Aol offers the software but its still crude. MSFT just bought the technology so we know it is being pursued aggressively:
<<Microsoft in strategic buy of voice recognition co
REDMOND, Wash., Oct 29 (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) said on Friday it acquired speech recognition software company Entropic Inc. under undisclosed terms, as part of a strategy to make speech a method of interacting with Microsoft Windows.
Microsoft said in a statement that Entropic, which is affiliated with Cambridge University in England, will help the software giant accelerate efforts to incorporate speech recognition in its products.
"We're excited that Microsoft shares our vision for providing telephony access to speech-enable the Web and make it ubiquitous for all types of users," said John Shore, founder and vice chairman of Entropic.
Before the acquisition, Entropic was in the midst of a campaign toward a second round of financing.
Most of Entropic's engineering employees are currently based either in the Washington, D.C. or in a Cambridge office. The Washington, D.C., office will close and the Cambridge office will remain open to support research and development and its partnership with Cambridge University, the statement said.>>
The implication is that growth of email is on the verge of exploding. Imagine the utility of multilingual voice generated email which can then be translated to the recipients language of choice and presented either in print or voice generated by the computer. In other words, you speak your email into a microphone in one language, email is generated and sent to its destination, translated to another language and delivered in either script form or verbally.(Powered by Commtouch of course).
Furthermore, an internet access device much like the cellular phones currently being introduced (with small screens and few keys)could facilitate email delivery with the advent of this technology as easily as a lap top but offering much more mobility. Just thinking out loud. yz |
