Blind Bargains

#CSUN14 Audio: The Alva Comfort and EasyLink 12 Touch Braille Displays from Alva and IRIE AT


IRIE AT, as the national distributors for Alva braille displays in the UNited States, was demonstrating the new Alva Comfort, a 40-cell braille display which includes 4GB of memory and a built-in copy of the NVDA screen reader. Also, the EasyLink 12 Touch is an update to the former EasyLink braille display which now will include optical routing buttons. In this podcast, IRIE AT Service Technician Holly Stowell joins us to talk about these new displays and some of the features they include. Blind Bargains audio coverage of CSUN 2014 is generously sponsored by the American Foundation for the Blind.

Transcript

We strive to provide an accurate transcription, though errors may occur.

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Direct from San Diego, it’s BlindBargains.com coverage of CSUN 2014. The biggest names, provocative interviews, and wall-to-wall exhibit hall coverage, brought to you by the American Foundation for the Blind.

On the American Foundation for the Blind website, you’ll find everything you need to know about blindness and visual impairment. Search our national job bank, discover the history of Helen Keller, read our blog on current issues, find professional resources, and even more. Our site is completely accessible. Check it out at www.afb.org.

Now, here’s J.J. Meddaugh.

J.J.: We’re here at CSUN 2014 with Holly Stowell, who is a service technician for IRIE-AT, and I’m actually standing in front of some new Braille displays from ALVA. Welcome to Blind Bargains, Holly.

HS: Thank you.

J.J.: Why don’t you tell me what I’m looking at here.

HS: What you’re looking at there is the ALVA Comfort Braille display. It’s a 40-cell display, and it has a Braille keyboard entry. It also comes with 4 gigabytes of internal memory for taking notes, and it also comes with NVDA stored on the internal memory.

J.J.: Oh, wow. So I’m going to quickly describe it. On the front, away from me, I guess, is the Braille keypad. We have the eight – well, there’s a couple extra buttons here.

HS: Yeah, that’s correct.

J.J.: There is the eight cells of Braille plus an extra button on each side, plus two buttons above the spacebar, and then a couple over there –

HS: So Shift and Control.

J.J.: Shift and Control, and then we have a couple more on the right side there.

HS: Yeah, I believe those are forward and back.

J.J.: Great. And then below that is the 40 Braille cells. Below that are the cursor routing buttons, one below each cell, and then a raised ALVA lettering. And then on the front, there’s a few more buttons – or no, what are those?

HS: Those are the thumb keys.

J.J.: Oh, the thumb keys.

HS: They’re very similar to the previous model, which is the ALVA BC640. This model is very similar to the BC640 with Feature Pack, for anyone who’s familiar with that unit, minus the audio feature, so it does not have a headphone jack, it does not have the speakers, and it is missing its Smartpad. So that was something that they decided to remove from this one.

J.J.: You said it was NVDA on this unit. What’s the advantage of having NVDA? What can you do with that?

HS: You have access to NVDA, so if you’re actually connecting to a computer that doesn’t have a screen reader for whatever reason, like in a library or a computer lab that’s not already set up, then you have access to NVDA to use it with the computer.

J.J.: So it’s pretty much loaded that on, and it will show up as a thumb drive when you plug it in via USB.

HS: Correct.

J.J.: Okay. We were trying to figure out – it seems to be pretty light as far as what it weighs. Maybe a pound or two at the most.

HS: Yeah, it’s not any more than two pounds.

J.J.: What’s the battery life?

HS: The battery life on this one is up to 12 hours, depending on how you’re using it.

J.J.: Okay, and are those stereo speakers you’ve got on here?

HS: There are no speakers on this. They look like speakers.

J.J.: It feels like a speaker grill, which is why I asked.

HS: It actually has the same form factor and the same shape as the BC640 did, which did have speakers in it, which is why it feels like it has speakers.

J.J.: I see. USB or Bluetooth?

HS: It has both USB and Bluetooth.

J.J.: Okay, and as far as compatibility, I guess, just like any of the other braille displays, it’d be compatible with all the screen readers that are out there?

HS: Yes. Yeah, absolutely, and it’s PC or Mac compatible.

J.J.: As well as the mobile operating systems?

HS: That’s correct. It works well with iPad and iPhone.

J.J.: Okay. Is this display available yet?

HS: This display is available for purchase now, yes.

J.J.: And how much is it?

HS: $2,995.

J.J.: Okay. And IRIE-AT, to put this in perspective, you’re the major distributor, the head distributor in the U.S.

HS: We are the national distributer, yes.

J.J.: Right, for the ALVA displays. Okay, we have another one, which is an update to the EasyLink 12. You might remember that as a nice little 12-cell display. This is the EasyLink 12 Touch?

HS: That’s correct.

J.J.: Why is it the EasyLink 12 Touch? What’s new about this?

HS: Well, it has optical routing keys, which was not in the original EasyLink 12. It’s got one Bluetooth connection, and of course, you’ve got your six key entry for the Braille, spacebar, Control key, Shift key, and forward and back.

J.J.: And again, the Braille’s keys are kind of near the top of the front as you’re looking at it. The Braille cells are facing you at the front, and the routing keys – oh, like you said, optical routing. So you’re not going to feel them like you normally would for a Braille display where they feel like little buttons; they’re more touch-sensitive, being optical.

HS: Correct.

J.J.: Okay. Of course, you’ve got the same compatibility. This is a very light unit. Definitely one you can fit in like a large pocket or a purse or something like that.

HS: It actually comes with a hard carrying case, so it’s meant for taking with you, and it easily pairs with a smartphone or a tablet. It’s a 12-cell display, so it’s just meant for quick access.

J.J.: What’s your thoughts on that? Some people say a 12-cell is not enough. I guess it’s just like a personal preference, do you think, for mobile applications?

HS: I think it depends on what you’re going to be using it for. But something that you want to actually access documents and things with, and you’re not on the go all the time, the EasyLink might be a good choice for you. I think that it works really well, especially when paired with something like an iPhone, for people who use their phones a lot.

J.J.: Sure, okay. And what’s the pricing for this? Is it available yet?

HS: The EasyLink 12 Touch is not quite available yet, but we are taking orders for it. It’s $1,495.

J.J.: Is the original EasyLink 12 going to still be available, or is this going to replace that product?

HS: I believe that the Touch will replace the other.

J.J.: Okay, great. If people want to get more information about IRIE-AT or these products, how can they do that?

HS: They can contact us. We have email at sales@irie-at.com, or you can visit our website, which is www.irie-at.com.

J.J.: Awesome. Thank you so much for sharing this, Holly.

HS: Thank you.

Blind Bargains is your home for the latest assistive technology news and reviews. Visit us at BlindBargains.com, or follow Blind Bargains on Twitter for the inside scoop.

This has been another Blind Bargains audio podcast. Visit BlindBargains.com for the latest deals, news, and exclusive content. This podcast may not be retransmitted, sold, or reproduced without the express written permission of A T Guys. © 2014.


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J.J. Meddaugh is an experienced technology writer and computer enthusiast. He is a graduate of Western Michigan University with a major in telecommunications management and a minor in business. When not writing for Blind Bargains, he enjoys travel, playing the keyboard, and meeting new people.


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