BrailleNote mPower for All Your Braille Needs

BrailleNote mPower, the most recent addition to HumanWare’s range of BrailleNote products, was introduced on June 28, 2005. mPower is much like the earlier BrailleNotes and VoiceNotes in many aspects. They are similar in size with same keyboard (Braille or QWERTY), thumb keys, and Braille display. You can choose from 18- or 32-cell displays. mPower has a sleeker appearance than the early versions and is more visually appealing. More differences, however, can be noticed in a closer inspection.

mPower has jacks for the power cord, telephone line and serial port along the back panel. Additionally there is a compact flash slot (added with KeySoft 4.0 and higher), a secure digital flash slot (a storage card about the size of a postage stamp), two USB host ports, one USB client port, and Bluetooth capability. The right side of the unit has a PCMCIA slot and on the left, in addition to the earphone jack and power switch, there is now a jack for an external microphone and a recessed record button for making voice recordings. The mPower has an internal microphone as well.

A 128MB flash drive provides more than enough onboard storage space. The secure digital (SD) and USB ports along with the compact flash offer virtually unlimited storage options. mPower can play MP3 files and stream audio from the Internet with outstanding sound quality in headphones. mPower can be connected to a PC or notebook, with the client USB port, to transfer contacts and calendar items via ActiveSync easily. Bluetooth capability can do the same job even faster when used with compatible machines.

The two USB host ports easily connect thumb drives, external hard drives, USB-compatible printers, or other USB devices to the mPower. The compact flash slot can accommodate a wireless adapter card or a compact flash storage card. There is an internal 56K modem and a standard telephone jack for dial-up access, in case high-speed Internet access is not available. Though a parallel port is not provided, parallel printers and other devices can be connected with a USB-to-parallel converter.

Speed is the most evident improvement in the BrailleNote mPower. The speed, in conjunction the online flexibility, gives excellent results. The user can audiostream news, music, or other entertainment, while working in other applications. The volume of the speech synthesizer and the volume of the media player are controlled separately, so that the user can easily turn the music down and the speech synthesizer up.

The BrailleNote or VoiceNote mPower is equipped with the GPS (global positioning satellite) software from Sendero Group LLC, which enables blind users to locate specific places. The memo or voice recorder is another added feature. The quality of recording can be set at low, medium, or CD quality by the user. The recording begins on a button press and voice recordings can then be played back in the Media Player.

One of the noticeable drawbacks is that the mPower cannot play DAISY-formatted books or import the increasingly popular Audible.com files. Second, the carrying case cannot accommodate a wireless adapter. The battery life also needs to be improved. mPower is a good solution if you want a multi purpose mobile device. With a wireless card, you can do all above mentioned things in a wireless environment.

The mPower is available in the configurations of 18-cell Braille, 32-cell Braille, a VoiceNote version (with voice only, no Braille), and with either a Braille or a QWERTY-style keyboard. HumanWare offers a “transplant” option for owners of earlier units who want to upgrade, in which your current Braille display is placed in an entirely new unit.

Source: AccessWorld