News   Purchase   Downloads   Resources   Programs and Accessories   Community

Welcome to your one-stop resource for the PAC Mate™, the accessible PDA for the blind. From this page, you can learn more about the powerful PAC Mate, quickly and easily navigate to a number of online resources, discover many reasons to own a PAC Mate, and find ways to get the most from your PAC Mate.

About the PAC Mate Accessible Pocket PC

The PAC Mate is the first accessible Pocket PC that uses mainstream Windows® Mobile technology. Windows® Mobile is the leading handheld device operating system. PAC Mate puts adaptive technology in the palm of your hand. You can manage your schedule, send and receive e-mail, listen to music, read books, surf the Internet, create and share documents, and much more. The PAC Mate is available with either a QWERTY keyboard or a braille keyboard and optional 20-cell or 40-cell braille display that can be integrated with the PAC Mate or used with a desktop computer.

If you're new to the PAC Mate and not sure what it is or what it can do for you, you'll find a basic overview on the What is PAC Mate? page.

For technical details, such as dimensions, processing power, and included software, refer to the following: QX Model Technical Specifications and BX Model Technical Specifications.

What's Happening with PAC Mate?

PAC Mate Delivers Reference Access to Blind Medical Student

PAC Mate Featured in February Smartphone & Pocket PC Magazine

A Blind Student and his Mother's PAC Mate Success in the Classroom

When blind school student Alex Follo entered fourth grade, he found the challenges of accomplishing his school workload on a brailler nearly impossible. His grades fell, and he and his teachers were frustrated. When he began using a PAC Mate, his grades soared - and so did his eagerness for learning. Hear about Alex's classroom experiences with the PAC Mate assistive technology and his mother's enthusiastic comments in an exciting new PAC Mate presentation.

Learning from the Experts: A PAC Mate Curriculum for Teachers

Explore more benefits of the PAC Mate for K-12 classrooms with the Teacher's Curriculum for the PAC Mate. This comprehensive guide for teachers examines the PAC Mate's features, gives step-by-step instructions from set up through applications, and includes useful practice exercises. Not just for teachers, the curriculum is a valuable addition for anyone's PAC Mate library - and an excellent guide for the beginning PAC Mate user.

Teachers Get Visual Access to a Blind Student's Work on the PAC Mate

Now sighted teachers and their students who use PAC Mate adaptive technology can truly work together in the classroom. With the new PMViewer, it's easy for sighted teachers and others using a computer with a monitor to review a blind student's work on the PAC Mate and even enter instructions, corrections, or other text on the PAC Mate's "screen," using the teacher's mouse, computer keyboard, or the PAC Mate keyboard. The handy PMViewer is a free download. Find out more and download the PMViewer.

A Conversation with the NFB's James Gashel About PAC Mate

James Gashel, Executive Director for Strategic Initiatives for the National Federation of the Blind, is an avid user of the PAC Mate. Recently, we spoke to him about why he prefers the PAC Mate - and why he would recommend it to other professionals. Read the interview.

Going the Distance with StreetTalk and PAC Mate When Terry Martin of Rochester, NY, entered a 40-mile charity bike ride, he took his PAC Mate, a GPS receiver, and the StreetTalk GPS solution along for the ride. Select this link to read about how Terry used StreetTalk for orientation through the course. Then listen to Terry as he talks about how he used his PAC Mate and StreetTalk during the 2005 Rochester Tour de Cure for the American Diabetes Association.

PAC Mate Gear: A Web Site for and By PAC Mate Users

PAC Mate users have created a Web site specifically for all things related to PAC Mate. Please visit the PAC Mate Gear Web site for shared user insights on software and hardware compatibility, scripts written by PAC Mate users, and more.