Pocket PC for the Blind

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2002/Oct02/10-16NDEAM.asp">http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2002/Oct02/10-16NDEAM.asp</a><br /><br />Wow! This is something I never envisioned. Microsoft has partnered with Freedom Scientific to offer a new Pocket PC called the PAC Mate. "David Engebretson is blind. When he goes on job interviews, he has only two choices: either haul his laptop computer along to take notes and keep track of his appointments, or rely exclusively on his memory. Beginning next week, he'll have a third and much better option when Freedom Scientific launches the PAC Mate, a lightweight, handheld device -- designed specifically for people who are blind or low vision -- that offers full Microsoft Pocket PC functionality."<br /><br />This is truly awesome. I could see just about any person with a disability being able to use the Pocket PC except a blind person. I am glad to find out that I was wrong. Take a look at the full press release from Microsoft. There are other disabilities discussed and how Microsoft and outside firms are working to make the PDA experience possible for them. Source: Philippe Majerus

[KPMaker]

Hey I think that's great Ed, thanks for posting it. I know it may not be in the main stream of news, and allot of times we don't know what we have until we no longer have it, thus it's hard to relate with someone that is disabled if one is not. Not throwing any stones either, myself is included, we usually put this stuff out of our minds unless it hits us or someone close to us, it's just human nature :wink: . I think the possibilities of expanding the career and lifestyle options for those with disabilities is fantastic :D .

I love news like this; I put it in my PPC Revolver when I speak to negative, uneducated morons :x that claim people buy PPC's just for games, a glorified Advanced Game Boy. I also loved some of the recent articles I read in PocketPC Mag. on the medical field getting sick of being unorganized and now have a wireless database of all their patients records, thus bringing down the % of mistakes because of information being missed due to hand written notes. I also read how the Military, Police, and Fire Dept.'s have been incorporating some cool and nifty software and strategies to make their jobs easier and more enjoyable using PDA's. One thing I really liked was the armed forces overseas using their PDA's to email their loved ones back home in the States. Doing a 1 year hardship tour in South Korea I can relate, man if they only had this when I was in the military 8O