Two New Digital Talking Book Players to Play NLS books

In addition to the Victor Reader Stream, two new digital talking book players can now be used in the digital talking books download project. They are the LevelStar Icon and the Braille Plus Mobile Manager. (You can register for the digital download project at https://www.nlstalkingbooks.org/dtb/. View the application at https://www.nlstalkingbooks.org/dtb/ApplicationInstructions.html if you qualify for the program and have a player.)

The following email was recently sent by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) to people on the Digital Talking Book Test Announcement listserv:

"Two additional devices can now be used to read downloadable audio materials from NLS:

- The LevelStar Icon is a portable device for the visually impaired that gives you access to all of your contacts, documents, and media on the go. Icon, with its 40 GB hard drive, can store thousands of documents and audio files. Icon users are now able to download NLS books directly using the Icon's powerful web browser and its wireless connection, and play and navigate them using Icon's Bookshelf. To learn more about the Icon and its support for NLS content, please visit www.levelstar.com, or call 1-800-315-2305, or send email to info@levelstar.com .

- American Printing House for the Blind, Inc.'s Braille Plus Mobile Manager is a hand held, accessible tool that combines entertainment and productivity into one device small enough to easily fit into a pocket or purse. With its large hard drive, the Braille Plus stores dozens of books at a time, and with its built-in web browser, the user can download and read any of the NLS DTB collection without having to use a computer at all. For complete information about the Braille Plus, please see www.aph.org/tech/pda_info.htm .

Current owners of these devices are just a free software upgrade away from adding the ability to download and read NLS talking books and magazines.

Remember, to authorize any new device for download, just go to the download site's home page, choose "Update my settings," and then choose "Add a new player." "