I'm a computer specialist with the Department of Defense. I've had my BrailleNote for a few months now, and I'll tell you, it's definitely worth the flexibility of having both a note taker and Braille display in one unit. I use the unit as a Braille display with Jaws for Windows, and am just really starting to tap into the multiple capabilities and flexibility this unit has. When I was evaluating choices, I wanted something that was portable, could serve as both a Braille display and notetaker, and had the ability to import and export files of varied formats, and could also send and receive e-mail on the road, well, let's just say that the BrailleNote fits the bill and handily. I'm also going to be using the K1000 OCR software, and it's sure nice to know that I can transfer a scanned document to the BrailleNote. I've checked out the Alva Satelite 70 display, and, it's certainly a nice display. But if you're looking for flexibility as both a display and a notetaker, the BrailleNote will do you just fine. The neat thing is, it's still evolving as a unit. 

Brian Zolo