I thought that I would jump in again with a few more comments. First, in
"most" cases, as the demand increases, the price will come down. That is
in most cases. Look at the calculator. Yah, I know, it is a commercial
product. Let's look at the talking watch. I have never owned one, however,
I do believe they used to be quite expensive and now they are not. Let's
look at some other assistive technology. Howe about the Kurzweil Personal
Reader. The first one that I used back in the early 80s cost around
$55,000. It is now $1000 plus the price of a scanner. The same with the
Arkenstone Reader. When I started selling it back in the late 80s, it cost
about $3,500. It is now $995 not including the scanner. I could go on.
I agree with David. I would like to be able to read when and where I would
like. It is kind of hard taking your computer to bed to read a good book.
I have tried it with the Harry Potter books. It was nice having my wife
read to me those books. On the nights she didn't want to read I had to scan
and then take the computer upstairs to read. It wasn't convenient.
I also agree with Ann and David that the price is steep for one of those
players based on the all ready available technology in the market. I would
like the prices to come down, however, I do not have any good, realistic
ideas on what to do about it. I am tired of funding these projects also. I
still think the government can get involved somehow for those who are out of
school. For those who are in school, I believe there is a large amount of
grant money and entitlement money to cover the costs of these devices.
Technology note: Through this list, I found out that there is some other
technology being explored that would make use of storing the books in
memory. I think that this is great. I believe the NLS and the NFB are
working on that project. I would like to comment on the technology,
however, I did not go to the NFB this year to hear about the work. I am
concerned if it is memory chip based. Can someone help on that one? How do
the books get loaded into the system? What happens if you are in a book and
need to load in another, etc.? I'd like to learn more about this process.
Thanks
_____________________________________________________
Terry Martin -- President
VOILA Technology, Inc.
54 Castle Road
Rochester, NY 14623
Phone: (716) 321-1451
FAX: (716) 334-3971
Email: [log in to unmask]
URL: http://www.mainaccess.com
____________________________________________________
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Poehlman" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2001 9:54 AM
Subject: Re: NYTimes.com Article: Books for the Blind Go Digital
> it is not as much of a non starter as you might think. there are
> programs and entitlements that will pay pay pay!!!
> but that is not the real point here. it seems to me that the cost needs
> to be equallized for it to be really worth it. Someone wrote here that
> when more are sold, the cost will drop and I submit that when the cost
> drops, more will be sold so which came first, the chicken or the egg?
> look at all the tech out there. how much of a price drop has there been
> in blazie products over the years since the advent of the braille and
> speak which has sold thousands all over the world?
>
> I don't want to read books on my computer. I have better things to do
> with my computer. I have an nls machine for that and I'd be willing to
> purchase something for the digital format but the price far acceeds the
> demand.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Paul Chapin" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Monday, July 16, 2001 9:56 AM
> Subject: Re: NYTimes.com Article: Books for the Blind Go Digital
>
>
> > Ah, yes, make the blind folks pay, pay, pay! Don't do anything that
> > might empower us, eh?
>
> Any suggestion who should pay?
>
> My preference would be to have this covered by health insurance as
> necessary
> for the individual to gain as much functionality as possible. But that
> assumes we have a rational insurance system in this country. Direct
> government funding is probably a political non-starter, at least under
> this
> administration.
>
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