Seldom have I come across a device that has left me so conflicted. As regular readers know, I have a tendency to gush, or condemn products pretty universally, often with little middle ground. Not so with today’s entry. The B2G is an enigma, wrapped in a mystery, wrapped in a quandary for. I don’t know what to think of it. Hardware, software, and documentation all leave me scratching my head a little. There are things I love about each aspect of the device, and yet, I cannot give my love to it wholeheartedly as I often want to fling my hands up in desperation, and give up on the whole mad experiment of even reviewing it.

Hardware: simplicity itself

The B2G is the long-awaited notetaker produced by National Braille Press with assistance from the legendary Dean Blazie, who created the well-beloved Braille ’n Speak and Braille Lite series of notetakers in the 1980s and 1990s. When I first held the B2G in its case, I was overwhelmed with nostalgia for the days of my Braille ’n Speak, and its relative simplicity and power.

The hardware has the marks of a device designed by Blazie. It is quite minimalist, and offers an ergonomic Braille keyboard, with a space bar placed very specifically to be hit with the thumbs. A four-directional keypad with a central confirmation button, as can be found on many flip phones, sits nestled above the space bar between the dot one and four keys. Below all of this sits the Braille display. It contains twenty cells, each with their own routing button, dot markers at every fifth cell, and a single large panning button on each end. The controls around the sides and back are sparse, one USB micro for charging, one USB host, volume buttons, an SD card slot, a “sleep” switch, combined headphone/microphone and video out using composite video. No more than the basics are located on the board, and honestly this is no bad thing. The simple design means there is less to break. Sadly, breakage may be a bit of a concern as the bottom plate feels quite loose on the unit itself. I have been told that this is somewhat intentional, and that the system is sound, but it is a disconcerting feeling when first pulling the device out of the box. Other than this, the hardware feels solid enough, and although it took me a while to grow accustomed to the keyboard, I found it very comfortable. The keys, including routing buttons on the display, all feel satisfying to press, and seem to activate easily, so the hardware design almost passes the first sniff test. Despite being told by the designers that the bottom is engineered to feel a bit loose, I still harbor some concerns for sturdiness on that front, but time will be the final arbiter of that discussion. We can’t know until the poor device has slipped off a lap a time or two, which is not the sort of test we willingly perform in the IBTC, so I would love to hear of others’ experiences if they should be so unfortunate.

Software: it’s Android all right!

The hardware of a device is all very well and good, but it’s the software that makes it tick. Software is what made the difference between the BrailleNote PK and the Pronto, but the PK was clearly better received in the United States because it catered better to US needs. I believe that the B2G’s fate will pivot on how well its software works. At present it features a pretty vanilla install of Android 4.1.2. The work that has been done on the operating system has focused on increasing the quality of the Braille translation, and ensuring that the Braille user can access applications and features throughout the device, despite the lack of a touch screen. The device also includes the NBP editor, and some other programs, but the interface and settings are pretty much pure Android. If the user likes and understands how Android handles dialog boxes, options, lists and other interface elements, they will have a distinct advantage over those who are unfamiliar with the operating system.

I have spent the last week and a half beating my head against the device, but still find that many times I come up short. The problem is that this is occurring for very mixed reasons, so it is very difficult to write this blog. I want to give you, our loyal readers, a fair and balanced view of the device, but I continue to have problems interacting with the system. Normally, I would chalk this up to my own user error, or to problems with an inconsistent interface, but this time, it’s been both. Each time I contact National Braille Press I learn that some of the problems with the interface are user error, but not all of them. For instance, while showing it to a friend, I discovered that he was able to type so quickly that he could badly confuse the translation engine. That being said, I cannot type fast enough for this to be an issue, and the developer acknowledged that a very few users have encountered it, but explained his plan to remedy the problem. Another example is that when we first received the unit, word wrap was not enabled, and although I searched the manual and device, I could not find the option to enable it. This was because it was not yet installed on the device, but while it was on its way to us, an update had been issued, which once installed by the user, allowed for word wrap.

I faced further difficulty with entering my email account, and password. I swear to all my readers, I did read the manual cover to cover, but I couldn’t keep half of what I needed in my head, as it was very much written from a developer’s point of view. I found it nearly impossible to get my e-mail address to take, but found this task to be fairly trivial once the command for switching into computer Braille was described to me. The fact that the system doesn’t specifically say that it is using computer Braille for password fields confused me further.

My experience so far has been that my expectations are getting me in trouble with the way the device is laid out. In many ways, it reminds me of the philosophy behind the PACMate. The device has the potential to offer a user a great deal more customization and power than the last generation of notetakers, however, the user is going to have to throw a lot of prior knowledge out of the window if they have used notetakers heavily in the past.

Conclusion

I like to have a well-defined opinion about products, but in the case of the B2G, I am thoroughly inconclusive. I worry that it is too finicky and complex for users who are used to notetakers as their primary computing device, but I am having a hard time finding compelling reasons for a user who is already used to using a smart phone and Braille display together to want it unless they really want everything integrated. The developers at NBP have put a lot of hard work and heart into it, and I’ve learned from them each time we converse, but on the flip side, I am not enjoying using it. It’s hard to get used to how I have to do things onboard. I keep seeing them making rapid improvements based on user suggestions and concerns, so I have hopes for continued improvement, but I can’t really recommend it for people who aren’t looking for a new technological challenge. Even the hardware leaves me a little confused. I like the simple aesthetic, and I love the nostalgic feel, but I worry that it is a bit underpowered for staying up to date for long, and I am deeply concerned by the loose panel on the bottom.

My final verdict is that users will have to decide for themselves. I recommend talking to people who have the device, read the manual, or come to the IBTC and check it out if you have the chance. You can also give us or NBP a call if you have specific needs that have not yet been met in this post. Mostly, I would say, let’s watch the software, and see where it goes, and how it grows. Although it is fully available to the public, I feel that the B2G is in many ways a beta product, and those who choose to adopt now, should keep this in mind. In six months, I don’t expect the device to work at all the way it does today. Early adopter may be involved in shaping it, but they are going to have to endure the growing pains along with the developers. So, buyer be aware… the B2G is a bit of a gamble, and like all gambles, it may pay out big time, but it may also be a bust.