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I found this site through a web search and I don't see any content rules, so please forgive me if I say or do anything wrong.  I have an unusual name, an unusual situation, and an unusual need.  I'll start by saying my name is Snoopi Botten  and any search engine will get you tons of information about me, or you can go to www.dectalksings.com and find out about my work.

I have Cerebral Palsy, which is really nothing more than a brain injury from birth.  As a result, I'm in a wheelchair and my speech is hard to understand.  So I communicate using a communication device and using a desktop computer I work out of my home the best I can.  I type slow, so in order to get things done I can't go out much.  I can't use a palm pilot because the buttons are too small, and a laptop is not durable enough, plus I don't have enough control in my hands to control a regular mouse.  So, since the early 90's I just had to live with the fact that if I wanted to keep working, I just had to deal with staying home a lot to get stuff done.

Well, about 3 weeks ago, a company put a new device on the market called the Eco-14, that will end my having to stay home so much.  It's a communication device with a full laptop that runs Windows XP.  So not only is it a full laptop with all the bells and whistles, but it has a keyboard I can finally use.  So I'll finally be able to do everything on the go just like everyone else.  Information on the Eco-14 can be found at www.prentrom.com

The only problem is the price is out of my range.  The cost is around $7500.00 but I will have to pay $8000.00 by the time you include tax and everything.  So it's very hard for me to remain sitting at my desktop computer when I now know I can finally get a device that has the first laptop that I can use out in public.

I don't have the option of having Medicaid get this device for me, and my finances will make it hard for me to save up for one.  I've never had a credit card, so getting a loan is out of the question.  So I'm looking on the internet for any help I can find.

If anyone has any questions or can help in any way, please write Dectalk@aol.com

My speech is very hard to understand, so I often talk using a communication device.  Back in 1989 I took an interest in programming my device to sing.  People around me laughed at the thought.  But after many years of music classes and studying the human voice, I became a singer through my device.  One song alone can take a minimum of 14 hours to program.  The reason is, words in a song has to be broken down into phonetic sounds.  Each individual sound has to be assigned to a pitch and time value.  When all these sounds are stung together and played back, it sounds like natural singing to the human ear.

My work has won the Da Vinci Award because it gives those who can't talk a way to sing.  A glass Da Vinci Award sits on my entertainment center making me depressed.  Sure it a nice thing to have, but it does nothing to help me get better equipment so I can get farther in life and help more people.