----- Original Message -----
From: "Freedom Box Sales" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2001 3:00 PM
Subject: Important news about Freedom Box


>     Dear Fellow Member of the Blind Community:
>
> Like you I've spent a lifetime overcoming the barriers that the "sighted
> world" erects out of ignorance and indifference.  Access to the goods and
> services
> available over the Internet is a case in point.  The Internet should be a
> fantastic boon to blind people and people with other so-called
disabilities.
>  But the technology that allows people to access the Internet has, until
> now, been a major barrier for anyone with difficulties using
point-and-click
> technology. It dawned on me that it wasn't me and people like me who were
> "disabled;" it was the so-called access technology that was disabled
because
> instead of enabling access it made it nearly impossible.  I put all of my
> energies into designing an access device that was truly accessible.  And
> knowing that most of us are not computer geniuses, I packaged it in a box
> that is ready to go.  Plug it in and you are on-line, with the same access
> to products, news, information, entertainment, e-mail, chat, job postings,
> shopping, and more - all the Internet services others have enjoyed for a
> decade or more.  I call the access device Freedom Box.  And it works with
> just your voice or an easy to learn keypad.  No training necessary.  It is
a
> conversational interface that is ready to go as soon as you plug it in.
You
> don't need a computer to use the Freedom Box. it is a stand alone system.
> But getting on the Internet is not enough.  Many if not most Web sites are
> very unfriendly to people who depend on text-to-speech technology. So we
> went a step further.  We brought together all of the most-desired products
> and services into an extremely "friendly" on-line community that we call
> Freedom Box Network.  You can find almost anything you might want on the
> Freedom Box Network.  And, if you still want to wander out on the
Worldwide
> Web, Freedom Box Network has a gateway to the net that lets you do that as
> well.
>
> The Freedom Box is market-ready.  We are in the final stages of testing ,
> using our network of skilled testers to run the system and
> service through its paces.  We are pre-booking orders and expect to launch
> early in 2002.  We invite you to call our customer representatives toll
free
> at 1-877-661-3785 and talk with them about the product and service.  You
may
> even want to preorder your Freedom Box. We will not charge for it until we
> are ready to ship. You may also visit our web site at
> www.freedombox.info.
>
> We have a Braille brochure and an audio-tape demonstration that we would
be
> pleased to send you or any of your offline friends.
>
> The major remaining barrier between us and a successful launch is seed
> capital.  We have completed our business plan and we are presenting it to
> investors
> at every opportunity.  I don't have to tell you that the investment
climate
> is very, very cautious right now.  We have many interested investors but
> they
> all want more proof before they drag out their checkbook.  As you well
know,
> the non-disabled community has a very hard time believing that we
represent
> a viable market.  That's where you can help.
>
> Our potential investors are asking for more market data to prove the
> potential of the business plan.  We have devised a survey that will
deliver
> the data
> we need and posted it on the Web.  We ask you to go to
> www.freedombox.info/survey
> and take the survey.  Then, if you want to be really helpful, get together
> with your friends and acquaintances who don't have Internet access and
help
> them
> take the survey as well.  The more the merrier.  Pass the address on to
> everyone you know and get them to speak out through the survey.
>
> Believe me, if we, as a community, respond to the survey en mass investors
> will listen and we will get the critical capital we need to get on the
air.
> Once we are on the air, our momentum will carry us to success.
>
> Freedom Box and the Freedom Box Network is alive and ready to go.  If you
> let yourself be heard and if you pass this message along and encourage
> everyone you know, anywhere in the world, to also let themselves be heard
by
> responding to our survey, we may well be on the air by the holidays.
>
> Thanks for your help and understanding.  I look forward to hearing from
you
> soon.
> Mike Calvo CEO
> Ph: (305) 740-3755 Ext 20
> Fax: (305) 412-1504
>
>
>
> --
> This is a low-traffic, one-way mailing list intended to provide
announcements
> about the Freedom Box.
>
> To unsubscribe, please click on the link below:
> mailto:[log in to unmask]
>
> If you have trouble unsubscribing or if you have any other technical
> questions about this mailing list, please click on the link below:
> mailto:[log in to unmask]
>


VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
To join or leave the list, send a message to
[log in to unmask]  In the body of the message, simply type
"subscribe vicug-l" or "unsubscribe vicug-l" without the quotations.
 VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at
http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/vicug-l.html