I sat outside this afternoon and selected one POI category shopping/services and selected a local grocery store. I was given directions from my home to the grocery store. The directions included the approaching intersection and the necessary turn I needed to make. I feel so liberated with the ability to generate a route and physically be able to follow the instructions when using a cane. The fact that I don't have to think about the correct turn and also know what intersection I'm approaching is amazing. I am really motivated to walk to this grocery store and back home. I always have trouble with remembering what turn to make when at a street intersection. I've used a braille compass to know in what direction I am heading and to determine the correct turn to make when needing to make a turn. Now besides using my compass for directions I can also use my GPS.

My Victor Reader Stream served me well on several more occasions, and provided a means for me to relax with a good book and plenty of music when the hectic days were done.

Video magnification is essential. Without it I could not read labels and prices while shopping, balance my check book, write checks or notes by hand, read addresses on letters, labels on prescriptions, the mail itself, find places on maps, enjoy pictures, or make sense of all of the clutter on forms. I can make some sense of TV so long as I sit close, but need well lit magnification to get the right channel and sound level. These are life tools.

I used to be an avid shortwave DX listener. Now, with the Stream update, I can search for countries by name. I can listen to stations that I grew up with in my old home town.

Since getting my Brailliant 40, I have had access to braille outside of the blind school I attended. This meant that if I got my college textbooks electronically, I could still read them. Even between semesters and beyond, I could use the brailliant with my iOS device and read books purchased using iBooks! This meant that I could still keep my braille reading skill up while still enjoying a book for the same cost as everyone else! This was not my first braille display, but it's been my best!