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BrailleNote - General FAQ's
Welcome to general FAQ's on BrailleNote
Whether you were wondering about Skype working with BrailleNote, about flash capacity on your BrailleNote model and so on, this page will answer most frequently asked questions on BrailleNote gathered from various sources, including BrailleNote mailing list, from newbies and sighted persons alike.
Use the following list to jump to a particular section, or use heading navigation to move through the sections. Once in a section, each question is its own list item as well as its own paragraph.
- What is an operating system?
In simple words, an operating system can be thought of as a special program or programs which allows a user to use a computer system, which includes hardware, software and things in between. Essentially, it is a special software package which manages the day to day running of a computer via memory management, communication between programs and performing other crucial tasks so that a computer (such as BrailleNote) can function. Another way to think of it is as the thing in charge of the computer: it takes your instructions (via the keyboard, for example), translates them so the hardware knows what to do with them, receives an answer from that hardware, then returns it to you.
- What is a user interface (UI)?
A user interface is simply a way for the computer to interact with the user. It consists of items on a screen or, in the case of the BrailleNote, spoken aloud upon which the user acts. Pressing enter on an item in a menu is interacting with the user interface. A very common term today is GUI (graphical user interface), which refers to placing buttons, links, lists, text, images, and so on on a computer screen and then waiting for the user to interact with these elements in some way. The BrailleNote, of course, has no graphics, but it relies on a user interface just the same.
- What is Windows CE?
Windows CE is a special operating system from Microsoft for specialized, embedded devices. The aim of this OS (operating system) is to power special computers designed for industrial and specialized applications, such as information appliance, GPS systems and so forth. Even though we have a similar product known as Windows Mobile (now Windows Phone), these two should not be confused - Windows CE is the backbone while Windows Mobile, KeySoft , Windows Phone 7, and so on are just user interfaces built on top of the CE core.
- What exactly is a BrailleNote?
A BrailleNote is a special computer designed and manufactured by Humanware. It is essentially a PDA (personal digital assistant) but designed specifically to work with blind and visually impaired users. A BrailleNote can come with either a braille or QWERTY keyboard and may or may not have a braille display built in. All BrailleNotes run a program called KeySoft, wich is a program written to make operation of the BrailleNote by blind users very simple. For example, instead of dialog boxes popping up with buttons to click, the user is presented with menus of options to choose from and sets of keystrokes that may be used to invoke specific functions.
- Is there more than one type of BrailleNote?
Yes. In fact, there are four major models, three of which can come in any of several configurations. In 2000, Humanware released the BrailleNote Classic. In 2004, the BrailleNote PK, a smaller cousin to the Classic, was released. A year later, the mPower (short for "mobile power") was introduced, the first of the family to have updated internals (more ram and flash disk storage, USB ports, an SD card slot, even an FM radio). Finally, in late 2009, the Apex was announced. The Apex is the latest in the family and is thinner than all previous models. While it is still not as small as the PK, it is thinner and has much better internals. It was the first to introduce built-in Wi-Fi, 8gb of user storage, and a major update to Windows CE 6.0 (from the mPower's CE 4.2).
The Classic, mPower, and Apex can all come in one of several configurations: braille or QWERTY keyboard, and with no braille, 18 cells of braille, or 32 cells of braille. If a BrailleNote comes with no braille, it is known as a VoiceNote, but the term BrailleNote still refers to it.
- Are all four models of the BrailleNote (Apex, mPower, PK, and Classic) used for different purposes?
Not exactly. The main BrailleNote family is composed of the Classic, mPower and Apex, with the PK being a different branding and hardware style. Although Classic and mPower may look similar, the internal components and back side allow easy distinction (the Classic has older and slower internals and no USB or SD ports on the back, and the mPower does not have a 25-pin female parallel port like the Classic). The PK was marketed for professionals on the move, the mPower for mainstream users, and the Apex targets ease of reading and powerful potential under new specifications. In terms of basic features, all four models share a common set of keySoft features (wordprocessor, email, planner, and so on). Some models can do things that others cannot. The Apex, for example, is the only member of the family to support bluetooth headphones, while the Classic and mPower are the only ones to contain a PCMCIA slot.
- What is the processor speed on the BrailleNote?
This varies from model to model. The Classic uses MIPS R4000 at 100 MHz, the PK uses some variant of an ARM processor at around 400 MHz, the mPower uses an X-Scale PXA270 at 416 MHz, and the Apex uses a Freescale i.MX31 at 532 MHz.
- What is the RAM amount on the BrailleNote?
Again, this depends on the model. The Classic has 16 MB, the PK has 40 (although it has 64 MB - only 40 can be used by Keysoft), the mPower has 64 MB, and the Apex has 256 MB.
- What is the flash disk storage capacity?
The Classic has 8 or 16 MB (depending on the hardware version), the PK has 16 MB, the mPower has 128 MB, and the Apex has 8 GB.
- What USB devices can be used on the BrailleNote?
The mPower and Apex have two or three USB host ports, respectively. Some of the devices that can be used are flash drives, some hard drives, card readers, CD-ROM drives (not confirmed), keyboards, a modem (Apex only), wireless adapter (mPower only) and for charging USB devices provided that the device in question supports charging via USB (a good example being a cell phone). Note, however, that charging Apple's iPod Touch via the BrailleNote's USB ports will not work; presumably, this lack of support extends to the iPhone as well.
- What storage cards does BrailleNote support?
All models support CompactFlash (either directly or indirectly). In addition, the Classic and mPower support PCMCIA cards and mPower and Apex support SD (Secure Digital) cards, though with an important distinction: SDHC (High Capacity) cards work only with Apex.
- What Bluetooth services does the BrailleNote support?
Except for the Classic, all models have an internal Bluetooth transceiver. The support of a Bluetooth service depends on the model. As of 2012, the following are supported services: Serial Port Profile (ActiveSync, GPS receiver, remote braille display/synthesizer mode), Dial-Up Networking (modem via cell phone tethering), printer (except PK), headset (apex only) and Human Interface Device (keyboard). Note that the Apex is able to have two devices connected and active at once; this capability is absent on all other bluetooth-equipped models.
- What wireless protocols does the BrailleNote support?
Depending on card type and model, BrailleNote supports IEEE 802.11A/B/G (G is supported on mPower and Apex) with security via WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) and WPA/WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access) Personal (PSK)/Enterprise with TKIP (Temperal Key integrity Protocol) or AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) for security layer.
- Does the brailleNote have built-in wifi and/or bluetooth?
The Classic is the only model to not have any wireless capability built in. The PK and mPower both have a bluetooth 1.1 adapter built in, and the Apex has a bluetooth 2.1 adapter. The Apex is the only model to have wifi built in, and it uses a Unifi 802.11G adapter. As of Keysoft 6.1, the Classic and PK could support 802.11B wifi via a compactflash adapter, and the mPower began its life with this same support. Keysoft 7.5 updated the support to 802.11B/G due to the discontinuation of the type B cards.
- What is KeySoft?
KeySoft (keysoft.exe) is the program suite that powers BrailleNote. Technically, this is the user interface system that HumanWare has implemented on top of Windows CE. In theory (not confirmed yet), KeySoft receives input from users and passes it to the operating system and vice versa, using its own way of presenting information. Not all features on the BrailleNote are implemented on keysoft.exe - there are modules that work together or run in addition to keySoft, such as Internet Explorer for Windows CE (iexplore.exe) and media modules (kswmedia.exe) among other things. Keysoft is, as far as we (power users and bn geeks) can figure out, the interface between CE and the user. It is how braille can be input and output while CE is still able to run normally. Essentially, Keysoft interprets for the user while using CE's power and foundations. For example, Keysoft itself has no idea how to connect to a wireless network; it simply sees that the user wants to connect, so it asks Ce to perform the action, then tells the user what CE is saying during the process, interpreting both input and output to braille and speech as well as offering the Keysoft-standard menu interface.
- Can a user run external programs or write one for KeySoft?
No. Theoretically, it is possible to run or even write an external program for BrailleNote models. However, in order for this to happen, a crucial tool called a Software Development Kit (SDK) specific to KeySoft is required; such a tool could only be developed by Humanware, and so far (as of 2012), they have not released one. According to MSDN documentation, an SDK for Windows CE device is a collection of functions and tools for a particular device so that a programmer can write programs designed for the device in question. Since this is not available, programmers cannot write third party programs, one can write program code using any programming or markup language, although in terms of actually running that program, it is not possible. As of 2012, only programs written by HumanWare can be run under KeySoft.
- Can a user run programs designed for PC's on BrailleNote?
No. As it turns out, the internal "wording" (program structure) differences between programs for PC's and Windows CE devices prevents this. Also, because of processor differences, programs designed for regular computers cannot run.
- Are there "hidden" features in KeySoft?
Yes, although some of them are not documented. Some users call them "easter eggs" - hidden features in programs. This includes a Tetris game, a facility to test WPA Personal (PSK) encryption and performing a Flash Disk format.
- Are there hacks available for KeySoft?
Yes. This should not be confused with "hidden features," as hacks use existing features to perform "unusual" tasks. As of 2012, the most well-known hacks are running system commands via command prompt (except Apex), modifying system sounds (with consequences), renaming file extensions to unzip compressed archives (in older KeySoft versions), and viewing KeySoft debug messages through serial port (on mPower). Please do not ask us about how these can be done as doing it at a wrong time or resetting an Apex in a certain, undocumented way would result in loss of "some data".
- Do I necessarily have to reinstall KeySoft to reinitialize data?
No. Resetting a BrailleNote or using a known command under a hidden menu usually restores system files. For instance, if one deletes the General folder, the next time KeySoft restarts, this folder will be recreated with default files restored.
- Can BrailleNote run programs?
Yes and no. BrailleNote will run programs made by HumanWare, or ones by companies to whom Humanware licenses its SDK (development tools). At this time, Sendero Group is the only one. There are provisions to allow rapid creation of third-party programs, but the key that is missing is the actual development tools that programmers need to write applications that'll run on the BrailleNote.
- Can a desktop program be run on a BrailleNote? What about a program made for a PDA?
No. Windows CE devices use slightly modified programming tools, or API (Application Programming Interface) different from regular Windows or desktops. if you attempt to run these programs, you'll get a message saying, "program is not a valid win32 application." Basically, a program built for a desktop, or even another PDA, is unable to talk to Keysoft and so Keysoft will not let it run. In the case of programs for desktops, it is actually Windows CE that blocks the program.
- Can VOIP clients, such as Skype, be implemented on a BrailleNote?
No, at least not for now. There are numerous factors, including licensing, availibility and integration strategies involved when coming up with this type of client or others like it. Technically, the BrailleNote hardware (especially the Apex) could probably handle VOIP technology, but that is only one factor in a decision by Humanware to implement something like this.
- Can I use Keychat to talk to people on Facebook, AIM, WLM, or other popular networks?
No. Keychat, Keysoft's built-in instant messaging client, only supports standard XMPP. Since the most popular networks (WLM, AIM, Facebook, Yahoo, and so on) do not use XMPP, at least not in the standard way that Keychat requires, there is no way to let Keychat interact with these services.
- Is it possible to work with unsupported devices?
Yes and no. If the unsupported device presents basic features that BrailleNote can handle e.g. getting power from a USB port, presenting storage options, etc., then it'll work with the device. If the unsupported device presents nothing that BrailleNote can utilize, then it'll not work - for the time being. The condition here is if a device driver for that specific device or a family of devices is created, which then allows a BrailleNote to communicate with that device. However, there are devices which require a firmware update, such as possible use of SDXC (Secure Digital Extended Capacity) cards which requires flashing (installing) new firmware. That is, SDXC support is currently not available, but a simple update from Humanware is all it would take to offer this support. Other devices will likely never be supported, such as devices with custom drivers or non-popular devices.
- Can a user use a cellular connection kit i.e. USB cell modems?
No, at least not for now. It requires creation of a device driver that allows a BrailleNote to recognize that celular modems are just a family of connectivity devices - much like 56K modems. As with any changes to Keysoft, this is up to Humanware to do. Mobile hotspots, though, will work with the BrailleNote since these devices broadcast a standard wifi signal and do not require being plugged in to provide access.
- Can one charge a cell phone or other USB-powered device with the BrailleNote?
Yes (confirmed), though this depends on the phone. For example, most standard phones will charge, as will most MP3 players and other devices that charge via USB. However, some, such as the iPod Touch (4th generation) will not charge.
- Can a user change boot priority or other system options?
No. A bootloader is a special program or a function that allows a device to start; BrailleNote's bootloader presents options such as formatting system partitions, performing tests on hardware and so forth. Although one can access some functionality of bootloader or read the debug message from the bootloader, there is no way of changing things such as boot priority, network debugging and others. The most useful way of using the bootloader (particularly on the mPower) is to upgrade KeySoft via bootloader menu or viewing technical information that comes out of debug port (which happens to be the serial port). Unfortunately, the Apex's bootloader is not accessible by the user and so even the above options are unavailable. This lack of a bootloader will not affect the average user, it would just be something nice to have for power users.
- Can one write program code or HTML files on the BrailleNote?
Yes and no. Yes, since one can use text documents (ASCII format) to write program code or HTML code (be aware of some formatting problems). No, because there is no way of testing the code - apart from HTML or other web code, since one can save the file and open it using KeyWeb. Unfortunately, there is a bug in the Apex that prevents it from opening .htm or .html files in the wordprocessor, so Apex users can currently not view the code of any html files. The web browser will display these files as normal, however.
- Can a user do absolutely anything with a BrailleNote?
Conditionally. There are things that users can try out, such as connecting some devices; but just because BrailleNote is a computer does not mean it'll be a computer replacement. Many services which PC users may take for granted will not work on the BrailleNote, such a dedicated Twitter client, the ability to run many programs simultaneously, support for Flash on web pages (such as viewing YouTube videos), and so on.
- What are things that Windows CE 6 can bring to keySoft?
It all depends on what HumanWare thinks of it. Surely KeySoft can take advantage of better memory management. Other potentials include more secure Wi-Fi via WPA2 (since CE6 supports it), running more programs, and so forth. CE 6 provides the Apex (the only BrailleNote family member to run it) with a lot of potential, but it is up to Humanware to implement the features CE 6 offers.
Courtesy: Alex H for editing the FAQ.
FAQ version: 2012-01-16