deafbiz.com

A post was made at deafness.about.com regarding the high price of UbiDuo and that he has a low-cost alternative.

I’ve posted my response in the forum but I’m going to reprint here because not everyone is registered at the forum.

Robert,
Your contraption for a low cost communication tool is a good and worthly alternative for those that are technically inclined.

But not everyone has 2 laptops around, or know which cable to use, and know how to fiddle with the laptop settings so that both units will communicate to each other.

The UbiDuo just makes it simpler for two units (or 3 or 4) to communicate with each other without fiddling. Just turn it on and type!

This is a recurring issue so Scomm already addressed this issue in their FAQ:
http://www.scommonline.com/blog/?p=8

Now, let’s go over quickly the difference between your laptops contraption and UbiDuo:

Laptop: Turn on time is 30 seconds or longer

UbiDuo: Turn on time is 3 seconds.

Laptop: Battery life is up to 4 hours

UbiDuo: Battery life up to 8 hours

 
Laptop: Wires between two units

UbiDuo: No wires to tangle with

Laptop: Limit to two units attached by wires

UbiDuo: No limit on the distance between two units (Range goes to 500 feet)

Laptop: One person can type at a time back and forth

UbiDuo: Up to 4 people can chat at the same time with no pause

Laptop: File saved to laptop

UbiDuo: Chat can be saved to a file to be downloaded via USB.

Laptop: Complicated to be used as a TTY, if possible.

UbiDuo: Functions as a TTY (software and phone jack included).

What can UbiDuo be used for? At doctor’s office, at job interviews, at business meetings, at family events, at parties, at restaurant, at anywhere!!!

Compare the price of getting a Sign Language Interpreter. Who pays for it? You or them? What if they don’t want to pay for an Interpreter?  Then what?

Secondly, will the interpreter be there when you need it? What happens if the Interpreter doesn’t show up? Or what if you can’t get an Interpreter at all? Then what?

Now, try to put  a price on the lack of communication because of no Sign Language Interpreter.

Then compare with the price on the FREEDOM to communicate at any time you want, anywhere, and with anyone, over and over again.

I want to add that I had the privilege of meeting with Jason Curry, inventor of the UbiDuo and he demonstrated what the UbiDuo can do.
Once you try the UbiDuo, you won’t let go of it.

Oh by the way, remember life before TTY? Before Relay Services? Before Pagers? Before VRS and VP? Same thing here. The UbiDuo is another revolutionary device to communicate.

JSG
Manager, WinfreePCS Inc.
Ubi Duo Dealer

As a webmaster, one of the biggest challenge is getting my websites listed on Googe and staying there.

It is simply getting harder and harder just to get Google to “index” your website, meaning that Google knows your website exist. And not only that, but sometimes Google simply “de-index” your website for no reason at all.

Now the latest strategy to get your website recognized on Google, Yahoo and MSN is quality backlinks.

What does that means?

If you have a website that’s listed on Deafbiz.com Links directory, the link from deafbiz.com to your website is a backlink. And if your website is related to deafness or hearing loss, then the backlink will score “higher” from deafbiz.com than from something that’s totally unrelated to deafness, like cars.com.

There’s only so much I can do to find new websites to be listed on deafbiz.com. The quickest way to be listed on deafbiz.com and get indexed on Google is to fill out a link submission form .

Another way to get indexed is to be linked from other blogs, social network (myspace.com) and community rating “listings” service like Swicki.

I just signed up a new one today: Listible

I don’t know what’s the proper term to call Swicki and Listible so for now I call them Community Rating Listings. It’s almost like “Digg” where people can vote up or down. In the case of Swicki and Listible, people can vote up or down whether the website is related to the theme.

This is also another way to find the best websites without digging through million of garbage and pretend deaf websites.

There’s many more “community rating listings” websites so I would appreciate if you can tell me which one are the most popular.

Need a better tool than “paper and pen”? Frustrated trying to get an interpreter in an emergency? Miss out conversations at family reunions? Ubi Duo is your answer to your communication problems. Ubi Duo is now available for sale at WinfreePCS.com . Got questions? Go to WinfreePCS.com for answers!

Now, let me go to Part Two about why Deafbiz.com doesn’t have a mailing list.

I started Deafbiz.com in 1996 (you can check the domain aging).
Deafbiz.com is a Personal project of mine, to give back to the deaf
community as well as to develop Internet Marketing skills.

I joined WinfreePCS, Inc. in 2003 as a Manager plus I maintain the website because I love working with Joomla!.

I work for WinfreePCS, but I volunteer at Deafbiz.com. See the difference?

Here’s a REAL why I don’t have a mailing list. Because I won’t be accused of conflict of interest if I only accept ads promoting WinfreePCS line of products and refuse ads from WinfreePCS competitors. I am missing out good money, but in the long run, my reputation speaks for itself.

If you want to know more about Ubi Duo, that’s my job with WinfreePCS.com.

If you want to find good deaf-related websites, that’s what Deafbiz.com is for.

I hope this will squelch deaf rumors about me, personally as well as professionally.

As you noticed I do not maintain a subscription mailing list. I am on a lot of deaf mailing lists and that doesn’t guarantee that I will actually read. Sometimes I just have to do a mass delete because I simply don’t have the time to read through to find links to deaf websites or something to write about on this blog.

And I’m sure the same thing will happen if I set up a mailing list. Not only it’s too much work to maintain, but on top of it, I could be accused of spamming and get my domain blacklisted. Not to mention who would actually pay for advertisement?

Besides, that’s what blogs are for. That’s what RSS feeds is for. Emailing list is so “90’s”

And why am I writing about this? See in my next posting.

Just learned that my husband’s cousin, Sandy Hart (Freeman) has passed away on January 8.

She was my only deaf “cousin”, if I could put it that way.

Very determined, very involved in deaf athletics and a loving mother and very lucky to have a devoted husband.

My heart goes to Bob and Daniel.

Love you Sandy,
JSG