SBK – Smart Braille Keyboard. V2.0
Because Braille Really matters.
New Features of V2.0
In out commitment to provide the most beneficial and innovated software, We have announced the release of V2.0 of The SBK (Smart Braille Keyboard) which comes in a whole new look and feel with tons of the most useful features.
If you are totally new to SBK, Please first take a minute to look at what the program is about Here/
During the release of this version we made a great effort in order to realize the standards of professional software: Scalability, Extendibility, Availability and Stability. As we want SBK to support all the languages of the world because we realized the great importance of Braille and would like to exploit it's power to the full.
New Features in V2.0:
Most of The features here are those we have promised in V1.x to add in later versions in the (Things to Come link).
Features you have asked for in V1.x:
1. Solved the problem of having to change Windows Keyboard layout. Now when you change keyboard layout SBK Automatically switches to the desired language. This makes SBK very reliable in writing as you do not have to worry any more when writing on multilingual systems.
2. The program can now run in the system tray, so that there is no chance of accidentally closing it while switching applications.
3. SBK now can automatically run with Windows, so it will be always available all the time and you can either Activate or Deactivate it as you wish.
4. Ability to work with virtually unlimited number of languages. So if there is no tables available for your native language and if you have even some little knowledge of Braille, you can create the tables for Grade I Braille for your language in a matter of just 10 minutes only. Thanks to the powerful new SBK Language Lab Program.
5. If you are using Jaws Screen reader, The program will automatically try to get Jaws path to correctly speak with it.
6. Many bugs have been solved
Additional New Features of V2.0:
7. A new Feature called Identify Braille Contractions to help teachers
and trainers. This feature will make any simple, complex or extended
contraction be identified from not contracted parts of the word by means of
making them appear Bold, Underlined and italicized. And thus the teacher can
know which words the student has written with contractions and which he did not.
8. SBK Now Supports 8 dots Braille, so you can write on 8 keys on your keyboard which opens a new world of powerful Braille. (8 Dots Braille official tables is being prepared)
9. Support for single-handed users: Either Left or Right hand.
10. Added a new definable key that allows you to ignore the contractions for the word you are writing. This is most useful when writing a proper noun of which some letters can be wrongly interpreted as contractions.
11. Ability to define and use your own Simple, Complex or extended contractions.
12. Ability to Create Grade II contractions, whether Standard or user-defined, Including Simple, Complex and Extended ones and define the advanced rules for them. So Yes, Now you can make SBK support your Own Native language in Braille Grade II as well, All you need is a good knowledge of The Grade II rules of your own language.
13. A Whole new comprehensive but easy to use program called SBK Language Lab has been added which allows the user to Add, delete or modify any contraction's table. The great advantage of this program is it's ease-of-use. There is no programming, no script, no complicated operations you will have to carry in order to add any contraction. However this simplicity does not come on the expense of it's power; The program can be used to efficiently add a whole new language with it's Alphabet, Simple, Complex and Extended contractions, in addition to the defining all their rules. You can even create additional custom tables that can be enabled or disabled individually.
Features of the new SBK Language Lab.:
1. Because we know that you have creativity and want you to explore it, we have added a whole new comprehensive program which allows you to add your own contractions.
2. Ability to add a table to an existing language, and define it's type, i.e: Simple, Complex, or Extended Contractions And the ability to enable or disable any specific table of any language. For instance you can make a table for Braille Math and Enable it when you are writing Math only.
3. Import and Export Features have been added, in order to allow you to save your language's tables and restore them, on your own computer or another one.
4. Enable or Disable any table, for Example you can Enable or Disable the Simple Contractions, The Complex, or the extended ones, or even enable or disable any user-made tables.
5. A very easy and self-explanatory but comprehensive interface to allow you to define advanced rules for any user-made contractions.
6. Supports 8 dots Braille. Now you can add any contractions that use 8 dots Braille and write with them.
7. Ability even to make a whole new language, Real or invented, and define the Alphabets, simple, complex and extended contractions for it.
All these are the main new features of version 2.0 of the SBK. Other features of the program including those of V1.0 which were included with V2.0. Read Features of V1.0.