Doug Rose wrote

> For years I have went with the philosophy that it is bettter to
> try and use commercially available and standard software hardware
> that is commonly being  used in the workplace, with the least
> amount of modification as possible.  For example, it is better to
> use a notebook/laptop computer running DOS/Windows apps with
> voice/braille ouput or large print.  This way you had the
> standard machine that others could use, that sighted coworkers
> could help you with, that you could share apps and data.

I very much agree, because it also helps to keep development
cost down and thereby the prices low.

Many of the device capabilities that you propose are useful
for the sighted as well, so it is due to current technical
hurdles that we don't see all these features yet. However,
it all seems to fit well in the logical future development
of the subnotebook. Because my own software would benefit
greatly from a device such as you describe, I had already
put a few links to some interesting subnotebooks listed on
my web page

   http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Peter_Meijer/winvoice.htm

Some of these subnotebooks come equipped with a built-in
camera as needed for use with my software, which converts
video frames from a PC camera into corresponding sounds.

The subnotebooks run Windows-95 or Windows-98, and can thus be
used with the very same software that you run on your desktop,
including screen readers and what have you. Of course there
are still a number of inconveniences, and battery lifetime
is one of them, but these issues are not unique to the issue
of accessibility, but mere technical hurdles that take time
to be resolved for blind and sighted users alike.

Best wishes,

Peter Meijer


Soundscapes from The vOICe - Seeing with your Ears!
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Peter_Meijer/