BookCourier Portable Reader
from Springer Designs Inc.
Buy BookCourier from accessableworld.com
Overview
BookCourier is a portable reading device designed specifically for people with vision and learning disabilities that make reading difficult. BookCourier’s text-to-speech engine reads text files from a variety of sources, including Kurzweil Educational Systems, Bookshare.org (DAISY 3 text), Grade 2 Braille, TNAUK (Talking Newspaper Association of the United Kingdom), word processors, email packages, and Internet browsers. BookCourier also plays spoken word MP3 files from providers such as Audible.com as well as DAISY 2.02 audio files. And, when you’ve read enough, BookCourier will play standard music MP3 files.
BookCourier’s user-friendly interface has fast forward and reverse controls as well as bookmarks and other smart navigation controls that allow you to go wherever you want to be in a file. Depending on the file type and the mark-up provided by the content publisher, you can jump by time increments or by word, sentence, paragraph, page, section, chapter, or article. And if you have a question about a feature or a key function, BookCourier's built-in talking help and talking user guide are immediately available. BookCourier also has a number of features that allow you to create a listening environment that's right for you.
BookCourier is battery-powered and shipped with a 256 Mb flash memory card, but you can swap in cards with up to 2Gb of space. The device also has a plug-and-play USB connection for transferring files from your computer using the supplied PC software. BookCourier is shipped with earphones and a pocket clip.
BookCourier Content
BookCourier supports files or "content" from many different sources. In general, BookCourier handles two types of content: text and audio. BookCourier's internal text-to-speech engine reads text files and the built-in MP3 player handles audio files. Here's a list of the supported file types with links to the details about each:
Text-Based Files
- Text
- Bookshare.org
- Kurzweil Educational Systems
- Grade 2 Braille
- Broad file type support: text, Bookshare.org BKS), Grade 2 Braille (BRF), Talking Newspaper Association of the United Kingdom (DOC), MP3, Audible AA), and DAISY 2.02 audio.
Digital Audio Files
Text
BookCourier supports text files with a TXT extension. Many programs, including Web browsers, word processors, and email applications, offer a feature that will convert a file to text format. If you have a text-based file that you want to listen to, chances are you'll be able to turn it into an ASCII text file that BookCourier can read.
Bookshare.org.
BookCourier supports DAISY 3 text files from Bookshare.org, a non-profit Internet organization that allows people with documented vision and learning disabilities to download all kinds of books (from the classics to today's bestsellers) for just the price of a membership. Bookshare.org just recently began offering the National Federation of the Blind's Newsline, which gives you access to leading newspapers and periodicals. Learn more about this service by visiting www.Bookshare.org. If you're already a Bookshare.org member, you are eligible for a discount on a new BookCourier. Most of the services on Bookshare.org are restricted to US residents although there are some public domain materials available to all.
Kurzweil Educational Systems
With your Kurzweil 1000 system (Version 7.0+), you can scan the printed word and then listen to it on BookCourier. It's as simple as selecting BookCourier from the Kurzweil Send To list. If you are a Kurzweil 1000 user, you are eligible for a discount on a new BookCourier. Visit www.KurzweilEdu.com for more information about the Kurzweil 1000 system.
Grade 2 Braille
BookCourier's Transfer Tool can translate Grade 2 Braille files (BRF) into text files that you can read on BookCourier. In the US, you can take advantage of Web-Braille, an Internet service that provides, in an electronic format, many Braille books and all Braille magazines produced by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS).
Talking Newspaper Association of the United Kingdom (TNAUK)
The Talking Newspaper Association of the UK (TNAUK) is the UK's leading charity providing national and local newspapers and magazines in an audio and/or electronic format accessible and navigable by blind and partially-sighted people, and others with a disability preventing them from reading the written or printed word. This organization runs a pioneering e-text operation which has brought about the unusual, but highly welcome, situation whereby some blind and visually-handicapped subscribers are now receiving and browsing their papers in digital format more quickly than sighted people. Now you can hear those periodicals on BookCourier. For more information, visit the TNAUK website and make sure to check out their list of available publications. If you live outside the UK, do not be deterred: TNAUK offers subscriptions to listeners world-wide.
MP3
BookCourier is also an MP3 player. You can listen to MP3 files ripped from CD or generated from PC-based text-to-speech conversion programs such as TextAloud or NewsAloud from NextUp.com. Visit www.NextUp.com for more information about their products.
Audible
Listen to digital audiobooks, radio programs, audio newspapers, and magazines from Audible.com, an online service providing over 18,000 titles from the New York Times Audio Digest to National Public Radio's Fresh Air and the latest bestseller. Visit www.audible.com for details about their service. BookCourier users are eligible to a discount on a new Audible subscription.
DAISY
A DAISY file is a digital talking book specifically designed to meet the needs of print disabled users. These books are highly accessible and support a variety of text and audio navigation features. BookCourier supports DAISY 3 text files (only from Bookshare.org) as well as DAISY 2.02 audio files from any source. Currently, you can get DAISY 2.02 audio files from the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB at www.cnib.org), the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB at www.rnib.org) in the UK, and the Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D) in the United States. RFB&D produces digitally recorded books in an encrypted DAISY 2.02 format. Although BookCourier does not support these files, we are currently in discussions with RFB&D. For more information about RFB&D, please visit their web site at www.rfbd.org.
BookCourier Navigation
With BookCourier’s “smart” interface, moving around any document is simple and intuitive. BookCourier always knows what kind of document you’re listening to and, at a result, offers the most appropriate ways of jumping from one place to another. We call this “content-sensitive navigation.” So, if you’re reading a book, BookCourier lets you jump by chapter. If you’re reading a newspaper or magazine, BookCourier lets you jump by article and section.
Current Reading Position
The most important reading feature is BookCourier's ability to keep track of your current location in a file. This function is like an automatic bookmark that BookCourier maintains at all times without your assistance. So, when you pause a file, you can always return to the exact location where you left off. This means you can listen to another file, check your battery level, set the time, or even let the unit go to sleep, and you'll never lose your place.
Navigation Levels
A navigation level is a logical milestone within a file. BookCourier maintains different navigation levels for each type of file. For example, a text file may have navigation levels for word, sentence, paragraph, and page, depending on the origin of the file. While you're reading, you can select one of these navigation levels and then skip from one item in that level to another. So, at the sentence navigation level, the Forward button will jump to the beginning of the next sentence while the Back button will jump to the beginning of the previous sentence. In an audio file, the navigation levels are based on time increments (like 1 minute or 5 minutes). Some text and audio files, including Audible and DAISY 2.02 audio, may also contain navigation levels that reflect the actual structure of the document -- like chapters and headings. It's important to note that all files are different in terms of their navigation capabilities. The content-providers control the kind of navigation permissible within each file. For instance, NFB-Newsline and Bookshare.org supply newspapers with a navigation level for individual articles. So, you can skip from one article to the next.
Go to Page
Many files, whether text or audio, contain navigation markers for pages. If a file contains these markers, then you can enter a particular page number and jump directly to that page.
Bookmarks
BookCourier lets you define a virtually unlimited number of bookmarks within each document. So, if you hear something interesting that you may want to revisit, you can “dog-ear a page” by creating a bookmark in that spot. This feature can be really useful to students who want to tag multiple pages in a book.
Fast Forward/Fast Reverse
BookCourier provides the most intuitive way of moving through a document or audio file – fast forward and fast reverse. Simply hold down the appropriate keys and BookCourier begins zooming. In a text file, you can move through the document in 5% increments. In an audio file, you can move through the document in the time increment of your choice, from 5 seconds to 10 minutes at a time.
For more information about exactly how the navigation features work for a particular file type, please read through the BookCourier User Guide.
BookCourier Ease of Use
You don’t need to be a gadget lover to learn how to use BookCourier because it’s designed with the everyday user in mind.
Talking Help/Talking User Guide
BookCourier supplies Talking Help for every button and the entire user guide is available for listening. Whether you need quick help on a particular button or more detailed instruction on performing a certain task, BookCourier has the answer.
Instant Location Finder
BookCourier also has a Where am I? feature that will tell you, at any moment, what file you’re listening to and your exact location within it. You can’t get lost, even if you take advantage of BookCourier’s huge storage space.
Announcement Level
Each listener can choose the level of detail BookCourier provides when making announcements. So, the expert user may choose to switch off the information, while the novice user may choose to hear every possible announcement.
Spelling
Sometimes you may have trouble understanding a word in a file. BookCourier's spell feature lets you pause a text-based file and spell any word to make sure you understand exactly what's being read.
Plug and Play Architecture/USB Connection
BookCourier has a "plug and play" architecture that allows your PC and BookCourier to communicate without the hassle of configuring either one. All you have to do is plug the supplied cable into BookCourier and your PC and you're ready to go. BookCourier communicates with the PC through USB, a state-of-the-art protocol that provides fast and reliable data transmission.
BookCourier Custom Environment
BookCourier has many features designed to make the listening experience more comfortable and enjoyable for you. Adjustable Volume, Reading Speed, and more. You can change the volume, reading speed, voice type, and voice pitch so that the reading environment suits you.
Built-in MP3 Player
With BookCourier's built-in MP3 player, you can listen to your favorite music anytime, anywhere.
Built-in Voice Recorder
BookCourier lets you record your own audio files. Just speak into the device to create to-do lists and other notes to yourself.
Announcement Level
You can also choose the level of detail BookCourier uses in its announcements, a lot of detail for a new user or just some detail for the more experienced user.
Sleep Timer and Clock
BookCourier also contains an adjustable sleep timer and a clock that you can set on the unit without using the PC software.
Expandable Memory
Because BookCourier uses a CompactFlash® card to store information, you have access to 256 MB of data at any time – without a PC connection. If you find that you need more storage space, you can always plug in another memory card for up to 2 GB of memory.
BookCourier Feature List
For such a compact device, BookCourier offers a surprisingly large number of features. Each unit comes with thorough documentation and support to make it easy to take advantage of BookCourier's many capabilities: -
- Advanced text-to-speech reader
- MP3 player
- Broad file type support: text, Bookshare.org (BKS), Grade 2 Braille (BRF), Talking Newspaper Association of the United Kingdom (DOC), MP3, Audible (AA), and DAISY 2.02 audio.
- Voice recorder
- Smart navigation for advancing through each document
- Fast forward/fast reverse controls
- Virtually unlimited bookmarks in each document
- Automatic bookmark that saves your place and lets you pick up exactly where you left off
- Where am I feature that tells you exactly where you are in the current file and file system
- Easy-to-use controls for adjusting voice type, reading speed, volume, and more
- Sleep timer
- Clock that can be set on BookCourier
- PC software that allows you to select files on your PC and download them to BookCourier
- USB connection between BookCourier and your PC
- "Plug and play" architecture that allows your BookCourier and PC to communicate without configuring either one
- Powered by two AA batteries
- 256 MB of CompactFlash® storage space for text and audio files, with the option of substituting another CompactFlash® card with up to 2 GB of space
- Attached pocket clip
- Built-in Talking Help for every key on the keypad and a built-in Talking User Guide that explains how to use all the features
BookCourier Specifications
- Weight: Six ounces with batteries
- Size: 70 mm x 124 mm x 25 mm (2.75 in x 4.875 in x 1 in) (including pocket clip) (W x H x D)
- Text-to-Speech Technology: RC Systems DoubleTalk
- Audio Format Supported: MP3
- Power Requirements: Two AA batteries (included)
- Audio Output: Stereo headphone jack (earphones included)
- Storage Capacity: CompactFlash® card with 256MB (included), supports cards with up to 2 GB of space
- Data Transfer: USB (cable included)
- System Requirements: BookCourier Transfer Tool requires Windows ME, 2000, or XP with a USB port.
Price - BookCourier portable audio player
