Meeting summary July 2025 Zoom Meeting 

Quick recap
 . Orbit Research provided updates on firmware releases for multiple products, including bug fixes and new features for the Orbit Slate and Orbit Speak devices, while also announcing the upcoming launch of the Orbit Player with positive feedback from recent conventions. The team addressed questions about device support capabilities, battery availability, and future feature parity between devices, with Orbit confirming plans for global distribution and special offers ending soon.
Next steps
* Orbit Research to release firmware updates for Orbit Reader 40, Orbit Reader 20 standard, Orbit Reader 20 plus, and Orbit Slate.
* Orbit Research to release version 1.7 for Orbit Speak on July 21st.
* Orbit Research to enable NFB Newsline for Orbit Speak in a couple of weeks.
* Orbit Research to release version 2 for Orbit Speak next month with additional features like localization and system-wide braille translation.
* Orbit Research to start shipping Orbit Player on July 21st.
* Orbit Research to post the Orbit Player manual on their website by July 21st.
* Orbit Research to release a leather case for Orbit Player in about 2 months.
* Orbit Research to continue working on Bard support for Orbit devices.
* Orbit Research to explore the possibility of supporting magazines and foreign language content from Bard.
* Anthony to email Orbit Research about issues connecting Bluetooth keyboards to Orbit Speak.
* Orbit Research to consider developing a version of the Orbit Player case without a belt clip.
Summary
. Robert then begins the formal meeting, introducing Venkatesh from Orbit Research to provide updates on recent developments, including conventions and a new player release.
Orbit Firmware Updates and Features
Orbit announced firmware updates for multiple products, including bug fixes and connectivity improvements for Orbit Reader40, Orbit 20 standard and plus, and Orbit Slate. They highlighted that Orbit Slate, the first fully refreshable multiline braille display, now has full support from NVDA and upcoming support from JAWS, enabling advanced features like split screen. Orbit Speak's release 1.7, delayed to July 21, will introduce USB storage support, an improved voice recorder, and a new software updater, with NFB Newsline integration in testing.
Orbit Player Release 2 Updates
The team discussed the upcoming Release 2 for Orbit Speak, which will include localization support and braille translation features, while also applying to the new Orbit Player that begins shipping on Monday. They clarified that while NFB Newsline and third-party app support are in development, these features cannot be guaranteed, and customers should not purchase the devices relying on these capabilities. The Orbit Player received positive feedback at recent conventions in Dallas and New Orleans, with attendees impressed by the audio quality and $299 price point. The company is working to establish new Australian distribution channels, with an announcement expected in the coming weeks.
Orbit Player Global Launch Update
The meeting discussed the availability and features of the Orbit player and Orbit speak devices. Orbit confirmed that UK library support would be added in the future, with Newsline being the next library to receive support. The devices will be launched globally next week, with regional distributors expected to take about 2 months to fulfill orders. Orbit addressed battery availability issues and promised to follow up on a customer's request for batteries. The team discussed plans for parity between the two devices, with Orbit confirming that new features would be released within a few weeks of each other. Special offers for the devices will end on Sunday, with manuals expected to be available on the website by Monday.
Orbit Device Support Capabilities
The meeting focused on discussing the support capabilities of the Orbit devices, particularly regarding braille and document content. Orbit confirmed that while audio content support is being worked on, the intent is to enable support for all content types, though some features like NFB Newsline are not yet available. The team clarified that while there are no plans for a standalone web browser, the device can function as a keyboard for other devices and supports braille input through a qwerty keyboard emulation mode. Anthony suggested removing the belt clip from the Orbit Player case to make it more pocket-friendly, which Orbit noted would be considered for future versions.
