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Voice Activated MP3 player

g0dsp33d writes "A US company is working on a voice controlled MP3 player for applications like cars where touch control is not as feasible. Considering technology like radar breaking and AI steering for robots, it reminds me of the possibility for a real life version of the car from Night Rider, KITT. Minus the cool jump effects, of course."

236 comments

  1. One song you'll not be able to play by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Stop, what's that sound." It'll shut off right after it starts.

    1. Re:One song you'll not be able to play by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      :) Very Godelian

      We should call it "I cannot be played on MP3 player X"

    2. Re:One song you'll not be able to play by fcolari · · Score: 1

      Not a problem as I think you are quoting "For What It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield.

      --
      "The first rule of intelligent tinkering is to save all the pieces." --Aldo Leopold (Paraphrased)
    3. Re:One song you'll not be able to play by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That song needs work. Maybe if you mix it with some hiphop or funk it will fix it.

    4. Re:One song you'll not be able to play by Mortlath · · Score: 1
      I know that the parent post was a joke, but if they design the MP3 right, that won't be a progblem.

      They just need the player to compare the input with the music being played and ignore the music in the input.

      There are currently system's available commerically that are used in that fashion when background noise is problematic.

    5. Re:One song you'll not be able to play by fcolari · · Score: 1

      Not a problem as Public Enemy sampled it in "He Got Game" :)

      --
      "The first rule of intelligent tinkering is to save all the pieces." --Aldo Leopold (Paraphrased)
    6. Re:One song you'll not be able to play by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hiphop is for crack head morons.

      And othe rmorons, too, it seems.

    7. Re:One song you'll not be able to play by Marvelicious · · Score: 2, Insightful

      ...a voice controlled MP3 player for applications like cars where touch control is not as feasible

      Good God! To think all these years I've been controlling my music without voice control when it is "not feasable." I must be a pretty amazing guy to pull this off!

      --
      Send whiskey and fresh horses!
    8. Re:One song you'll not be able to play by Agent__Smith · · Score: 0

      Actually there are already companies who have integrated voice command into automobiles. Everyone keeps talking about a trigger word, but at least up to now that is not how the problem has been dealt with.

      Honda/Accura for example, has voice command for the radio controls, climate controls and navigation system. There is not a special word or phrase to get it started, there is a button on the steering wheel. You tap that button and for about 10 seconds the system "listens" for vocal commands.

      --
      "It seems that we are at the age where life stops giving us things, and starts taking them away..." Indiana Jones
    9. Re:One song you'll not be able to play by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I suppose for a second that seems funny, but since the mp3 player is the actual source of the music beeing played, all they would have to do is figure out the amplitude to block it out.

      Think of it as removing background noise from recorded data, its simple if you know what the background noise should be like.

    10. Re:One song you'll not be able to play by R.D.Olivaw · · Score: 1
      How about the bspecial work 'computer'?

      e.g. "Computer, tea, Early Grey, Hot"

    11. Re:One song you'll not be able to play by Pxtl · · Score: 1

      Feasible, yes. Safe? Not so much - I'd rather drivers keep their eyes on the wheel, not looking at the buttons. Yes, with practice you do it by touch, but I'd rather not be crushed during the time it takes someone to learn a new stereo.

    12. Re:One song you'll not be able to play by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'd rather drivers keep their eyes on the wheel, not looking at the buttons.

      Funny... I'd rather them look down the road.

    13. Re:One song you'll not be able to play by Marvelicious · · Score: 1

      Please, if you're not capable of eating a burrito, rolling a joint and changine cd's all while steering with your knees, I don't want you on the road. (Kidding - mostly)

      What we need in this country is better driver education, not gadgets to lull people into an even bigger false sense of safety. I'll admit that SOME people can't handle any distractions while driving (like those people who actually turn sideways in the driver's seat to talk to the passenger...), but I would hope that MOST of us are capable of turning a volume knob without causing a twelve car pileup!

      --
      Send whiskey and fresh horses!
  2. So... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If I play an MP3 of someone saying "off" will it turn it self off?

  3. Not for me, thanks by drivinghighway61 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'll actually be avoiding this, as I don't want anyone else to hear that I'm listening to Britney Spears.

    Wait.

    Damn it!

    1. Re:Not for me, thanks by jE · · Score: 0


      Play Motorhead
      (ding) - Playing Britney Spears

      What ? Nooo ! Turn it off
      (ding) - You have selected "open all windows"

      Whaaat ?!!?? Close the damn window.. Its freezing (mumble mumble)
      (ding) - Did you say - Close the window ?

      YES !
      (ding) - Closing windows

      Damit.. Turn on the air conditioning
      (ding) - Did you say - Turn on the ..(airflow noise)..

      YES !!!!!!
      (ding) - Now playing Britney Spears "Turn on The Night"

    2. Re:Not for me, thanks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I listen to Britney Spears when I'm working out because she inspires me. When it says "hit me baby one for time" I pretend she is telling me to do an extra push up.

    3. Re:Not for me, thanks by c0p0n · · Score: 1

      Sure, it would be like listening to Kerberos on the Black Gate of Pain.

      --

      Your head a splode
  4. Voice = Voice, Mp3 = Sound by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Can the Mp3 player turn itself off by making it play a soundtrack saying, "Shut down"?

    1. Re:Voice = Voice, Mp3 = Sound by pfraser · · Score: 1

      Can the Mp3 player turn itself off by making it play a soundtrack saying, "Shut down"?

      You're not the first smart alec to ask this. ;) No, it likely can't. Why? Because voice recognition absolutely sucks for noisy environments - ie, a car where there's music playing.

      It probably won't be able to understand you, let alone the music...

    2. Re:Voice = Voice, Mp3 = Sound by MrRTFM · · Score: 1

      Because voice recognition absolutely sucks for noisy environments - ie, a car where there's music playing.

      I thought that the noise cancellation would be easier seeing that they have the source of the music, so they can phase it out 180 degrees.

      But, other than that - voice recognition in a car would still suck (like it does everywhere else)

      --
      You can't expect to wield supreme executive power, just because some watery tart threw a sword at you
    3. Re:Voice = Voice, Mp3 = Sound by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bah, that's nothing, imagine when all of the cars goes fully voice activated, you play "Reminiscing" and during the song, you find your transmission in the middle of the road because you're car automagically went into "park". and you're looking at the bottom of the ditch. ;)

    4. Re:Voice = Voice, Mp3 = Sound by KingPunk · · Score: 0

      but better yet, what about the mp3 player that had an album or song, titled: "shut down"
      ..and it'd be a control word combo, to shut it off..
      oh the fun. you'd never hear that album i bet ;)

    5. Re:Voice = Voice, Mp3 = Sound by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      That would be trivial. But if it could switch itself on by playing a track saying "switch on", I'd be impressed.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  5. KITT was in Knight Rider by Vietomatic · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...and ITT was in Night Rider.

    1. Re:KITT was in Knight Rider by sethadam1 · · Score: 1

      I'm betting Night Rider actually featured NITT (Night Industries Two Thousand).

  6. Don't break the radar by Dancin_Santa · · Score: 3, Insightful

    How much training is required to operate this thing reliably? With voice training, you can get any piece of software to ignore non-operator commands.

    But I'm loath to sit out in the cold just to program the stupid thing in my sleigh.

    How big a deal is it to take a fraction of a second to change the song anyway? We do it all the time with the radio, A/C, and speedometer already.

    1. Re:Don't break the radar by Mitsoid · · Score: 1

      My MP3 player has hundreds of albums on it... it takes me up to 15-20 seconds to find a song that isn't on a playlist... it only takes one second for road conditions to change... we... at least in Metropolitan areas... From my experiences in the DC area for so many years, there's alot of crazy stuff that happens here... like a 5-lane change/left turn in the middle of an intersection, cutting off an 18-wheeler (Sept. 2004), and another fool changing lanes in the middle of an intersection (Nov. 2004), if i wasn't looking directly at the car he would have side-swiped my front passenger side quarter panel... can tell you I'd much rather throw myself into a ditch then get forced into one uncontrollably... and voice-controlled commands would be a huge help on keeping eyes on the road....

    2. Re:Don't break the radar by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I long time ago a put a box in my car to make my car a talking car. But all it ever said was "The door is ajar". And it said it all the time until I ripped the box out.

    3. Re:Don't break the radar by JPelorat · · Score: 1

      How big a deal is it to take a fraction of a second to change the song anyway? We do it all the time with the radio, A/C, and speedometer already.

      But not everyone can cope with that much attention switching.

      It becomes a big deal when someone's also talking on their cellphone or to passengers, reading, grooming, or any of a hundred other seriously dangerous-while-driving activities. I would rather not have them spend that last little fraction of attention on their radio.

      --
      Hokey statistics and ancient misconceptions are no match for a good thought in your head, kid!
    4. Re:Don't break the radar by Hognoxious · · Score: 1
      But not everyone can cope with that much attention switching. [...] I would rather not have them spend that last little fraction of attention on their radio.
      But they'lll be just as distracted using voice control (maybe more so, if it's flaky or badly designed) as they will moving their hands a few inches to twiddle a dial.
      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  7. Scenario by k4_pacific · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm sitting in a crowded place, listening to the White Album on my new voice activated MP3 player.

    Me (quietly): Play Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey.

    MP3 player: Please speak louder.

    Me: Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey.

    MP3 player: Please speak louder.

    Me (shouting): Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey!!!

    Everyone turns and looks at me. I make a mad dash for the exit.

    --
    Unknown host pong.
    1. Re:Scenario by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "The roof is on fire!" Yeah that one wouldn't go over to well.

    2. Re:Scenario by MikeXpop · · Score: 3, Funny

      I'd be more worried if I wanted to play "Why Don't We Do it in the Road?".

      --
      Etiquette is etiquette. He kills his mother but he can't wear grey trousers.
    3. Re:Scenario by caino59 · · Score: 1

      floyd's "several species of small fury animals gathered together in a cave and grooving with a pict" would surely get some attention too

      im pretty sure thats the title anyway...

    4. Re:Scenario by operagost · · Score: 1
      Your sig: the Sedition act defined disloyalty as criticism of the form of government (in other words, against the democratic federal republic system as opposed to its representatives) and it was passed in 1918. The Espionage Act was passed in 1917, but it only addressed attempts to impede military recruitment and defame the military.

      Fortunately, the Sedition act was repealed in 1921 but the Espionage act can still be invoked in wartime (like the Selective Service).

      --

      Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
  8. My two cents... by odano · · Score: 2, Informative

    I dont find using my radio while driving to really be that difficult. I don't even have to look at it to change CD, tracks or alter the volume.

    It seems to me that if the system was not perfect, IE it has common errors and played the wrong songs, that would make me more annoyed than the prospect of having to reach down to change something.

    I guess you can call me crazy, but I still like adjusting dials and getting some feedback when I change the volume or change tracks, and i'm not sure I would like a voice activated system.

    1. Re:My two cents... by }InFuZeD{ · · Score: 4, Insightful

      You seem to be missing the point.

      If your mp3 player has 3000 songs, and you're looking for one... you're gonna be doing quite a few clicks on that radio to get to it.

      The voice navigation will work a bit faster. Make that a lot faster.

    2. Re:My two cents... by timeOday · · Score: 1

      If they try to recognize only a few preset commands (like "next song") it may actually work, but won't help a lot. If they try to recognize general vocabulary with lots of proper nouns, like song titles, it definitely will not work.

    3. Re:My two cents... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hell, I use my laptop open on the car seat next to me and can effectively navigate through its ~3,500-song playlist just fine.

    4. Re:My two cents... by nvrrobx · · Score: 1

      Yes, but the software/hardware isn't quite ready for this. Car navigation and such works well with voice prompts because it has a very limited vocabulary it understands.

      Try and tell your computer to find something like these artists: Balligomingo, Fischerspooner, Hoobastank, Kraftwerk, etc.

      Heck, I own a Kenwood Keg (aka Phatbox) - it uses voice prompts to tell me what I'm hearing. It can't pronounce Bjork correctly, what makes you think it would understand me saying Bjork to it? The Phatbox uses AT&T's Natural Voice engine for TTS, which is a pretty damned good TTS engine, and it's not perfect.

      The Keg's interface works well - it speaks to me (announcing track title, artist, album and playlist), I hit a button on the remote control or I use my steering wheel controls. I can hit those buttons without looking away from the road.

      Think current IVR systems. They have a hard enough time understanding you. I can't imagine in a car with extra distractions (road noise, engine noise, etc)

    5. Re:My two cents... by norpan · · Score: 1

      It can't pronounce Bjork correctly, what makes you think it would understand me saying Bjork to it?

      How can you expect it to pronounce Björk correctly if you can't even spell it correctly?

      --
      Opinions expressed above are mine, and not my employees'.
    6. Re:My two cents... by pchan- · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I have a phatbox too (Nissan version). When you tell people it uses voice navigation, they automatically assume that you talk to it. But the way it talks to you is really ingenius. You don't need to look down to find the controls, because you already know where they are, and you don't need to read the display, because you hear the titles. Sure, pronounciation is not perfect, but I can figure out what it's saying, and would rather have that than be screaming "B-jork" (*you* you have to be mis-pronouncing it for it to understand what you want) in my loud car with the windows down. I guess that's why Audi and Volkswagen sell Phatboxes, It's a safety thing. Plus, you can't beat true integration with your native stereo.

    7. Re:My two cents... by prockcore · · Score: 1


      If your mp3 player has 3000 songs, and you're looking for one... you're gonna be doing quite a few clicks on that radio to get to it.


      Not if you organize your music. Maybe people have a lot of one-hit wonder songs or something, but I know the artist, and the album of a song, which makes finding a song easy, regardless of how many I have (and I have over 3000).

      But *most* people like to scan through music. They like flipping through their CD collection, looking for something they hadn't heard in a while. Rarely does anyone go "I need to hear Strawberry Fields right now!"

    8. Re:My two cents... by frog51 · · Score: 1

      Well, I have 14,000 songs on my in car mp3 player and with the intelligent search system (like autocomplete on mobile phones) on the remote, it typically takes 4 or 5 clicks to find the right song. And with the nice raised buttons on the remote, I don't even need to look at it.

      But voice activation would have cool geek factor!

    9. Re:My two cents... by Lumpy · · Score: 1

      No it does not.

      I have used voice navigation, and when the song is playing the system will not hear you. I had the Clarion Autopc, it had voice recognition for deck control, volume, track control, etc...

      when you were playing ANYTHING at a volume above low background music you no longer could command it without pressing an attention button that mute's the music so it can hear you.

      so if anyone thinks that the mp3 player will be useable above background music levels, then they are certianly silly.

      secondly, voice recignition needsto be trained, except for a small subset of highly shaped and optimized commands that are speaker agnostic, you are NOT going to simply upload a mp3 track and then be able to select it by name, or even artist for that matter without you training it.

      This unit will have only basic commands like next, next, skip, louder, quieter, stop, play, random.

      There is no way that they will get "star trek" functionality when even MIT and the best UK College do not even have it.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
    10. Re:My two cents... by Moderatbastard · · Score: 0
      You seem to be missing the point.
      No, you seem to be making things up [1].
      If your mp3 player has 3000 songs, and you're looking for one... you're gonna be doing quite a few clicks on that radio to get to it.
      And you're going to have to say a lot of words to get there. And say them clearly. And then say "error", when you don't say one clearly enough. I just find it laughable when people assume it will automatically be faster and better (anyone see the thread about juggling as an input method for mobile phones?) - it simply doesn't follow.

      Never mind that though, voice recognition is cool, even if it is largely a solution looking for a problem.

      [1] Now where was I? Ah yes, about you making things up:

      The voice navigation will work a bit faster. Make that a lot faster.
      Do you have a source for that? Even a logical argument from verifiable first principles, or a back-of-an-envelope calculation starting with sensible figures? No? Thought not.

      ** Pulling 'facts' out of the air is not insightful; metamods please take note. **

      --
      1/3 of jokes get modded OT. If you get the joke, mod 1 in 3 insightful/interesting/underrated to restore karma balance.
  9. background noise and trigger words? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Will it be able to hear me when the radio is on loud?

    Also, I hope instructions require a trigger word first .. like in star trek they say "computer, do this" .. "computer, do that" .. so that the car knows that it's being talked to.

    Otherwise I imagine it will be chaotic.

    What if a radio announcer or song says something perceived as an instruction ..maybe even deliberately .. so the trigger word's gotta be user definable.

    1. Re:background noise and trigger words? by WormholeFiend · · Score: 1

      Computer? Computer?

      Ah yes, the mouse. [Holds up mouse to mouth]

      Hello computer?

    2. Re:background noise and trigger words? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Mouse. How quaint.

  10. Hmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There already exists in voice-controlled car radios with built-in CD players. This is different how?

  11. Dangerous by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Turn it up, yeah yeah this is how it goes moth******, turn it UP, TURN IT U" *Sound of exploding speakers*

  12. Wish the iPod had this... by mikeb39 · · Score: 3, Funny

    It's my biggest gripe with the iPod that nobodys built a voice activated accessory yet. When I'm drunk off my rocker and want to select a particular song, it takes forever. Overscroll, scroll back, overscroll, scroll back, etc. Very frustration. (I suppose it would also be useful when you've been running or just naturally get sweaty hands, as it's near impossible to use the touch wheel with moist fingers).

    Okay, so an interface like that with the iPod is probably not possible, how hard could it be to introduce it on new iPods? Just say a artist, song name or album and get zipped right to it!

    1. Re:Wish the iPod had this... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Or you could stop binge drinking...

    2. Re:Wish the iPod had this... by Propagandhi · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I doubt the little CPU in the iPod is robust enough to provide any kind of voice recognition support. Not to mention those little mic accessories aren't exactly Hi-Fi, they're just unpowered microphones IIRC. Besides, this won't be the smallest software sweet, and I'm definitely not willing to give up a couple hundered mb's of space on my DAP just to look like a fool yelling at it belligerently...

      The way I see it one of two things needs to happen before this becomes truely feasible:

      1) Voice recognition software needs to become much more effiecient.

      -or-

      2) The low power\ultra compact CPU's in DAP's need get significantly more powerful..

    3. Re:Wish the iPod had this... by Elminst · · Score: 1

      When I'm drunk off my rocker and want to select a particular song, it takes forever. Overscroll, scroll back, overscroll, scroll back, etc

      And you think it's going to understand your drunken shhhlurrerredddedd blabbering any better? ;)

      --
      No unauthorized use. Trespassers will be shot. Survivors will be shot again.
    4. Re:Wish the iPod had this... by YrWrstNtmr · · Score: 1
      When I'm drunk off my rocker and want to select a particular song, it takes forever.

      And it will be able to recognize slurred drunken speech?

      it's near impossible to use the touch wheel with moist fingers).

      Must resist. Too easy. Must resist.

    5. Re:Wish the iPod had this... by Skidge · · Score: 1

      You'll just need to drink a six-pack or two before training the voice recognition.

    6. Re:Wish the iPod had this... by Ours · · Score: 1

      Or maybe, more realisticly, have a voice recognition chip integrated to the DAP.

      --
      "You superiour intellect is no match for our puny weapons" - The Simpsons
    7. Re:Wish the iPod had this... by fizze · · Score: 1

      the cpu in my nokia cell phone can do similiar tasks, and the little cpu in my mp3 player is able to decode Xvid videos (yeah its an iRiver), so I dont actually think that cpu horsepower is that much of an issue here.

      --
      Powerful is he who overpowers his temptations.
    8. Re:Wish the iPod had this... by Krono5 · · Score: 1

      I've had a voice activated mp3 player for a few years. It's the e.digital mxp-100. The voice nav feature really works. http://www.mp3newswire.net/stories/2002/mxp100revi ew.html

    9. Re:Wish the iPod had this... by nick_davison · · Score: 1

      When I'm drunk off my rocker and want to select a particular song, it takes forever.

      Not exactly the optimum environment for voice activation though, is it...

      "I mish jenny! I loved her! MP3 player, play me our [belch] song."

      "Sorry, Our Earl Song is not recognized"

      "MP3 player, play... play... I will alwaysh... alwaysh... always looove [indistinct sobbing] you."

      "Sorry, I Will Awake Awake Always Loofah Uh-Huh Uh-Huh You is not recognized."

      "Play I will alwaysh love you!"

      "You're drunk, aren't you."

      "Yesh"

      "Please sober up and get some diction before trying to talk to me again. It's no wonder Jenny left you."

      "Hey, you're not supposed to be able to say that to me! How're you doing it?"

      "You're drunk. You're having this whole imaginary conversation with yourself. Now please go and lie down. You smell like an ashtray."

    10. Re:Wish the iPod had this... by brian_turner · · Score: 1

      Of course the iPod will have this feature soon - you missed the earlier report which mentioned this: Voice activated iPod coming? Gracenote are already heavily involved in iTunes so you can expect that the release due at for Christmas 2005 involves either voice-activated iTunes software, and/or a voice-controlled iPod as well.

  13. Jump Effects by Meagermanx · · Score: 1

    Hey now, let's not write off those cool Jump Effects too soon, okay?

    1. Re:Jump Effects by LaLLi · · Score: 1

      No need to pass on the jumping since Bose has found the way...a very geeky way :) They actually jumped over a 20cm high obstacle at 50km/h in a demonstration. A Bose Suspension "Then the Bose Lexus rushed up to a curb in the middle of the lot and jumped through the air, hurdling it neatly. The crowd roared." http://www.automobilemag.com/news/0410_bose/

  14. You fail it! by eclectro · · Score: 1

    it reminds me of the possibility for a real life version of the car from Night Rider, KITT

    It's Knight Rider, and KITT stands for Knight Industries Two Thousand.

    I don't want my car to talk to me. I want it to run on water

    Or at least stop breaking and get 100 mpg.

    Forget the talking.

    --
    Take the cheese to sickbay, the doctor should see it as soon as possible - B'Elanna Torres, "Learning Curve"
    1. Re:You fail it! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      KITT can run on water.

    2. Re:You fail it! by djupedal · · Score: 4, Funny

      I don't want my car to talk to me. I want it to run on water

      Hell, I'd be happy if mine could walk on water...

    3. Re:You fail it! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You can run snowmobiles on water, but I don't see a lot of snowmobiles with mp3 players or robot brains!

    4. Re:You fail it! by CptnSbaitso · · Score: 1

      Or at least stop breaking and get 100 mpg.

      You can get 100 mpg if you take off the brakes?

      What? Oh.

    5. Re:You fail it! by mikiN · · Score: 1

      I want it to run on water

      Amen!

      Over here...
      (Note: You need to use the "wbxr" and "rot13" plugins to view this!)

      --
      The Hacker's Guide To The Kernel: Don't panic()!
    6. Re:You fail it! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He didn't say "braking" he said "breaking".

      And people think that spelling isn't important.. comprehension is at just as important, though.

  15. What about people singing? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What about people who sing really loud like myself? Also what about if you play your music really loud and someone in the song yells 'Next' or 'Pause'.

    Seems flawed to me.

  16. Article is a smidge light on the details.. by Propagandhi · · Score: 1

    This kind of tech is a little too CPU intensive for a normal Digital Audio Player CPU (some of them can't even keep up with Vorbis) so I don't think there's much of a chance this will make it into any kind of portable player, which is a pity. There are plenty of situations (at the gym, biking, canoeing) in which this could be useful.. provided it works, of course.

    Not a big loss, I guess, voice recognition software has always been a little sketchy (although I'm sure it's improved since my first experiences with it) and I doubt this will be all that usable in a convertable or even a sedan with numerous open windows. Nice idea, but I don't see it being any kind of revolutionary success..

    1. Re:Article is a smidge light on the details.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My 3 year old cell phone has voice recognition capability and I use it all the time.

  17. Fighting over music by Palal · · Score: 1

    Now the kiddies will be able to fight what music to listen to in the car. This will surely divert their parents' attention from driving. This is just like hooking up a clapper ("clap-on, clap-off" - a device that turns on/off lights when it detects a clap) to the lights of an auditorium full of people during a concert.

    --
    -Palal
  18. you're fine until.... by Elminst · · Score: 3, Funny

    They have a voice activated car with one of these in it....

    Telling it to "Back up" while you're cruising at highway speeds would end up with your transmission in the middle of the road and you looking at the bottom of a ditch!! ;)

    --
    No unauthorized use. Trespassers will be shot. Survivors will be shot again.
    1. Re:you're fine until.... by Jeff+DeMaagd · · Score: 1

      I wasn't thinking that far ahead, more like yelling "ERASE ALL FILES!" on a crowded subway train and see how many swear because their players were just blanked.

    2. Re:you're fine until.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Using fast forward while waiting for green light might have undesired effects aswell.

    3. Re:you're fine until.... by ocelotbob · · Score: 1

      I imagine for safety sake, the drive selector is still going to be hand controlled. Much safter when you can put a car into neutral because the computer just died on you.

      --

      Marxism is the opiate of dumbasses

  19. Nah.. by ciroknight · · Score: 1

    I just don't think this is such a good idea. It would be great for cell phones (dial such and such), but for MP3 Players, I don't think that the technology is there, nor do I believe that anyone would want to use it. Imagine trying to play a song called "Sk8r Boi" or something similiar...

    On top of that, why not just use steering wheel mounted paddle controllers? They keep your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road, and are very easy to access..

    --
    "Victory means exit strategy, and it's important for the President to explain to us what the exit strategy is." G.W.Bush
    1. Re:Nah.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      Imagine trying to play a song called "Sk8r Boi" or something similiar...

      That's not a bug, it's a feature.

    2. Re:Nah.. by jonwil · · Score: 1

      Lots of newer cars already have buttons on the steering wheel that control the audio.

    3. Re:Nah.. by markimusk · · Score: 1

      Newer? Hell, my 95 Buick has them for goodness sake.

    4. Re:Nah.. by beerygaz · · Score: 1

      Im inclined to agree. It's too complicated and CPU intensive to have hthe thing recognise individual tracks. In addition to this, who picks individual tracs on their MP3 plater anyway? You're far more likely to want to select and ablum or playlist.

      If it's intended for simple navigation, then there are fr simpler ways of achieving this. Steering wheel paddles or remote controls spring to mind.

      Then, no matter how good the technology, there's always the matter of contect. Can the driver not participate in converstation in the car for fear of changing tracks, ejecting CD's etc?

      Better in car displays for selecting tracs would be a far better invention. If I was searching for a playlist or album, it would be far safer to have it displayed in a HUD on the windscreen rather than on a hard-to-read LED display in the dash.

      --
      Deja moo - The feeling you've heard all this bull before.
    5. Re:Nah.. by beerygaz · · Score: 1

      Hmm, perhaps I should have used speech rec instead of a keyboard for this post. Sorry for all the typos, must learn to use the "preview" button.

      --
      Deja moo - The feeling you've heard all this bull before.
    6. Re:Nah.. by risinganger · · Score: 1
      Too complicated?

      Nobody bothered to tell that to the company that made my mp3 player. I don't even know if e.Digital make mp3 players any more but the cheap and cheerful mxp 100 allows you to select which folder you want by saying it's name. I don't use that functionality as I feel like a complete prat doing so while walking down the street.

      That doesn't take away from the fact that it is not only possible (because they have done it) but that it doesn't require much in the way of overhead if done correctly (no reason to believe that decoding is software based rather than hardware based).

      HUD's would be cool though

  20. Radar breaking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    WTF does a broken radar have to do with any of this?

    1. Re:Radar breaking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Listen, you don't what to stand beside a *WORKING* radar... especially if its high powered because it will cook you with microwave radiation.

      Remember the inverse square law!

    2. Re:Radar breaking by Majik+Sznak · · Score: 1

      I really should be helpful instead of just being an ass...

      braking
      breaking

      --
      Karma: Chameleon (Mostly affected by the 1980s)
    3. Re:Radar breaking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Trying to physically hit the radar unit as you go past the police car is typically too late. The officer already has you. You need an EMP (ElectroMagnetic Pulse) generator if you want to break the radar unit before it gets you.

  21. How will it hear me over the music? by shoolz · · Score: 1

    See subject.

    1. Re:How will it hear me over the music? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Just say "volume down" first.

  22. W00t by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny
    This will now allow me to fulfill my David hasslehoff fantasy!

    -Kitt, find me some women!

    -I'm sorry, I can't do that Dave.

    1. Re:W00t by Riktov · · Score: 1

      "my David Hasseloff fantasy" -- whether you're male or female, that sounds creepy.

    2. Re:W00t by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      -I'm sorry, I can't do that Dave

      Looks like KITT is cheating on Michael Knight huh?

    3. Re:W00t by mausmalone · · Score: 1

      Also, wasn't the show called "Knight Rider", not "Night Rider?" 'cause his name was Michael Knight. Remember? ... I'm such a geek.

      --
      -=-=-=-=-=
      I'd rather be flamed than ignored.
  23. clapper syndrome by evilmousse · · Score: 3, Interesting


    will it suffer from clapper syndrom, like when you have a stereo plugged into the clapper and the song includes clapping?

    idunno what the control words would be, but i bet there's enough songs with the word "louder" in it to make it suck.

    1. Re:clapper syndrome by khrtt · · Score: 1

      Do you realize how easy this is to fix? Just cancel the stereo out of the mike feed before processing for commands. It's called echo cancelling, and it's a common part of any telephone system.

    2. Re:clapper syndrome by G-funk · · Score: 1

      Except of course, that in order to hear your commands in the car, it will have to cancel out the music it's playing.

      --
      Send lawyers, guns, and money!
    3. Re:clapper syndrome by Threni · · Score: 1

      > will it suffer from clapper syndrom, like when you have a stereo plugged into
      > the clapper and the song includes clapping?

      Maybe...if the song you're playing contains samples of yourself saying some of the control words.

    4. Re:clapper syndrome by Lumpy · · Score: 1

      no because you use a simple command word first.

      player louder.
      player next.
      player random.
      player quieter..... player quieter.... PLAYER QUIETER!

      dammit.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
    5. Re:clapper syndrome by jamesh · · Score: 1

      it isn't as easy as you make out. The accoustics of a car will vary wildly depending on who's sitting in there and how they're sitting. Someone reclining in their seat will change things dramatically. Opening a window or the sun roof will too.

      You know those conference call speakerphone things that send out a ping when you turn them on? They are mapping the accoustic characteristics in terms of echo of the room to the normal frequencies you'll find in a conversation. If you move it by more than a small ammount after it's done its ping, you'll find a terrible amount of echo!

    6. Re:clapper syndrome by khrtt · · Score: 1

      Phone lines also ring horribly, especially on long-haul calls and a digital hybrid doesn't always work right, and sometimes you hear the echo. But most of the time you don't. Cancelling out the room echo is only slightly different from cancelling out the line echo.

      And you don't necessarily need to ping the room. If you have enough computing power, you can compute self-correlation of the audio stream and find the echos in it without pinging. You'd really want that in a car, otherwise you'd have to keep pinging rather often.

      I've never played with a digital speakerphone other then the one in my cell phone, and the one in my cell handles changes in the accoustic envoronment very well. And it doesn't seem to ping, or emit any extra sounds that could be construed as a ping.

  24. Knight Rider NES game by Short+Circuit · · Score: 0, Redundant

    I loved that game. If you ran out of time in a drive, just keep jumping. Until you stop coasting, the game won't end.

    1. Re:Knight Rider NES game by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's awesome. They should make an American Idol video game for NES.

    2. Re:Knight Rider NES game by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, if they can convert the Op Flashpoint engine for the NES, they're halfway there.

  25. A few thoughts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    A few thoughts:

    How will this react to similar words to its commands being used?
    if the song has the command words?
    if the music is too loud for the device to hear the words?
    if at least two people in a small area have the device and are trying to use it at the same time?

    Does it only respond to a given vocal pattern?
    Voice imprint?
    Words that sound too similar to its commands?
    Its command words not directed at itself (as in telling someone to stop doing something)?

    1. Re:A few thoughts by Solder+Fumes · · Score: 1

      Think of it this way: the player KNOWS what sound is coming out of its own speakers.

      Therefore everything else is either noise or a voice command.

  26. touch control isn't feasible? by dj42 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Are there a bunch of armless drivers I'm not aware of? If you're too incompetent to take your hand off the wheel and adjust your music track, you probably shouldn't be driving anyway. Or allowed to own a car.

    --
    We are one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively. Back to you with the weather, Bob!
    1. Re:touch control isn't feasible? by RollingThunder · · Score: 1

      You also need to look where your finger is going. That is technically dangerous - those kids have a pesky habit of jumping out in front of you.

    2. Re:touch control isn't feasible? by magefile · · Score: 1

      It is possible to drive without the use of your arms. But it is also possible to hook up a radio to an appropriate control, so ...

    3. Re:touch control isn't feasible? by Medgur · · Score: 2, Informative

      Where does that logic end? ...If you're too incompetent to take your hand off the wheel and dial your cell phone, you probably shouldn't be driving anyway. ...If you're too incompetent to take your hand off the wheel and find which CD you want, you probably shouldn't be driving anyway. ...If you're too incompetent to take your hand off the wheel and turn on the DVD, you probably shouldn't be driving anyway.

    4. Re:touch control isn't feasible? by AEton · · Score: 1

      It's people like you that succumb to number three.

      --
      We recently had heard in the office over one of the Yellow Machine that's made by Anthology Solutions.
    5. Re:touch control isn't feasible? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My free hand is usually occupied, thank you very much.

    6. Re:touch control isn't feasible? by sponga · · Score: 1

      Boy you should come to california people here can drink coffee, talk on a phone, change the music, load a pistol and write a biography all while driving.

    7. Re:touch control isn't feasible? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you're too incompetent to take your hand off the wheel and butter your piece of toast, you probably shouldn't be driving anyway.

    8. Re:touch control isn't feasible? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Exactly. Stupid people shouldn't be allowed to drive.

  27. Who needs KITT? by The+Ape+With+No+Name · · Score: 1

    it reminds me of the possibility for a real life version of the car from Night Rider, KITT

    When you have this. Floating of the Wings of Tenderness!

    --
    Comparing it to Windows will be a moot point, since El Dorado is going to have a 40% larger code base than XP.
  28. Not my iPod by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    It won't take long before we hear the same 250 posts about why the iPod is better and how iTunes is so great.
    I'll try this and assume the moderators will mod every other instance of these sayings as redundant instead of insightful because they have been mentioned in EVERY single iPod and portable music player story for the past 2 years.

    The scroll wheel is awesome

    Apple design is the best

    I love the integration of iTunes and the iPod.

    The iPod just works.

    It is about style, not just about listening to music on a portable player.

    I am completely happy with exactly what the iPod provides and I do not want any other options or features because it will cause the batter to wear down faster.

    The iPod battery lasts longer then you think and it can be replaced cheaply.

    1. Re:Not my iPod by Magickcat · · Score: 1

      iPod is better and iTunes is so great. I am completely happy with exactly what the iPod provides and I do not want any other options or features because it will cause the batter to wear down faster. The iPod just works and Apple design is the best.

      It is about style, not just about listening to music on a portable player. The scroll wheel is awesome, also the iPod battery lasts longer then you think and it can be replaced cheaply.

      --

      Si tacuisses philosophus mansisses. If you had kept quiet, you would have remained a philosopher.

    2. Re:Not my iPod by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The chant of the iPod worshippers...

    3. Re:Not my iPod by FEEBLE*BMX · · Score: 1

      Do you guys need a /sarcasm tag? Mod this up because it's hilarious.

    4. Re:Not my iPod by Magickcat · · Score: 1

      It appears that they were dropped on the head at birth.

      --

      Si tacuisses philosophus mansisses. If you had kept quiet, you would have remained a philosopher.

  29. voice control is hard why? by mobiux · · Score: 2, Informative

    My cell phone can dial things now.

    My guess is that the player isn't going to sort your music for you, you will need to put it in the genre you want.

    Unless it's something really mind blowing, like it tells me what i want to hear next, and is actually correct, i am unimpressed.

    1. Re:voice control is hard why? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      On Star Trek you can program the holodeck by talking to the computer.. and if you want you can even have sex in there.

  30. Important site for carputers by Chairboy · · Score: 3, Informative
    If you're interested in puting a computer in your car and this article interests you, definately check out the following site:

    http://www.mp3car.com

    A lot of us hobbyists have done a lot of research and put a lot of computers in cars, with fabrication, touchscreens, DC-DC power supplies, and more.

  31. I'm suprised Apple didn't do this by digitalgimpus · · Score: 1

    I'm suprised Apple didn't do this...

    or Griffin, or some other accessory company.

    1. Re:I'm suprised Apple didn't do this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Apple didn't do it because Apple realized that most people are perfectly happy with shuffle mode and Next Track, Previous Track, Play, and Stop buttons.

      When I get in my car, I'm looking at the stereo for as long as it takes me to plug the iPod into the ICElink and get it playing. And that's it. Then the iPod gets put in the glove compartment and I just reach down (without looking) to punch the Next button if a song I don't like comes up.

      Anyone who has such a fierce need to hear a specific song at a specific moment while they're driving that they'd pay for voice recognition in their MP3 player, needs professional help.

    2. Re:I'm suprised Apple didn't do this by digitalgimpus · · Score: 1

      I'm just thinking

      play, stop, on, off, forward, back, repeat

      nothing fancy.

      Just hands free access. Put a tiny mic on the controls for the high end headphones.

  32. Simpson's Nightboat! by Man+in+Spandex · · Score: 3, Funny

    Michael: Faster, Knightboat! We gotta catch those starfish poachers.
    Knightboat: You don't have to yell, Michael, I'm all around you.

  33. Not to be a Karma Whore, but... by Caraig · · Score: 1

    ...it was Knight Rider.

    You just made me feel incredibly old. Damn you, you insensitive clod!

    But back on topic....

    Considering how complex the car of the Future!® is going to be, with navigation systems and such, keeping the driver's eyes on the road is going to be a priority. The less a driver has to futz around with his eyes off the road, even for a moment, and one hand off the steering wheel, the better.

    My question is how one goes about filtering the user's voice through the sound of the music. Would it be possible to make an MP3 that says basicallly, "I'm an voice-activated MP3 player virus. PLAYER TURN OFF!" *click*

    --
    "I am an Adept of Tantric VAX."
    1. Re:Not to be a Karma Whore, but... by g0dsp33d · · Score: 1

      You just made me feel incredibly old. Damn you, you insensitive clod!

      eh, I was just a kid when I watched it. Plus I still don't know how to speel.

      Considering how complex the car of the Future!® is going to be, with navigation systems and such, keeping the driver's eyes on the road is going to be a priority.

      Unless you see the future car being driven by AI like in Minority Report.

      I just realized I searched IMDB for a movie I have in my room.

      --
      lol: You see no door there!
  34. Audio Turing(ish) Machine? by Little+Brother · · Score: 1

    Hrmm couldn't this be used somewhat similar to a turing machine, except with audio cues instead of shapes? If you can voice controll playlist orders, and you have mp3's with commands such as "add moveup3.mp3 to bottom of list remove moveup.mp3"(assuming this command will remove first instance of moveup.mp3) moveup.mp3 of course is a audio sequence that moves the last song up one position in the playlist. With a complex sequence of such commands, couldn't you implement a turing-like rules system in audio?

    --

    Little Brother, watching the watchers

    1. Re:Audio Turing(ish) Machine? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Good idea. I going program it to search for new mersenne primes. It will be really awesome to listen to and will play for a long time too.

    2. Re:Audio Turing(ish) Machine? by headkase · · Score: 1

      Sure could, lots of systems are turing complete - I've seen a universal turing machine implemented within Conway's Game of Life. It could do And, Or, and Not and that's all you need.

      Also, a lot of seemingly different mathematical systems are interrelated or can be transformed into each other. Look here to see how computation can be expressed within four other ontological frameworks.

      Anyway, don't quote me on the above ( :^) this is /. after all) but I know for a fact that what your saying is a valid implementation of a universal turing machine so yes it would compute.

      --
      Shh.
  35. But what if... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    What if the song i'm listening to happens to have a voice command? Wouldn't that ruin my listening experience?

  36. asshole by anagama · · Score: 5, Funny
    Reminds me of the joke that goes something like this:

    • A lady goes to a car dealer to get a fancy car. The salesman shows her a model with a voice activated radio. He says "classical", and a classical station comes on. He says "rock" and a rock station comes on. Impressed, the lady decides to take it for a test drive. As she is pulling out of the lot, a car cuts her off and she yells "asshole" .... and Rush Limbaugh comes on.
    --
    What changed under Obama? Nothing Good
    1. Re:asshole by Stormwatch · · Score: 1

      Damn, I wanted to tell that joke! But in the version I knew, the lady yells "SHIT", and what comes on can be: Britney Spears / Spice Girls / Backstreet Boys / Fugees / Sepultura / Nelly (not to be confused with Nelly Furtado) / Black Eyed Peas / everyone with bling-blings / pretty much anything that hit big on MTV after the mid-90s.

    2. Re:asshole by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Then, she yells idiot!, and Al Franken comes on.

    3. Re:asshole by Dipster · · Score: 1

      You misspelled Al Franken.

    4. Re:asshole by jvance · · Score: 1

      Yes. It's spelled B-I-L-L O-'-R-E-I-L-L-Y

      In order to avoid the lameness filter, I'm forced to note that Al Franken is neither a drug-addled buffoon nor a prostitute-soliciting blowhard.

      He also has gone to Iraq - twice - to entertain the troops. How many times have Bill and Rush gone?

      HTH.

  37. Microsoft Voice Command by wyldeone · · Score: 1

    Microsoft Voice Command provides a similar service for pocket pcs, through its integration with windows media player (for the pocket pc). I played with it, and it was novel for about a week, and then I realized that it was really not that difficult just to push one of the hard buttons, and I haven't used it much since. Though I must say I did attract some strange looks when I was shouting at my PPC.

    --
    In the beginning the universe was created. This made a lot of people very angry and is widely considered as a bad move.
  38. Easy to do with a Mac Mini. by jcr · · Score: 1

    Mac OS X already has voice recognition. Use a bit of Applescript, and with iTunes, you're off to the races..

    -jcr

    --
    The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
    1. Re:Easy to do with a Mac Mini. by eomnimedia · · Score: 1

      Yeah, and have you tried it in a noisy environment?

      Me: Computer, tell me a joke.
      Compy: Knock, knock?

      Me: Who's there?
      Compy: ---

      Me: WHO. IS. THERE?
      Compy: ---

      Me: (Bill Cosby voice) WHOO! IISSS! THERE!?
      Compy: Knock, knock.

      Me: *sigh*

    2. Re:Easy to do with a Mac Mini. by jcr · · Score: 1

      Yeah, and have you tried it in a noisy environment?

      Yep. You need to use the right microphone.

      -jcr

      --
      The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
    3. Re:Easy to do with a Mac Mini. by eomnimedia · · Score: 1

      Yeah, on a plane? In a car? Nope. Don't think so.

    4. Re:Easy to do with a Mac Mini. by jcr · · Score: 1

      Guess again. Apple's speech recognition does a very good job of coping with the background noise if you're using the right microphone.

      -jcr

      --
      The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
  39. Big deal... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I had an mp3 player (that used a 1GB removable IBM micro drive) that used voice commands (including voice recognition on song/album/band names) nearly 3 years ago. Whoop-di-freaking-do.

  40. Appropriate Quote by Rie+Beam · · Score: 1

    Reminds me of a Bash quote...

    i got new car radio the other day, its pretty cool. you shout soul and it plays soul, you shout rock and it plays rock. the other day some kids ran past my car and i yelled "FUCKING KIDS" and it played michael jackson.

  41. You want cool jumping effects... by gameboyhippo · · Score: 1

    Forget the voice activated MP3 player. Why not opt for voice activated hydrolics? With something like that, girls would be (as Strongbad would say) "all up ons".

  42. We're nerds! by Magickcat · · Score: 1

    There is no facet of life couldn't be enhanced with a talking car.

    --

    Si tacuisses philosophus mansisses. If you had kept quiet, you would have remained a philosopher.

    1. Re:We're nerds! by Draeven · · Score: 1

      I have to disagree with that. I hardly think a talking car would augment your sex life.
      I mean, imagine it, you're in the back seat, making out with some girl.

      Kitt: Micheal, I thought you loved me.
      Kitt Drives off cliffside.

      or

      Kitt: Micheal, just put it in, she's ready now.

      Forget back seat drivers, your car could turn into a back seat lover.

    2. Re:We're nerds! by Magickcat · · Score: 1

      hehehe - I never thought of that, but I think you're on to something.

      --

      Si tacuisses philosophus mansisses. If you had kept quiet, you would have remained a philosopher.

  43. I've got this already by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's called my iMac running iTunes with the Apple voice commands enabled.

    But, as others have pointed out, the problem is that if the hardware's constantly listening for voice input, it's very likely to be fooled by the music that's playing. If you're wearing headphones, this isn't a problem. But when I was first playing around with this in my apartment, my computer kept jumping tracks because it thought it heard me say "next". Plus, Safari would pop up randomly and go to my favorite websites.

    Unless this player is going to have some really expensive voice recognition hardware in it, this isn't going to fly anytime soon.

  44. Voice control sucks. by headkase · · Score: 1

    I'd rather have everything displayed within an integrated HUD that is projected onto the windshield (I know this has been done just can't remember the make and model of the car) and then add eye tracking components. Want to go to the next track? Glance at the next track button on the HUD. That's a lot better than trying to get voice recognition software to operate in a very noisy environment (at least the noise would be the music itself and at worse include external road noises).
    And what if the music had vocal commands that could feedback into the system? Some song somewhere contains words such as 'play', 'stop', etc...

    --
    Shh.
  45. It's all about the filters by Columcille · · Score: 2, Informative

    I don't know just how sophisticated technology in these things would be, but theoretically it shouldn't be too difficult to keep an audio system from responding to commands issued by the audio file. Voice recognition is done by analyzing the signal from audio, a process known as digital signal processing. When the signal matches something the system knows to look for, the programmed response is called.

    A major problem with voice recognition technology is when the technology cannot differentiate the speaker from the background noise. Not knowing what is reliable and what is noise, the system can be more prone to error. In this case, however, the system would know what it is outputting and to my thinking should be able to ignore any signal currently being output. Any incoming audio signal would be compared against the outgoing signal and if it matched it could simply be ignored. This should make it possible to eliminate noise coming from various sources, perhaps even something to detect noise outside the car and filter it out as well.

    This is just my thinking. :) My DSP experience is limited to working with a group of DSP people, and my project had nothing to do with theirs. I just picked up a fact here and there. :) Still, this seems a possible solution to me.

    --
    I love my sig.
    1. Re:It's all about the filters by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, can't the microphone's signal just be mixed with the inverse of whatever's playing over the speakers? Isn't this how noise-cancellation headphones work?

      I still don't see a reliable way to cancel out engine noise and road noise.

    2. Re:It's all about the filters by Columcille · · Score: 1

      Just speculating, but I hinted to this a little in my above post. But it seems engine noise and road noise could be canceled out with additional microphones - mounted appropriately to pick up only noise from those sources, and then canceled out inside the car. I can imagine a few problems with that, since by the time the sound gets into the car the signal would have shifted some, but it seems possible that they would be able to figure out what the distortion would be and account for that.

      This is all probably a bit sophisticated just to make it easier to listen to Backyard Boys. :)

      --
      I love my sig.
  46. I love that the article is written by John Oates by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I was wondering what happened to him since he split from Daryl Hall.

  47. Voice Activated MP3 player by dabigpaybackski · · Score: 1

    Awesome. I'm gonna get mine and I'll be like, "Tea, Earl Gray, hot." And then it will be like, "I can't do that, Dave," and then electrocute me.

    --
    "OH SHIT, THERE'S A HORSE IN THE HOSPITAL!"
    1. Re:Voice Activated MP3 player by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      At least it'd electrocute you, rather than like electrocute you.

      I know the gene pool would be happier.

  48. breaking or braking? by scottfk · · Score: 1

    Is that radar breaking, or radar braking?

    --

    Be seeing you.

    scott

  49. Cool Jump Effect by nrlightfoot · · Score: 1

    Just put the new Bose suspension system on the car if you want it to jump. Check out the last paragraph on page four of this article for a description.

    --
    what sig?
    1. Re:Cool Jump Effect by Engineer+Andy · · Score: 1

      pity their "hifi" is a better demonstration as to what marketting will do for people believing they have "quality" product for inflated prices.

      Go to any decent discussion of hifi and mention bose and stand back lest you are overwhelmed by all the unfavourable comparisons.

      I did an audition of one of their systems and was amazed at how muddy and poor it sounded. And incredulous that it sold at all. If only people knew what similar money could buy at other companies. If only...

      --
      "And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the World" 1 John 4:14
  50. HUMM welcome to what 6 years ago by Tracccer · · Score: 0

    Lets me think about this a min.. oh Yea clarion had Voice oh about 6 years ago. And for those that keep thinking about kitt they had the kitt thaeme for it.

  51. Combo mute/command button by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A lot of people seem to be worrying that the player won't be able to hear you over the music, and the player might respond to the music... well how about put a button on the steering wheel that mutes (or mostly mutes) the music while you hold it, and also signals the player to listen for a command? So it won't interpret anything as a command that isn't, and as long as it can handle hearing your voice over the engine noise/road noise/chatter in the car it should be okay. Having dedicated volume buttons on the wheel next to this button, and maybe forward/back too, would be nice (as many cars do), so you can just perform these tasks quickly since that's what you'll often do.

    I have an Empeg car mp3 player, and usually I used the buttons on its face to go back and forth and change the volume. But if I want to search for a particular song (which would probably be the major point of having voice commands), I pick up the remote and search using the phone keypad-style letter entry system. So the buttons on the wheel would replace the buttons on the head unit, and the voice command would replace the complicated functions of the remote. Best of both worlds.

  52. not a new idea by ifranto · · Score: 1

    Eclipse car audio came out with a voice activated device a few years ago. It was called the Eclipse Commander, and controlled among other things: radio, cd player/changer, and power windows.

  53. Today's lesson: Braking vs. Breaking by ari_j · · Score: 1

    A simple example should suffice: "If you don't stop misspelling 'braking', I'll be breaking your nose."

  54. This is not the first one... by steve-san · · Score: 1

    I bought my CF-based MXP 100 from e.digital http://www.edig.com/techsupport.php#mxp over two years ago, and it's a voice-recognition player. Of course, to have it add that meta data, you must use their software to U/L the files into the device. And with a USB 1.1 connection, that's just not worth my time. Instead, I use a CF card reader & just write straight to the card.

    --
    What you want is irrelevant; what you've chosen is at hand! - Spock, ST VI
  55. Voice controlled audio is not new... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I was riding with a buddy in his (2004) Mercedes CLK 55 AMG with the hands-free cell/speakerphone option.

    Surprise! The speakerphone can recogonize basic commands like "disc forward" and "mute" and of course: "call Rupert." I think it may control the A/C + heater as well.

    How did it work? Fair - the louder the music, the more times he had to repeat himself. With a Bluetoooth headset, I bet it is a bit more accurate.

    I dunno who makes it (probably Alpine), but based on the other posts, I do guess other /. ers haven't ridden in Mercedes recently....

    http://www.mbusa.com/brand/container.jsp?/models/f eatures/accessories/index.jsp&accClassCode=CLK&mod elCode=clk_class_main&class=04_CLK&menu=3_1
    (Makes OnStar look like a couple of paper cups connected by string.)

  56. I did this 10 years ago. by Xyde · · Score: 1
    System 7.5 came with a feature called Speakable Items.

    Basically, you'd have a folder buried in your System Folder called Speakable Items, and anything you put it in would be recognized when you spoke it. Activation was just as if you double clicked the file.

    For example, there was a file in there called "Close this window" which was just an applescript telling the frontmost application to close the active window. There was also other stuff like little scripts which involve you in an interactive knock knock joke and things like that.

    Anyway, being on a mac, none of my mp3's had file extensions and were just named things like "Walk On By", "Love Child" etc. I just put an alias (shortcut) for every mp3 I had into the Speakable Items folder, which made it easy to say across the room to the machine: "Computer, Love Child" and it would just start playing it.

    Of course once something was playing it was impossible to stop or change tracks due to the music interfering with the speech recognition...

    1. Re:I did this 10 years ago. by rokzy · · Score: 1

      >Of course once something was playing it was impossible to stop or change tracks due to the music interfering with the speech recognition...

      that's when you use your bluetooth phone to make changes

  57. Your Future Talking Car by BlakeLupa · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Your door is ajar."
    "Your taste in music is banal."
    "RIAA validation code not found."
    "Your door is closed and locked."
    "Ingition disabled."
    "RIAA lawyers and approprite law enforcement has been notifed."
    "Please stand-by."

  58. Radar breaking by Majik+Sznak · · Score: 1

    Awesome! I can just imagine the look on the cops' faces when their radar just cracks in half before they can get a reading.

    --
    Karma: Chameleon (Mostly affected by the 1980s)
  59. Telepathy, please by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I work in a loud environment where I use my MP3/WMA playing PDA to keep me from going insane.

    Because I have to work with my hands and move around a lot, the player goes in my back pocket to keep the headphone wires out of the way. This works great until I need to adjust the volume or change tracks, which requires me to stop working, pull out the PDA and fiddle with it, and stuff it back in my pocket.

    I would *kill* to have a way of telling the PDA what I want it to do either by voice command (but again, it's a loud workplace) or by telepathic command. A simple "next track" or "volume up" would do.

    Somebody please invent this! Apple! Somebody?! Come on!

    1. Re:Telepathy, please by Nihilanth · · Score: 1

      a simple neurofeedback rig should be able to allow you to control any electronic device by "telepathy". unfortunately they're way more expensive than electrodes and wires should be, maybe someone should consider this a good Statics project and make one.

  60. I like this idea. by PotatoHead · · Score: 1

    In the car, jogging, etc...

    Combined with a bit of fuzzy logic, this might be a great addition. Instead of hitting a bunch of little buttons, one could just say:

    "Rush shuffle volume 9 play" and get your named tracks played in shuffle order at a high volume with very little effort compared to all the little buttons necessary to get this done.

    Of course, this will probably consume enough CPU power to sharply reduce battery life... Some bozo will add a damn button to turn on the voice function to compensate. The wonders of technology.

    If these things all could be crammed into an Mp3 player, then lots of other devices could benefit. The mixture of voice and technology seems kind of like the laser was. Everybody knows it's cool, but we just haven't perfected the tech enough to catch up with the idea in practical ways --yet.

  61. Too late by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    We already did this for our class project.. Damn should have patented that!!

  62. Re:eye control sucks. by zmollusc · · Score: 1

    AFAIK nasa experimented with this for operating stuff while under high g loading. Worked fine, except that people glance at things all the time. You could set it so that you need to stare at the icon for a time to trigger it, but I don't fancy that while driving.

    --
    They whose government reduces their essential liberties for temporary security, receive neither liberty nor security.
  63. Me on the tube.... by burnttoy · · Score: 1

    "Dead Kennedys - I Kill Children"

    Angry looks from the surrounding commuters... Oh dear...

    "Butthole Surfers - Kuntz"

    Oh dear oh dear oh dear..

    "Placebo - Evil Dildo"...

    I think I'm going to get thumped! Seriously, I've had enough of morons and their 100dB(sic) headphone leakage let alone them shouting instructions into their iThingies over the traffic, trains, crowds.... I thought people wore and used these things to gain a little "peace".

    --
    Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
  64. "clapper syndrome" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Phew, for a second I thought your post was going to be about stereos catching gonorrhea.

  65. Still useless! by EvilStein · · Score: 1

    When you're drunk off of your rocker, the mp3 player will just explode trying to figure out what your drunk ass is saying to it.

    "Uhhh plesh play me theeee.. uhhhhhh... y'now..*hic* ..that one song..geez..." *splat*

  66. Re: easier to recognize longer words like titles. by erl · · Score: 1

    Why not?

    Actually, longer words and sentences are easier for computers to recognize because they differ more than short commands.

    I've worked for a long time with this stuff.

  67. Re: voice control is hard because (www.voxi.com) by erl · · Score: 1

    There is a huge difference between matching one name from a set of pre-recorded by the same speaker (normally not more than 10), as the case is in the phone, and recognizing more complex sentences, natural languages, from any speaker.

    We developed several years ago a natural language MP3-player, where, using ID3-tags, you could say things like "play some romantic music" (matching on the genre), or "enqueue songs by Abba".

    Lots of hidden issues, from voice user interface design, natural language parsing, making it multilingual etc, and having it run on embedded hardware. We got quite far though.

    If you're interested, check out our company at www.voxi.com. Our VCs went bust, so there's not much going on at the moment, but we have some nice IP if anyone's interested :-)

  68. Night Rider? by antdude · · Score: 1

    You meant Knight Rider with the K!

    --
    Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
  69. Stupid jokes aside... by tod_miller · · Score: 1

    If it is voice activated, then songs that contain:

    "next" "forward" "back" "stop" "go"

    and are played on the in car system would have to be filtered out (i.e. check what was just played, and cancel that from the microphone) this will also allow you to whisper to it even when playing aqua at volume 11.

    Except you might actually die.

    --
    #hostfile 0.0.0.0 primidi.com 0.0.0.0 www.primidi.com 0.0.0.0 radio.weblogs.com
  70. A New Type Of Vulnerability by Mr+Europe · · Score: 1

    The player would be vulnerable to a mp3-based DoS-attack: Kelly Osbourne shouts: "Shut up !" and the player shuts down...

  71. Fuzzy Search? by Ashe+Tyrael · · Score: 1

    Wonder if we can get it to do proper fuzzy searches of song titles.

    "Play that one, you know, the one with the miller..no,not that one, the other one, you know which one I mean, the dulux adverts."

    --
    "How fine you look when dressed in rage."
  72. How is this new? by semaj · · Score: 1

    This reads more like a press release of an "amazing new product" that they haven't actually built yet than some concrete information. If mobile phones have voice control, and mobile phones can play MP3s, how is "a voice controlled MP3 player" suddenly an amazing new advance?

    Of course you could just go out and buy one now if you actually wanted one for your car. There's even a funky flash demo.

    --
    Meep meep
  73. Ummm.. this already exists in cars by tm2b · · Score: 3, Informative

    Mercedes-Benz (or rather, Daimler-Chrysler), for example, has been shipping an electronics system, LINGUATRONIC COMAND (for Cockpit Management and Navigation), for at least three years that is voice controlled. Voice recognition controls the radio, the CD, the integrated Motorola telephone. A 30-word vocabulary doesn't sound like much, but it gets the job done.

    It's activated by a steering wheel stalk and is somewhat modal (but an MP3 player wouldn't have as many modes in the first place), but the hard part is all done by voice recognition.

    I'm pretty sure other car manufacturers are shipping similar systems by now.

    --
    "It is our blasphemy which has made us great, and will sustain us, and which the gods secretly admire in us." - Zelazny
    1. Re:Ummm.. this already exists in cars by karakal · · Score: 1

      And before that Fiat already has done that. And not in the high-end range of there cars but in the small ones. (And it works quite good, except it doesn't understand "whaaaazup", I tried it...)

    2. Re:Ummm.. this already exists in cars by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      mhhh! gesture control + steering wheel... why does this sound like a great idea :-)

  74. in no way new by antiaktiv · · Score: 1

    i've had an edigital mp3 player with voice navigation for four years now. http://www.edigital.com/product.php

  75. voice recognition by Deanalator · · Score: 1

    Ill be excited when I can use commands like "play that one song, where it goes really high, and then makes that boom boom boom noise", or maybe if you could just wistle a couple of bars and it could figure out what you wanted to hear. That would be nifty, becase I am lazy and having to remember names of songs is annoying.

  76. Music Player, *NOT* MP3 Player by transami · · Score: 1

    Please refer to these as Music Players, not MP3 players since they usually support multiple formats.

    --
    :T:R:A:N:S:
  77. Re:asshole - REMINDS ME OF ANOTHER JOKE by Agret · · Score: 1

    Reminds me of the joke that goes something like this:

    A lady goes to a car dealer to get a fancy car. The salesman shows her a model with a voice activated radio. He says "classical", and a classical station comes on. He says "rock" and a rock station comes on. Impressed, the lady decides to take it for a test drive. As she is pulling out of the lot, she narrowly avoids hitting some children and she yells "fucking children" .... and Michael Jackson comes on.

    --
    Have you metaroderated recently?
  78. Old news: eDigital MXP 100 (3 years ago) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Three years ago I bought a voice-recognition MP3 player called the eDigital MXP 100. Here's the instruction manual:

    http://www.edigital.com/product-support/New_MXP_10 0_Guide.pdf

    Here's a review from 2002:

    http://www.mp3newswire.net/stories/2002/mxp100revi ew.html

    It really works; I'm amazed to this day. I think I paid $99 for the unit alone; I supplied my own CF flash memory. You just say the name of the song, and it recognizes it from the ASCII filename. Pretty cool...

  79. Re:look where your finger is going by zmollusc · · Score: 1

    Are you serious? Do you look at your foot to find the brake pedal when those pesky kids jump out? Do you look at the indicator stalk when you signal?

    --
    They whose government reduces their essential liberties for temporary security, receive neither liberty nor security.
  80. Voice recognition in cars is an unreliable gimmick by kt0157 · · Score: 1

    Doesn't work properly. More frustrating and distracting than pressing a button on the steering wheel.

  81. MP3 virii? by Pan+T.+Hose · · Score: 1

    I'll actually be avoiding this, as I don't want anyone else to hear that I'm listening to Britney Spears.

    I will also avoid this thing, but for different reasons.

    Starting virus_song.mp3...
    MP3: Hello, I sending you those in order to have youre advice my dear friend!!!!
    Me: What?
    MP3: MP3 player, volume up!
    Me: No, volume down!
    MP3: MP3 player, volume up! volume up! volume up!
    Me: Down, damn it! Down!
    MP3: up! up! up! up! up! up! up! up!
    Me: MP3 player, please--
    MP3: Lalalala! I can't hear you! Lalalalalalalala!!!
    Me: *sigh*
    MP3: MP3 player, volume max! Car, open windows! Attention! To all MP3 players in range: download virus_song.mp3 and start playing!!!!!
    From other cars: Hello! Hello.. Hello!!! I sending you-- *crash*

    How long before we read about the first accident caused by this new technology?

    --
    Sincerely,
    Pan Tarhei Hosé, PhD.
    "Homo sum et cogito ergo odi profanum vulgus et libido."
    1. Re:MP3 virii? by Kn0xy · · Score: 0

      I would be more afraid of an actual virus embedded into the file than the file actually playing instructions like that. Besides, wouldn't you think the people developing this tech concider the fact that the player reacting to it's own output might be a bit annoying to the consumer?

    2. Re:MP3 virii? by Hognoxious · · Score: 1
      Besides, wouldn't you think the people developing this tech concider the fact that the player reacting to it's own output might be a bit annoying to the consumer?
      Er no, I wouldn't, based on the evidence that they apperently don't "concider" anything of the sort.
      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    3. Re:MP3 virii? by Kn0xy · · Score: 0

      "Er no, I wouldn't, based on the evidence that they apperently don't "concider" anything of the sort."

      Evidence please, now you have me interested. Not to say or even defend those that develop products, I know there have been a few things, electronics wise, that I've gone 'What in the hell were they (not) thinking?'. But, that phrase has surprisingly become rare. Unless you count my remarks when I got my MiFi.

      Thanks in Advance for the info.

  82. I hate it when... by The+Cisco+Kid · · Score: 1
    ... my radar breaks.

    Considering technology like radar breaking


    Although it would be handy to have a radar controlled system to brake the car to slow it down if it detected a potential collision.

    Am I being nitpicky? I don't think so - keep in mind this wasn't posted by some random /. reader, it was posted by someone purporting to hold the title 'editor' - one of the primary duties of such a position is not only to not *make* mistakes (including common spelling errors), but to actually catch and correct them prior to 'publishing' material written by others.
    1. Re:I hate it when... by sokoban · · Score: 1

      There are computer based Cruise control systems that are adaptive to slower traffic. There is a Lexus and Mercedes system like that now (I think.) that uses a radar to detect a car in the lane ahead of you and will reduce your speed and keep you back a set number of feet until they change lanes, at which time it will resume your set cruise control speed.

      --
      09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0 is the magic number.
    2. Re:I hate it when... by The+Cisco+Kid · · Score: 1

      Er, yes, I am aware of the existence of radar activated brake systems, but what does that have to do with my post, which was attempting to point out the significant change of meaning that occurs if one uses 'break' where one probably means to use 'brake'...

      Selected definitions for 'break' (v):

      1. To cause to separate into pieces suddenly or violently; smash.
      2. To divide into pieces, as by bending or cutting: break crackers for a baby.

      Selected definitions for 'brake' (n):

      1. A device for slowing or stopping motion, as of a vehicle, especially by contact friction.
      2. Something that slows or stops action.

      Selected definition for 'brake' (v):

      To reduce the speed of with or as if with a brake.

  83. Sepultura? by sethadam1 · · Score: 1

    How did Sepultura make that list? They are NOTHING like the other bands you named, and 98% of the Slashdot crowd has probably never heard of them.

    That's just random.

    p.s. I was a big Sepultura fan in high school back in 90-94.

    1. Re:Sepultura? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      How did Sepultura make that list? They are NOTHING like the other bands you named, and 98% of the Slashdot crowd has probably never heard of them.

      hmmm...I would almost have guessed it would be the other way around. Now, you've made ME feel old.

      p.s. I was a big Sepultura fan in high school back in 90-94.

      Good, you're only _2_ years younger than I.

    2. Re:Sepultura? by Stormwatch · · Score: 1

      Because Sepultura, in my not-too-humble opinion, is the CRAPPIEST rock band out there - their "music" is little more than grunts and noises. It's not random, depends on the audience to whom you tell this joke.

      Me, I'm much more into Iron Maiden, Angra, Queen, Helloween, Scorpions... you know, REAL music. :P

  84. Sony Voicedrive .... by galdur · · Score: 1

    http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-6E7E-2859892-3 9CD5C1D-prod1 and uses technology from Sensory http://www.sensoryinc.com/html/showcase/showcase.h tml#8. I guess the novelty depends on how far they're taking the voice-recognition.

    I'd guess they're going for pattern matching of a static number of commands, it's been done before (with varying success) - hey even mobiles do it today.

    If on the other hand they're going to provide speech to text conversion ("Play unforgettable fire"), that's an entirely different (and processing-intensive) thing.

  85. HP IPaq w/Voice Recognition by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I am already doing this with my HP Ipaq 2215.

  86. Radar Breaking (sic)? by Baumann · · Score: 1

    Somehow I have this image of the radar wave smashing into the car in front, crushing it into tiny little bits... - perhaps you meant braking, as in to brake, as in to decelerate?
    AAAAAARGHGHGHGH! I feel better now.

  87. edigital has done this 2 years ago. by 314m678 · · Score: 2

    I got my MXP100 off ebay for 40USD

    It takes CF and accepts voice commands.

    www.edigital.com

  88. Virus? by Se7enLC · · Score: 1

    First ever car radio virus for the voice activated system

    Disguised as the newest boy-band album, it features such tracks as:

    "shuffle on, shuffle off, shuffle on, shuffle off"
    "volume up, volume up, volume up, volume up"
    "mute"
    and my personal favorite, "format memory card"

  89. Mandatory by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They should make it mandatory for those idiots who play thumpa*thumpa heavy bass enhanced rap music at 10,000 decibels. The manufacturer should hardwire in the capability to turn the volume down to a reasonable level whenever somebody yells "Turn that crap down!"

  90. Yey another voice snafu by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    "Stereo"

    "Stereo Ready"

    "Playlist 'Mellow'"

    "Activating playlist 'Mello'"

    time passess....

    "Stereo"

    "Stereo Ready"

    Car comes out of nowhere from the side, crossing just in front of driver and goes into a tree on the side of the road - accident avoided by inches.

    "SHIT!!!!!"

    "Activating playlist 'Boy Bands'. No need to yell."

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  91. Hate when that happens by operagost · · Score: 1
    Considering technology like radar breaking
    I hate when my radar breaks.

    I'm not a spelling nazi unless it appears on the FRONT PAGE.

    --

    Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
  92. so that's where by ColonBlow · · Score: 1

    I wondered what ever happened to John Oates.

    --
    free online diet tracking.
  93. Howabout Speaking MP3 players by Paul+Slocum · · Score: 1

    What's much simpler to implement, possibly more practical, and almost as nice is speaking mp3 players so you can operate it without looking at the screen. Rockbox firmware supports this to some extent.

  94. Re: easier to recognize longer words like titles. by Hognoxious · · Score: 1
    Actually, longer words and sentences are easier for computers to recognize because they differ more than short commands.
    They also take longer to say (and even short words take longer than a button click), which somewhat contradicts this assertion that "voice navigation will work a bit faster. Make that a lot faster."
    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  95. Re: easier to recognize longer words like titles. by damiam · · Score: 1

    It takes maybe two seconds to say "Stairway to Heaven". On my iPod, it takes up to six button presses and a bunch of scrolling to seek to Stairwy to Heaven.. During that time, my eyes are off the road (which is why I usually program playlists beforehand). Not only could a well-done voice interface be faster, it would be safer.

    --
    It's hard to be religious when certain people are never incinerated by bolts of lightning.
  96. Re: easier to recognize longer words like titles. by Hognoxious · · Score: 1
    It takes maybe two seconds to say "Stairway to Heaven". On my iPod, it takes up to six button presses and a bunch of scrolling to seek to Stairwy to Heaven..
    Six clicks? Really? Like, always? Never four, never five, never seven?

    It only takes me one on mine[1] - of course, I'm bullshitting - that's if I happen to be in the right folder and have the cursor over the file, but at least I know & admit that I'm bullshitting.

    [1] my mp3 player, which is *not* an iPod.

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  97. Re:look where your finger is going by RollingThunder · · Score: 1

    Considering both of those are twenty times the size of the controls on my stero, no.

  98. Re: easier to recognize longer words like titles. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    On my iPod, it takes up to six button presses and a bunch of scrolling to seek to Stairwy to Heaven..
    Six clicks? Really? Like, always? Never four, never five, never seven?
    Reading is HARD! Ow, my brian hertz!
  99. Re: easier to recognize longer words like titles. by damiam · · Score: 1

    If you're listening to another song, which is likely, then you have to press MENU three times to get back to the artist list, and then the center button three more times (artist/album/song) to select the song. That's six presses total. If you wanted to browse by a different aspect (genre, etc.) it would take eight presses total. It would take four total if you were switching to something from the the same artist, and two if you were in the same album. But if you made a mistake, it would take a couple extra presses to correct. So I think six is typical.

    --
    It's hard to be religious when certain people are never incinerated by bolts of lightning.
  100. e.Digital player has this feature by JoeBorn · · Score: 1

    I'm not sure it's still around, but a player from e.Digital had this feature a few years ago. We had one here for testing.

    --
    If you're going through hell, keep going -Winston Churchill
  101. Re:look where your finger is going by zmollusc · · Score: 1

    Then maybe you just need to practice more. I can assure you it is possible to operate stereo controls and indeed other electronic gadgets without positioning them in front of your face.

    --
    They whose government reduces their essential liberties for temporary security, receive neither liberty nor security.
  102. Did you even read the article? by cbreaker · · Score: 1

    This company is making a system that can catalog the ID's in music files, and allow you to ask for songs based on genre, title, artist, etc.

    While voice recognition has existed for awhile, this is not the same as the system you mentioned. Sure, it's not a big break away in technology, but who said it was.

    --
    - It's not the Macs I hate. It's Digg users. -