Contents
2. BrailleNote Apex software (Keysoft 9.0)
4. Optional applications (Extensions)
5. Using the BrailleNote Apex as a Braille display for PC screen readers
6. Exchanges and Trade-in from other BrailleNote platforms
10. Document conversion and reading different file types.
Q: What are the differences between
a BrailleNote mPower and a BrailleNote Apex?
A: Apex is
the continuation of the BrailleNote family’s tradition of excellence. Thinner
(0,78 in.) and lighter (1,8 lb) than any other notetaker
in the industry, it features a crisp 32 cells Braille display and updated
connectivity, including built-in Wi-Fi, Ethernet and Bluetooth. Compared to the
mPower, Apex has 8 GB of permanent memory and runs on
the new Windows CE 6 operating system. The BrailleNote Apex also has a
replaceable battery and a VGA port to easily connect a visual display.
Q: Is there a BrailleNote Apex
QWERTY model?
A: Yes, the
BrailleNote Apex is also offered with a full QWERTY keyboard.
Q: What
is the use of the scroll wheel?
A: The scroll wheel allows for
effortless navigation in menus, documents and e-mail lists. It allows you to
intuitively perform a set of actions without using Braille commands. The Scroll
wheel can perform different actions depending on the current application. The
Scroll Wheel is a feature only found on the BrailleNote BT.
Q: Can I
turn OFF the Scroll Wheel?
A: To activate or deactivate the
Scroll wheel, Press SPACE with O, then W.
This is an On/Off toggle command; in
other words it will alternate between on and off each time you press SPACE with O,
then W.
Q: Does
the BrailleNote Apex supports SDHC cards?
A: Yes. The BrailleNote supports
standard SD cards up to 2 GB and 4 to 32 GB SDHC cards of all classes.
Q: Can I
connect multiple Bluetooth devices?
A: Yes, the new Bluetooth manager
can connect two Bluetooth devices at the same time.
Q: Can I
interchange the power adaptor of the Apex with one of the Stream or of the mPower?
A: No. Please only use the
appropriate power adapter for each device.
Q:
What’s the use of the LEDs?
A: Near the middle of the rear edge
are three LED indicators. They are blue, green and amber in color. These are
for Bluetooth and Wi‑Fi functionality and the last one serves as a
power/charging indicator.
When the unit is powered on, the
amber LED will light up. If the AC cord is plugged in and the battery is recharging,
this LED will blink. It will turn off when the unit is powered down.
Q: What
about the LEDs on the Ethernet port?
A: The Ethernet port is equipped
with two LEDs. The left LED indicates connection speed. If the LED is on (it is
green), you are connected on a 100 Mbs network. If it
is not on, you are connected to a 10 Mbs network. The
LED on the right of the Ethernet port is the link integrity and activity LED.
It is amber in color. This LED will be on if a valid connection is made and it
will blink when data is sent or received.
Q: What
are the different types of Resets available on Apex?
A: Resets
in Apex are different from the mPower. There are
three types of Resets: Software, Hardware, and Clear settings. The Reset button
is located at back corner of the left edge.
Software
resets are performed during installation of upgrades and when the unit is not
behaving normally. To perform a soft reset, simply press the reset button.
Performing
a Hardware reset is similar to removing the battery. Data currently not saved
will be lost. The Apex will require more time to restart than it would for a
Software Reset. To perform a hard reset, keep the reset button pressed for more
than 5 seconds.
The Clear
Settings Reset is the equivalent of a Software Reset where all user settings
are deleted. This erases all configurations, but does not affect your data.
To obtain
additional information on Resets, please consult Appendix C of the User guide.
Q: How
do I synchronize the internal clock?
A: The
internal clock will automatically be adjusted to the correct time for your time
zone when you connect to the internet or to a PC,
without any operations required.
Q: How
do I upgrade the software?
A: Simply
copy the new software file .hwi to any SD card or
thumb drive, insert it in the unit and turn the unit on. You will be asked to
press the Reset button. When the BrailleNote starts up, press Y to start
installation. Upon pressing Y, it will perform installation and reboot. When
you are returned to the main menu, the installation will have been completed.
Alternatively, you can also download the upgrade file into the Flash memory and
follow-up the process as mentioned above.
Q: Is
there a BrailleNote GPS trial option in KeySoft 9.0?
A:
Yes, the BrailleNote Apex also offers you the opportunity to tryout the
acclaimed Sendero GPS. After 90 days, you can
purchase the full license at a discounted price.
Q: What
is the version of Internet Explorer running on Apex?
A: Apex
runs with the latest available version of Internet Explorer 6, the latest
version available for mobile platforms.
Q: How
can I use an external VGA screen?
A: It is
possible to connect a stand‑alone monitor directly into the BrailleNote's
VGA port, bypassing the need for a computer.
To use the
VGA display option, connect a VGA monitor into the VGA port located at the back
of the BrailleNote Apex. To activate the display, follow these steps:
Select the
Options Menu on your BrailleNote,
From the
Options Menu, select "Visual Display" by stepping through
the menu until you get to Visual Display and pressing Enter, or by
pressing V.
Press V
for VGA. Alternatively, press space with dots 3-4 to view the available options
and press Enter when the VGA option is announced.
Q: Are there
optional applications for the BrailleNote Apex?
A: Optional
applications such as the Oxford Concise Dictionary and Thesaurus, the Nemeth
tutorial or the BrailleNote GPS are available for the BrailleNote Apex. To
purchase optional software please contact one of our sales representatives.
Q: How
do I install an optional application?
A: Optional
applications such as the dictionary, the Nemeth tutorial or the GPS are already
installed into the device. To activate the Dictionary after a purchase, you
will be provided with an Authorization key. Simply copy the provided
Authorization key into an SD card and insert it into the BrailleNote Apex. The
device will then recognize the extension and activate it.
If you
purchase the optional application at the moment of purchase of your BrailleNote
Apex, the application will be already activated.
Q: Can I
use the Apex as a Braille terminal for my PC?
A: Yes, you can use your BrailleNote’s keyboard to input Braille or
navigate with your computer screen reader using the Braille Terminal Mode. Apex
offers updated connectivity options. Connections through USB client is now
possible and Bluetooth communication can be initiated from the PC
Q: How
can I connect the BrailleNote Apex as a Braille Terminal?
A:
BrailleNote can act like a remote Braille line or terminal. You can then run a
screen reader, for example Window‑Eyes, JAWS,
or HAL on a desktop PC, using the BrailleNote as its Braille display. To access
the Braille Terminal, either go to the Main Menu and press T, or from anywhere,
press BACKSPACE with ENTER with T. KeySoft prompts "Braille Terminal Port?
Currently Bluetooth". To select USB client, press
U. To select Bluetooth, press B. To select USB serial, press
S. Once the type of connection has been selected, press
ENTER and KeySoft displays: "Braille Terminal." Note that
the USB serial option will only be made available if the USB serial adapter
cable is plugged into the BrailleNote. Please refer to the “Braille Terminal for Screen Reader” section
of the User Guide for more information.
Q: Apex
offers various ways to connect as a Braille Terminal for PC, what is the
simplest way to connect?
A: The
simplest way is to connect your Apex to the PC using the client USB cable that
is included with the BrailleNote Apex. Installing a USB client driver on
your PC is required.
Q: How
do I install the USB client driver on my PC?
A: Detailed instructions for installation are provided
in our Support web site at: http://www.humanware.com/en-usa/support/braillenote_apex/software/braille_terminal_tools
. Note: please make sure to select the appropriate driver according to your 32
bit or 64 bit PC processor.
Q: How
can I connect via Bluetooth?
A: To use Apex
in Braille terminal mode via Bluetooth, initiate the connection from the PC,
not from the BrailleNote. Use pin 0000.
Q: Can I
use BrailleNote Apex as a Braille Terminal with Jaws?
A: Yes
Q: Can I
use BrailleNote Apex as a Braille Terminal with Window-Eyes?
A: Yes
Q: Can I use BrailleNote
Apex as a Braille display with iOS devices such as my iPhone or iPad?
A: Yes, for
detailed instructions please see the Apex and iOS devices tutorial found at:
http://support.humanware.com/en-usa/support/braillenote_apex/using_braillenote_apex_with_ios_devices
Q: I bought an mPower,
or
competitive notetaker device, can I
exchange it for an Apex?
A: Humanware
offers Exchange and Trade-in plans from the mPower or
other competitive notetaker products to the
BrailleNote Apex. The policy regarding pricing, type of platform, timeframe and
other general conditions varies by country. Please contact your regional Humanware office in the USA, Canada, UK, New Zealand and
Australia for more information and orders.
USA: 1 800 722-3393 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1 800 722-3393 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
UK/Europe: +44 1933 415 800 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +44 1933 415 800 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Canada: 1 888 723-7273 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1 888 723-7273 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Australia/Asia: +61 2 9686 2600 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +61 2 9686 2600 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
New Zealand: +64 3 384 4555 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +64 3 384 4555 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Q: I
have an Oxford Dictionary in my mPower, can I
transfer it if I buy an Apex?
A: If you
purchased an Oxford Dictionary for your mPower and
are now purchasing an Apex, we will give you an Authorization key to access the
Dictionary on the new device.
Q: I
have a BrailleNote GPS in my traded mPower, can I
transfer it to my new Apex?
A: If you
used a BrailleNote GPS in your BrailleNote, you can get the GPS application on
the new device.
If you have
GPS version 6.0 and up in your traded BrailleNote, Humanware
will provide an Authorisation Key to activate the
Navigation feature. You can use the Bluetooth GPS receivers and electronic maps
already running with the mPower. Note that Apex do
not have CF Card slot, therefore, you will need to save your maps to an SD
card.
If you have
an older GPS version (less than 6.0), prior to using the GPS in Apex, you must
purchase and upgrade prior to get the Authorisation
Key to activate the Navigation feature in Apex. Maps compatible with version
6.0 and up are also required.
Q: If I
buy an Apex in exchange of my mPower, what happens to
my SMA counts?
A: Any SMA
counts that are still active in the mPower will be
transferred to the Apex.
Q: Can I
buy a Software Maintenance Agreement (SMA) for my BrailleNote Apex?
A: No, as of January of 2013, all future
software updates for the BrailleNote Apex family of products are included with
the purchase of the product.
Q: Can I transfer my data from my
traded BrailleNote to Apex?
A:
Before sending your BrailleNote mPower unit back to Humanware, please ensure you keep a copy of the personal
data that you will like to transfer into your BrailleNote Apex unit. We
recommend following the migration procedure described in our Web support site
at: http://www.humanware.com/en-usa/support/braillenote_apex/manuals
. The proposed procedure is an effective method to transfer the contents of
your flash disk, including your emails, documents, address
list, planner and connections settings.
Q: What printers are compatible with
my BrailleNote Apex?
A:
Not all printer manufacturers design windows mobile printer drivers, and Because the BrailleNote Apex is a mobile device it may not
be compatible with all printer models.
The
following list is made up of printers that have been tested by BrailleNote Apex
users along with Humanware staff.
Please
Note: Not all devices have been verified by Humanware.
Printer technology and model availability change rapidly. Please help us keep
current by sending feedback to support@humanware.com
Deskjet:
* All Monochrome Laserjet Printers and MFPs (except
LJ 1000, 1005, 1018, 1020, P10XX, M1005)
* All Color LaserJet Printers and MFPs (except LJ 1600, 2600)
* Apollo 2200, 2500, 26XX, P2XXX
* Apollo P2100 & P2150
* Apollo P2200 & P2250
* Business InkJet 1000, 1100 Series, 1200 Series,
22XX Series, 2300 Series, 2600 Series, 2800 Series, 3000 Series
* Color Inkjet cp1700 Series
* Deskjet 350C
* Deskjet 400, 400L
* Deskjet 450, 460 Series
* Deskjet 500 Series, 520, 540
* Deskjet 6XX series
* Deskjet 810C, 812C, 815C, 816C, 830, 832, 840, 841,
842, 843
* Deskjet 825, 845
* Deskjet 850, 855, 870, 880, 882, 890, 895
* Deskjet 9XX Series
* Deskjet 11XX Series, 12XX Series
* Deskjet 3200
* Deskjet 3320, 3420, & 3325
* Deskjet 3600 & 3500
* Deskjet 3740
* Deskjet 3810, 3816, 3818, 3819, 3820 Series, 3822,
3840, 3870
* Deskjet 51XX, 54XX, 55XX, 56XX, 57XX, 58XX, 59XX
* Deskjet 61XX, 65XX, 66XX, 68XX, 69XX
* Deskjet 9300
* Deskjet 96XX
* Deskjet 98XX
* Deskjet D25XX
* Deskjet F42XX
* E-Printer e20
* HP 2000 Series, 2500 Series
* Laserjet 1012
* Laserjet 1150
* Laserjet 1200
* Laserjet 1320
* LaserJet 2015
* Laserjet 2600
* ENVY7640
* OfficeJet Pro 6830
* OfficeJet Pro 8610
* Officejet 3XX, 5XX, 6XX, 7XX
* Officejet 11XX
* Officejet 51XX, 61XX, 62XX, 63XX, 4100, 4105, 4200,
5500, 9100
* Officejet 71XX, 72XX, 73XX, 74XX
* Officejet 9x11
* Officejet AIO V40
* Officejet d Series
* Officejet G Series
* Officejet J Series
* Officejet K Series
* Officejet Lx
* Officejet R Series
* Officejet t Series
* Officejet v Series
* Officejet Pro K Series
* Officejet Pro L Series
* Officejet H470
* Officejet J35XX, J36XX, J55XX, J57XX, J64XX,
* Officejet K71XX
* OfficeJet 6310 All in One - model Q8061A #ABA
* PSC 500, 7XX, 9XX
* PSC 15XX, 16XX
* PSC 21XX, 22XX, 23XX, 24XX, 25XX
* PhotoSmart 1XX, 2XX, 3XX, 4XX
* PhotoSmart 11XX, 12XX, 13XX
* PhotoSmart 25XX, 26XX, 27XX
* PhotoSmart 31XX, 32XX, 33XX
* PhotoSmart 71XX, 72XX, 73XX, 74XX, 75XX, 76XX,
77XX, 78XX, 79XX
* PhotoSmart 80XX, 81XX, 82XX, 84XX, 87XX
* PhotoSmart A3XX, A4XX, A5XX, A6XX, A7XX, A8XX
* PhotoSmart C31XX, C41XX, C42XX, C43XX, C44XX,
C51XX, C52XX, C61XX, C62XX, C71XX, C72XX, C81XX
* PhotoSmart D50XX, D51XX, D53XX, D54XX, D61XX,
D71XX, D72XX, D73XX, D74XX
*Photo Smart d7650
* PhotoSmart Pro B83XX
* PhotoSmart P1000, P1100
Officejet:
* Officejet 3XX, 5XX, 6XX, 7XX
* Officejet 11XX
* Officejet 4100, 4105, 4200, 4470
* Officejet 51XX, 5500,
* Officejet 6000, 61XX, 62XX, 63XX,
* Officejet 71XX, 72XX, 73XX, 74XX
* Officejet 9100
* Officejet 9x11
* OfficeJet AIO V40
* Officejet d Series
* Officejet G Series
* Officejet J Series
* Officejet K Series
* Officejet Lx
* Officejet R Series
* Officejet t Series
* Officejet v Series
* Officejet Pro K Series
* Officejet Pro L Series
* Officejet Pro X551DW
* Officejet H470
* Officejet J35XX, J36XX, J55XX, J57XX, J64XX,
All-In-One:
* PSC 500, 7XX, 9XX
* PSC 15XX, 16XX
* PSC 21XX, 22XX, 23XX, 24XX, 25XX
PhotoSmart:
* PhotoSmart 1XX, 2XX, 3XX, 4XX
* PhotoSmart 11XX, 12XX, 13XX
* PhotoSmart 25XX, 26XX, 27XX
* PhotoSmart 31XX, 32XX, 33XX
* PhotoSmart 5520
* PhotoSmart 71XX, 72XX, 73XX, 74XX, 75XX, 76XX,
77XX, 78XX, 79XX
* PhotoSmart 80XX, 81XX, 82XX, 84XX, 87XX
* PhotoSmart A3XX, A4XX, A5XX, A6XX, A7XX, A8XX
* PhotoSmart C31XX
* PhotoSmart C41XX, C42XX, C43XX, C44XX, C4680,
C4780, C4795
* PhotoSmart C51XX, C52XX,
* PhotoSmartC61XX, C62XX
* PhotoSmart C71XX, C72XX,
* PhotoSmart C81XX
* PhotoSmart D50XX, D51XX, D53XX, D54XX
* PhotoSmart D61XX
* PhotoSmart D71XX, D72XX, D73XX, D74XX, d7650
* PhotoSmart Pro B83XX
* PhotoSmart P1000, P1100
Laserjet:
* All Monochrome Laserjet Printers and MFPs (except
LJ 1000, 1005, 1018, 1020, P10XX, M1005)
* All Color LaserJet Printers and MFPs (except LJ 1600, 2600)
* LaserJet 1012
* LaserJet 1150
* LaserJet 1200
* LaserJet 1320
* LaserJet 2600N
Inkjet:
* Apollo P2100 & P2150
* Apollo P2200 & P2250
* Apollo2500, 26XX, P2XXX
* E-Printer e20
* Business InkJet 1000, 1100 Series, 1200 Series,
22XX Series, 2300 Series, 2600 Series, 2800 Series, 3000 Series
* Color Inkjet cp1700 Series
* HP 2000 Series, 2500 Series
Brother Printers:
Brother HL 5140 Laser Printer With Bluetake BT200
adapter
Cannon Printers:
Canon BubbleJet i80 IrDA1.1, BlueTooth
Canon BubbleJet BJC-85 Mobile printer. IrDA1.1, USB
Canon Pixma iP90 Bubble Jet Printer IrDA1.1
Epson Printers:
Epson STYLUS C84 With USBl
adaptor only
Epson STYLUS C86 With USB adaptor only
Epson lx310
Lexmark Printers:
* Lexmark E321 via USB
Samsung Printers:
* Laser ML-2250
Q: I have a standard wireless
internet connection in my home, how do I use it to connect my Apex to the
internet?
A: When
connecting to a specific wireless hotspot the first time, follow the below
steps to set up the connection profile.
At this point you will be connected to the web when
attempting to browse the internet from the main menu.
Click here to
view a video explaining this process
Q: I am trying to access a specific web page but
certain parts are not showing up correctly.
A: Certain web sites use scripts which are not
optimized for mobile browsers. The
BrailleNote Apex’s web browser has a setting to disable these scripts, causing
these pages to load correctly. In most
cases, when a page does not load correctly, simply toggle this setting to the
opposite mode from what it is currently set on.
For example, if your disable browser scripting option is currently set
to “No”, change it to “Yes”. To change
this setting and reload the page, do the following:
1. Press backspace with O (ctrl plus 2 on a QT
keyboard), to open the internet options menu.
2. Press R to access the “Review
browser scripting setting”.
3. Press Y or N to switch the setting
followed by enter.
4. Refresh the page with enter plus R
(Ctrl plus R on the QT)
The page
should now render correctly.
Q: I am trying to
make a purchase on www.amazon.com but the
site will not allow me to click the check out button. What can I do?
A: Amazon’s mobile site has an image for the
final check out button, which is not accessible by the Apex’s web browser;
however their full site works well.
After you log on to www.amazon.com,
disable the browser scripting using the above steps, and find and click the
link labeled “Amazon.com full site”. You are now on
the full Amazon page and all should work well.
Q: I am using the www.blindmicemegamall.com
page and am trying to download a described movie from their movie vault
but the download link is not appearing?
A: Ensure you have disabled browser
scripting. Once you arrive at the sendspace download page after choosing your movie, if the
“Click here to download the file from sendspace”,
link does not appear, simply refresh your page with enter plus R (Ctrl plus R
on QT). The link will now appear and all
works well.
Q: I am trying
to download a book from the US NLS Bard web page but am having inconsistent
results.
A: Ensure your browser scripting is disabled,
refresh the page and download your file again.
All should work well.
Q: I want to access my Gmail emails
on my Apex. How do I set this up?
A: To set
up your Gmail account on the Apex you must first be connected to the internet.
Please see the previous FAQ 8 for this procedure. Once you are connected to the
internet, do the following to create your Gmail profile.
Click here to
watch a video on how this is done.
Q: How do I transfer my BrailleNote
Braille file to a thumb drive as a Microsoft word document?
A: When you
type a document on your BrailleNote, it is in a specific format that can only
be read on the BrailleNote. To export a file as a Microsoft word document to a
thumb drive so it may be read on a computer, do the following:
Click here to
watch a video on how this is done.
Q: How do I read and edit a
Microsoft Word document I have received?
A: A
Microsoft .doc word file can be opened in the same fashion any other document
is opened. After you press enter on the word document you will be presented
with a question of whether you want to “Review the options?” Simply pressing N
for no opens the word document. In this state you may only edit the file in
computer Braille. To edit the document in grade 2 braille,
press Y at the “Review the options? Prompt. The only option in the list is to
translate the document into Braille? Press Y for yes followed by space with E
or escape to exit. Now the document is in editable grade 2 braille.
Note: When you exit the document, you will be asked if you want to save the
file as a KeyWord Braille document. If you want a
BrailleNote specific file for your future reference on the BrailleNote, press Y
for yes and choose a location to save the document. If you do not need a
BrailleNote specific document and simply want to keep the modified file as a
Microsoft Word document, ensure you press N for no to save the changes in Word
format. If you skip this step and simply press the exit command here, your
changes will be abandoned and lost.
Click here to
watch a video on how this is done.
Q: How do I open a Microsoft Word DOCX file?
A:
Q: What
file types does the BrailleNote Apex’s word processor support?
A: Currently Apex units running KeySoft 9.3
support:
·
KWB
and KWT (Native KeyWord Braille or text files)
·
DOC
or DOCX (Microsoft word)
·
RTF
·
BRF
·
PDF
·
TXT
·
XML
and HTML via the web browser
Q: Can I write in Nemeth code using my Apex?
A:
Q: Can I write math content in Nemeth in a UEB document?
A:
Q: I am trying to play an internet radio station and receive a message: “URL not found”, or “Invalid URL”. Alternatively I will press enter on a station, it will say “Loading media”, and then I just hear an error beep. Why is this happening?
A:
Q: I press enter with X or control plus backslash to pause the radio station, but when I press it again, the station will not resume. What is going on?
A: