WHAT'S NEW – POLARIS FALL 2018 FIRMWARE RELEASE NOTES

New Features:

1. Notepad
a. New editor created to handle text, Braille and other document types.
b. Is much more responsive, opens and navigates large files in a fraction of the time.
c. Supports TXT, BRL, BRF, RTF, DOC, DOCX, EPUB, PDF.
d. Notepad is a simple text editor designed to efficiently create and save unformatted Braille and Text Documents. To create, view or edit formatted documents, use the Word Processor. 
e. Default Document Type in Global options now refers to the Notepad and is defaulted to TXT.
f. Notepad supports Embossing; Word Processor supports cannot.
g. Math content cannot be created in the Notepad, only in the Word Processor.
h. Inserted the ability to Spell check a braille document.
i. Inserted the function to input control characters in a braille document.
j. Fixed the problem of trunkating documents imported from Braillenote Apex.

2. New Word processor 
a. Dedicated to the creation/editing of docx documents.
b. Word Processor will open doc, docx, ppt, pptx, and pptm files; but only doc and docx files can be edited or saved.
c. doc, docx, ppt, pptx, and pptm can be accessed from the Insert File function.
d. Layout menu supports Font, print document and print paragraph settings.
e. Print dialog only supports “printing”. Embossers are supported in the Notepad.
f. Inserted the ability to move by heading. Hot-key is space-dots-2-3-5 and dots-2-5-6.
g. *Note: the new word processor will not open doc files based on rtf, such as those created on the U2 or BrailleNote Apex.
h. Opening documents using a second Word Processor is no longer supported. This functionality will be added to the Notepad in a future release.

3. Polaris Math
a. Located in the Utilities Menu below Calculator.
b. Hot-key: F3-M
c. A graphing calculator that allows creation of graphs for pasting in to Word processor documents, as well as tactile viewing, embossing, and saving in Braille.
d. File Menu
i. Export: saves the current Polaris math file (.mth). You are not able to export this to other formats, just save it for later use, or for sharing with another Polaris user.
ii. Import: Allows you to open a previously saved Polaris Math (.mth) file.
iii. Save to History: saves the current selection to your history.
iv. History: Opens a list of equations you saved to your history. You can save an expression to your history by pressing Space-S.
v. Save Graph as Braille: saves the tactile rendering of your currently selected graph as a Braille file.
vi. Exit: Exits the program.
e. Edit Menu
i. Copy: Copies the current or selected math expressions to the clipboard. This function does not copy graphical images. Use the copy Graph function to do this.
ii. Paste: Pastes clipboard content, can currently paste only from other Polaris Math areas, such as the history or a math file.
iii. Delete: deletes the current or selected expressions.
iv. Select All: selects all expressions in the current list.
v. Start Selection: (Enter-B) The same Start selection command that exists in File Manager and other list areas, selects continuously to your current cursor position.
vi. Copy Graph: Copies the graph image and associated equations to the clipboard.
vii. Symbol picker: allows you to search for and select math symbols to enter into your math expression.
viii. Set Math Code: Choose between UEB and Nemeth.
f. Graph Menu
i. Axis: Allows you to set the limits of the axes, label them, and set the value each point represents.
ii. Graph label: lets you label the current plot point.
iii. Graph Style:  Lets you set color and shape of the graph. 
iv. Show/Hide graph: This allows you to hide the graph for the equation on which you are focused. This menu item will then become “Show Graph” which will restore its view.
g. Output Menu
i. Display Tactile Graph: Renders a tactile representation of the graph on the Braille display. Scroll Quickly to easily determine its shape.
ii. Send to Embosser: allows you to emboss a tactile version of the graph.

Changes and Enhancements

1. General
a. Fixed the problem of incorrectly translating Spanish Braille.
b. Fixed the problem of not cycling programs with the F2-F3 key.
c. the Voice Options dialog now opens properly when apps are open.
d. Inserted the kernel version information in the Information section of help.
e. Fixed the problem of incorrectly speaking the dots-4-6 when move by character.
f. Added support for the "Hebrew" braille code.
g. Now Supports the "UK" date format when changing language to "United Kingdom. “It is recommended the braille code is changed to ‘UK’ and UK TTS is also used.
h. Inserted the function to display the country code in the version information when changing the android system language.
i. Fixed the problem of computer braille edit boxes not always displaying correctly in places like Open URL dialogs when using US Braille.

2. Global Options
a. Added power Button Operation option: this allows you to choose between the Screen Off Mode we have been using or “Deep Sleep”, which places Polaris in a sleep mode like older Braille Sense models and preserves battery life.
b. Added “Show Virtual Braille display on HDMI” option: allows you to choose whether the virtual Braille display appears on the visual monitor.
c. Changed Default Document Type to apply to Notepad, and to default to TXT.
d. Now remembers the last grade of Braille used when changing the braille code.

3. File Manager
a. Inserted the function to select the program launched when opening DOC and DOCX files in the file manager. Use the "Document open settings" item in the "View" menu. 
b. Improved the time for displaying the file list.
c. Change the "search for text" hot-key to "backspace-f."
d. Inserted the ability to create docx files from the new document function.

4. Word processor 
a. Fixed the problem of not opening documents from Outlook.
b. Fixed the problem of incorrectly editing documents when deleting the letter sign.
c. Fixed the problem of incorrectly copying words with an apostrophe.
d. Fixed the problem of not correctly deleting blocked text.
e. Changed default alignment to left justified.
f. Changed the hot-key of set "center" layout to enter-backspace-space-c.
g. Inserted the hot-key for set left justification to enter-backspace-space-l.
h. Inserted the hot-key for set right justification to enter-backspace-space-r.
i. Inserted the "Justify" alignment in the layout dialog box. And format indicators are now displayed when View format Characters is turned on.
j. Fixed the problem of not applying the font when saving a docx document.
k. Fixed the problem of the auto save function not working in the background.
l. Fixed the problem of crashing when searching a word when using the markdown headings format in a text document.
m. Fixed the problem of the “read unit” setting not being honored when reading using Space-1-4.

5. Address Manager
a. Improved the speed of backing up contacts.

6. Schedule Manager
a. Fixed the problem of the date not showing when the search mode is set to Subject when control information is set to off.

7. Web Browser
a. Fixed the problem of receiving the Access error when the latest Web View is installed.
b. Inserted the function for solving login problems at hotels or airports.
c. Hot-key F2-F3-dots-1-3.
d. Removed the "RSS list" dialog.
e. Inserted the function to move by first letter in combo boxes.
f. Fixed the problem of not downloading files from www.coastfm.com.au site.
g. Fixed the problem of announcing "loading" when opening the favorites.
h. Fixed the problem of not focusing correctly when using the find command.
i. Fixed the problem of not activating buttons on amazon.com.

8. Email
a. Fixed the problem of displaying html coding in some messages.
b. Fixed the problem of not moving messages with backspace-x.
c. Fixed the problem of not searching for text in the message body.
d. Fixed the problem of not focusing the first item in the search list.

9. Media Player
a. Inserted the option to select whether to use headphone monitoring in the "record settings dialog."

10. Daisy Player
a. Inserted the function to save the last navigation unit you used for each book. So, if you last navigated by heading, next time you open that book, your movement unit will automatically be set to Heading, unless you change it again.

11. Calculator
a. Inserted the function to "Display using Scientific Notation" in the Option settings.
b. Fixed the problem of not reading the current line when pressing space-c when key Echo is set to off.
c. space-r now reads the entire current math expression.

12. USB Keyboard
a. Changed the Global Quick Launch keys that use Caps lock to use Windows-Shift-Letter.

13. Help
a. Changed the “Installing and Using Native Android Apps” hot-key to “n.”

14. Mobile Screen Reader
a. Fixed the problem of displaying strange characters where new lines should be in apps like Delight Games.

15. TTS
a. Added the UK Daniel voice.

16. Task Manager
a. Inserted the "Close" button.
b. Inserted a hot-key to close all apps. (F1+F4+D)