The stands and technology are all packed away, and the exhibitors have gone home following another busy Sight Village.
This morning was pretty gruelling with a steady flow of visitors to the Dolphin stand. This afternoon things calmed down and we started packing away around 4PM.
2006 has to have been one of the hottest Sight Villages on record, definitely up there with the sweltering summer of 2003 which was the last Sight Village at QAC. Housing the event continues to be a problem. Navigating around the building is challenging at best, and the standard of the food on offer is shocking for an event which is the premier exhibition of products and services for the blind. It is the eyes which do not work, not the taste buds!
Lots of mobile products at Sight Village this year many of which I discussed yesterday, along with the 1200GBP 40 cell budget braille display from RNIB.
I am very fond of the new pocket-sized Braille Connect 12 cell display manufactured by Baum and sold in English speaking markets by Humanware. I have seen this device quite a few times over the last couple of weeks in Jacksonville at the ACB convention and again this week at Sight Village in Birmingham UK. Every time I lay hands on one I am very tempted to place an order. It is not without it’s shortcomings however, the braille input keys on this device have a very shallow action and would benefit from a couple of springs and being raised just a couple more millimetres. I am assured it will be supplied with a protective case, the quality of the case remains to be seen. I have heard claims that a nokia charger can be used to recharge the battery in this device, but my attempts with a couple of standard Nokia chargers failed. However the standard SuperVario Brailliant charger can be used, although mini USB charging would have been preferable.
I was definitely ready to come home after Sight Village, although probably not prepared for the stack of bills in my mail box. Council Tax in Worcester is horrific, and for what? Ho hum.