Sorry if this is dupplicated.  As usual with announcements of new Braille
displays no prices are given.
Dan

--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Peter Donahue" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2000 21:38:12 -0500
Subject: [Electro-Braille] New Voyager Braille Display
Message-ID: <000c01c03975$b337a860$9f7663d1@j6p7v6>

Good evening Electro-Braillers,

    I thought that the following announcement would be of interest to
folks
here as as more electronic Braille files become more available and as
reading Braille in this manner becomes more commonplace there will be an
increased need for Braille displays.  I wish that Humanware had given the
price of this unit, but they say that it will be less expensive than
other
models of Braille displays.  I hope you find this of interest.

Please find posted below information about the new Tieman refreshable
Braille display that HumanWare is publicly unveiling to the North
American
continent later today at the Closing The Gap 2000 conference.

___________
Braille Voyager - Your Bridge to the Future

Once every decade or so a fundamental breakthrough in technology
redefines
the way we function in a competitive environment.  Sometimes those
innovations come in the form of smaller size and better portability.
Other
times they set a new pace by increasing performance and efficiency.  The
application of ground-breaking technologies may actually change the way
we
do our jobs, or they may increase a product's flexibility, compatibility,
and ease of use.  Rarely does a single product revolutionize ALL of these
areas at the same time. Now, this is exactly what has happened to Braille
displays. Introducing the Braille Voyager.

The Braille Voyager is not just another Braille display.  The Braille
Voyager is a whole new concept in Braille display technology, redefining
the
future of computer access through Braille.

Ground-breaking Technology

Tieman Express
Until now, mainstream Braille displays had no power of their own.  Their
functionality totally depended on how well a given screen reading program
drove their particular Braille hardware.  Unfortunately, most screen
reading
programs were designed from a speech perspective; Braille support was
added
as an afterthought.  Often the results have been less than adequate.
Tieman's amazing Tieman Express program is designed to drive Microsoft
Windows directly from the Braille Voyager.  This simple yet powerful
program
adds familiar, mainstream Windows commands from the Braille Voyager to
any
compatible screen reading program. Tieman Express enhances the compatible
screen reader of your choice by giving you true Windows functionality
right
from the Braille Voyager Braille display!

Logical Braille Keys
A macro program alone simply cannot solve a Braille user's demand for
high
performance and powerful controls.  The user must be able to quickly take
control of the system.  Older Braille displays have tried a variety of
complex key combinations or design gimmicks to gain market attention. Not
one has been intuitive or easy to learn.  Braille Voyager gives you eight
command keys logically configured as Braille writing keys.  Remembering
commands is easy.  Simply activate the same commands used by Windows by
pressing the keys that correspond to Braille dots one through six.  Dots
seven and eight are the Ctrl and Alt keys respectively.  So to open a
file
you simply press "Alt F" for the file menu or "Ctrl O" to open a dialog
box.
Brilliantly simple to use and easy to remember!

High Performance
By combining Braille Voyager's powerful Macro Express capability with
logical command keys, the user can effectively control the computer from
the
Braille display.  This can save thousands of hand movements each day when
using screen readers whose controls are normally entered from the
computer's
keyboard.  Consider how long it takes to repeatedly remove one's hands
from
a Braille display, orient those hands to a QWERTY keyboard, enter the
desired command on that keyboard, and then return the hands to the
Braille
display to read the results. Braille Voyager eliminates all of this
needless, time-consuming hand movement.

High Endurance
By eliminating wasted time, the Braille Voyager also eliminates the
growing
fatigue caused by constantly raising and adjusting one's hands and arms.
Not only does the Braille Voyager help a user save time and energy, it
enables him to perform more competitively without fatigue or distraction.

New Tieman Braille Cell Technology
Tieman Braille cells have long been respected throughout the world for
their
durability and readability.  While retaining that distinctive Tieman
quality, Tieman's engineers have pooled their extensive knowledge to
design
a new Braille cell that is significantly smaller and requires only a
fraction of the power needed by older cell technology.  The result is not
only an excellent reading display, but one that also has a variety of
major
advantages over other displays on the market.

A "Real" USB Port
There is a lot of hype in the market about USB ports, but Braille Voyager
44
has a "real" one.  A "real" USB port should not only send and receive
data
with lightning speed, it should provide power to the access device.
Tieman's new low powered Braille cells free the Braille Voyager from the
need for heavy batteries or bulky power supplies.  The Braille Voyager
44's
USB port delivers all the power it needs directly from the computer.  And
the truly amazing thing is that the Braille Voyager 44 uses less than 5%
of
the battery life of a typical laptop.  Now that's what a USB port is
really
about!

Small and Protected - Stable and Well Balanced
Portable Braille displays traditionally have remained large and heavy for
three major reasons: 1) They required batteries and power supplies, 2)
They
needed to be large enough to hold a laptop, and 3) Most computer access
applications required 40 cells or more.  Since the length of the Braille
display is a given, only two of these issues can be addressed: weight and
size.  We've already mentioned the Braille Voyager 44's USB port and how
it
eliminates of all of the bulk and weight associated with batteries and
power
supplies. The Braille Voyager 44 also has added a uniquely designed cover
that protects the Braille display during transport.   In its closed form,
the Braille Voyager's dimensions are only 5 5/8" deep X 12 7/8" wide (44
Braille cells) X 1 1/8" high, weighing in at about 2 ½ lbs.  Today's
laptops, whether we like it or not, have larger screens.  This increased
footprint results in new-model laptops that perch very precariously on
top
of old-style Braille displays.  Designed to solve this problem, the
Braille
Voyager 44's protective cover magically unfolds into a solid platform
that
becomes the ideal base for a new laptop!

Automatically Enhances Compatible Screen Readers
At a time when consumers realize that there are a number of exciting new
screen readers on the market, they don't want to be limited to buying one
that is inappropriate for their needs.  They want a choice.  The Braille
Voyager ensures this choice by adding the same powerful and intuitive
Braille display capabilities to all compatible screen readers.

A Philosophy of Choice
At the heart of HumanWare's name is our customer.  Our philosophy is one
that offers choices in the present that will open doors in the future.
We
believe that customers want to decide for themselves what software to use
with the best hardware, so we ensure our hardware is accompanied by
specially designed software that adds functionality to the compatible
screen
reader of your choice.

Portable and Desktop Models
Traditional Braille displays have had two major problems: 1) The portable
displays were not very portable, and 2) The desktop displays were bulky
and
expensive.  As a result, customers often were compelled to buy portable
Braille displays for use in desktop environments.  Braille Voyager's two
models solve these problems.  The Braille Voyager 44 is designed
specifically as a lightweight and portable companion for a laptop.  The
Braille Voyager 70 is the consummate Braille display in a desktop
environment.  Seventy cells is the ideal length to nest under a standard
computer keyboard with minimal impact to the user's workspace. The
Braille
Voyager 70 also has fewer Braille cells than the old-style displays, so
the
price is lower.  Older displays with 80 cells were designed for DOS-based
environments. In a Windows environment those extra cells are often
superfluous and sometimes confusing, while adding dramatically to the
price
of the display.

Braille Voyager - designed with your future in mind.

Technical data

Braille Voyager 44
Weight: 1.2 kg
Dimensions: closed position:   5 5/8" x 12 7/8" x 1 1/8"
  In use:        9 ½" x 12 7/8" x 1"

Power consumption:
The USB connection delivers power to the Braille Voyager, consuming only
5%
of the computer's battery life.  In other words, if a laptop's normal
battery usage is three hours, the Braille Voyager will decrease that time
by
only nine minutes.

Accessories
The Braille Voyager 44 standard package includes:
· A practical backpack to conveniently hold  both the Braille Voyager and
a
laptop, making it easy to work while you're travelling.
· User manual in print
· Installation guides in print and in Braille
· One USB cable

Braille Voyager 70
Weight: 4 ½ lbs.
Dimensions: 9 1/2" x 18 1/8" x 7/8"

· Print user manuals
· Print and Braille installation guides

Peter Donahue
Moderator



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