Manage updates with the Download App
speak
Nothing But Software has the Dragon NaturallySpeaking Preferred - ( v.9 ) - complete package for $74.95, after $110.04 savings and $15 mail-in rebate (Expires 1/11/2009).
Buzz Out Loud 853: The Netbook and the girl
Microsoft launches online store: Is there deeper meaning here? http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=10849 http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-10097239-75.html … Read more
Dragon Naturally Speaking 10 Professional
Bottom line: Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 isn't perfect, but it's the best dictation software available. We don't find this upgrade necessary for the most basic dictation, although new features may benefit heavily accented English speakers and those who rely heavily on voice commands.
Who wants to risk or aggravate carpal tunnel syndrome at a keyboard? People who suffer repetitive stress injuries, type slowly, or dictate long documents for work are among the best candidates for Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10, which types as you talk. While not perfect, it's the best consumer tool available for digital dictation and can … Read more
MyCaption app for BlackBerry: free your thumbs
MyCaption, a member of the BlackBerry Alliance, introduced on Tuesday a new way BlackBerry users can work with e-mails on their smartphones: by speaking.
Actually, this is not exactly a breakthrough, as voice recognition technology has been out there for a long time and can be found in the Voice Command or Voice Dialing features of many smartphones. However, this seems to be the first time you can use it for more than simple sentences, such as, "Call Johnny at the office."
MyCaption claims that its new application is sophisticated enough that people can compose, forward, or reply … Read more
My speakers can beat up your high-end A/V receiver
Are high-end A/V receivers, which for the purpose of this blog is any receiver with a MSRP over $1,500, worth it? True, they're loaded with features, stuff like all of the latest surround formats like Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master Audio. But wait a sec--Denon's soon to be released $649 AVR-1909 receiver has them, too. It's got three HDMI inputs and all of the latest Audyssey auto speaker set up and equalization doodads.
Let's take a look at Sony's $1,699 STR-DA5300ES. What does the extra $1,000 buy you? Not so much. … Read more
The weird world of circuit-bending
If you spend any time with young children, you've been exposed to talking, beeping, musical toys. Most of them seem designed to annoy adults, but as good parents, we're willing to make the sacrifice if it keeps our children happy. Unfortunately, the average child's attention span for one of these toys is no more than three months, after which it sits in a corner, abandoned, until dad trips over it and sprains an ankle. Next stop: Freecycle.
Not so fast. Last week I was introduced to circuit-bending, the practice of taking abandoned kids' toys and creating musical … Read more
Speaker dock would make Dumbo proud
The search for a universal portable speaker design has been like hunting for UFOs or the Loch Ness Monster: Tons of sightings, but the real thing remains as elusive as ever. If anything, we should expect to see increasingly unusual attempts until the electronics industry figures it out, whether they're made for media players, mobile phones, or any other form of portable audio.
The latest: elephant ears. That, at least, is what the "LiveSpeakR" stereo dock looks like to us. The system wraps around the iPhone or iPod Touch, connected by USB port and accommodating both vertical … Read more
SpeakLike translates chatting as you go
SpeakLike uses quick automatic translation and human translators to break down language barriers over instant messaging.
It appears like an ordinary chat application as you type. Choose which languages you want to speak in. You can see what you're typing in your own language and what the other person is seeing translated. If a word or phrase is more complex, SpeakLike will go to a human translator and make sure it's accurate. The company says the more you use it the smarter it becomes and the faster it will return results in the future.
You can also add … Read more
Conquering your fear of public speaking
People fear public speaking more than anything else. Anxiety over a simple presentation can be debilitating. Moreover, sufferers are typically embarrassed and reluctant to admit they have a problem. They hide a deep concern about the phobia's affect on their careers in an industry that values presentation skills so highly.
I know quite a bit about this subject. As a senior high-tech executive for many years, I've given hundreds, maybe thousands of presentations and speeches. I even have a reputation for being quite good at it. That's why it will surprise a lot of people to know that I have a fear of public speaking.
Sure, I've come a long way. At this point, the residual anxiety I feel is certainly manageable and may even help my performance. Since I've put so much into conquering this beast, I thought I'd share what I learned along the way.… Read more
