A PDA phone for the blind - What's New?
A PDA phone for the blind
27 March 2003
Written by Kinny Cheng
With all the advancements in mobile phone technology over the past few years, it is no surprise to find a company combining other techniques to make mobility for visually-impaired people a barrier no more.
ALVA, a provider of information technology for the blind and visually-impaired, has shown off a PDA phone that offers a Braille "display" for the visually impaired.
Called the MPO, it offers all the key features traditional cellular phone and PDA (personal digital assistant) users have come to expect, with additional features incorporated for blind and visually impaired users. With 20 Braille cells, an 8-dot Braille keyboard, a high quality speech synthesizer, and ALVA's Smart-Control user interface, the MPO is unique in design and functionality.
The MPO has tri-band compatibility, built-in SMS text messaging, and those very handy PDA features (alarm, essential note taker, agenda planner, calculator). And some very exciting features to come include the ability to send and receive email, an Internet browser, GPS (Global Positioning System), Daisy reader, and an MP3 player. These will be “optional upgrades” available to MPO users during the third quarter of 2003.
Braille is a system of reading and writing by touch, consisting of arrangements of dots that make letters, numbers, and punctuation marks. Experienced Braille readers read at speeds comparable to print readers - around 200 to 400 words per minute. Refreshable Braille Displays are electronic devices that are used to read text that a computer sends to the monitor, producing output on a Braille display.
General availability of the ALVA MPO will be begin in June 2003, with other countries to follow in subsequent months.
|
FYI .:. the
ALVA MPO 5500
(ETA 2nd/3rd quarter for Europe/USA) |
| Basic
specifications
|
| Network system |
GSM 900/1800/1900 MHz (tri-band)
(supports GSM networks in
Europe
/
Asia-Pacific
/
Americas) |
| Form factor |
Horizontal, with Braille cells and keyboard |
| Size |
225 x 96 x 41 mm |
| Weight |
680 grams |
| Display |
20 Braille cells |
| Battery
type used |
n/a^ |
| Talk/usage
time* |
Up to 480 mins |
| Standby
time* |
n/a^ |
| Accompanying
features
|
| Connectivity options |
Data cable (USB) |
| Camera support |
No |
| Data support |
CSD, GPRS^ |
| Exchangeable covers |
No |
| Internet applications |
n/a^ |
| Memory |
| - Internal |
| - External |
|
|
| Messaging capabilities |
SMS |
| Ringing tones |
Monophonic |
| Synchronisation with PC |
Yes |
| System for... |
| - Add-on applications |
| - Gaming |
| - Phone |
|
| |
| - n/a |
| - n/a |
| - Windows CE.net (v4.1) |
|
Extras supported
(not listed above) |
Ability to apply “upgrades”, including GPS, MP3 player and Daisy player
Built-in speakerphone
Essential note taker functionality
Internal phone and address directory features
Phone and stereo headset output jacks
Speech output in a variety of languages (US and
UK English, French, German and Dutch)
Unique 8-dot/8-key Braille input/output interface
|
* As per manufacturer’s specifications (with supplied battery)
^ Final specifications to be confirmed
|
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