
> want to do about either a replacement or a second unit. How can I, in =
=3D good
> conscience, support a company with so little regard for its target =3D
> audience? After all, your Email is only one of several such instances; =
I =3D
> reference the several years of product teasers (at least one of which =
=3D was
> for a braille display) that were purely visual in nature. Can I, =3D =
indeed
> *should* I, support a company who, essentially, thumbs its =3D =
collective nose
> at the population it purports to serve?=3D20
>=20
> Cordially,
>=20
> Whether HumanWare was right or wrong in their determination =
isn=3DE2=3D80=3D99t =3D
> really the point. Well, I guess it kind of is, because I have no idea =
=3D
> either way, having been given no information about it. But even if =
they =3D
> were correct in their assessment, their handling of how I was updated =
on =3D
> my repair status left pretty much everything to be desired. In short, =
=3D
> their Email was a great example of how not to do customer relations. =
If =3D
> you do customer relations this way, stop it. Please. Just =
don=3DE2=3D80=3D99t.
>=20
>=20
>=20
> --
> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
> Phone: 814-860-3194=3D20
> Mobile: 814-431-0962
> Email: [log in to unmask]