Based on a Canon LIDE scanner, this accepts source material up to A4 size, upside down, at right angles ("two pages to view"), skewed by up to 10 degrees, multiple columns including newsprint.
Multiple pages can be scanned at one time. Scanned results may be saved on the system by name, and retrieved and extended at a later time.
Time to scan, recognize and present a document on the screen is: 60 seconds (first page), 25 seconds (each subsequent page).
Results may be read using speech and large text (optional computer screen required for large text), with controllable speed, size and colour.
USB memory stick output, and large headphone jack for private listening.
"Serenade" features four levels of expertise:
| Beginner | At this simplest level, "Serenade" may be operated using just a few controls (on/off, GO, STOP, speed, volume). This allows a page to be scanned and read, and automatically memorised for later recall. Moving on a little, learning just one more button (down-arrow) allows for multiple page scan and browsing of the recall list. Learning the central keypad allows the user to navigate by letter, word and sentence. |
| Primary | The next level adds a few more options, such as a quick jump back to the start of the document, and deletion of scans from the recall list. |
| Intermediate | At Intermediate level, scanned files may be saved by using a left-hand keypad to name them. This keypad is laid out as a mobile telephone "texting" pad. Documents may be saved into different folders, e.g. cookery, romance, adventure. |
| Advanced | At the highest level, the user can add, delete and rename folders and to archive documents to floppy disk. |
Referring to the photo, the middle group of controls are: stop and go, cursor movement. Together with the speed and volume knobs, these are ALL that are required for beginning users!
The right-hand keypad is reading and mode keys.
The left-hand keypad is similar to that on a mobile telephone, and is used for entering alphanumeric data for naming scanned documents and for finding text.
For users who don't need all the features, a simpler model is available without the left and right keypads: subtract 50 dollars.
Technical Data:
Price: 1950 Australian dollars, no GST.