Indiana-based company GW Micro has developed a new type of PDA designed specifically for the blind and sight-impaired, called the Voice Sense. The assistant runs a modified version of Windows CE and features a vocal guidance system, a full function PIM, web browser, MP3 player, Daisy talking book player, FM radio tuner and MSN Messenger -- all accessible through its Perkins-style Braille keyboard. The device has a 540MHz PXA270 processor, 1GB of RAM, and also boasts 802.11b/g, USB 2.0, audio in and out jacks, SD and CF card support, and runs 12 hours on a full charge.
Information about this "gadget" first appeared in July but it's taken me a bit while to find a link to the product rather than a review of it. I read about it originally on Engadget but I didn't want to expose you to the comments. Yes, I know you're a discerning audience etc etc but I don't want to provide links to things which really aren't "politically correct" in my opinion such as querying why blind people would want a PDA in the first place. That comment received a robust rebuttal from a blind person who said: "I suppose you think I shouldn't be using the web either?" but there were other comments that were "vocabulary challenged". (If you can't find any better words to use than obscenities then you shouldn't be writing on the web -- again my opinion!)
It isn't cheap at $1,895 but it looks really good and would replace a large number of other gadgets thereby saving space and wight whilst moving around.
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