PAC Mate Comments

Former BrailleNote User Loves His PAC Mate

"I just got a PAC Mate a few days ago, and I just wanted to say how grateful I am to have this device. I used to have a BrailleNote, and this PAC Mate is a million times better than a BrailleNote! This product pretty much slaughters the rest of the note taker products. Thank you all for coming up with this great, powerful product. Keep going with it, and don't slow down!"
- Michael Postlehwait – Albuquerque, New Mexico

PAC Mate was the Overwhelming Notetaker Recommendation for Visually Impaired Teacher

"I am a thirty-two year old teacher of the visually impaired and have been blind, but with a degree of useable vision, since birth. The PAC Mate is one of the best accessibility products that I have ever used! I had heard about it for years, but it wasn't until after my vision began to further weaken, necessitating the need for full time braille use and speech output, that I knew that I wanted to delve into the world of notetakers. I asked many of my blind co-workers for their adivce or opinions and the PAC Mate was their overwhelming recomendation. The decision to get it has been one of the best that I could have ever made! I was able to actually begin to use it straight out of the box with no formal training.

The very next day, I started to use it to take notes in my master's degree classes. I am still learning many of the "in's" and "out's" of the machine, but I can already tell that it will open many doors for me! I can't wait to access e-books that I can now obtain instantly from a variety of sources through the JAWS speech output and the twenty-cell braille display. The Pac Mate puts all the information you need to get through your day in one easy-to-use package that can go anywhere! I highly recomend it to any professional who is thinking about purchasing a note taker or a laptop. If you are already computer literate, you will have no trouble transitioning to the PAC Mate. The PAC Mate has everything you need and so much more! It definitely is the answer to the same old laptop!   "
- Jaimie – Gaffney, South Carolina

PAC Mate and JAWS Deliver "Epiphany Days" for Blind and Partially Deaf IBM Programmer

"I've been using JAWS since 2001. As a system support programmer at IBM, I used a braille display with JAWS at the office and while working at home. I've particularly appreciated the PAC Mate Braille Display. I am blind and totally deaf on one side, so braille was a necessity, especially when I was on the phone helping with mainframe system support problems. I could work so quickly that most of my colleagues didn't realize I was blind until they came to my office or I went to theirs. After I retired a few years ago, I didn't stop using JAWS or a braille display. My PC is on all the time, and e-mail and the Internet are always available. I also use PAC Mate, primarily for reading books from NLS and other documents from the Internet. I love sitting outside on a sunny day, enjoying a good braille book with the PAC Mate. I call those days my 'epiphany days!'  "
- Mary Emerson – San Jose, California

Braille Challenge Winner Finds JAWS, PAC Mate Ideal Study Aids

"I use both JAWS and the PAC Mate. I find them both very helpful. I record things with my PAC Mate to remind me of what I have to do. I use JAWS when I'm on the Internet. I can do almost anything on the Internet now that I have JAWS. The PAC Mate I use to print things out for my teachers. I'm only 10 years old, and I've found many uses for these products. I won the PAC Mate at the Braille Challenge, and I borrowed a laptop computer from my school. My technology teacher, who is blind herself, installed JAWS on it for me. All of this happened in the last few months. "
- Cricket Bidleman – San Diego, California

Months of Research Brings College Student to PAC Mate Omni

"As a student at WVUP (West Virginia University of Parkersburg), I find that the PAC Mate Omni is essential to my daily duties of being a college student. I am a real techno jarhead so to say, and I did a lot of my research before I decided on a portable computer. Months of research and talking to different companies and product reviews took place before I made my decision to buy a PAC Mate Omni. One of the things that I like about the PAC Mate is that I am able to read PowerPoint documents on the device. Another thing is being able to get all of my e-mail and read it, while I am on break at the college, and do my school work all at the same time. The Pac Mate will always be my own computer. It literally has replaced my laptop. Thanks to Freedom Scientific for developing a notetaker that will never become obsolete. "
- Aaron Linson – Parkersburg, West Virginia

PAC Mate is Good for Children

"It (the PAC MAte) is a cool little device. You can surf the Web wirelessly, send e-mail, and a lot more. It's good that children are getting their hands on the PAC Mate. A Perkins Brailler is good, but the PAC Mate can do much more much faster. I have enjoyed every minute of my PAC Mate. "
- Terrell Jones – White House, Tennessee

He Never Dreamed PAC Mate Would Get So Good

"I retired after twenty-six years of social service. I wish I could have had this wonderful Pac Mate when I was employed. The update has made this instrument an even better device for accessing materials. I love being able to read PDF files. I am delighted to write on the Internet using Grade 2 Braille. When I bought the original Pac Mate, I never dreamed it would get to be so good. Congratulations to Freedom Scientific for working so hard to produce an outstanding piece of equipment! "
- Alco Canfield – Seattle, Washington

University Students Enjoy PAC Mate Omni Benefits

"I have had my PAC Mate BX Omni for eight months, and I really enjoy its features. The PowerPoint is especially helpful in my university studies, and I like how you can detach the braille display, should you just wish to use just the PAC Mate on its own. I also like how you can go on Windows Live Messenger clients, which is unique to the PAC Mate. I also like how the PAC Mate Omni can extend itself to third-party applications, such as having a free PDF reader which you can download onto the PAC Mate Omni, should you wish to do so. I would like to say well done to Freedom Scientific, and may PAC Mate live on! ”
- Sophia Brown - Manchester, England

"I really enjoy using my PAC Mate Omni BX 420. Not only can I write in Grade 2 almost anywhere, I can get my e-mail on my PAC Mate with the Direct Push feature. I love the ability to read PDF files and surf the Internet with a wireless card. I also love the ability to install programs, such as Skype and other off-the-shelf programs that make my PAC Mate more powerful. I use my PAC Mate for college, church, and recording lectures. I hope Freedom Scientific continues to produce excellent products like this in the future.”
- Riley Blake - Ivins, Utah

Applause for PAC Mate Keyboard and Other Features

"I would like to congratulate the Freedom Scientific team on a job well done. I use a PAC Mate Omni and I believe it is the best notetaking device I've ever used ... the PAC Mate is miles ahead of the competition. As a college student with a full class schedule, it is a real time saver to grab my Omni and head to class with every function available on my desktop computer virtually in the palm of my hand. I am able to surf the Web, e-mail class assignments to my professors with ease, perform complex mathematical calculations, and chat with my friends or listen to music or read books between classes. I have also never received any complaints about my tap tap tapping on the PAC Mate's keyboard due to the fact it is so quiet and comfortable to use. I can't say enough about this wonderful device and I greatly look forward to what this versatile unit will be able to do in the future. Great job Freedom Scientific. ”
- Matthew Shaw - Austin, Texas

"I am a PAC Mate Omni QX user, and this product is the best I have ever used. The keyboard is brilliant to type on, and with the PAC Mate 40-cell braille display I have, that is beautiful and crisp and smooth. I love being able to read PowerPoints for my degree studies, and I love being able to read PDF files, and accessing YouTube! I love that Web site! What I do is, I put the music that I want from there onto a CompactFlash card or a pen drive, and it plays, with out any bother! There is a wealth of things you can do on the PAC Mate Omni, and I would recommend the PAC Mate Omni be given considerable thought for those who like JAWS and who like an open platform! Good job Freedom Scientific! ”
- Sophia Brown - Manchester, England

Hats Off for PAC Mate 6.2

"I would just like to take my hat off to the team at Freedom Scientific for developing PAC Mate OMNI 6.2. It is going to help me out as well as other PAC Mate users.

Keep up the good work. I hope the PAC Mate lasts me a long time. It is the best notetaking device that I could ever have. Great job Freedom Scientific.”
- Koby Cox - Catoosa, Oklahoma

Retired Social Worker: "I Never Dreamed it would Get to be this Good"

"I recently retired after 26 years of social service. I wish I could have had a PAC Mate Omni when I was employed. The latest upgrade has made this device even better for accessing information. I love being able to read PDF files. I am also delighted to be able to write on the Internet using Grade 2 braille. When I bought my original PAC Mate, I never dreamed it would get to be this good. Congratulations to Freedom Scientific for working so hard to produce this outstanding device!”
- Alco Canfield - Seattle, Washington

Realtor is Sold on PAC Mate Omni™

"As a blind real estate and mortgage broker, I deal with numerous clients and companies and with a great deal of documentation and paperwork. I would like to take my hat off to the team at Freedom Scientific for developing the new PAC Mate Omni. After just a few days of doing my office work, I can tell you that this upgrade is the best I have ever seen. With my work, there isn’t one feature that the PAC Mate Omni has that I don’t use to the fullest. Congratulations for a job well done. I am very happy to have a tool like this. The PAC Mate Omni provides me with the cutting edge I need to compete with my sighted counterparts.

I use my PAC Mate Omni constantly in every aspect of what I do. I’m very appreciative that Freedom Scientific is so willing to develop new tools like this that enable those of us affected by a vision disability to be able to be employed, to remain active, and to be self-sufficient. Even though I’m blind and 65 years of age, as long as I have access to
the types of tools that Freedom Scientific makes and continually improves
upon, I have no reason to ever think about slowing down.”
- Erodio Diaz - Miami, Florida

PAC Mate is the Cool School Tool

"The Pac Mate has exceeded all of my expectations. It is a wonderful tool for students. I love its compact size, and the fact that it supports third-party programs. It truly is a hand-held computer for the blind. I love browsing the Web, Instant Messaging, e-mailing, listening to music, and reading books with my PAC Mate. Freedom Scientific has done a phenomenal job with this product, and if you want an extremely up-to-date notetaker/PDA, the PAC Mate is for you!”
- Kolby Garrison - Greensboro, North Carolina

Businesswoman Counts on Her PAC Mate

"My PAC Mate is essential to my business. With PAC Mate, I can do inventory in the field and all my reports on one unit. Then, I synchronize with my PC and print my reports and records. Pocket Excel™ is wonderful, and so is PAC Mate."
- Gail Crowe - Ogallala, Nebraska

The Size of the PAC Mate is Appreciated

"The PAC Mate is so small that you can sit almost everywhere with it on your knees: in trains or buses and so on ... It's really smart when it comes to making notes and maintaining a serious calendar. Also stuff like Contacts and quick memos are nice to store on a PAC Mate. What about reading a good e-book, either with speech or in braille? It's a handy little beast to have at hand when traveling around. Also, its small size makes it very attractive, in my opinion. This is nothing less than a revolution!"
- Brian Oleson - Aalborg, Denmark

Going Mobile with the PAC Mate

“The wireless ability, I would say, is one of the PAC Mate's more attractive features, so you might want to invest in a wireless router and a wireless CompactFlash™ card if you take the plunge. You will be able to use your PAC Mate anywhere in your house, or at a public WiFi hot spot ... If what you are looking for is the ability to browse the Web, synchronize your unit to your desktop with MS Outlook, and effortlessly share documents with teachers or co-workers, then you will love the PAC Mate, as it does all of this quite well ... The PAC Mate, I think, is a worthy product, giving you the ability to do things that you just can not do with other adaptive products. The ability to use wireless technology alone puts the PAC Mate ahead of other similar products on the market for the blind.”
- Rick Alfaro - Davie, Florida

Scanning Barcodes, Reading Accessible Books, and Playing MP3s

“It’s so powerful to be able to add third-party hardware and software to the PAC Mate. I’ve added a barcode scanner, so I can identify products using the ScanTalker™. I subscribe to Audible.com and carry the Wall Street Journal and several best sellers on a CompactFlash™ card. The PAC Mate has great stereo sound, so I have a collection of my favorite MP3 files loaded as well, especially for listening on those long flights. Finally, my company keeps so much information in Excel format. It’s great to be able to carry it along on the PAC Mate. I can’t believe how much I can do with the PAC Mate, and they’re constantly adding new features all the time.”
- Jim Kutsch - Jacksonville, Florida

PAC Mate Portability

“Is (the PAC Mate) worth it? Absolutely! You get much better portability, especially if you are a braille user. With a laptop, you have to lug around the computer and the braille display. With the PAC Mate, you have one small unit that will perform most tasks that you might use a laptop for: reading, word processing, working with spreadsheets, playing audio files, reading e-mail, and accessing the Web. I have found mine to be invaluable!”
- Donna Goodin - Lansing, Michigan

Wireless Networking on the College Campus

“The PAC Mate is the most powerful accessible PDA on the market. It has better, more up-to-date hardware than any other machine of its kind, like the USB port and the ability to support wireless, Bluetooth, and cellular modem cards. It also supports more mainstream software than anything else. Any (mainstream) Pocket PC (PPC) program for PPC 2002 or above has a good chance of working on the PAC Mate. Even if I find (a program) that doesn't work as I'd like it to on the PAC Mate, I can update the scripts as I do on the PC with JAWS. Further, a Software Development Kit (SDK) is actually available (as opposed to promised). With this, assuming I have the requisite skills, I can write programs for the machine. Keep in mind that (computer) technology is expensive, and it has to have room to grow as my demands on it grow. I'm a student now, and I need to access the wireless network at my campus. Tomorrow, I may need something entirely different such as a GPS unit or to connect to the Internet through my mobile phone. It's important that this same machine continues to work in these situations, as well as those I'm currently in.”
- Aman Singer - Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Teacher Supports Creating Audible Student Workbooks on the PAC Mate

“I teach PAC Mate in the state of Utah. One of the most popular things students like is being able to have a workbook that is audible, that teaches you how to become a successful student. You’re able to play (an MP3) workbook, as well as listening through JAWS, and answer questions as the MP3 file is playing ... We’re able to resource a lot of places that will let you download books, whether it be through Bookshare.org or other sites that provide electronic books. That has caught a lot of people’s fancy, being able to have just novels for casual reading in the home. The uses are just almost unlimited.”
- Ray Martin - Salt Lake City, Utah