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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additional items to the Home screen, or you may remove existing applications. For a list of all the
applications on your device, see the All Applications folder on the Home screen.
To select an option on the Home screen, use the arrow keys to move from item to item. As you move,
the Home screen announces and shows on the braille display the item that is highlighted. To start using
that application, press the Select key or Space+dots 4-6.
To close an app and return to the Home screen, press the Back key or press Space+Z. You may also
press the Home key or Space+H to leave the app running so you may continue to use it later.
Some of the options on the Home screen are applications, and some are folders that contain several
applications, documents, or other files. If the item is a folder, Home indicates it with the label, "folder"
following its name.
To close a folder, press Back.
Menus
Many apps, including Home, feature a menu of activities associated with the app. Press the Menu key to
open this menu. Note that if the app does not have a menu, pressing Menu does nothing.
Press Menu while in the Home screen to list activities that relate to the Home screen and to the system.
The Home menu includes Settings, Notifications, and Search.
Note that most top level menus are horizontally oriented, so use the Left Arrow and Right Arrow to find
the appropriate menu option. Most secondary menus are vertically oriented, so use the Up Arrow and
Down Arrow to select the appropriate option.
Speech, Braille, and Status: S2
The S2 key serves as the gateway to controlling other braille and speech settings and obtaining system
information. It works in two ways--press or hold. Pressing the S2 key makes the currently running app
speak as much as it can. If in the Word Processor, pressing the S2 key makes it start reading the current
document. If on a Web page, it reads the Web page from the current position to the end of the page. If
on a status item, it repeats the item. Once it starts reading, stop it by pressing the S2 key again or any
key that does not affect the current document. The Shift or Alt keys are usually good choices for this.
To open the Braille and Speech Preferences, hold the S2 key. The Braille and Speech Settings screen
appears. It contains several items as follows:
The Time option shows the current date and time. To set the time, press Select.
The Battery option shows the state of the battery. It shows the percentage of battery life left and
indicates whether or not the device is charging.
The Sleep Timer sets the amount of time the device continues to read before sleeping.
Speech Rate sets how fast speech talks.
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Punctuation Level controls how much punctuation is spoken.
Key Echo adjusts how much speech feedback you get with each key or word typed.
Braille Table adjusts the translation table for braille.
Search and the Home Screen
Android includes a powerful search function that, at first, may take getting familiar with but proves
incredibly useful. To activate a search, just type a few letters of your search query. Android responds by
showing a list of search results. So, if you were looking for a contact named Bob Jones, you could
simply type "jo" or "bob" at the Home screen. The Search Results dialog shows apps, contacts, and web
searches that match what you typed. Use Down Arrow to move through the list, and press Select on the
appropriate result.
You may control what search results get returned by following these steps:
1. Press Home to go to the Home screen.
2. Press Menu to open Home's menu.
3. Select Search from the menu.
4. Press Menu again to open the Search menu.
5. Select Search Settings
6. Select Searchable Items
7. Check the kinds of results you want returned when you search
/
Braille Key Commands
In addition to using the dedicated keys for functions such as opening a menu or navigating through a
document, you may also use braille keys. Some of these braille key commands also access functions to
which there is no other keyboard equivalent. Space+t, for example, announces the time and date, but
there is no dedicated key for this purpose.
,/tr>
Home Space+H
Menu Space+M
Back Space+Z
Select Space+E
Turn Speech On or Off Space+S
Braille Translation Table Space+G
Announce Time and Date Space+t
Announce Status Space+Dots 3 4
Video/Audio Space+V
Notifications Space+N
S1 Space+dots 2 6
S2 Space+dots 3 5
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Also note that pressing the Shift key modifies the key press to activate a hold rather than a press of the
key.
Silence Speech: Shift
Pressing Shift by itself silences speech.
Touch Object: Alt
While it is usually sufficient to press Select to pick an item, there are some programs, written by third
party venders, that do not work this way. It is for such programs that Braille Plus supports the Touch
Object command. It works by simulating a touch of the finger on a touch screen at the current item's
position.
One program that requires this technique is the Amazon App Store which you may download here
Connect to Wi-Fi Network
Connecting to the Internet greatly enhances the utility of your device, and while you may connect using
the cell data, WiFi hotspots are less expensive to use, and they are much faster than a cell data
connection.
To connect to a Wi-Fi network, follow these steps:
1. Press Home to get to the Home screen.
2. Press Menu to open the Home menu.
3. Select Settings to open the Settings Application.
4. Select Wireless and Network Settings.
5. Check Wi-Fi if it is not already checked. (This turns on the Wi-Fi radio.)
6. Select Wi-Fi Settings. The networking application responds by showing a list of all the wireless
networks in the area and any networks you previously configured.
Each item in the list of networks contains the name of the network, its security type (if not
secured,) and its status. The status is either Connected, Connecting, or Remembered.
If a network is secured, you must know the password for the network before connecting to it.
Enter Space+dots 4 6
Backspace Space+B
Line up Space+dot 1
Down Line Space+dot 4
Next Word Space+dot 5
Previous Word Space+dot 2
Next Letter Space+dot 6
Previous Letter Space+dot 3
Top of File or List Space+dots 1 2 3
End of File or List Space+dots 4 5 6
Open Help Space+dots 1 3 4 5 6
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7.
To connect to one of the networks in the list, move to it, and then press Select. Android responds
with the Network Connection screen.
8. If a password is required, enter it here.
9. Press the Down Arrow until you get to the Connect button.
10. Press Select to activate the Connect button.
Once connected to a wireless network, you do not need to perform these steps again to use that wireless
network. As long as the Wi-Fi radio is on, the networking software automatically connects to the
network anytime the device comes in range of the network.
Video Output
In its normal use, Braille Plus has no screen. You may, however, use a standard TV with aux-in jacks to
connect the included video cable to a TV to provide video output.
To use a TV as a monitor, follow these steps:
1. Press Chord+V to turn on Video mode. The device responds, "Video On."
2. Connect the 8 MM (small) end of the video cable to the earphone/video connector jack on the
Braille Plus.
3. Connect the three color-coded cables to the input jacks on the TV. (One is for video, and two are
for audio.)
4. Turn on the TV.
5. Select Aux-in as the input type on the TV. In most portable TVs, this is a separate button, but in
some more expensive TV sets, it could be contained within the TV's menu system. Consult the
TV's documentation for the exact procedure if it is not clear.
6. Turn up the volume on the TV so you may hear the output from the Braille Plus.
Key Concepts
Braille Plus manages many activities including background synchronization, networking, receiving texts
and calls, and more. The methods you use to access these features helps make your use of the device
more effective.
Editing
Android contains many places where it expects you to type some text. Braille Plus indicates these places
by announcing, "Edit." In most cases, you may use contracted braille, but there are some exceptions.
Certain kinds of text cannot accurately be represented in contracted braille. Think, for example of an
email address where a period appears in the middle of the word. Braille rules do not take these
conditions into consideration. It is necessary, therefore, to use computer braille in places where input
may be confusing. In those places where computer braille is required, Braille Plus announces "Computer
Braille" to let you know you must type in computer braille.
Notifications: Space+N
The Android system provides a mechanism for applications to post notifications that may be important
to the user. Such notifications may include missed calls, emails, text messages, calendar appointments,
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and update notifications. These events occur from both external sources such as an incoming call and
internally running applications such as the calendar or alarm.
When an event occurs that requires a notification, the app plays the notification ringtone, and the speech
announces the notification. Your work is not interrupted. Instead, the notification gets put into a list of
notifications where you may review them.
These notifications are presented as a list of items with the first item being Clear All. Selecting Clear All
removes all the notifications from the list.
On a normal Android phone with a touch screen, you slide your finger from the top edge of the screen
down to open the notification area. There are also ways to get to the notifications through the menus or
various apps.
On the Braille Plus, use the Space+N hot key to open notifications from anywhere, or use the menu
system.
To get to the list of notifications through the menus, follow these steps:
1. Press Home to get to the Home screen.
2. Press Menu to open the Home screen menu.
3. Select Notifications from the Home screen menu. Home screen responds by opening the
notification list.
To find and read all the notifications, press the Up Arrow or Down Arrow.
To select a notification, press Select. Pressing Select starts the app that posted the notification and lets
you perform some action on it. If, for example, an appointment is approaching, the Calendar app posts
the notification. It may say, "Piano lesson in 10 minutes." When you press Select, Calendar starts and
displays details about the appointment and buttons to take action on it. Use the Up Arrow and Down
Arrow to move to the different fields and controls on the appointment.
The buttons include Dismiss and Snooze. To be reminded again, press the Snooze button. To dismiss the
appointment and remove it from the notification list, press Dismiss.
If you miss a call, the Phone app posts a notification such as, "Missed call from Mr. Anderson." To
return the call, press Select.
If you miss more than one call, the Phone app posts a notification saying how many calls you missed. To
work with the notification, press Select. The Phone app starts and displays the Call Log.
Highlight the call of interest and press Select to return the call. Press and hold Select to get additional
options about what you may wish to do with the call. Options offered include add the number to
Contacts, return the call, and send the caller a text message.
To close the Notifications list, press the Back key.
Context Menus
Context menus exist to help quickly get to actions relevant to the particular task you are performing. If
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you are editing a document, for example, the context menu includes options to work with the text you
are editing. Context menus customize their options based on both what you are doing and what state the
activity is in. If, for example, you had selected some text before opening the context menu, it would also
include options related to working with selected text such as copying, cutting, or pasting.
To use the context menu, press and hold the Select button.
Not every activity or control includes a context menu. If the activity does not have a context menu,
nothing happens when you hold Select.
About Networks
Braille Plus is a tool designed for connectivity, and it offers several ways to get online. You may use
either Wi-Fi or the cellular network or both.
Your choice of which method to use depends on several factors.
In general, even if you use a cellular network, you will likely wish to use Wi-Fi for most Internet related
activities. Wi-Fi is faster, and it is generally much less expensive. The disadvantage of Wi-Fi is that it
only works close to a "hot spot." Hot spots are Internet access points provided by wireless routers, either
in your home or at a commercial or governmental facility such as a coffee shop or library.
Cellular networks, on the other hand, provide access wherever the network reaches.
For the simplest operation, keep the Wi-Fi radio turned on. The system automatically uses the preferred
Wi-Fi network if it is available.
Wi-Fi
To use Wi-
Fi networks, you must first connect to them. This procedure is needed only once per hot spot.
In other words, if you have networks set up at home and at school, you configure them each once, then
you may use them without further action. Likewise, each time you travel to a new area with Wi-Fi
access, you connect to that network once, then you may use it from then on.
Notifications
Normally, when you move into an area covered by an open Wi
-Fi network, Braille Plus notifies you by
posting a notification. Many people do not want to be bothered with such notifications, and these can be
turned off if you do not want them.
To connect to a network in the notification list, follow these steps:
1. Open the Home screen by pressing the Home key. The unit responds by showing the Home
screen.
2. Press Menu.
3. Select Notifications.
4. Press Down Arrow until you get to the notification that informs you about the open Wi-Fi
network. It provides the name of the network.
5.
Press Select. Braille Plus opens the Wi
-
Fi connection screen. This screen provides the name of the
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network, its security setting, and a Connect button.
6. Press Down Arrow until you get to the Connect button.
7. Press Select to press the Connect button. Braille Plus responds by connecting to the network.
Cellular Networks
Cellular networks are nationwide networks operated by cellular companies such as AT&T or T-Mobile.
To use them, you must subscribe to the service for a monthly fee.
It is not necessary to subscribe to a cellular network to effectively use Braille Plus, but you must be
subscribed to use the cellular network for phone calls, cellular data, and text messages.
Starting Service
There are a few ways to initiate service with a cellular carrier. Perhaps the most straightforward method
is to remove the SIM card from an existing AT&T or T-Mobile phone. Consult the directions for your
phone for instructions on the removal procedure. Note that the SIM card in the iPhone IV is smaller than
a normal card and will not fit.
To install the card, place it into the SIM card slot with the gold fingers up and the cutout corner on the
right side so it goes into the slot first. Press in until the spring mechanism in the slot grabs the card. If
you need to remove the card, press in on the card until it releases. The card ejects from the slot. Grasp
the card and remove it.
If you don't already have a cell phone plan, here are some considerations about what you may wish to
choose:
The hardware on this device is compatible with both Edge and 3G networks. 3G is faster, but the radio
frequencies on the device are compatible only with AT&T's 3G network. In many cases, Edge will be
fast enough for the times you wish to use the Internet away from a hot spot, but that depends on your
usage patterns. At the time of this writing, it appears that T-Mobile has better deals, especially for "pay
as you go" plans where you get a certain number of talk minutes, texts, and a specified amount of data
transfer. T-Mobile offers a pay as you go plan that provides 1500 minutes or text messages and 30 MB
of data. 30 MB is probably enough for a month's use, especially if you keep the cellular data radio
turned off until you need it.
What complicates the process is that the carriers like to bundle their plans with a new phone.
Unfortunately, they do not offer any phones with braille keyboards and displays. To get a plan from one
of the carriers, you need to get a SIM card from the carrier to put into what they call an "unlocked
phone"--that is, the phone is not specifically tied to a particular network.
The type of plan you select depends on how you wish to use the device. If you want to use it for phone
calls and text messages only, you may use one of the more inexpensive plans. If you also want to use
data, such as browsing the Internet or working with email while away from any Wi-Fi networks, you
want a plan that includes data.
Control Cell Data
You may turn on and off the use of cellular data.
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Go to Settings / Wireless and Network Settings / Mobile Networks
The first option on the Mobile Networks screen is a checkbox called Enable Data. If this item is
checked, Braille Plus uses the cellular data when Wi-
Fi is not available. If Enable Data is not checked, it
fails when you try to access the Internet without a Wi-Fi connection. This option provides an excellent
way to minimize data use, and lets you use a cellular plan that is less expensive than those that provide
what the carriers call "unlimited data." Keep in mind that even if you do not use cellular data, you may
still make and receive calls and texts.
Most carriers let you check the amount of data you have already used. On T-Mobile, for instance, you
may dial #web#, and your phone responds with a message outlining the amount of data used and
remaining on your plan.
Make and Receive Calls
If you have a SIM card installed, you may make and receive phone calls.
Incoming
When you get an incoming call, the Phone app plays your preferred ringtone and announces the name or
number of the incoming call.
To silence the ringer, press Volume Down.
To send the call straight to voice mail, press Volume Up. To answer the call, press the S1 key.
To end the call, press and hold S1.
If you miss the call, a notification appears in your Notifications list. To return the call, move to the
notification, and then press Select. If you miss more than one call, the notification changes to show how
many missed calls you have. Press Select on this notification to open the Call Log.
Phone Application
To open the Phone application, press the Dial key or select Phone from the Home screen. Braille Plus
responds by displaying the Phone application and putting focus into an edit field where you may type
the number to dial. To initiate the call by typing a number, type it here, and then press Dial to start the
call.
Note that the edit field requires computer braille. Recall that to type a number in computer braille, omit
the number sign at the beginning, and drop each letter to the lower half of the cell. The number one, for
example, is represented in computer braille by dot two rather than dot 1.
To type a star (*) or pound (#) use dots 1 6 for star and dots 3 4 5 6 for pound.
The edit field is part of one of four tabs or sections of the Phone application. In addition to Phone, the
tabs include Call Log, Contacts, and Favorites.
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To return a call, press Up Arrow to move to the Tabs at the top of the screen.
Phone responds, "Phone" to let you know you are on the Phone tab.
Press Right Arrow to get to the Call Log.
Use the Down Arrow key to move through the list of incoming and outgoing calls.
Note: It is not currently possible to distinguish between incoming and outgoing calls in the call log.
When you find the entry to call, press Select. Phone opens a menu with three choices: Call, Text, and
View Contact. Press Select on the appropriate action.
Call a Contact
To call a contact, move to the Contacts tab of the Phone app or select Contacts from the Home screen.
The Contacts app shows a list of all your contacts in alphabetical order.
Move close to a contact in the list or directly to a contact by typing the first letter or two of the contact's
name.
Use the arrow keys to move from item to item in the list of contacts.
To call the contact, press Select. The Contacts app responds with a menu of possible actions depending
on how many numbers are stored for the contact. If there is only one number, there are two choices. The
first choice is to add this contact as a favorite. Checking this box puts a copy of this contact in the
Favorites list.
The next choice is to dial this number. Press Select to call the contact.
If there is more than one number, the item might read, "Call Home" or "Call Mobile" depending on
which numbers the contact contains.
In addition to pressing Select on a contact's name, you may press and hold Select. This shows a menu of
other options including Call Contact, Text Contact, Edit Contact, Delete Contact, and View Contact.
Favorites
The fourth tab in the Phone app is the Favorites tab. It shows a list of contacts you have marked as
favorites. This list can be much more manageable than the complete contact list, especially if you have a
lot of contacts.
To add a contact to Favorites, follow these steps:
1. View the contact. From the Call log, hold the Select button and pick View Contact from the
context menu.
2. Click the Favorite checkbox at the top of the list.
3.
Press Back to close the View Contact screen.
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Ringer Volume and Vibrate
Press the Volume keys to raise or lower the ringer volume. As you lower the volume, a beep sounds to
provide an indication of the volume level. When you reach the second to the lowest volume setting, the
device vibrates. This vibration lets you know the ringer is silenced and that the device vibrates when you
receive an incoming call.
Ringtones
To change the ringtone, follow these steps:
1. Go to Settings / Sounds / Phone Ringtone. The Settings app responds by playing the current
ringtone and putting you on the current ringtone in the list of possible tones.
2. Use Up Arrow or Down Arrow to move through the choices. As you move, the system plays the
current selection to provide a sample of the sound.
3. When you find the desired ringtone, press Select.
4. Press Down Arrow until you get to the OK button.
5. Press Select to verify your choice.
Read and Write Documents with Word
Processor
Word Processor lets you type documents or read documents that others have created. It supports a
variety of file types, and it can translate from text to contracted braille.
Supported File Types
Word Processor supports the following types of files:
 txt Text
 brf Formatted Braille
 brl Unformatted Braille
 rtf Rich Text Format
 doc Microsoft Word
Start Word Processor
To open the Word Processor, select it from the Home screen in the normal way.
To exit the Word Processor, press the Back key. If you have not modified the current document, Word
Processor immediately exits back to the Home screen. If any document you have opened has changed,
Word Processor asks what you would like to do with the modified file before it either saves or discards
any changes.
Typing
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