Blind Bargains

#CSUN15 Audio: What's New With The Ace Plus from ABiSee?


Lori Berkey, Customer Support and Marketing Associate from ABiSee joins us to talk about the latest features on the Eye-Pal Ace Plus. This unit is much like the Ace, but with wi-fi capability. It has now been updated to include support for NFB Newsline, and has been slightly redesigned to support a user-replaceable battery. For more information about this and many other products for blind and low vision users, visit the ABiSee website or call (855) 354-4080.

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Transcript

We strive to provide an accurate transcription, though errors may occur.

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Transcribed by Kayde Rieken

Welcome to BlindBargains.com coverage of CSUN 2015 — the biggest names, provocative interviews, and wall-to-wall exhibit hall coverage — brought to you by the American Foundation for the Blind.

On the American Foundation for the Blind website, you'll find everything you need to know about blindness and visual impairment. Search our national job bank, discover the history of Helen Keller, read our blog on current issues, find professional resources, and even more. Our site is completely accessible. Check it out at www.afb.org.

Now, here's Joe Steinkamp.

Joe Steinkamp: Hello, everyone. Welcome back to sunny California. And I'm standing here at the ABiSee booth with Lori.

Lori Berkey: Yes. It's — it's been a little while. It's great to be here at CSUN with all these fantastic new developments that are available for people and — and different products, and we're happy to be back here as well.

JS: And I guess you seem to be avoiding all the wintry states because I keep seeing you where the sunshine is. (Laughs)

LB: Absolutely. (Laughs) We had the most snow in — in record history in the Boston area, so we're happy to be here in San Diego.

JS: Absolutely. So what's new — going on here at ABiSee, and what did you bring along over to San Diego to show all the wonderful people?

LB: Well, we're super excited that the Eye-Pal Ace Plus device, which we did have here last year — which is a portable scanner/reader that also connects to Wi-Fi —

JS: Right.

LB: Last year, when we were here, it had the ability to send and receive emails and download books from Bookshare —

JS: Right.

LB: — which it still has. But we were very delighted to finally be able to also offer the Wi-Fi compatibility with NFB Newsline.

JS: Oh, look at that! All right. So that'll work out really well for those who you target to be able to read things from Newsline, like magazines and periodicals and keep up on all the latest kinds of things from the various periodicals that they capture.

LB: Yes, exactly. Within a couple seconds, people can have all their favorite newspapers downloaded on the device and accessible in their preferred format of either hearing it out loud or seeing it in large print on the screen or, if they prefer reading in Braille, to connect a refreshable Braille display with the device.

JS: Yeah. I was hearing just a second ago — you had it hooked up to our — one of our sponsors, HIMS's, Braille displays and was demonstrating what that was like with one of the Sense products.

LB: Yeah. So we're — we're really excited that those devices are compatible with the Eye-Pal Ace Plus, and also — so whether it's something that people are downloading or — or communicating with the email system or something that they're scanning — their own printed material — to be able to have that accessibility on the Braille display is — is something we're really excited about.

JS: So if someone got in on the early days of the Ace, was that a free software update to be able to get them some of that compatibility?

LB: Well, the Ace and the Ace Plus were really — it was kind of the — the next generation.

JS: Mm-hmm.

LB: The Ace Plus was the next generation. So it's actually a — it's a separate device. Some people aren't interested in the Wi-Fi functions; and others feel that it's a — an essential part of their everyday life.

JS: Right.

LB: So they're actually — yeah, there's — they're different — between — the Ace offers everything that the Ace Plus has except for the Wi-Fi; so they're — they're two different devices.

JS: And — but still the same control scheme, same scanning package, all the wonderfulness of portability that people already know from the Ace products.

LB: Yes, exactly. The same — the same — the only other upgrade that — well, that we're really excited about since last year is that, when people had a battery that had used up its life, they had to wait while their device was shipped back to the factory and live without their device. But now, the — the body was slightly redesigned to have a user-replaceable —

JS: Oooohhh.

LB: — little compartment, so people can just have a battery shipped to them, pop it in, and be all set, and — without having to — to send it in. So a lot of people have preferred that.

JS: Were people maybe buying and stocking up batteries for rainy days, maybe, and just swapping out as necessary; or do you have to send one back when you get that?

LB: Well, they're pretty long-lasting, so it's not the type of thing that people really have to — to stock up on. They last for quite a while.

JS: You apparently don't know blind people real well about hoarding. Right.

LB: (Laughs) Well —

JS: They don't have to, like, download 100 books, but they do anyway, so —

LB: (Laughs) All right. Well, I think that's probably — there's — there's probably sighted and non-sighted hoarders, but it's —

JS: Probably. Probably.

LB: It's — probably (Laughs) But yes, people want to hoard the batteries, they're more than welcome to. We have a — now, at least, we have supplied an ability for people to do it. But they do last for quite a while. And they also are — I mean, they're — they're rechargeable, so it's not something that just runs out without the ability to recharge it.

JS: Fantastic. And anything else that you guys brought along to show people? Anything else in the great ABiSee product line that's worth talking about?


LB: Well, actually, a couple more little small changes on the Ace Plus that were some improvements. The — on the side, there was an additional USB port that was made available —

JS: Okay.


LB: Because now, if people want to both use the USB flash drive to save documents and have a — and have a Braille display connected —

JS: Oh, yeah.

LB: There's — there's two ports.

JS: Okay.

LB: And there's also an ability for character entry for folks who hate using a computer, don't like keypads, you can use the comfortable controls on the device. But for people who like keyboards, there's a faster way to enter all your email addresses, and you can plug in a USB keyboard as well.

JS: Right. So if you're a keyboard aversionist, you've got an opportunity.

LB: Yes. Exactly. The only other thing I would — I'd say is the Document Management system —

JS: Mm-hmm.

LB: — the module was added. We still have the same scan and read function where people can scan and read on the fly and — and listen to what they want without saving it. But we consolidated the saving function into a much easier-to-manage module called Document Management. And right from that module, you can easily convert to text or MP3.

JS: Awesome. So it sounds like a lot of amazing things have come to the Ace.

LB: The Ace Plus, yes.

JS: The Ace Plus, yeah. Right. Ace Plus.

LB: We've — yes, we're very excited about — actually, I'm glad you said that because the Document Management piece itself is also part of the ace. The only thing that's different was — between the Ace and Ace Plus is actually the Wi-Fi.

JS: Yeah.

LB: So you're exactly right with that because the Ace does have Document Management — new module, as well — as well as the body with the — the replaceable battery because the Ace and Ace Plus have the same build and construction to them.

JS: We — we can't ignore people who are Wi-Fi avertive just as much as keyboard aversion. Yeah.

LB: (Laughs) That's right. Exactly.

JS: There's an entire town on the East Coast that has no Wi-Fi. I read that — about that on the Internet, so —

LB: Yes. Yeah. So — all right.

JS: Well, excellent. Any other products we should cover today?

LB: Well, we're always happy to have our simple-to-use Eye-Pal Solo here, which is simplest standalone device to use, which basically guides you as soon as you press the Power button. And it boots up and asks you to please place your document. So this simple-to-use standalone device — you can just use the platform of where to place the paper as your guide to align it properly; let go of it; the camera takes the picture; and it instantly will start reading the material out loud to you. And then, for folks who have low vision, you can connect a monitor and have very large print displayed on the screen for folks who — who would prefer to read it.

JS: And in — in both those situations — with both Ace, Ace Plus, and the Solo — it doesn't take up a lot of room. For those of you who've never encountered one of these devices, the footprint is very minimal. And you can move these devices; so it's not, like, going to take up a coffee table.

LB: That's right. The Solo has an 8-1/2 by 11 footprint — the size of a paper. The platform raises up about two inches. It does have a camera arm that extends out of the base of that, but that can be — can be taken out and folded into a carrying case. So can it be on the go. But that device does need to be plugged in at all time; whereas — at all time; whereas, the Ace and Ace Plus are more portable — only three and a half pounds. And they can operate on the battery. So they — they're easier to take on the go, for sure. You don't need to have an electric outlet, and the — the battery will suffice for — once you have something on the device, you can go in the park out in this nice San Diego weather —

JS: Yeah. Yeah.

LB: — and — and enjoy what you have on the device.

JS: And good speaker, too. Very loud.

LB: (Laughs)

JS: That — that thing can project. You could almost hear it across the hall. It is very, very loud.

LB: Yes, that's true.

JS: So great. Well, I know the website, which is ABiSee.com — which is s-e-e.com. Where can people also get a phone number, learn more about the company?

LB: They can call us at the toll free number in the U.S., which is (855) 354-4080.

JS: Awesome.

LB: And — or they email — they're welcome to send an email to info@ABiSee.com. We'll be delighted to hear from anybody with questions or comments or feedback on products and hope to hear from — from people.

JS: Let's keep this up. Sunny weather, right? Next time I see you?

LB: That's right. Absolutely.

JS: All right. Which might be Orlando or Dallas, maybe, right?

LB: Yes, it could be. (Laughs)

JS: Yeah, all right. Cool.

LB: Okay.

JS: Let's keep up this trend. I like this.

LB: All right.

JS: No chance of snow in the summer.

LB: Excellent. (Laughs)

JS: Yeah, or at least, so I've heard. Greenhouse Effect.

LB: (Laughs) All right.

JS: Thank you for your time, and —

LB: Joe, thank you so much.

JS: — appreciate it, as always.

LB: Appreciate it. Thank you so much.

JS: And for Blind Bargains, this is Joe Steinkamp from sunny California.

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Joe Steinkamp is no stranger to the world of technology, having been a user of video magnification and blindness related electronic devices since 1979. Joe has worked in radio, retail management and Vocational Rehabilitation for blind and low vision individuals in Texas. He has been writing about the A.T. Industry for 15 years and podcasting about it for almost a decade.


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