UK pre-orders for First Edition Canute 360 start!
Thanks to all the fantastic support of the Braille community, Bristol Braille Technology CIC (http://bristolbraille.co.uk/) and Techno-Vision Systems Ltd (http://techno-vision.co.uk/) are pleased to announce we’re now able to start taking UK pre-orders for Canute 360, the world’s first multi-line Braille e-reader.
Text, maths, music and tables. For the first time in a digital device, Canute 360 can display any six-dot Braille code across it’s nine line, 360 cell display. In fact, a Braille library can now be stored on a single USB stick or SD card in BRF or PEF format and read from Canute 360. What’s more its developed and manufactured in Great Britain.
As our development to date has been made possible only through the support of the wider community, we’re offering our closest supporters the chance to pre-order Canute 360 at a special discounted price for early adopters — just £1,695 ex-VAT, a saving of £200 on the UK RRP. This will be available for the first 40 Canutes until the 9th of August 2019.
By becoming an early adopter you will be recognised as a supporter on Bristol Braille’s website and receive a personal letter of thanks (in Braille, of course) from the development team. Your Canute 360 will also be specially engraved as “First Edition”. Once all pre-orders have been placed production will begin, with delivery scheduled by the 31st October 2019. To qualify for this payment must be received by the 9th of August 2019.
To order your Canute 360, use the online form (http://bristolbraille.co.uk/pre-order.htm). We accept credit and debit cards, cheques, and bank transfers. The orders will be processed and dispatched by Techno-Vision, Bristol Braille’s UK distributor, who will also provide post-sales support.
We’ll be demonstrating Canute 360 at Sight Village Central in Solihull on the 9th and 10th of July. Come and say hello! We’ll be taking payment details, and will be happy to answer any questions.
Over the coming months we will be announcing similar opportunities for all our supporters outside of the UK, so watch this space or get in contact with Bristol Braille directly.
Canute 360 is a Zero-VAT-rated product for those who qualify. In the unlikely event we’re unable to ship your Canute 360 by the 31st October 2019, we’ll offer you the choice of a new delivery date or a full refund.
You can contact Bristol Braille on enquiries@bristolbraille.co.uk or by phoning 0117 325 3022. You can contact Techno-Vision on info@techno-vision.co.uk or by phone on 0160 479 2777.
“Access to communication in the widest sense is access to knowledge … Braille is knowledge and knowledge is power.” — Louis Braille
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Unified English Braille (UEB)
Many of you will have heard of the UK’s decision to adopt UEB, and of course the urban grist mill is in full flood with all manner of rumours about increased bulk of braille, difficulty in learning, dropping of some contractions, etc., etc..
Moreover, America has also made the decision to adopt UEB for literary braille, meaning that all major countries whose first language is English, will be using the same braille code. This does NOT mean any change in the way we spell words. Americans will still have “color”, and others will have “colour”.
The decision was not made lightly, but was made for many good reasons, not least the change in the written language over the past 20 – 30 years. An obvious example is with e-mail and web addresses where a full stop appears unspaced, and so could be confused for a double d.
And if the cost of producing braille is to be kept down, we must make use of computers, which do not have any degree of intelligence to make anything other than logical decisions, based on a logical set of rules. (That sounds like Mr. Spock speaking!)
We hope to be adding more details in due course, but in the meantime, you will find more detailed information on the UKAAF web site at http://www.ukaaf.org/formats-and-guidance/braille/ueb.