Apologies for cross posting - latest news from Pulse Data

Best wishes
E.A.

Mrs E.A.Draffan
TechDis, USIE, EDB,
University of Sussex,
Brighton BN1 9RG
Tel: 01273 873600
http://www.techdis.ac.uk

-----Original Message-----
From: * EASI: Equal Access to Software & Information
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Catherine Alfieri
Sent: Wednesday, September 04, 2002 13:57
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: CURR: Pulse Data's "KeyWeb"


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 30th 2002

Pulse Data Releases "KeyWeb", The First Portable Web Browser For Persons
Who Are Blind

Pulse Data International is pleased to announce the launch of KeyWeb, a
web-browser developed to provide BrailleNote users with portable on line
access.

KeyWeb is the first portable solution of its kind developed specifically
for people who are blind and is the latest in a series of applications
developed by Pulse Data to compliment the powerful user friendly
features already offered in the BrailleNote  and VoiceNote product
ranges.

Through the BrailleNote and VoiceNote internet access is available from
either an internal modem or via an internet connection. Once connected
KeyWeb enables users to navigate the world wide web and use the internet
for research, shopping, banking, to download books and for various other
tasks.

In addition to this KeyWeb can be used easily to fill out forms for
purchasing items on-line, for researching information using popular
search engines and it can be used without the assistance of a PC and
screen reader to access a browser.

The release of KeyWeb further highlights Pulse Data's ongoing commitment
to developing and enhancing its product range to meet its customer's
needs.

Jim Halliday the President and CEO of Pulse Data HumanWare says, "many
customers told us that if we added an easy-to-use browser to the
BrailleNote environment they would no longer have to carry around a
heavy laptop with a complicated screen reader, so that's exactly what
we've done."

Demonstrations of the Beta version of the KeyWeb application have also
received strong recognition from leading industry organisations. Mr.
Curtis Chong, Director of Technology at the National Federation of the
Blind commented "a browser is an essential component in any
e-mail-capable device today, and we are pleased that work on a browser
for the BrailleNote has been completed. Many of us have waited a long
time for this to happen"

"A great big thanks goes out to our lean team of Beta testers who
assisted with the Beta testing of KeyWeb," says Larry Lewis, Pulse
Data's BrailleNote Product Manager "It's probably the best Beta process
in which we have ever participated and assisted with facilitating.  All
the testers gave invaluable feedback to our programmers and in-house
testers."

Lewis continues,  "Pulse Data has already given the marketplace the
first portable GPS system designed for the blind, now we're giving them
the first portable web-browser and at Closing the Gap in October we will
release the first synchronization tool, KeySynch, which will enable
BrailleNote users to automatically synchronize address books, date
planners, and e-mail messages with Microsoft Outlook on a PC."

Established in 1988, Pulse Data International has gained international
recognition for the design and manufacture of electronic devices for the
partially sighted and blind. Pulse Data International export products to
more than 30 countries, and has established sales offices in the United
States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Sweden, The Netherlands and
Australia.