Celebrating the Legacy of Braille 'n Speak: A Journey Through Time

The Evolution of Assistive Technology

Most of our blog posts focus on the BT Speak. This is understandable; it is our flagship product and receives frequent updates that add new features and continually improve this amazing little computer. However, I thought I’d shift gears for this post. It was around October of 1987 that Blazie Engineering first released the Braille 'n Speak. This product was noteworthy for several reasons.

A Revolutionary Product

Braille 'n Speak was one of the first blindness computer products that was not only portable but also extremely compact. It was similar in size to the BT Speak but much wider. Its price was only $895.00, which was more affordable than other computers at the time, even those built for sighted people. For an extra $99.00, you could purchase two additional features: a calculator and a stopwatch with a countdown timer.

User-Friendly Design

It was also very easy to use. Like today’s BT Speak, Braille 'n Speak remembered which file you were working in and always placed you in that file as soon as it powered on. There was no need to go into a program before opening a file. Braille 'n Speak was a portable, dedicated word processor. Navigating in a file used chord commands that were incredibly intuitive and easy to learn. In fact, they are the same commands used in BT Speak today.

Storage Capabilities

The original Braille 'n Speak, later called the Braille 'n Speak classic, contained only 180K of storage. This storage was divided into 45 pages, with each page able to hold up to 4096 characters. It also contained a very small help file, consisting of no more than one page of text. This might not seem like a lot of storage, but back then, it could hold many documents, a calendar, and your phone book.

Updates and Improvements

Braille 'n Speak generally received one or two updates per year. In its early days, the update was on an EPROM chip that had to be physically installed onto the device. Customers either had to send their units to Blazie Engineering for physical updates, or those with a maintenance contract could exchange their unit for another one with the newer update. In the mid-1990s, customers could finally install their own updates by copying them onto the unit from a 3.5-inch floppy disk if their Braille 'n Speak had the new, state-of-the-art flash ROM technology. That was the best that could be offered, as the Braille 'n Speak had no Wi-Fi connectivity.

A Personal Connection

In 1988, I heard about the Braille 'n Speak from a friend and could scarcely believe what I was hearing. A portable device with a Braille keyboard and speech output sounded almost like science fiction to me, and I knew that I just had to see it. I was living in Philadelphia at the time, and a local adaptive equipment store, one which I would later work for, was selling them. I took a bus and a train from my apartment to the store to try the Braille 'n Speak for myself, and it was like magic.

I knew very little about how to operate it, but I was determined to own one. I eventually sold another Braille device that I owned, which enabled me to purchase a Braille 'n Speak in February of 1989. It became my only computer for over two years. It served as my phone book, writing pad, and word processor for writing fiction. I even connected it with my modem to go online, accessing bulletin board systems. I used it to keep track of customer data for two separate jobs during that time.

The Magic of Braille 'n Speak

The Braille 'n Speak absolutely captivated me. Like so many other Blazie customers, it wasn’t just a specialized computer. There was something almost magical about that device, which is difficult to put into words. It was compact, battery-operated, reliable, and easy and fun to use. I learned how to use it in one weekend, but I realized that I wanted to be more than a user. I wanted to work for the company that made the Braille 'n Speak.

A New Career Path

A couple of years later, this wish became a reality when I was offered a position at Blazie Engineering as a product support representative. I moved to Maryland and began working for the company in May of 1991. During my nearly seven years with Blazie Engineering, I saw the Braille 'n Speak grow and evolve, introducing new features and capabilities that I never would have imagined back in 1988 when I first saw it.

In October of 1991, we introduced the Braille 'n Speak 640, which had even more storage and room to add additional features, including the ability to run third-party software, much of which was written by developers outside of the company. As a result of my work at Blazie Engineering, I found other roles involving computer training with blind children and adults, and I became a product manager with a major media and technology company. Now, I am back working once again for the Blazie family, including taking some support calls, which is always my first love in this field.

It is no exaggeration when I say that the Braille 'n Speak not only helped me find work but also launched a 34-year career.

Looking Ahead

We hope that the BT Speak will have the same appeal and magic that the Braille 'n Speak once had for so many customers. It has the features that made the Braille 'n Speak such a joy to use, but with more storage and all of the conveniences of a twenty-first-century computer.

As we reflect on the impact of the Braille 'n Speak, we recognize its role in shaping the future of assistive technology. The advancements made over the years have paved the way for innovations that continue to empower users today.

With the BT Speak, we aim to carry forward the legacy of the Braille 'n Speak, ensuring that it remains a vital tool for those who rely on it. The journey of assistive technology is ongoing, and we are excited to be a part of it.

---wix---