Digital Reading Devices
The following resources provide information to help blind, visually impaired, and people with certain physical disabilities learn about the various devices presently available, or soon-to-be available, to read printed materials. Use your "jump to heading" navigation key to advance to each category.
Independent Reviews Of Daisy Digital Devices
- Source: the American Foundation For The Blind
Content: Comparison of GWMicro’s BookSense, and the PLEXTALK Pocket. Dated November, 2009.
Read entire article here: http://www.afb.org/afbpress/pub.asp?DocID=aw100602"> - Source: National Federation Of The Blind
Content: More Than an iPod for the Blind. ...Curtis Chong is president of the NFB in Computer Science. He is as excited about the increased access to books that the Victor Reader Stream represents... From June, 2008.
Read entire article here: http://www.nfb.org/images/nfb/Publications/bm/bm08/bm0806/bm080605.htm
Testimonials
- Brian Albriton was demonstrating the NLS DTBM at the Braille Institute open house, when a spanish speaking couple approached his table. He showed how the buttons speak their function, but was met with blank stares. So, he switched it to Spanish prompts and received an enthusiastic, "que bien!" Now, I bet none of the other digital talking book devices can do that trick!
- Have a personal testimonial that you’d like to appear here? Please submit your brief and well written testimonial about the device, or devices, you use and enjoy. Send it to: info@bardtalk.com
Manufacture’s Web Sites
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Victor Reader Stream--Daisy MP3 Player
The only DAISY player that offers you so much in such a small package. Download your favorite books and MP3s on your Stream and leave home with your library in the palm of your hand. This versatile, powerful DAISY-MP3 and NISO player lets you read and navigate through complex books, such as reference manuals and school books, as well as novels and magazines. You can also use its built in text to speech to read books in text format such as Bookshare. And that’s not all! There are many more functions, including an integrated microphone to record voice notes. No other DAISY player offers you so much in such a small package! And at such an affordable price.
If you own a Stream and want to download the Companion Software, here is the direct link to download Companion English version 3.0. - GW Micro - BookSense
The new portable digital audio book player, BookSense, allows people to access information for education, information, and entertainment. Students can access school textbooks, people in the workplace can stay current with journals or business magazines, and anyone can enjoy newspapers, favorite novels, a bestseller, and even their favorite music.
Two models are offered : BookSense and BookSense XT. Both models play audio files, DAISY content, and read documents. Secured-Digital (SD) memory card slot, and built-in digital recorder are all standard features on both the BookSense and BookSense XT. The media player supports a variety of formats, such as MP3, MP4, OGG, WAV, WAX, M4A, and WMA. Use the media player to listen to your music collection, including music downloaded from Apple iTunes. - PLEXTALK Pocket PTP1
The Plextalk Pocket PTP1 is a lightweight, pocket-sized, DAISY-compliant music, voice, and book player/recorder that reaches a new level of mobility and offers ease of use for business, education and leisure. It is a true crossover media player/recorder which contains a host of applications and which also comes with extensive features that support complete accessibility for people with sight problems or learning difficulties. Although this tiny player/recorder is only 55mm X 112mm X 16mm (2.2in X 4.4in X 0.6in) in size, it supports both DAISY 2.02 and DAISY 3 playback, records DAISY 2.02 and has recording time capacity of 120 hours. Multiple audio playback formats are also supported. Starting with Version 2.00, PLEXTALK Pocket supports DAISY books provided by major library services and content providers (NLS, RFB&D®, Bookshare.org in the U.S.), etc. Firmware Version 3 for the PLEXTALK Pocket is now available. - Icon/Braille+ From APH
From the American Printing House for the Blind web site: "Congratulations. You now possess the most flexible, accessible, and easy-to-use mobile manager available today. It coordinates multimedia collections, reads and edits e-mail and documents, plays and records voice and music, browses the web, reads Digital Talking Books, tracks headlines and podcasts, manages contacts and calendar, takes notes, calculates, blogs, tunes internet radio stations, times events, and much more, all with a device small enough to fit into a purse or pocket. It offers an excellent non-visual way to communicate, learn, inform, entertain, and manage life through built-in speech output and support for refreshable braille displays." - Book Port Plus! Great Recorder, Plus Reads NLS, RFB&D, & Audible, !
We are extremely pleased to announce the availability of Book Port Plus, the latest generation digital recorder/player. INTRODUCTORY PRICE: $299.00 Read Digital Talking Books, play digital audio, read computer files, and make superb recordings with Book Port Plus(tm)!
Book Port Plus represents the latest generation of accessible media player/recorders. Its small size, quality recording, and unique capabilities make it an ideal replacement for older technology like cassette player/recorders, earlier Digital Talking Book (DTB) players, or inaccessible commercial digital recorders. Its specialized hardware and software makes Book Port Plus easier to use, more reliable, and more flexible than cell phones or PCs that might perform some of its functions.
The quality components and innovative software make Book Port Plus an excellent music player and outstanding recorder. The reading controls let you read a wide variety of books in both audio (human speech) and text (synthetic speech) format. Its ability to create Digital Talking Book recordings is unique.
Book Port Plus contains state-of-the-art hardware:
* High-speed USB lets you read NLS DTB cartridges, thumb drives, and USB CD-ROM drives
* High capacity SD(tm) card support -- up to 32GB
* Stereo microphone jack
* Stereo headphone jack
* Built-in speaker
* Built-in microphone
All shipments will incur actual UPS shipping rates based on the destination.
Accessories
the following companies are selling blank cartridges and/or USB cables:
- American Printing House For The Blind (APH) Selling 2 GB Cartridges
The APH is now selling 2 GB flash memory cartridges for use with the NLS Digital Talking Book Player. Cost is $11.99, plus shipping. Free matter shipping might be available if you inquire.
Here is the direct link to the product page for the 2 GB NLS blank cartridges.
As of mid February, 2010, the APH is now carrying plastic cartridge mailers. This is the first company to sell them that we are aware of. The cartridge mailers are grey plastic and are single cartridge containers. The price is $2.50.
Here is the link to the cartridge mailer page.
No mention of a cable appears on the page, but any standard USB connector cable with full-size male and female ends will work.
Call toll free: (800) 223-1839. - Adaptive Technology Adds 2 GB Blank Cartridges To Their Product List
Adaptive Technology, a division of Perkins Products of the Perkins School for the Blind, has added a 2GB digital talking-book cartridge to their product inventory. They also sell a compatible USB cable to be used with the NLS dtbm.
Blank 2GB cartridges are $11.99, but bundled with the compatible 36-inch USB cable, the package goes for $18.99. The USB cable can also be purchased separately for $9.95.
The below link goes to the Adaptive Technology product page offering the 2GB cartridge and cable bundle: https://secure2.convio.net/psb/site/Ecommerce/987768074?VIEW_PRODUCT=true&product_id=6501&store_id=1101
Customers ordering by phone or online may use credit cards. Perkins also accepts e-mail or fax purchase orders. To place an order, contact Adaptive Technology, a division of Perkins Products, as follows:
E-mail:adaptivetech@perkins.org
Phone: (978) 462-3817
Fax: (978) 462-3928
To order by mail, send your request with a check to:
Perkins Products, P.O. Box 778, Amesbury, MA 01913 - Independent Living Aids Selling USB Cable Only
ILA is no longer selling blank cartridges. They are still selling the USB cable, which can be viewed and ordered at: http://www.independentliving.com/prodinfo.asp?number=307004
Miscellaneous
will Amazon make Kindle blind-accessible? and will it be able to read NLS books one day?
Earlier in 2009, there was quite a bit of hype about the Amazon Kindle’s potential to become an accessible digital book reading device. It seems though, they aren’t living up to their promise about making the Kindle accessible. In an article earlier in 2009, the NFB site noted in an article, how there are groups opposed to making the Kindle accessible. Maybe it doesn’t matter, but if Amazon were to go forward with making the Kindle a viable digital talking book device, including allowing it to read NLS books, millions more people would suddenly have access to books in a way that makes even our present reading options pale by comparison.