FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sales Contact:
Bryan Carver, Inside Sales Director
Media Contact: Jeff Collins
Freedom Scientific Inc.
Blind/Low Vision Group
St. Petersburg, FL 33716
1-800-444-4443 or 1-727-803-8000
info at FreedomScientific.com
Freedom
Scientific now taking orders for ScanTalker™
bar code scanning solution for those who are blind
(St. Petersburg,
Florida, October 3, 2003) – Freedom Scientific today announced
the availability of ScanTalker™, a bar code reading application
for Freedom Scientific’s
PAC Mate. ScanTalker includes a built-in database that allows blind and
low vision users to identify more than 500,000 products including
groceries,
health and beauty goods, and audio and video compact discs.
The PAC Mate is the
first and only accessible version of Microsoft’s personal data assistant,
or PDA. The PAC Mate is a handheld computer that provides on the go access
to information and computing. The PAC Mate is based on “pocket”
or “small” versions of Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office
applications, such as Word and Internet Explorer, and is designed to integrate
seamlessly with a desktop PC. The combination of a PAC Mate running ScanTalker
and one of the compatible bar code readers allows a user to identify common
items using the UPC bar code that is printed on most product labels.
ScanTalker installs
and runs from a CompactFlash card. When an item is scanned with the
bar code reader, ScanTalker
matches the bar code with information in its database and speaks the
product brand and name. ScanTalker also provides information found
on the product
label that sighted people sometimes take for granted, such as preparation
instructions and nutritional values. You can hear as much or as little
as you want using keyboard commands.
If an item is not
among the ones already listed in the ScanTalker database, you can add
the item and it will be recognized the next time you scan it. The application
also comes with labels you can affix to personal items you add to the
database.
To use ScanTalker,
you will need to make sure your PAC Mate QX or BX software version
is version 2.01 or higher. PAC Mate TNS or BNS users will need to
make sure the software version is 1.10 or higher. You will
need to separately purchase a compatible
bar code
reader.
To order this unique
solution, contact your local dealer, or call Freedom Scientific at 1-800-444-4443
or 1-727-803-8000. The ScanTalker application costs $550. A compatible
bar code reader can be purchased online for as low as $350, so the total
bar code reading solution can be added to the PAC Mate for as little as
$900.
To buy now, please
visit our online store using the following link:
Compatible bar code
reader hardware is available from Socket Communications. Depending on
how much you want to spend and whether you prefer a free-moving gun or
stationary bar code reader, here are your options:
About Freedom
Scientific
Freedom Scientific
is the world's leading manufacturer of assistive technology products for
those who are blind and vision impaired, and products for the special
education and learning disability markets.
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