What about an Ipad branched to a Braille display?

By María, 12 September, 2020

Forum
Braille on Apple Products

Hello again,
some months ago I bought a Braille NOtetouch (it's an Android tablet with an incorporate Braille keybooard and Braille display) but less thant a year later it had a "overhoting" and so, it should be repaired. So, I started doing a personal reflexion that I would like to share with all of oyu, because I would like to know your opinion about that subject. I started thinking that perhpas better than that device, would be simplily to buy an IPad and branched my Orbit REader 20 plus (cheaper and perhaps better than that device, so expensive, over 4000 dollars, and that a hear later had the first issue). Personaly I never was itnerested in Ipad because for writing a lot I prefer my Mac, and for the rest of things I have my Iphone, so an Ipad theoretically is not necessary for me, however, for using a Braille display having the possibility to read all kind of document formats, etc, perhaps it would be interesting. So, I would like to know if someone uses an Ipad in this way, branched to a normal Braille display as an Orbit, for example, for writing and reading on the display, and in this case, if it's possible to navigate through the text using the Braille display instead of the tactil Ipad, so the Ipad would be only the software for leting me to read the documents, sae them, etc. but I would like to write, read and navigate using the display. Has someone some experiences in this matter?.
ON the other hand, what about using virtual Apple imput Braille with the Ipad. I love it on my Iphone and I write wonderful and very fast, but using the Screen mode But what about Table mode on the Ipad?, there is not the danger to lose the "point reference" because we have all the screen available to write?.
Many many thanks in advance and have a nice Saturday and weekend.
María

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Comments

By Joe on Tuesday, September 22, 2020 - 08:33

Hi María

Both solutions would work fine. The first would give you a Braille Note type of experience because your getting input and output.
The second would be harder for output because if no Orbit then your only going to have speech or maybe I am miss reading that still early here.

The only issue I've seen with using an iPad is there are workarounds. However you would have the same issue on a braille note except he would have probably a better overall bill notetaker because that's what it's designed for. I have found a good note taking app with Ulysses if you learn markdown it's really powerful!
Depending on what you do and what you're using your device for I think it's a great alternative. Me personally I would never pay for a notetaker for that fact I don't think most blind people are paying for it themselves they're getting it through a rehab agency most likely. That being said if you're in college or depending on your career field maybe it's the right choice for you. If you already have the orbit reader you could always purchase an iPad at most retail options and return it within the window if you're not satisfied definitely put it through its paces in your return window!

By LadyMunch on Tuesday, September 22, 2020 - 08:33

You need not buy an iPad, you could just connect your Orbit Reader to your iPhone over Bluetooth. This works very well and I have done it for years.
I find Braille Screen Input on my iPad Mini 5 is a bit fiddly, because the extra space can get me a bit lost. I use a Bluetooth keyboard case now which I love, but for long pieces of writing or depending how my fingers feel I either Bluetooth my BrailleNote Touch Plus to my iPhone or iPad or phone, or just use the Android capabilities already built in to the device. HTH.