| RVI.ORG.UK | TOPICS |

Audio Devices:

This section starts with basic equipment followed by the older and New Hi-tech stuff

Always try and have at least one Audio tape player with 'cue and review' so that you can pick up the special tones often used to mark sections. RNIB supply some books in both 2 or 4 track. 2 track is standard audio cassette, 4 track require special (expensive ) recorder/players which use one quarter of the number of standard cassette tapes for a given book.

Accessible radio with presets, tape recorder with radio and radio c.d. player on loan or to buy from BWFB Direct - The British Wireless for the Blind Charity 01634 832501

New - So what about Mobile Phones? Many things are happening post 2004 to get mobiles more accessible for VIs - here is some help

Try John Ramm's website

Listen to the very latest on talking mobiles (Real Audio download 924 kb)

Mobiles (3m:15s 363 Kb) speech and texting on Nokia 9210i and photo650 etc.

Scan and Speak Boxes are a self contained unit on which you can place an A4 document, press some buttons, and a voice will read the text on the document out to you, available from:

Hagger Electronics: 01462 677321 Fax: 01462 675016 www.hagger.co.uk

Electronic notetakers, tape recorders - cassette 2 and 4 track, radios, TV sound, and similar equipment from: Hagger Electronics: 01462 677321 Fax: 01462 675016 www.hagger.co.ukalso Cobolt Systems Ltd., www.cobolt.co.uk01493 700172 Fax 01493 701037

Voicenote portable unit with either a Braille or Qwerty keyboard and speech output. Can download to PC if desiredd. From £1.5k to £3.2k from: PulseData Intl.(UK) Ltd: 01933 62 6000 www.pulsedata.comEmail: euro@pulsedata.com

The 2002 Bat or Ultra Cane ultrasonic detection of your side and height environment with tactile feel, from Sound Foresight Ltd 01765 676 076

Talking VCR remote, DIY label reader, and many personal, domestic and home improvement items from Cobolt Systems Ltd., www.cobolt.co.uk01493 700172 Fax 01493 701037

Talking VCR (new 2002) two models from NBCS 01278 764766

This is the answer to shopping? 'Script Talk' equipment for labelling items in text with a microchip talking label read by a portable listing device which will be loaned to a VI - from Force Ten Co Ltd- 014883 762 711 (Commercial customers)

C.V.I.P. Ltd. 020 8420 1338 Fax: 020 8420 2472 E-Mail:iki@cvip.co.uk

New Late 2004: Book Courier - Portable talking mp3 and text file player using CompactFlash memory cards upto 1 M.b.

New April 2004: Audio files copyright of BBC 4 In Touch

Listen to the latest from Vision (April) 2004(Real Audio download 609kb)

New Jan 2004: Listen to Steve Tyler (RNIB) and Phil Mann (Soundings) about the latest high tech gear - all mp3 downloads:

R-voice Synthetic speech (2m:05s 247 kb) for audio CD's of magazines etc.

Daisy audio CD's (1m:50s 216kb) update.

AudioRead (1m:56s 227 kb) new audio magazines etc downloaded via the phone.

Internet Radio by Talking Solutions on display at the Techshare 2002 - 21st - 22nd November at the International Convention Centre (ICC), Birmingham. Estimated price is £200 - £250. It is equipped with synthetic speech and will possibly be distributed by RNIB when available.

Vodafone are selling the Nokia 9210i mobile phone with texting, organiser, e-mailer notetaker all with speech. Currently about £495. Others are due out soon with a possibility of price downs. Expect any day now the MPO (Mobile phone organiser) with full keyboard and interface for MS Outlook and others- all speech enabled - Info from Steve.Tyler@rnib.org.uk08457 023153

The Trekker is available from Sight and Sound Technology, a personal talking navigator using GPS and mapping technologies -if this works as well as it sounds we will never get lost again! - Info from Steve.Tyler@rnib.org.uk08457 023153

RNIB are now starting a new system whereby you can plug a device into your telephone socket and download an audio copy of your favourite magazine - Info from Steve.Tyler@rnib.org.uk08457 023153

Talking Colour Detectors now available from www.cobolt.co.ukat £49.95 and the 'Colourtest 2000' with many other features from Visibility UK at £495. (WMstr- both talk colours and colour combinations which as a Partial I find rather unhelpful)