WizCom Technologies ReadingPen TS User manual

ReadingPen®TS
User Manual

Table of Contents
1
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................... 3
Contact and Support Information ....................................3
Getting Started.................................................................... 4
The Pen Parts..................................................................4
Unpacking the Pen..........................................................5
Installing the PenExplorer ...............................................5
Scanning Guidelines .......................................................6
Scanning Settings............................................................6
Pen Maintenance.............................................................7
The Pen Power Supply....................................................8
Tutorials............................................................................... 9
Tutorial 1: Learning to Scan (with the Trainer)..............13
Tutorial 2: Editing and Entering Text.............................14
Tutorial 3: Learning a Word...........................................16
Tutorial 4: Learning a Line of Text ................................22
Tutorial 5: Using Files....................................................24
The Pen User Interface....................................................... 9
The Pen Keys..................................................................9
Icons and Indicators ......................................................10
The Pen Main Menu .......................................................... 28
Connect to PC...............................................................28
Preferences...................................................................28
Information.....................................................................29
The ReadingPen Application........................................... 30
The Toolbar...................................................................30
Accessing the Toolbar..............................................30
Toolbar Options........................................................30
ReadingPen Screen Functions......................................34
Dictionary Entries ..........................................................42
Locking Dictionary and File Access ..............................47
Games................................................................................ 49
Wordman.......................................................................49
Scrambled Word............................................................50
Toolbar Options.............................................................50

Table of Contents
2
The PenExplorer ...............................................................52
Opening the PenExplorer ..............................................52
PenExplorer Properties Window....................................53
Taskbar Icon and Menu.................................................54
The Notes Folder...........................................................54
PenExplorer Functions ..................................................54
History Retrieval .......................................................54
File Management......................................................55
Compacting Flash Memory.......................................57
Troubleshooting.............................................................58
Product Specification.......................................................60
Copyrights and Trademarks ............................................61
Worldwide Limited Warranty ...........................................61

Introduction
3
Introduction
Congratulations on your choice of a state-of-the-art
scanning Pen from WizCom Technologies. WizCom makes
personal, portable scanning Pens that assist with reading,
understanding and utilizing text.
Inside the tip of the Pen is a sophisticated electronic eye.
This eye enables you to scan different types of printed
information directly into your Pen. Use the Pen to scan full
lines of text, receive word-by-word translations and
definitions, and hear scanned words pronounced aloud.
The Pen comes with a touch screen and stylus, allowing
easy manipulation of the Pen user interface and quick
editing of scanned texts with the Virtual Keyboard.
Use this guide to find out about setting up and using your
WizCom product.
Contact and Support Information
Contact us at 888 777 0552 (toll free in USA and Canada)
or [phone], or email
[email protected].
Visit our website http://www.wizcomtech.com to view the
FAQ section and to register your product.

Getting Started
4
Getting Started
The Pen Parts
On the Front Panel you can see:
1. Pen tip with optical scanning head (beneath the
protective cover)
2. 5-way button (Enter and direction keys)
3. Power/Escape key (red)
4. Touch screen display
Pen Front Panel
On the Top Panel you can see:
1. USB cable outlet
2. Stylus and stylus slot
3. Insertion point for earphones
Pen Top Panel
Important: Before using the earphones, adjust the volume
using the Voice Settings option in the Preferences menu.
The Preferences menu can be accessed from the Pen
Main Menu or from within the Settings menu in each
application.

Getting Started
5
On the Back Panel you can see the battery compartment.
Pen Back Panel
Unpacking the Pen
To get started:
1. Remove the Pen from the protective case.
2. Lift the battery cover on the back of the Pen by pushing
the tab down and out.
3. Insert the batteries into the Pen with the positive and
negative terminals corresponding to the markings on the
sides of the battery compartment.
4. Close the battery compartment.
5. Remove the protective cover from the Pen tip.
6. Turn the Pen on by pressing the red power key.
The Pen is ready to scan!
Note: Make sure that your Pen always contains batteries,
even when connected to the PC.
Installing the PenExplorer
Use the PenExplorer to download files to your Pen and to
extract the list of recently viewed words from the Pen.
Important: Do not connect the USB cable to the PC before
installing the PenExplorer.
To install the PenExplorer do the following:
1. Open a web browser and type in the following address:
http://www.wizcomtech.com/readingpents/
Download and run the file.
2. Click on the PenExplorer Installation and follow the
instructions for installing the PenExplorer and the USB
driver.

Getting Started
6
Scanning Guidelines
Scanning Mode
The Pen is in scanning mode when the red light at the tip of
the Pen is blinking. If you scan text and the results are not
accurate, simply scan again and the text on screen will be
over-written with the new text.
Scanning mode is disabled when accessing a toolbar menu
or when you are not in the ReadingPen application.
Scanning Restrictions
The Pen scans and recognizes printed text in a wide range
of languages, font types and point sizes (6-22 points, up to
8mm) and in a variety of colors on contrasting backgrounds
(except red on white, white on red, blue on black and black
on blue).
It does not recognize handwriting, cursive fonts,
mathematical symbols or other profession-specific signs.
Troubleshooting Poor Character Recognition
Poor character recognition may occur for several reasons:
Low quality scanning material.
Scanning settings not set correctly (e.g. Inverse).
Holding the Pen at the wrong scanning angle.
Scanning too fast.
Tips for Good Scanning
To ensure optimum scanning results:
Hold the Pen at the correct scanning angle.
Place the scanning material on a flat surface.
Use good quality scanning material. Note that poorly
photocopied materials may provide bad results.
Do not scan too fast.
Scanning Settings
Scanning settings can be modified via the Settings ( )
menu in the Pen applications.
Inverse
The Pen’s default scanning setting allows you to scan dark
text on a light background. To enable scanning of light text

Getting Started
7
on a dark background, select the Inverse option in the
Settings menu.
Changing the Font Size
There are two font sizes to choose from – Regular and
Enlarged. Changing the font size will mainly affect how text
is seen in the File Screen and the Dictionary Screen.
Change the font size by selecting or de-selecting the
Enlarged Font option in the Settings menu of the
application.
Note: The default application setting is Enlarged Font. The
Preferences and Information menus are always in
enlarged font.
Regular Font
Enlarged Font
Pen Maintenance
To keep your product in good condition, follow these
guidelines:
Store in protective case when not in use.
Keep away from excessive moisture and temperature
extremes.
Clean using a soft, damp cloth.
Do not use soap or other cleaning aids on the touch
screen.
Avoid exposing to direct sunlight for long periods.
Avoid scratching or damaging the touch screen.

Getting Started
8
CAUTION: To reduce the risk of electrical shock or damage
to the internal components, do not spray liquid directly on
the screen or allow excess liquid to drip inside your Pen.
The Pen Power Supply
The Pen comes with 2 AAA Alkaline batteries.
Safety Points (Batteries)
Always place 2 fresh batteries in the Pen. It is not
advisable to use the Pen with batteries that are not at
the same voltage level.
Do not combine different types of batteries (e.g.
rechargeable and non-rechargeable).
Dispose of used batteries according to the
manufacturer's instructions.
CAUTION: Risk of explosion if battery is replaced by an
incorrect type. Use AAA Alkaline batteries only.
Preserving Battery Usage
To optimize battery usage, go to Set Auto Shut-Off Time
in Preferences in the Pen Main Menu and modify the
settings according to your needs.
External Power Supply (using the USB
cable)
Connecting the Pen to the PC using the USB cable
automatically activates the power supply from the PC. This
has the following implications:
The Pen uses the external power supply when
connected to the PC, so batteries last longer.
Set Auto Shut-Off Time in Preferences is disabled
when the Pen is connected to the PC.
CAUTION: Unsaved information may be lost if the USB
cable is disconnected while using without batteries. It is very
important that the Pen always contains batteries, even when
connected to the PC.

The Pen User Interface
9
The Pen User Interface
The Pen Keys
1. Power/Escape Key (red key)
Power:
Start up – Short press to turn the Pen on
Shut down - Long press to turn the Pen off
Note: To turn the Pen off, hold down the Power key
until the progress bar reaches the end.
Escape (ESC):
Activate/deactivate toolbar
Close submenus and pop-ups
Stop reading/spelling aloud
Dictionary Screen: Disable highlight mode
2. 5-way button
Enter key (ENT):
Select highlighted option by pressing the key
Word Screen: Hear word read aloud
Dictionary Screens: Activate highlight mode
Direction keys:
Activate the direction keys (the joystick) by pushing
the 5-way button in the desired direction
1. Right key – Scroll right
Dictionary Screen: Toggle dictionary views
(complete/abridged forms); Switch between
thesaurus and dictionary entries
Word Screen: Spell word aloud

The Pen User Interface
10
2. Left key – Scroll left
Dictionary Screen: Toggle dictionary views
(complete/abridged forms); Switch between
dictionary and thesaurus entries
Word Screen: Toggle syllable and regular
view
3. Up key – Scroll up
Word Screen: Access dictionary translation
(bilingual)
4. Down key – Scroll down
Word Screen: Access dictionary definition
(monolingual)
Icons and Indicators
The following table contains a list of icons and graphic
indicators.
Icons can be selected by tapping on them with the stylus, or
can be accessed with the 5-way button. Indicators cannot
be selected. They represent the current state of the Pen.
The stylus can be found in the stylus slot on the top panel of
the Pen. See The Pen Parts on p4.
Graphic Function
Common Toolbar Icons
Settings: Display the Settings menu options.
Help: Display the Help menu options.
Pen Main Menu: Exit application or menu.
The ReadingPen Toolba
r
Lock: Indicates that dictionary access is locked.
Back: Return to previous screen. From cross-
reference: return to original dictionary entry.
Read Aloud: Hear text on screen read aloud.
File Operations: Open or delete files.
Dictionary↔Thesaurus: Switch between
dictionary definition and thesaurus entry.

The Pen User Interface
11
Graphic Function
No Thesaurus Entry: Indicates that there is no
thesaurus entry available for the current word.
A
lternative Entries: See a list of additional
entries for the current word.
No Alternative Entries: Indicates that there are
no alternative entries for the current word.
History: Open a list of recently viewed words.
Edit: Use the Virtual Keyboard to edit text.
ReadingPen Icons in the Word Screen
Left arrow: Divide word into syllables. Toggle
syllable and regular view.
Right arrow: Spell word aloud.
Up arrow: Access dictionary translation.
Down arrow: Access dictionary definition.
Inactive arrows: The function is unavailable
The Games Toolba
r
Move to Next Word: Clear the current screen
and move to the next mystery word.
Show Score:View the amount of correct
answers for the selected game.
Dictionary and Thesaurus Display
–
toggle between
complete and abridged entries by selecting icon with
stylus or using the left/right direction keys.
View dictionary/thesaurus entries in complete
form.
View dictionary/thesaurus entries in abridged
form.
Indicates that pressing the left key twice will take
you to the thesaurus entry (from the complete
dictionary entry).
Indicates that pressing the left key once will take
you to the thesaurus entry (from the abridged
dictionary entry).

The Pen User Interface
12
Graphic Function
Indicates that pressing the right key once will take
you to the dictionary entry (from the abridged
thesaurus entry).
Indicates that pressing the right key twice will take
you to the dictionary entry (from the complete
thesaurus entry).
Scanning Settings Indicators
Indicates the Pen is ready to scan.
Indicates the Pen is ready to scan inverse text
(white text on dark background).
Settings Menu
–
toggle options
Indicates that the menu option is ON.
Indicates that the menu option is OFF.
Scrollbars
Scroll using the stylus.
Inactive scrollbars indicate that there is no text to
scroll through.
Battery Indicators
High Medium Low Empty
External Power Indicators
Indicates that the Pen is powered by the PC but
the Pen contains batteries.
Indicates that the Pen is powered by the PC and
the Pen contains no batteries.

Tutorials
13
Tutorials
Tutorial 1: Learning to Scan (with
the Trainer)
This tutorial will help you learn to scan using the Trainer
supplied in the package.
1. Slide the Trainer onto the tip of the Pen (instead of the
cap) and press into place.
2. Press the red Power key to turn the Pen on. Select the
ReadingPen icon from the Pen Main Menu by tapping
on it with the stylus or by using the direction keys. If you
are using the Pen for the first time you will be asked to
select a dictionary. Select the dictionary appropriate for
your needs.
3. Position the Trainer at the end of the practice sentence
with the Pen facing the text.
4. Position the Pen so that the text is centered between the
feet of the Trainer.
5. Glide the Pen from right to left in a straight line over the
text. Start scanning 1cm from the end of the sentence
and finish 1cm after.
Use the following practice sentence:
This sentence will help me practice scanning.
Note: The Pen default is set to right-handed scanning. To
change the Pen display to left-handed scanning, use the
Set Right-/Left- Handed option from Preferences in the
Pen Main Menu.
Positioning of Text for Scanning with Trainer

Tutorials
14
Tutorial 2: Editing and Entering Text
Use the Virtual Keyboard to enter or edit text with the
stylus. To access the Virtual Keyboard select from the
application toolbar.
The Virtual Keyboard
The Editing Area
This is the insertion point for new text, as indicated by the
blinking cursor. Use the stylus to enter or edit text with the
character keys, or scan text directly into the editing area.
Scanned text is underlined. Tapping any key other than
or will accept the inserted text.
Text can be erased by:
1. Using to delete individual characters.
2. Highlighting the text with the stylus and selecting ,
or typing/scanning over the highlighted text.
The Auto Complete Feature
The auto complete list provides potential endings to inserted
characters. Tap on the top right box to open the pull down
list in order to select the desired word. The selected word
will appear in the edit area.
The Auto Complete List

Tutorials
15
Note: The auto complete list only contains words from the
selected dictionary.
The Keyboard
The keyboard layout corresponds to the selected scanning
language settings.
The Keys:
Key Function
Backspace:
Tap to delete characters to the left of the
cursor.
or
ESC
Close and Cancel:
Tap to reject all changes and return to the
application screen.
or
Enter
Close and Save:
Tap to accept all changes and return to the
application screen.
Shift:
Tap to switch to uppercase characters. The
keyboard will automatically return to the
regular layout after selecting one character.
Use to enter more than one uppercase
character.
Caps Lock:
Tap to view the uppercase character
keyboard. Tap again to return to regular
layout.
International:
Tap to switch to the international keyboard.
The keyboard will automatically return to the
regular layout after selecting one character.
Numeric:
Tap to view the numeric keyboard. Tap again
to return to the regular layout.

Tutorials
16
Tutorial 3: Learning a Word
Use this tutorial to learn how to access the ReadingPen
features after scanning or entering a single word.
Screenshots are taken from the AHD College dictionary.
1. Access the Input Screen
a. Press the red ESC key to turn the Pen on.
b. From the Pen Main Menu, enter the ReadingPen
application:
•By pressing ENT when the icon is highlighted.
•By tapping on the icon with the stylus.
The Input Screen will appear:
2. Scan or enter the word you wish to learn
You can either scan a word or enter it using the Virtual
Keyboard.
a. Scanning:
Scan the following word:
reading
b. Entering the word using the Virtual Keyboard:
i. Select from the toolbar to open the Virtual
Keyboard.
ii. Use the stylus to enter the word “reading”.
iii. Press ENT or tap on the key.

Tutorials
17
The Word Screen will appear and the word will be read
aloud.
Note: If you have not changed the default Pen settings
you will hear the word read aloud. Press ENT or tap on
the icon to hear it read aloud again.
3. Hear the word spelled out
Use the right direction key or tap on the icon to hear
the word spelled out. Each letter will be highlighted as it
is spoken.
4. View the syllabic division of the word
Use the left direction key or tap on the icon to see the
syllabic division of the word.
Syllable breaks in the Word Screen
Use the same keys to toggle between the syllabic and
regular word views.

Tutorials
18
5. Translate the word
a. Use the up direction key or tap on the icon to view
the translation of the word in the Dictionary
Screen.
The Spanish translation of the word “reading”
b. Use the up/down direction keys to scroll through the
translation.
c. Use the up direction key or tap on the icon to
return to the Word Screen.
6. View the English definition of the word
a. Use the down direction key or tap on the icon to
view the English dictionary definition of the word in
the Dictionary Screen.
b. Use the up/down direction keys to scroll through the
dictionary definitions.
c. Use the right/left direction keys to switch between
complete and abridged dictionary entries.
•When the icon is seen on the screen: Use the
right direction key or tap on the icon to view the
complete dictionary entry.
•When the icon is seen on the screen: Use the
left direction key or tap on the icon to view the
abridged dictionary entry.