PenFriend 2

For a person who is blind, one of the most frustrating problems is being able to identify various household items without sighted assistance. What’s in this can? What medication is this and how often do I take it? What color is this shirt and how should it be laundered? What CD or DVD am I putting in the player? Now that I have my new PenFriend 2, these questions are no longer an issue.

According to the manufacturer Royal National Institute of the Blind, “Our best- selling audio labeler! Label anything and everything – make audio labels by recording your own voice. This easy-to-use labeling device has tactile operating buttons in high contrast yellow. Simply record your own voice onto the self-adhesive labels and attach them to a wide range of everyday items. When you need to identify the item, simply place the PenFriend onto the voice label you made, and it will scan and playback your audio recording! Use it to label food items, including freezer food with dates and cooking instructions.

When shopping, label items as they go into your basket so you know where to store them when you get home. You could also label the name and genre of DVDs and CDs. Other possible items to label include medicine names and instructions, paperwork, and personal documents. If you cannot see what clothes you are picking out or the care instructions, you can use the dedicated pack of washable laundry labels to coordinate your outfit for the day and ensure they are washed correctly by recording a label of washing instructions and clothing description. The PenFriend comes with 127 mixed size and colored labels; small round, large round, large square yellow, and large square orange. You also receive 3 magnetic recordable discs, ideal for use on tins. Clothing labels are sold separately.”

I urge anyone who is blind or vision impaired to pick up a PenFriend 2.