From the BrailleNote mailing list, about BrailleNote updates:
I'm not a HumanWare employee but was also there and can get this started and they can come in and verify.
They started with the first Braillenote Touch that had android. They went thru the entire Google certification process to allow it to have all the google services like google play store. This certification allowed them to update its Android OS to a certain point. To go any farther they had to have a device certified for the new version. They tried to certify the first braillenote touch for the new android OS but google will not allow recertification of a already certified device. This is where Braillenote touch plus comes to play. They created a new model and got it certified for the new version of android OS. Braillenote touch plus has now again gotten to the limit of its android OS updates. Human ware said the process of certifying a device of extensive and the cost was extremely high for the low number of devices they sell. They said there will be new devices to continue the segment with, but they can't talk about those right now. They said they're not just stopping the braillenote touch plus and that's it! They're working on finding a valid solution for the high cost of google certification for a new device. Rather that's Linux, windows, uncertified android, etc.
The Monarch has an uncredited android which is not a bad or wrong thing to do, this just means it doesn't have the google services like play store.
I hope this helps everyone understand where they are with this and that it's a google stupidity thing not a HumanWare thing.
#Braille #accessibility #blind #BrailleNote #technology #Android #google
