Frequently Asked Questions

 

 

Introduction

 

Whenever a person hears about a new gadget, he or she might be wondering, "What is this new gadget and how do I use it?" For example, suppose that a person heard about a new digital TV. He might ask, "how does it work and what is beneficial about it?" BrailleNote is not an exception. Whenever we hear about BrailleNote, or if a sighted person or a classmate asks, "what is this device," it is preferable to explain what a BrailleNote is. But how could a user explain something new if he or she is not informed about it?

 

The aim of this page is to give answers to questions that were commonly asked by novice users, as well as people who are just getting started with BrailleNote. Topics include what is KeySoft, technical specifications, and notes on braille displays and others.

 

 

My own experience

 

In 2003, I visited the California School for the Blind to attend a technology workshop. There I was introduced to BrailleNote. Since then, I asked myself, "what exactly is brailleNote and how does it work?" I researched about BrailleNote and found that it is produced by HumanWare and there are different models of BrailleNote with different keyboards and braille displays.

 

By the time I received my BrailleNote in March 2004, I knew some things about BrailleNote, such as keyboard types, different display lengths and so forth. Even though I received my own BrailleNote (back then, it was a Classic), I continued to seek information on its operations and shortcuts. By this time, my questions were not limited to what BrailleNote was - more technical and more indepth such as "What exactly is Windows CE?" and "How can I type effectively using computer braille?"

 

Ever since I joined the BrailleNote List in 2005, I became more aware of the fact that many people, including so-called "experts" were new users at one time and have asked same questions that I asked couple years earlier. I learned many things and shared my own experiences and "secrets" until now. In fact, this BrailleNote PBWorks website is a fruit and testament of my searches and experiences both as a newbie and a skilled user (I usually don't credit myself as expert).

 

But enough about my own experiences as a new user. I'm sure that some people who are browsing this site are new users, and the list of questions and answers below were written specifically for you - the new and potential users of BrailleNote - who, one day, will be able to help another potential new user of brailleNote family of products.

 

 

 

The Five Most Commonly Asked Questions

 

 

1. What is KeySoft?

 

KeySoft is a collection of programs that runs on the Braillenote. You can think of it as a Windows like environment where you have programs such as word processor, Internet browser and so forth.

 

 

2. What is the technical specifications of the BrailleNote?

 

Here are the technical specifications of the BrailleNote family - Classic, PK and mPower.

 

BrailleNote Classic:

• Processor: MIPS R4000 clocked at 100 MHz (Megahertz)
• 16 MB RAM (8 MB for KeySoft System Disk and 8 MB for running programs), 16 MB Flash (for user storage)
• Based on Windows CE.net 4.2 (Windows Mobile 2003; originally it was powered by Windows CE 2.12)
• Speech: KeyNote Gold
• Braille display type: Tiemann (rubber touch cursor buttons) or KGS (plastic touch cursor buttons)
• Connectivity: serial RS-232, parallel (LPT1), 56K modem, Infrared port, 802.11B WiFi (KeySoft 6.1 and higher)
• Storage expansion: Type II CompactFlash (64 MB to 64 GB), Type II PC card (or CompactFlash card with CF to PC card adapter)
• Misc: mono sound output, headphone jack, nickel metal hydride battery.

 

BrailleNote PK (the smaller cousin; rebranding of Baum Pronto)

• Processor: strong ARM SA1100 at 400 MHz (approximate)
• 40 MB RAM (20 MB for KeySoft System Disk and 20 MB for running programs), 16 MB Flash (for user storage)
• Based on Windows CE.net 4.2 (Windows Mobile 2003)
• Speech: KeyNote Gold and Eloquence (KeySoft 8.0)
• Braille display type: Baum cells (plastic touch cursor buttons)
• Connectivity: serial rs-232 (its own dedicated port), Bluetooth 1.1 (I think) supporting modem and ActiveSync service, USb client (its own dedicated port), 802.11B WiFi
• Storage expantion: Type II CompactFlash (64 MB to 64 GB)
• Misc: stereo sound output, stereo headphone jack, joystick, mono microphone with record button, Lithium Ion battery.

 

BrailleNote mPower

• Processor: Intel (now Marvell) X-Scale PXA272 at 416 MHz
• 64 MB RAM (32 MB for KeySoft System Disk and 32 MB for running programs), 128 MB Flash (for user storage)
• Based on Windows CE.net 4.2 (Windows Mobile 2003)
• speech: KeyNote Gold and Eloquence (KeySoft 7.0 and higher)
• Braille display type; Tiemann (transplant; rubber touch cursor buttons) and KGS (plastic touch cursor buttons)
• Connectivity: serial rs-232, 56K modem, two USB 2.0 host ports, USB client port, Infrared port, Bluetooth 1.1 with support for ActiveSync, modem and printing services, 802.11G WiFi
• Storage expansion: Type II CompactFlash (64 MB to 64 GB), Type II PC card slot (or CompactFlash card with CF to PC card adapter), Secure Digital (SD; 64 MB to 2 GB, does not support newer SDHC (high capacity) nor SDIO (input/output) accessory cards), various USB devices including flash drive (64 MB to 64 GB; also known as thumb drive), hard disk (essentially a desktop or notebook hard drive with an enclosure; 4 GB to 2000 GB or 2 TB (Terabyte)), card readers (for accessing another CompactFlash, SD (including SDHC), memory stick, etc.), floppy disk drive (standard 3.5 inch 1.44 MB diskettes)
• misc: mono sound output, stereo headphone jack, mono internal microphone and mono external mic jack with record button, nickel metal hydride 1800 (later 1650) MA battery.

 

Note: VoiceNote, the speech only unit, has all the features listed above (according to product type) except braille display.

 

 

3. How do I navigate a menu or list?

 

To navigate through a menu or list such as Main menu, drive list and so on:

• To move down a list or menu, press SPACE (down arrow on computer keyboard models).
• To move up the list or a menu, press BACKSPACE (up arrow on QWERTY models).
• To select an item, press ENTER or press its initial letter e.g. at the Main Menu, press F for File Manager.
• To exit a list or a menu, press SPACE with E (hold down SPACEBAR while pressing the letter E (dots 1-5) at the same time and release it; ESC (the top left key) on QT (computer keyboard) models).           

 

 

4. How do I read a file using the braille display?

 

If you have a BrailleNote with the braille display (PK included), you would have noticed a collection of four keys on  the front of the machine. This is called 'thumb keys' because you use your thumb to activate these keys. On the PK, the equivalent keys are located on the top of the unit. These are called Navigation keys and there are three to the left and three to the right of the display.

From left to right, the thumb-keys are called:

• left most key: Previous (used to exit a list or move up a file via line, sentence or paragraph).
• Second key from the left: Back (used to read backwards).
• Third key: Advance (used to read the document forward).
• The far right key: Next (used to select an item from the list or move down through a document via line, sentence or paragraph).

 

On the PK:

• Top left key: Slower (used to slow down the display when using Continuous reading mode to read the document from start to finish).
• Left middle key: Back (moves the display backward).
• Bottom left key: previous (used to exit from a list or move up through the document via line, sentence or paragraph).
• Top right key: Faster (used to speed up the display using Continuous Reading Mode).
• Middle right key: Advance (used to move forward using the braille display).
• Bottom right key: Next (used to select an item from a list or move down through a file via line, sentence or paragraph).

 

Thus, to read forward through a file, use Advance key. To red it backward, press Back key.

 

Note: Continuous Reading Mode is a method where the braille display will display the document without having to scroll it using keys.

 

 

5. What wireless cards does the BrailleNote support?

 

Since KeySoft 6.0, BrailleNote supports WiFi (Wireless Fidelity), the ability for a device to connect to wireless network and surf the web without wires. Since BrailleNote does not have an internal WiFi card, the user needs to buy a separate CompactFlash wireless card.

 

Here's a list of confirmed tested wireless cards by users of BrailleNote:

• Ambicom WL1100C (all models - that is, Classic, PK and mPower)
•  
• Ambicom WL54G (mPower only with KeySoft 7.5.29 or later)
• SanDisk WCFB128 WiFi plus 128 MB CF card (Pk and mPower only)
• Cisco Aironet 340/350 PC card (Classic only).
• US Robotics USB WiFi adapter (mPower only with KeySoft 7.2.29 or later)

 

Some potential cards include cards with Windows Mobile 2003 drivers - that is, any card that works with Pocket PC's (a small portable computer smaller than laptops) running Windows Mobile 2003. Some of them are:

• Linksys WCF12
• Netgear 70 MG
• SanDisk WCFB000 (wireless but with no storage).

 

I hope this gives you a glimpse of what BrailleNote is and answers some questions you might have. If you have other questions, contact HumanWare Customer Service or Tech Support for more information.

 

 

Special Notes

 

Information on this page, especially specifications may change without notice. As always, I'm not connected to HumanWare and all products mentioned are copyrighted by owners of these products.

I would like to thank HumanWare staff in answering my own, as well as others' questions. Also, I'd like to thank BrailleNote programmers such as Jonathan Sharp for giving me valuable information regarding specifications and useful info.

 

 

Advice for New Users

 

For new or existing users: many people say that searching for more information helps people learn something new. My advice for users who are willing to learn more information about any product, including BrailleNote, should search for more information and new things. Also, ask someone who knows more about a product - I'm sure the experts will give you answers you need. Another side note: share your knowledge with other users so that new users can benefit from your information.

 

Author: Joseph Lee

Updated: October 26, 2009