Blazie TechnologiesFeb 26

March is an exciting month for us. We began shipping the BT Speak in March of 2024. In honor of the BT Speak’s second anniversary, we wanted to make March an exciting month for our customers, as well, which is why the next BT Speak update will be free for everyone as our anniversary gift to you. Join us for our next webinar when we lift the lid to tell you about what you can expect in the upcoming update, as well as exciting updates regarding BT Braille.

Date: Tuesday, March 3
Time: 7:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

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Show threadGraceTechNerdMar 13
@BlazieTech i’m sorry… Are you saying you have to pay for each update once you already pay for the device? Was thinking about purchasing this device, but this is quite confusing.
Show threadBlazie Technologies6d ago
@GraceTechNerd Hi, Grace.
The BT Speak includes a 90-day warranty which covers both hardware and software. Any software updates released during the warranty period are available for you to install. The warranty also allows you to receive an exchange BT Speak in the event that your unit encounters a hardware problem that we’re not able to resolve with a phone call.
You can extend this warranty by purchasing a maintenance contract for your BT Speak. Your maintenance contract can be renewed for either $20.00 per month or for $200.00 annually. The maintenance contract extends your warranty coverage by providing you with the same benefits that you receive with the initial 90-day warranty.
In other words, you can receive a product exchange in the event of a problem, in addition to software updates. Unlike other products, the maintenance contract is continually renewable. We don't limit you to just one or two years of coverage.
If you choose to not purchase a maintenance contract for your BT Speak, you have the option of paying $50.00 any time after the warranty period to receive the latest software update, regardless of how much time has elapsed.
Show threadAdison verlice6d ago

CC: @[email protected] personally I find that very exploitative. if I bought the device, I should be able to receive updates, even if it's only for a few years.
I already bought the device, I shouldn't have to pay a sperate package just for updates.
and btw, the fact you couldn't just answer with a simple yes or no concerns me. I don't think she asked for corporate jargon, she asked a direct question. but i'll go ahead and translate it for you: yes, after the warranty, you absolutely have to pay for updates.
I was thinking about getting the BT speek, but now I will not.
thank you, next freedom scientific
Show threadAlex Chapman6d ago
@averlice @GraceTechNerd @BlazieTech I second this, this is honestly not a great look, like this is not cool at all, we should be able to get software updates for free, not paying for a stupid contract.
Show threadAdison verlice6d ago


CC: @[email protected] @[email protected] yup. in fact, you're adding like less of an assistive technology company and more like an enterprise/b2b (business to business) company right now. imagine if Google and apple were to do this? keep in mind their devices are only supported up to a few years. which means the minute they can't receive updates anymore, if they "forget" to cancel that warranty at all, they've just been scammed. and you expect me to pay what, $200/year or even so much as $20 a month just for, what, updates? fuck off!
Show threadTech Singer6d ago
@averlice @alexchapman @GraceTechNerd @BlazieTech I'm a bit confused. I have no dog in this fight at all, I wouldn't take the BTSpeak as a gift if I had to use it. Having said that, this is a small company. As you very rightly say, even Apple and Google only keep their stuff updated for a few years, and people complain about that. Smaller companies don't update at all or update for less than a year. How is an adaptive tech company, which is even smaller than a small phone brander/vendor, supposed to keep a $1500 device up to date and add new features without charging for those updates? As I said, I don't care about this device, I will never buy or use it. My difficulty is to understand what you're saying and get how a small company can expect to keep paying its devs and workers if no update fees are going to be charged?
Show threadGraceTechNerd6d ago
@techsinger @averlice @alexchapman @BlazieTech You also have a great point. i just feel there are better ways then charging for each update. Like charging for extra add-ons like the voxin voices, warranty, or pro apps.
Show threadTech Singer6d ago
@GraceTechNerd @averlice @alexchapman @BlazieTech allot of people just wouldn't pay unless what was being offered was absolutely essential. Indeed, many people aren't paying for updates now because they argue the updates aren't essential. It's all well and good to produce high level programs in addition to free updates, but what do you do if people won't buy? I really do think the time for this sort of product has passed by, though I hope I'm wrong. Employees need to eat. I'm not sure how they can given the phones, the handheld gaming machines, and so on. The problem for me isn't the charging for updates, I don't know what else they could do. The problem is that the market is just too small.
Show threadAdison verlice6d ago
@[email protected] @[email protected] @[email protected] there are a lot of open source software that accomplishes the "eat" part very well, without exploiting the user. how do you expect me to believe this is a good excuse? I really do not see how you justify charging for updates unless you are a b2b (business to business) model that only cells to enterprises and government agencies
Show threadTech Singer6d ago
@averlice @GraceTechNerd @alexchapman @BlazieTech With respect, I'm just lost. Could you name a piece of open source hardware, not software, which allows employees of the organization to "eat" with even a market slightly larger than blind users? This is not software we're dealing with, remember, it's hardware. Updates are only saleable to those who have purchased the hardware. The only people who would purchase the hardware are blind, and that is a tiny market. I'm trying to come up with any sort of open source software, let alone hardware, which allows employment of people while providing service to a market the size of blind users. The only thing I can come up with is NVDA, and as I said before, NVDA is a charity which is sponsored by many outside resources and companies. I don't see who has solved this problem for any item for the blind. If you could point one of them, one of the "allot" of projects you're thinking of, out, I would be grateful. I can see a few charities, a few personal passion projects which start up and disappear, but not much else. I can't even think of one business which is employing people and does this. Even the charities are on the borderline.
Show threadAdison verlice6d ago
@[email protected] @[email protected] @[email protected] I can think of both even non blind software and hardware and blind hardware. NVDA is an example of blindness software, yes. i'm more of a cyber security guy, so I know a lot of cyber security projects, most of which being open source. also, what does it market it's in? there are several in the world that still allow employees to eat. and I don't think charging people for updates is one of them, regardless of what hardware/software it uses, unless you are an enterprise vender, or are celling the product in question to gogvernment/defense agencies. apple and Android offer screen reader software and never, have I ever noticed them charge users for updates . yes, they have extended update packs sometimes, as well as warranties, but those warranties often do not state updates as a feature because it's built-in to the device. if you do this with any software/hardware, I don't care if it's the greatest software/hardware the consumer ever owned, you are, effectively, exploiting your base. if you are making the argument that this was a good idea to make people charge for updates, please say that you will support it with consumer products (E.G. apple iphone, googles android). I think one who supports adding charges just to update the thing would also enjoy it if suddenly they had to pay for even the most basic of security updates on their mainstream devices too.
Show threadJames Dean5d ago
@averlice @techsinger @GraceTechNerd @alexchapman @BlazieTech I don't like this either but it should be pointed out that security updates are provided to all BTSpeak owners, but updates containing new features are paid.
Show threadAdison verlice5d ago
@[email protected] @[email protected] @[email protected] @[email protected] for now, that is. untill they decide to exploit that too
Show threadTech Singer5d ago
@averlice @GamingWithEars @GraceTechNerd @alexchapman @BlazieTech what evidence do you have that will happen, if I may ask? It seems to me security updates are always going to be more or less free to Blazie because they aren't written by Blazie but by upstream contributors, aren't they? Not to mention the reputational damage of having the device attacked with a known bug. What leads you to the opinion that Blazie would or could charge for security updates?
Show threadAdison verlice5d ago
simple. seams like if they could, blazy would charge you a care package just to even consider breathing in front of the device. so i'd be surprised if at some point they wouldn't charge for some security updates. also, upstream? is this projecto pen source?if so, i'd love the link. but hey, that's just blindness companies in general, they want you to pay before you can even insert your finger on the "on" button sometimes. of course i'm exaggerating it, but my point is the exploitation is so off the charts I wouldn't be surprised if it came down to charging for security updates
Show threadTech Singer
@averlice This sounds like it's just emotion rather than logic and I can't deal with emotion through reasonable discussion, unfortunately. I've got to stick to logic. Just to deal with the matter of fact you raise, I understand that the work is open source, and that it's based on open source Linux work from others https://mastodon.au/@bigsimon/116248129169927695 Again, I don't have this device, so I may be wrong in believing this person, but he sounds reasonable and correct from what I've seen and says he is working at the maker.
Simon Hayes (@[email protected])

Hey Adison, No, its not a proprietary version of linux, we 're running standard raspbian/debian as used on raspberry pi's. Users can access the standard desktop, where the only thing we have done is add in orca and brltty for screen reading, and setup keyboard macros for easier access. On the multiuser side, we run our own software, with customised editors, book readers, music/radio & podcast players, etc but the system is not locked down in any way, and users are free to write/run their own software, or just apt install anything they like. Some of our customers have even provided software for free for other customers to use. We ship with all the libraries that we use to write software on the machine, and we're working on developer documentation to make it easier for those that want to write their own apps in python or C, or customise the apps that we provide (as most of them are written in python, with all the source provided). Just load them into an editor and go to town. Or apt install a package, or git clone & compile something. I do all my development directly on the machine, using the built in tools. Can you do that on devices you own? How is this being elitist or stupid? Would you prefer that we use Windows or Android? Those platforms are far more locked down. We want this device to be the best that it can be, and we have developers (yes, including me) working on improving the software every day, fixing bugs, writing new apps, and improving existing apps. We don't have the large teams that other companies have, but we work hard at this. This costs money, and hey, I have two children that I have to keep fed and clothed, and can't afford to develop for free. Is it elitist to want to get paid for working? @[email protected] @[email protected] @[email protected] @[email protected] @[email protected] @[email protected]

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