In Part I of this series, I examined the Refreshabraille and Smart Beetle. In this article, I will be reviewing the Braille Pen Touch and the Focus 14. Both of these displays offer some unique functionality at slightly different price points.
The BraillePen 12 Touch
The BraillePen 12 Touch is a 12-cell display manufactured by Harpo. Of the displays on the market in November 2017, this one is the least expensive. If you are on a budget, this display is worth considering.
The Braille Pen 12 Touch is generally rectangular in shape, though the top edge is formed by two convex curves that meet in the middle. All controls are found on the display's top facing surface. It's very lightweight, weighing in at about half a pound. The Braille Pen 12 Touch should be oriented on a flat surface with the braille display closest to you. On either side of the display, is a round panning button. Above the braille cells, you will find a small plastic line with grooves for each cell of the display. Behind the plastic line, slightly elevated, you will find three keys. From left to right they are: dot 7, Spacebar, and dot 8. Located behind dot 7, from left to right, you will find dots 3, 2, and 1. Above the Spacebar, you will find a joystick. Above dot 8, from left to right, you will find dots 4, 5, and 6. On the sides of the BraillePen are small slots for attaching the included lanyard. The front edge is blank; on the back, located on the right side, you will find a charging port.
Connecting the BraillePen 12 Touch to an iOS Device
To pair the BraillePen 12 Touch with an iOS device, put the device into discoverable mode: turn the display on by pressing Space + dot 1 + dot 3; listen for a series of beeps (the first longer beep indicates that the BraillePen 12 Touch is on, after the next set of beeps the Bluetooth interface should be activated). Go to braille settings within the VoiceOver menu on your iOS device and select "BraillePen 12 Touch." Once selected, you will need to enter the pin code 1234 on the iOS device and then activate the "Pair" button. After a couple of seconds, the BraillePen 12 Touch should be connected.
Unique Features of the BraillePen 12 Touch
Clipboards Aren't Just For Holding Papers
One of the things some braille display manufacturers try to do is offset challenges posed by the way Apple handles translation of text input with a braille display in iOS 10 and earlier. Harpo has done this with a feature called Clipboard. It's partially designed to serve as a basic notetaker, but also transfers information from the BraillePen 12 Touch to a connected device. Unlike the Smart Beetle (reviewed in Part I of this series), this Clipboard retains data even after it has been sent to a connected device. To invoke the Clipboard, press the left panning button with dot 3 and dot 7. You will see a cursor, and then can begin typing. Since typing dot 7 with Spacebar will insert a computer braille dot 7 rather than backspacing, to delete a character, press the left panning button with dot 1, dot 2, and dot 3. You can clear the Clipboard by pressing the left and right panning buttons together along with dots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. To exit the Clipboard, press the right panning button with dot 6 and 8. If you do not clear the Clipboard before exiting, the text you have entered will be saved. You can review saved content by invoking the Clipboard again.
Though you can actively use the Clipboard while connected to your iOS device, this setting must first be activated within a menu. When you turn on the BraillePen 12 Touch, press dot 7 with the Spacebar. This will bring up the internal menu. Press the joystick in a downward direction until you find an option called "cbrd run off," and press down on the Joystick to select it. Use the joystick to navigate to "on," and press down on the joystick to select it. Navigate to "exit," and press down on the joystick to close the menu. Since whatever you type will be sent from the BraillePen to your iOS device, make sure that the braille input code on your iOS device is set to the same braille code you are typing in. To send text from the Clipboard to your iOS device, press the left and right panning buttons together with Spacebar.
Touch Cursor Routing
Earlier I discussed the plastic line located just above the braille display. This line contains sensors that route the cursor to the cell located below them when activated. You can configure the amount of time it takes to activate the sensors, as well as whether or not the display vibrates when the cursor has been rerouted. You will find both settings in the BraillePen's menu. The delay for activating cursor routing can be set from 0 to 9.
The Case
Unlike other displays on the market, the BraillePen case secures the device by using a hook-and-loop fastener that attaches the bottom of the BraillePen 12 Touch to its case. When flipped open, the user can access all of the keys and buttons on the surface of the device. There is a magnetic flap that connects to the bottom of the case to close it when not in operation. While the case does not come with a strap, the BraillePen comes with a lanyard that attaches to the display itself. There are little slots in the case that accommodate the lanyard so that it can be worn around your neck.
Miscellaneous
Unlike other displays I've discussed, the BraillePen does not charge via Micro USB. Instead, the round connector that goes into the back of the BraillePen is a proprietary plug. This means the user is dependent on the manufacturer for replacement cables if they lose or break the one that came with the display.
When connected to an iOS device, Spacebar + K will invoke VoiceOver Help. However, as you may recall from before, Spacebar + K also turns the BraillePen on and off. This remains the case when connected to external devices. On iOS, you activate VoiceOver Help by pressing Spacebar + K + dot 7.
Although you can tell the status of the BraillePen's battery by going into its internal menu, you also get a general idea of the battery status when you turn it on. This information is communicated through a series of beeps. When the BraillePen is switched on, you will hear a long beep. After this, the series of beeps you hear depends on the state of the battery. For example, if the battery is fully charged but not connected to AC power, you will hear three long beeps. If the battery is close to dying and not connected to AC, you will hear a pause followed by a beep indicating that Bluetooth is active. For the full list of what each set of beeps means, consult the manual. While this feature can come in handy, the high-pitched beeps may not be audible if you have high-frequency hearing loss. Since the BraillePen has the ability to vibrate, it would be nice to have this same information communicated via vibration. Not only would this provide an option those with hearing loss, but some people simply prefer their displays to be silent.
Battery life on the BraillePen seems to be around 10 hours of use when connected to an external device. USB connection is not available on the BraillePen.
The Focus 14
Unlike the other displays I've reviewed up to this point, the Focus 14 comes in two sizes: 14 and 40 cells. The 14-cell version is shaped like the Smart Beetle (discussed in Part I), and it feels like it weighs about the same as the BraillePen. When the Focus is oriented so the buttons are closest to you, you'll find 8 buttons and controls on the front. From left to right, they are: left selector button, left rocker bar, left panning button, left shift button, right shift button, right panning button, right rocker bar, and right selector button.
On the top surface of the Focus 14, you have the Spacebar closest to you, and then the 14 braille cells with a cursor routing button above each. To the left and right of the display, you will find a nav rocker switch. Above each switch, there is a mode button. At the back, you will find the 8-dot, Perkins-style keyboard. From left to right are dots 7, 3, 2, and 1, a small gap, and then dots 4, 5, 6, and 8. The right side of the Focus 14 is empty. On the left side, from front to back, you have the power button and the Micro-USB port for charging and connecting to USB-enabled devices.
Connecting The Focus 14 to an iOS Device
Connecting the Focus 14 to an iOS device follows the traditional method of entering a PIN. First, turn the Focus on and make sure you are not connected via USB to another device. Within a few seconds of powering on, the Focus 14 will have an active Bluetooth connection. Go to braille settings within the VoiceOver menu and select the Focus 14. When prompted, enter the PIN 0000, select "Pair,"and the Focus 14 should display whatever VoiceOver is focused on.
Unique Features of The Focus 14
Controls, Switches, and Buttons? Oh My!
The thing that stands out most to me about the Focus 14 is the quantity of functions afforded the user by the number of buttons and controls on the device. The bars and switches can be moved up or down, while the buttons have individual functions. When pressed up, the left rocker bar will scroll up one page, and will scroll down one page when pressed toward the bottom of the Focus 14. The right rocker bar will scroll left one page when pressed upward, and right one page when pressed downward. The left nav rocker will move to the previous rotor setting when pressed up, and the next rotor setting when pressed down. The right nav rocker switch will move left one item when pressed upward, and right one item when pressed downward. One advantage to using these controls to navigate over the VoiceOver set of braille keyboard commands is that you can hold these switches down to move through the various items rapidly. The speed at which these controls move through various elements is adjustable via the internal menu.
The left and right panning buttons pan the braille display left or right, respectively. The left select button will activate the back button or Escape, while the right select button performs a two-finger double-tap. The left and right nav buttons perform a one-finger double-tap. The shift keys do not have any functions in iOS. If you don't like the functions preassigned to the controls on the front of the Focus 14, you can change them if you are running iOS 11 or later. For assistance doing this, please see the "DIY W/BRL" section of this article from applevis.
The Case
The Focus 14 comes with a case that allows access to all device controls. The case can be a bit tricky to secure to the braille display, and failure to do so properly has led to many individuals I know dropping the device. Inserting the Focus 14 properly into the case involves sliding it in front first without allowing the back of the display to hook onto any of the latches or the 2 metal rings located within the case. Alternatively, Executive Products offers a case that costs $55.94. This case is much easier to secure around the Focus 14, closes with metal instead of hook-and-loop, and has a zippered pocket to store dongles or other small accessories.
Conclusion
The battery life on the Focus is around 20 hours. Unlike the BraillePen 12 Touch, the Focus 14 charges via a Micro-USB cable and can be used with devices that require USB connections. For just $100 more, you get two more braille cells, USB connectivity, double the battery life, and the ability to perform many VoiceOver functions from the front of the device. However, the Clipboard and other unique functions of the BraillePen 12 Touch may make it the better choice for some.
Product Information
Product: Braille Pen 12 Touch
Distributer: Flying Blind LLC
Price: $895
Product: Focus 14
Manufacturer: VFO Group
Price: $995
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