American Printing House for the Blind Braille Plus 18 User manual

User's Guide
Copyright 2011, 2012
American Printing House for the Blind, Inc.
2012/7/6
Introduction
Measuring less than 6.5 inches by 4.1 inches and just over one inch in height, Braille Plus 18 combines a
high-quality braille keyboard and refreshable braille display with an advanced mobile platform and
specialized accessible software to create the world's first Android smart phone designed for blind
students and professionals.
 Improve retention, enjoy privacy, and increase literacy with the 18-
cell refreshable braille display.
 Quickly move the cursor or click on a button with one of the 18 cursor routing keys located above
each braille cell.
 Easily understand the human sounding speech.
 Use the 5 megapixel (MP) camera and flash to quickly and accurately convert menus, papers, and
books into braille or speech.(1)
 Use GPS to determine current location, discover nearby businesses, and get directions.
 Efficiently start apps or find information with the Google search technology that is built into the
platform.
 Maintain privacy and convenience with the separate braille navigation stick.
 Read books and periodicals from the National Library Service (NLS), Learning Ally (formerly
RFBD), and bookshare.org.
 Create, edit, and read documents in multiple formats and change them to braille with the Word
Processor.
 Take full advantage of the Internet including compatibility with HTML5, Flash, and plug-ins,
including Readability, which strips clutter from Web pages.
 Read and write email messages with the email program compatible with both POP3 and IMAP
protocols.
 Automatically read everything in contracted braille.
 Schedule appointments and alarms with the calendar and clock.
 Record lectures or music with the built-in stereo microphones and the recorder.
 Play music on the device or from the cloud with the music player.
 Connect to Wi-Fi hot spots with wireless "N" technology.
 Enjoy stereo playback through the speakers or with a Bluetooth headphone.
 Share media and documents with the full size SD card or USB port.
 Send and receive text messages.(2)

Make and receive phone calls.(2)
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
Stay connected with 3G wireless connections.(2)
 Enjoy thousands of additional apps written for Android smart phones.(3)
 Share or collaborate with sighted peers, teachers, or parents with the TV signal outputs.(4)
Notes
1. Does not recognize handwriting.
2. Requires a cell phone plan from AT&T or T-Mobile. Verizon compatible starting in 2012.
3. Not all programs written for Android are accessible.
4. TV not included.
Getting Started
This device combines the power, convenience, and capabilities of the Android operating system with the
benefits of specialized software to create a platform that meets the needs of both students and
professionals.
If you are familiar with Android, you have a head start on knowing how to use this device effectively.
You only need to learn the braille aspects and the specialized software such as OCR and GPS.
If you don't already know Android, this documentation gets you up to speed quickly, so you will soon be
productive with your computing and organizational needs.
In the Box
The box contains the following:
 Braille Plus 18
 AC Adapter
 USB charging cable
 Earbuds
 Carrying case
 Video cable
 Large print Quick Start guide
 Braille Quick Start guide
Please ensure that all these items are included. If something is missing, contact APH Customer Support
by emailing [email protected] or call 800-223-1839.
About This Manual
Accuracy
This manual was complete and accurate at the time of its writing. It is available on the CD, the Braille
Plus, and on the Web site at http://tech.aph.org/plus_info.htm. The manual is updated periodically, and
the latest version is always on the Web site. As you install software updates, new documentation for
those updates is also installed directly onto the device. To read documentation on the device, select Help
from the Home screen.
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Organization
The unique combination of accessible software, a mainstream operating system, and custom braille
hardware is a technical revolution. It moves the blind user squarely into the mobile computing
community, affording her all the power and capabilities associated with it. With these tools comes some
complexity. It is the purpose of this documentation to organize the concepts necessary to effectively use
this device to its and your maximum potential.
The "Preliminaries" chapter familiarizes you with the location and function of the buttons and controls
on the device.
The "First Time Use" chapter guides you through the steps necessary to get the device charging, started,
and operational. It describes the way to always return to the Home screen, start apps, and open menus.
The "Networks and Connections" chapter describes how to connect to Wi-Fi hot spots, use the cellular
network, and display the screen on a TV.
After taking care of the basics and connections, it is time to step back and learn about other operating
system concepts. This chapter describes notifications, context menus, and other key concepts.
Each of the apps is next covered in its own chapter.
Finally, appendixes provide reference and supplemental documentation.
Assumptions
The documentation assumes some knowledge of braille. It often uses braille letters to represent
commands.
In addition to basic braille knowledge, you may wish to learn about computer braille. Computer braille
is a code that is necessary to enter Web addresses or other non-literary type text.
There is a computer braille code chart in Appendix A.
Nomenclature
This documentation refers to the device as Braille Plus. There are actually two models of the Braille
Plus. They are the Braille Plus 18, which includes an 18-cell braille display, and the Braille Plus, which
is audio only. With the exception of the braille display, these two units operate identically, and they are
both documented in these pages as simply Braille Plus. Where there are differences, they are pointed
out.
Keys
This documentation represents keys you may type by naming the key. The Menu key, for example, is
written "Menu."
When it takes several keys to make a command, such as those that include modifier keys like Alt+T, the
keys are separated with the "+" character. The first key is the modifier, so you press and hold it; then
while it is still depressed, press the other keys in the combination. So if this documentation says, Alt+T,
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it means to press and hold the Alt key, then, while that key is still down, press and release the T key.
Finally, release the Alt key.
Braille dot patterns are provided in one of two methods. Where reasonable, the braille letter is used. If,
for example, the instructions say to press Space+A, you should press and hold Space, then press and
release dot 1, the A, and then release the Space. At other times, it may be clearer to provide dot numbers
to represent a command. The command, for example, to move to the top of a document is Space+dots 1-
2-3. Since this command is the inverse of Space+dots 4-5-6 to go to the end of the document, this
manual may use Space+dots 1-2-3 instead of Space+L. (The braille letter "l" is made by pressing dots 1-
2-3.)
Menus
Multiple layers of menus are represented in a short hand form as follows:
Instead of explaining that you should select the Settings menu, then pick Wireless and Networks, and
then Mobile Networks, this manual represents this series of menu options like this:
Settings / Wireless and Networks / Mobile Networks
Other Resources
In addition to this documentation, there are other resources to help you learn the device. You may wish
to subscribe to the Braille Plus email list. This list discusses the product and has members from the
development team, customer service, and other users who discuss various aspects of the device. To
subscribe to the list, send a blank email to pl[email protected].
Orientation
Place the Braille Plus 18 on a surface in front of you with the keys facing up. Orient the device so the
wider front edge with the slots for the SD card and SIM card is closest to you.
The Left Edge
The left edge contains the Power button, a Reset button, and two USB connection slots.
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USB On-The-Go and Charging
The smaller USB port is located toward the back of the device on the left edge. On-The-Go means the
port works both as a client and as a host.
Use this port to charge the device or to connect it to your computer for transferring files.
USB Host Port
The USB connector closest to the front edge is a full sized USB host connector. Thumb drives and other
USB devices connect to this slot.
Power Button
The Power button is on the left side about an inch from the front. It is recessed to help prevent accidental
usage. This button turns the device on and off, puts it into sleep mode, and wakes it from sleep.
Reset
The Reset button is located in front of the Power button. It is a small hole in which you must insert a
paper clip or other small pointed device. Use this button only as a last resort if your device does not
respond to other forms of input.
The Top Face
The top face contains the braille cells and most of the keys and buttons.
Space, Shift, and Alt
Braille Plus 18 Left Edge
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On the face, the Space Bar flanked by Shift and Alt are closest to you. The Space is the widest key. To
its left is Shift, and to the right of Space is Alt. The Shift and Alt also serve as dots 7 and 8 when typing
with 8-dot braille.
Braille Cells
Just behind the Space Bar, moving toward the back, is a line of 18 braille cells. Each braille cell is an 8-
dot cell. Above each cell is a cursor routing bar. As you use the device, braille appears on these cells.
You may use the cursor routing keys to click on buttons or to move the cursor to the position of the
routing button in an editing environment.
Key Lock
The Key Lock slide switch is left of the braille cells. Slide it toward the back of the device to lock the
keys. Slide it to the front to unlock them.
LEDS for Charge and Power
To the right of the braille cells, there are two light-emitting diodes (LEDs). There is a green LED for
power, and a red LED for charging status.
Braille Input Keys
Above the cursor routing keys, toward the back of the device, the six traditional braille input keys are
arranged in an ergonomic configuration. Use these keys to type text or hold down the Space Bar with
dot combinations to perform special functions. In 8-dot braille, use the thumbs to press dot 7 (the Shift
key) or dot 8 (the Alt key).
Microphone and Speaker
The microphones are located on the left and right side of the face.
The speaker, which can be used for phone calls, is located on the right side of the face.
While the unit is designed to use Bluetooth headsets or as a speakerphone when making or receiving
phone calls, it is also possible, although a bit clumsy, to hold the device to your ear like a phone.
Cursor Pad and Select
Just above the braille input keys, between dots 1 and 4, there is the cursor pad with four arrow keys and
a Select key in the middle. Press the arrows to move through documents or menus, and press Select to
make a choice.
Menu and Home
To the left and right of the arrow keys are two long vertical bars. The bar on the left side is the Menu
key, and the bar on the right is the Home key. The Menu key opens a menu for the app you are currently
running. The Home key takes you back to the Home screen. Hold Home to retrieve a list of recently
used apps.
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Pressing Space+H on the braille keyboard activates the Home key.
Pressing Space+M activates the Menu key.
Back and S1
To the left of Menu are two buttons, one above the other. The top key is Back, and the bottom key is S1.
The Back key backs out of a program or activity, and the S1 key dials a phone number.
Pressing Space+Z also activates the Back key.
Search and S2
To the right of Home are also two buttons. The top key is Search, and the bottom key is S2. The Search
key lets you search either in the current application or throughout the system and even the Web. The S2
key lets you adjust the voice parameters or activate the Read All function.
The Front Edge
The front edge contains speakers, controls for the braille display, and slots for a standard Secure Digital
(SD) Card and a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card for GSM cellular networks such as AT&T or T-
Mobile. The SIM card slot is not used with some carriers such as Verizon.
SIM Card
The SIM card slot is located on the front edge very close to the bottom and slightly left of center. Insert
a SIM card into the slot by positioning the card with its cutout corner to the right side and so that the
side with the cutout goes into the slot first. Push the card in until you feel a slight spring resistance, and
then push a little farther until the mechanism grasps the card. To remove the card, push in until it clicks
and pops out a little. Grasp the card and pull. Do not force any of these operations. if you insert the S iM
card while the device is running, you must restart it for the system to use the cellular network
SD Card
The SD card slot is located on the front edge very close to the bottom and slightly right of center. Insert
an SD card into this slot by holding the card with the connector fingers facing down and so they go into
the slot first. Push against the slight spring tension until the card clicks into place. Do not force the card
into the slot. To remove the card, press in until it clicks and pops out a little. Grasp the card and pull to
remove it from the slot.
Reverse and Advance Braille
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There are three buttons on the front edge. The buttons on the left and right side reverse or advance the
braille display, respectively.
Braille Joy Stick
The center button on the front edge is a joy stick with four directions and a center Select. Use this to
move the braille display in the direction of the key you press.
Speakers
The two stereo speakers are located at the left and right side of the front edge.
The Right Side
The right side contains the volume key, buttons for camera and recording, and jacks for earphone/video
and microphone.
Volume
The volume key is a long bar. Press the side of the bar closest to the front edge to turn down the volume.
Press the edge toward the back to turn up the volume. While on a call, this button controls the call
volume.
If the device is speaking, the volume key changes the volume of the speech. If it is not speaking, the
volume key controls the other audio on the system.
Camera
The Camera button is located on the left side closest to the front of the device. It opens the Look app
where you may either snap a picture or snap a picture and recognize text.
Record
The Record button is behind the Camera button. It works in two ways--
press it to open the Recorder app.
Press it again to begin recording.
In addition to pressing the Record button to open the Recorder app, you may press and hold the Record
button to start a recording from anywhere.
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Earphone/Video Jack
The earphone/video jack is the jack closest to the back edge. Use standard 8 MM (1/8-
inch) earphones to
connect earbuds or earphones. Use the included video cable to connect to a television display.
Microphone Jack
Use the microphone/aux-in jack to connect external stereo microphones or a stereo aux cable for
recording directly from another device.
Bottom
Camera Lens and Flash
The bottom side contains the camera lens and flash.
First Time Use
1. Remove all items from the shipping carton.
2. If you have a SIM card for use with a cellular network, insert it into the SIM card slot.
3. Plug the large end of the USB cable into the AC adapter.
4. Plug the AC adapter into a wall socket.
5. Plug the small end of the USB cable into the USB client port. The red "Charge" light blinks to
inform you that the device is charging. It turns solid when fully charged.
6. Press the Power button. The green "Power" LED blinks, and the unit vibrates briefly to let you
know it is starting. After about a minute, it speaks and shows the Home screen on the braille
display. The green Power light also turns solid.
7. After use, press the Power button to put the device to sleep, or follow the complete power down
procedure to turn it off in preparation for long-term storage.
This relatively long startup process applies only to powering on the device from complete power down.
Normally, instead of complete power down, you put the unit to sleep when not in use. To put it to sleep,
briefly press the Power button. It responds with a confirmation sound and optional vibration, and then it
goes into sleep mode. It also goes into sleep mode automatically when you do not press any keys for a
predetermined amount of time, 5 minutes by default. When in sleep mode, the device still receives calls,
texts, and notifications, and apps such as the clock and alarm continue to function in a very low power
state.
To wake up the device, press Power. It announces the time and immediately resumes where you left it
when you put it to sleep. If it does not seem to wake, ensure the keys are not locked by sliding the Key
Lock switch toward the front of the device.
To completely power down, hold down the Power button. Android responds with a menu of three
choices:
1. Silent Mode
2. Airplane Mode
3.
Power Off
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Press the Down Arrow to highlight Power Off, and then press Select. Another alert explains that you are
about to power off. Press Select to finish the power down process.
Reset
In the unlikely event that the software ever hangs, and your device does not respond, press the Reset
button. This action powers down the device even if it is hung. Do not use this method to power down
unless it is necessary, because it stops all apps without giving them a chance to respond with important
activities, e.g., saving their preferences, writing files, or some other function that constitutes a smooth
shutdown process.
Battery Usage and Charging
How long your device can run on a charge depends on how you use it. Leaving on the Bluetooth radio
and Wi-Fi with heavy browsing or talking on the phone takes more energy than just reading books or
email.
It should be possible to get a full day's work from the unit for the more simple tasks, but if you use the
browser heavily or talk for hours at a time on the phone, you may wish to keep the charger handy so you
can plug it in during the day.
The battery charges fully in about 4 hours if the unit is idle or in sleep mode. If, on the other hand, you
use it while charging or if the battery is completely depleted, the time to obtain a full charge can be
longer. Expect five to six hours under these conditions.
To charge the battery, plug the USB cable into the USB socket on the AC adapter on one end and into
the USB On-The-Go socket of the device on the other end. It is important to use the AC adapter that
came with the Braille Plus or another adapter with equivalent attributes.
Plug the AC adapter into an electrical outlet. If the unit is on, it announces, "Charging." If it is off, it
comes on. When the unit is charging, it is on. You cannot turn it off during charge. You may, however,
put it to sleep by pressing the Power button.
If the battery gets too low, Android warns you that you have 15% or less. To see what has been using
the battery, see About Phone in the Settings application discussed in the Settings chapter.
Note that Lithium batteries such as the one used in this device do not suffer from the "memory effect"
that plagued Nickel Cadmium batteries found in earlier generations of battery technology, so it is
perfectly acceptable and safe to keep the device plugged in as much as is feasible.
To check the battery, press the Speech and Braille key, then press the Down Arrow until reaching the
Battery Status option.
The Home Screen
The Home screen is where you launch applications and check notifications. It is what shows up when
you first turn on the device or when you press the Home key.
The Home screen contains shortcuts to commonly used applications and documents. You may add
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