Proud Geek

(EDIT 10:30am: Some more information from Viable — see new blog post.)

Better sign up now for a DeafNation Expo near you! Viable VPADs will be sold at the next several DeafNation Expos for just $99, down from the full price of $699.

And Viable has confirmed that these aren’t pre-orders. People will be actually walking out with honest-to-gosh VPADs!

Viable also confirmed that this special offer is limited to one per person. If you want to buy a second VPAD, it’d cost a whopping $699.

I contacted a friend who lives near Pomona, California where the next Expo will take place this Saturday and asked him to get me TWO and ship them to me! But that was before I found out about the one-per-person limit. Dang.

Those of you who are getting VPADs this weekend - I truly envy you.

A friend of mine is thinking of flying out from DC to an upcoming DeafNation Expo just to get one of those VPADs sooner.

And Viable? You’d better stock up. You’re gonna sell out.

Brendan Steuben Steuble, the manager of the VPAD project at Viable, left the following comment with more info on the VPAD on both Amy Cohen Efron and my blog posts announcing the VPAD. Thanks, Brendan, and we look forward to getting even more information on this from you. This new videophone is certainly generating a lot of buzz and excitement!

Hi. I am the manager of the VPAD project for Viable, Inc. We are very excited by the response generated at this year’s CES unveiling. I would like to assure you all that this device is real, exists in quantity, and will be available very very soon: it is not an “idea” or “prototype”.

Of particular note is the ability of the device to provide Video Remote Interpreting, where if it is in the room and on, a deaf and hearing person can speak to each other. Also, it does not need a “public ip” address, and works inside your office, your hotel, your home, or in a wifi hotspot.

It is so easy to setup and use that a child or the most technology afraid person can use it.

Our website will have more details shortly.

My best wishes to you all and my hopes that this device helps bridge the gap between the deaf and hearing communities.

Viable certainly didn’t disappoint us. It unveiled the newest videophone, the VPAD — and it looks like it’s going to be a winner.

Some features that I think we’ll all like:

• WiFi connectivity - that means we can take the VPAD to our local Starbucks, or on out-of-town trips to hotel rooms, or even to many McDonalds (which now provide free WiFi service).
• Touch-screen that’s 10.2″ wide.
• Optional keyboard via USB cable
• Light alerts along the top of the monitor
• Ability to hook the VPAD up to a larger TV, or even another electronic device (like gaming devices) to the VPAD
• A slot for SD memory cards (altho I wonder what this would be for — can we record conversations? Or only use the VPAD to display photos and possibly videos?)

The Viable’s VPAD webpage even has a 3D demo mini-video. Go check it out.

When can I get my grubby paws on one? However, it doesn’t look like there’s a sign-up list as of yet. No distribution date.

And while I’m at it: SnapVRS, I don’t even have an Ojo unit. When do I get one? Sorenson, I have one of the older VP-100’s and have yet to get a VP-200. Hint-hint-hint … :-P

EDIT: Amy Cohen Efron (who scooped me with her blog post earlier today about the unveiling of this VPAD - good going, Amy!) had several excellent questions about the VPAD. Go pay her blog post a visit, and I hope she gets these questions answered soon.

EDIT (1/7/08:): Amy Cohen Efron got a great response from Viable answering her questions and more.

Viable will be unveiling a totally new type of videophone on Saturday, January 5th (TOMORROW!) at the 2008 International CES conference.

Judging from the shape under the fabric (see picture), it looks like some kind of upright tablet / monitor. Looks like it’s much wider than the Ojo. Hmmm. (Speaking of which, SnapVRS, I still haven’t gotten an Ojo unit from you. I want one!) A source in Viable, who shall remain unnamed, confirms that this cloth-covered shape is indeed the new videophone. Wow.

The related news release seems to suggest that this videophone will be wireless (or at least be WiFi-enabled — get your terms straight, folks!) and will be “introducing to our customers to an exciting, new technology standard that blows away every other videophone currently available.”

Waitamin. The photo in the news release is named “clothvpad.png”. That suggests the videophone is being called the vpad. I Googled “vpad,” and I wonder if the vpad will look anything like the VidaBox vPad (although this model deals with home security / piping music throughout the house and does not come with a webcam / videocamera):

Whoops! The same unnamed Viable source confirmed (in an indirectly roundabout way) that while the unit will indeed be called the vpad, it will NOT look like the VidaBox vPad (pictured above). Let the speculation continue, then.

Oh, I can’t wait. Look at me — I’m actually shaking with anticipation.

Just got an email from Snap!VRS announcing some upcoming new technology innovations. You may remember Snap!VRS because of its totally-uber-cool Ojo videophones. Looks like Snap! wants to stay on the leading edge of the videophone field — and not just because of its Ojo videophone. Some snippets from its email (and yes, I plagarize shamelessly here):

• Wireless — New flexible options to make VRS calls with Ojo from just about anywhere through the use of Wi-Fi wireless access points and WiMAX technologies.
• Mobility — New Home Plug technology allows Ojo users to place VRS calls virtually anywhere within the home by using the home electrical system.
• Portability — New compact travel Ojo.
• Enhanced Video Mail — New feature that permits VRS providers or anyone calling an Ojo using an older VP to leave a video message which can be retrieved directly from Ojo.
• Home and Office Program —New program to provide an additional Ojo for use by working professionals to accommodate the need to place VRS calls from home or the office.
• Friends and Family Program — Hearing friends and family members of Snap!VRS customers may purchase an interoperable version of Ojo capable of communicating with other VPs that use older technology.
• Use Ojo to Make Videos — Use Ojo to record personal video episodes called Ojosodes (Ojo + episodes = Ojosodes) that can be posted to an online social community.
• and much more.

You’re having fun vp’ing (videophone-ing) with your best buddy who lives across the country, and you talk for hours and hours. Then you hang up and find out that other friends (or, heaven forbid, your mother!) had been trying to vp you with important news. Hearing folks has had it easy for many years; with call-waiting, they can hear a beep on their phone when someone else’s trying to call. We deafies hasn’t had something similar.

Until now. Sorenson recently announced that they’ve added call-waiting functionality for users of its VP-200 videophones.

Now, for those lucky VP-200 users, when another call comes in while they’re talking with someone, a visual notification will appear on the television screen. The user can then put the first caller on hold and talk with the new caller before returning to the first caller.

Ah, the freedom to be like one of those Mean Girls, constantly switching back and fro between callers and playing games with each other! I’m positively salivating at the prospect. Too bad I’ve still got a VP-100 videophone … Hey, Sorenson, can I have a VP-200 soon? Pretty please?

 (Last edit on 12/03/07: added Deaf Link)

Here’s an alphabetical list of companies or organizations that provide Video Remote Interpeting (VRI) services for a fee. I’m certain I have left out numerous companies — kindly leave a comment and I’ll make edits accordingly.

• Access America
• Birnbaum Interpreting Services (BIS) (rates)
• Communication Service for the Deaf, Inc. (CSD)
• Communication Access Center (CAC)
• Communication Access Network (CAN)
• Deaf Link Inc.
• Deaf Services Unlimited
• Fluent Language Solutions (also known as Interpreters, Inc.)
  
• Interpretek
• Interpreting Solutions, Inc. (coming soon)
• LifeLinks (for hospitals)
• MEJ Personal Business Services
• Mid-Atlantic Interpreting Group
• NorCal Center on Deafness, Inc. (for the state of California)
• Network Interpreting Service (NIS)
  
• Pine Tree Society (rates)
• Sign Language Associates (SLA)
• Sign Language Interpreting Services Agency (SLIS) (for the states of California and Nevada only?)
• Sign Language Interpreting Services, Ltd. (SLIS) (located in Virginia)
• Sign On
• Sorenson
• So. Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC)

(Partial credits to e-Michigan Deaf and Hard of Hearing People, West Virginia University’s Job Accommodation Network, and, of course, Google.)