Feature Writer John Christie – Two New Displays Help to Make Mobile Devices More Accessible
Freedom Scientific has come up with two new Braille displays that are smaller and more advanced than the regular Focus 40 Blue Braille displays. They are the Focus 40 Blue and Focus 14 Blue Braille displays. The new Focus 40 Blue Braille Display is 40 percent smaller than its predecessor and offers a highly defined keyboard design.
According to Jonathan Mosen, Freedom Scientific’s Vice President of Blindness Hardware Product Management, this is a complete braille interface. The Braille keyboard is designed to be used for a long period of time by the person who is brailling material. He also said that you can get some serious brailling done. In addition, you can connect it to a wide range of mobile devices, enabling the user to send email and text messages from a smart phone.
The Focus 14 Blue is smaller, with 14 cells of braille and an 8 braille keyboard. However, it has all the bells and whistles of the Focus 40 Blue, so despite its smaller size, it’s still packed with features. The smaller Focus 14 was developed especially for the growing number of mobile device users. “Customers have been asking us to produce a Braille display that can be carried around easily and act as a keyboard for their touchscreen mobile devices,” says Mosen. “The Focus 14 Blue makes it easy to read and respond to text messages, deal with e-mail, and use applications silently and efficiently. It features the same comfortable keyboard as the new Focus 40 Blue and can be used in its case while slung from your neck – the perfect smartphone companion.”
Both displays feature Bluetooth® and USB connectivity. They also both work with Jaws as well as provide Grade 2 contracted Braille into many Windows applications.
The new Focus 40 Blue costs $2,795 and is currently shipping. The Focus 14 Blue is $1,295 and will be shipping this month. For more information about these two products, you can contact Freedom Scientific at 800 444-4443 or 727-803-8000.
It’s great that both of these displays will work with smart phones now that many people have begun to use them in their everyday lives. It’s also great that these are small and can be taken around anywhere. Hopefully, these displays will be just what the blind consumer is looking for.
Source: http://www.freedomscientific.com/news/pressroom/2012/Focus-14-and-40-Braille-Displays.asp