Hims has released a free update to the BrailleSense line of notetakers with a variety of improvements and changes. Version 8.5 includes an automatic book downloader for titles from the NLS BARD service. In addition, users can now search for text in files globally, and read many file formats in the new document reader. Email set-up is now been streamlined, with automatic account configuration for Google, Yahoo, iCloud, and other providers. A new web radio database includes thousands of Internet radio stations for immediate listening. YouTube videos can now be downloaded. In the calculator, UEB is now supported, and additional conversions are included, such as between binary and decimal.
You can download the latest updates directly from the unit, or from the Hims Resource Center page. The complete release notes are below, and also available in Microsoft Word format.
Sense Notetaker V8.5 Release Note
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New Programs
A. Document Reader
i. Located in Main Menu just after Word Processor.
ii. provides Read only access to all supported documents, and offers navigation similar to DAISY player sort of like Document reader on BookSense and Blaze EZ
iii. Contains File, Read, Go To and Mark menus.
B. NLS BARD download program
i. Located in new Library Services Menu.
ii. Search and download very similar to bookShare application.
iii. Allows you to search for Braille, Audio, or all formats. -
New features and Enhancements
A. Main menu.
i. Adds the hot-key for launching the document reader. -
Hot-key: F1-K (Windows-K.
ii. Changes the hot-key for launching Bookshare download. -
Hot-key: F1-L (Windows-L).
iii. Adds the hot key for NLS Download. -
Hotkey: F3-O (Capslock-O)
iv. Adds the new Library services menu. -
BookShare, online DAISY and NLS Download are found here.
B. File manager
i. You can now search the full text of documents for a text string. -
Hot-key: Backspace-C (Alt-C)
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Searches text, RTF, Word Files, Braille and HBL documents.
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Tab to Search Type, and choose specific file types to search or all to search all files in the chosen location.
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Use the normal space-e and space z to cancel the search process.
ii. Adds the ability to convert PowerPoint documents to hbl, brl and txt. -
Hot-key: Enter-T
iii. Adds File management functionality directly within the Word processor Open dialog (Delete, rename, etc) -
Delete: Space-D (Delete)
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Copy: Enter-C (Control-C)
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Paste: Enter-V (Control-V)
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Cut: Enter-X (Control-X)
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Rename: Enter-R (Control-R)
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New folder: Enter-F (Control-F)
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Use Space-H from the File/folder list in the open dialog to get a complete list of commands.
iv. Now supports extracting of RAR 2.0 files.
v. Adds the ability to directly open the focused file in the Document Reader program. -
Hot-key: Backspace-R (Alt-R)
C. Word processor
i. Adds the function to insert page breaks -
Hot-Key: Enter-Backspace-P (Control-Enter)
ii. Adds the function to insert Tabs on the Braille units. -
Hot key: Backspace-Space-Enter-T.
iii. Adds hot key for centering current paragraph. -
Hot key: Backspace-Space-C (Alt-FN-C)
iv. (U2 only) Improves handling of PDF files, such as more accurate identification of columns and formatting for better recognition of proper text order, etc.
v. Inserted the function to save mark information in file types other than hbl. -
The mark information is saved in the \flashdisk\database\wordprocessor.
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If user deletes the file in windows Explorer on the PC, the mark information remains. So the user should delete the mark file
vi. PowerPoint -
Adds ability to open PPPTM files. (Note: Macros are not supported.)
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Adds announcement of slide numbers when navigating text.
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Adds ability to see picture captions and descriptions.
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(U2 only) Adds the function to display the real visual slide on the VGA monitor when Word View display is on.
vii. Settings -
Adds options to define the default name for new documents.
A. Located in the Settings dialog of the File Menu.
B. Label: New document name
C. options: noname and date and time
D. Defines The new document name in the word processor and file manager. -
Adds options for choosing the alignment of the Braille document header and footer
A. Located in the Braille document layout dialog.
B. Label: Arrangements
C. Options: header & footer right , header center & footer right , header & footer center , header right & footer center -
Adds the function to select the document format for opening text files.
A. Located in the file Open dialog.
B. Only appears when TXT is selected for the File Type.
C. Label: file format
D. options: Automatic , UTF-8
D. Email
i. Adds the function to write a new e-mail with the current message as an attachment. -
Hot-key: Backspace-W (Alt-W)
ii. Adds a Trash Folder. -
Empty Trash function located in the Edit menu.
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Hot-key: Enter-Backspace-Q (Control-Alt-Q)
iii. Automatic mail account setup. -
Applies to Accounts manager dialog.
A. Label: Server type
B. Options: Manual , Google , Outlook , Yahoo , iCloud
C. Auto-fills in server information if you choose anything other than manual.
E. Web Tools
i. Web browser -
Adds the prompt to stream or download when executing an MP3 link.
ii. RSS -
Adds the option to set the Download path.
A. Located in the Options Dialog.
B. Choose the Download path: button -
Adds options to choose actions related to downloading content.
A. Located in options dialog.
B. Label: Default Download..
C. Options: Download only , Download then play , Download while playing , Prompt .
F. Social Networking
i. Twitter -
Adds the function to open the media player or YouTube program when selecting an appropriate Twitter link.
ii. Facebook. -
Adds the function to open the media player or YouTube program when selecting an appropriate link.
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Adds the ability to select post type among private, public, etc.
G. Media
i. Media Player -
Adds Web Radio channel list and database search.
A. Webradio sub menu added to Media Player program menu.
B. . Contains 'Channel list' and 'Channel Search' items as well as Add URl to Channel list .
C. Channel Search - Supports genre, country, language and text search.
D. During playback, use Back and Forward buttons to move among channels in your Channel list.
E. From playback dialog, directly open Channel list.
i. Hot key: Enter-C (Control-C)
F. Add current URL to Channel list.
i. Hotkey: Enter-W. -
(U2 only) adds ability to Edit the media file tags of MP3 files.
A. Use the 'Modify Button' in the Tag information Dialog.
B. The Modify dialog contains Edit Tag List, Edit Lyric, Confirm Button, Cancel Button
ii. YouTube -
Changes API for searching YouTube, adds some new features.
A. Add To Subscriptions: Backspace-C (Alt-C)
B. Subscriptions List: Backspace-L (Alt-L)
C. Adds separate Video search and Channel search items in the Top menu.
D. Improves loading times. -
Adds the function to download YouTube videos.
A. Download button located in Search Results dialog.
B. Save button located in playback dialog.
iii. Daisy Player -
Now displays the headings list
A. Added to headings menu.
B. Replaces the move to heading command: Now instead of entering heading number, you can choose from a list of heading titles. -
Adds the function to insert memos/anotations.
A. Backspace-M: Memo manager
B. Backspace-R: Read current memo.
C. Backspace-D: Delete current memo.
D. Backspace-P: Move to previous memo position.
E. Backspace-N: Move to next memo position.
H. Extras
i. Excel Viewer -
Inserted the function to open XLSM files. Note: macro functions are not supported.
ii. Google Maps -
Adds the ability to search addresses in Australia.
I. Utilities
i. Macro Manager -
Adds the function to insert delay time when creating a Macro.
A. Hot-Key: F2-D, (Function-Window-D)
B. Hot-key works when recording a macro.
C. Type delay time in seconds and press Enter. -
Adds the Repeat Macro function
A. Macro count edit box located in the Macro manager list box.
B. Macro Count Edit box also located when pressing F2-E from anywhere on the unit.
ii. Calculator -
Convert unit, adds programming units.
A. Conversion of data units: bit, byte, kilobyte, kilobyte, gigabyte
B. Conversion of programming units: Hex, Dec, Binary.
C. Conversion of characters: Text and Ascii. -
You can now access Cumulative calculation history
A. Hot-Key: Enter-H (Control-H) -
Adds UEB to the available math Braille codes in the Calculator.
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Adds the ability to select all or part of the Calculation history and copy to the clipboard for pasting to other applications.
J. Global Options
i. Adds the UK TTS under the Language option.
ii. Changes the default browser to Quick Browser.
iii. Adds time announcement function. -
Options: Off , every 30 minutes , or every hour
iv. Inserted an announcement when you try to use a function that connects to the Internet, but Wi-fi/LAN/modem is not activated. -
Bug Fixes
A. Facebook
i. Fixed the problem of not listing the URL s in the Details dialog.
ii. Fixed problems logging in with Braille Sense PLUS.
iii. Fixed the problem of displaying usernames twice in the News feed.
B. YouTube
i. Fixed the problem of not loading the comments.
C. Schedule manager
i. Changed the Search Subject function to use match case when searching.
ii. Fixed the problem of not listing the appointments when pressing F3 in the Find Date dialog.
iii. Fixed problems searching for appointments in U2 MINI.
iv. Changed the Default Alarm setting to Off .
D. Database Manager
i. Fixed problem where Primary key is not set.
E. Word processor
i. Fixed the problem of displaying strange characters in the spell check word dialog box.
ii. Removed the baseline character before end fraction sign in Nemeth math.
iii. Fixed the problem of closing help when pressing a shortcut key
iv. Fixed the problem of not being able to search line feed and Carriage return Control characters.
v. Fixed problems navigating slides in some powerPoint files.
vi. Fixed pronunciation of dates in UK format when using the UK language.
F. Daisy Player
i. Fixed problems navigating forward in some DAISY files..
G. Twitter
i. Fixed the problem of some tweets being ascribed to the wrong poster.
H. Email
i. Fixed the problem of the custom dictionary not working correctly in the spell checker.
ii. Fixed the problem with connecting to outlook.office365.com
iii. Fixed the problem of not opening some special e-mails.
iv. Fixed the problem of not receiving the mail from indra.com server.
I. Online Daisy
i. Changed the download folder name to actual content name when using the Vision Australia server.
J. BookShare download
i. Fixed problem of the download failing when trying to download freely available content in Anonymous mode.
K. Dropbox:
i. Fixed problems downloading files.
L. General
i. Fixed the problem of not translating single letter or character contractions with ellipsis.
ii. Fixed the problem of not translating NYPD or NLPD correctly.
iii. Fixed the problem of not back translating o clock correctly.
iv. Fixed the problem of reading sentences incorrectly when the first word is be or his.
v. Eliminated the Computer braille is required message in the QWERTY products.
vi. Fixed the problem of incorrectly translating 32-bit.
vii. Changed computer edit boxes to standard edit boxes when using UEB, so that computer Braille is not required for entering e-mail addresses, websites, etc.
viii. Fixed several problems entering passwords, numbers, etc in UEB.
ix. Fixed the problem of incorrectly announcing dates when numbers are set to Off .
x. Inserted the function to input umlaut accented characters in the QWERTY products. -
Alt-function- a , Alt-function- o , Alt-function- u
xi. Fixed the problem of the Bluetooth connect sound not following the audio alert option.
M. Backup/Restore Settings
i. Inserted NLS Settings.
ii. Fixed the problem of not backing up headphone volume information.
N. Date and Time:
i. Fixed the problem of the time jumping ahead one hour when opening the date and Time dialog after a settings restore.
O. One-hand Mode:
i. Fixed problems with One-hand mode not working in some dialogs like Check Today s Schedule .
ii. Now allows Function key combinations to work in one-hand mode. -
Enter dots followed by function key. Action executes when Function key is pressed.
Category: News
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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.
