Is phone technology coming full circle?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the evolution of mobile voice-recognition technology and its implications for communication, particularly focusing on the potential for voice-synthesizing phones that can read text messages aloud. Participants explore the current capabilities and limitations of voice recognition and synthesis, as well as the social dynamics of communication preferences.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that mobile voice-recognition technology allows users to send text messages by speaking, suggesting that the next step could be phones that can read text messages aloud.
  • Others mention that devices like the Droid can translate voicemails to text and imply that adding a feature to speak text messages would be feasible.
  • There are concerns about the effectiveness of current voice recognition software, with some participants arguing that it often misinterprets spoken words.
  • Some participants assert that voice-synthesizing technology does exist, particularly for individuals with visual impairments, and is used to read text messages aloud.
  • One participant expresses hope that such technology might encourage clearer enunciation in speech.
  • A more imaginative proposal suggests a system where spoken text messages could be exchanged in real-time, maintaining the speakers' voices, but acknowledges potential challenges with interpreting text abbreviations and humor.
  • Another participant humorously reflects on the trend of people preferring text over voice calls, suggesting it complicates communication.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of agreement and disagreement regarding the effectiveness and implications of voice recognition technology. While some acknowledge its advancements, others highlight its limitations and the nuances of communication preferences, indicating that the discussion remains unresolved.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference various technologies and their applications, but there is no consensus on the overall effectiveness of voice recognition or the desirability of returning to older forms of communication.

jtbell
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http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/03/19/voice.recognition/index.html?hpt=Sbin

Mobile voice-recognition technology now allows people to send text messages to friends by talking instead of typing

And the next step will surely be voice-synthesizing phones that can "speak" text messages to you. Or do these exist already?
 
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I believe the Droid can translate voicemails to text. It wouldn't be hard to add software to speak text.
 
jtbell said:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/03/19/voice.recognition/index.html?hpt=Sbin



And the next step will surely be voice-synthesizing phones that can "speak" text messages to you. Or do these exist already?

It's not really full-circle. The voice recognition software is really not that great, you say call it thinks you said internet. Somehow they sound similar. For a voice recognition software to be able to take what you are saying and make it into a text-message that is definitely new and quite high-tech relative to what's available. Even speech recognition software on the computer can't do that effectively unless you spend big money.
 
jtbell said:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/03/19/voice.recognition/index.html?hpt=Sbin



And the next step will surely be voice-synthesizing phones that can "speak" text messages to you. Or do these exist already?

They sure do. They make it for people who have bad eyesight, considering how tiny font usually is on a cellphone. It's usually for seniors.

zomgwtf said:
It's not really full-circle. The voice recognition software is really not that great, you say call it thinks you said internet. Somehow they sound similar.

100% true, although it's not always that bad.
 
Kronos5253 said:
They sure do. They make it for people who have bad eyesight, considering how tiny font usually is on a cellphone. It's usually for seniors.
It also works if you send a text message to a land phone. It speaks the text message to you and it's actually pretty understandable.
 
I hope it teaches people to enunciate. A computer isn't bound to the proprieties of not telling people they're mush-mouths.
 
jtbell said:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/03/19/voice.recognition/index.html?hpt=Sbin



And the next step will surely be voice-synthesizing phones that can "speak" text messages to you. Or do these exist already?

If you could speak your text message, have the person you're communicating with hear it in words, and have the other person immediately reply in real-time in a spoken text message that would be converted into a spoken message you could hear - plus have it done in each speaker's real voice?

That would be positively awesome, dude! It would be like... well... almost like a telephone, but lots cooler because it would use all those cool texting abbreviations like 511, RBAY, STB, and ST&D!

The big problem is how it would handle those situations where you're ROTFLUTS. There's no telling what text your sounds would be converted to, nor how the receiver would react to it.
 
Last edited:
zomgwtf said:
It also works if you send a text message to a land phone. It speaks the text message to you and it's actually pretty understandable.

Is that what my wife got here at home the other day? She said she got a phone call that was a text message (que?) for me.
 
Its funny. There are some people who will refuse to talk on the phone and only use text (in my observation usually girls), and it turns a one minute conversation intom a thirty minute conversation. It's like, who needs the phone, let's go back to the telegraph [STOP]
 

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