[musictlk] Article: Alive and clicking: the latest iPod will talk...

[Steve Jacobson]

While this might not be an explanation, the way this new I Pod speaks is that apparently a file containing the audio to speak the title is created on the computer used 
for downloading.  This means that you will need to be able to use the software on the computer to transfer music.  this software, as I understand it, has not been 
easy to use with screen readers, although some have used it.  It is an interesting approach, though.

On Tue, 11 Jul 2006 11:49:04 -0400, Cameron wrote:

>Hi.  No mention of this being beneficial to visually impaired users anywhere
>in the whole article!  You'd think that Apple would use that as well for
>additional clever marketing but I guess not...

>Regards,

>Cameron.

>www.cameronstrife.com





>-----Original Message-----
>From: musictlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:musictlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>Behalf Of David Andrews
>Sent: Tuesday, July 11, 2006 8:18 AM
>To: blindtlk at nfbnet.org; nfb-talk at nfbnet.org; nfb-announce at nfbnet.org;
>promotion-technology at nfbnet.org; musictlk at nfbnet.org; nfbcs at nfbnet.org;
>nabs-l at nfbnet.org; nfb-science at nfbnet.org; electronics-talk at nfbnet.org
>Subject: [musictlk] Article: Alive and clicking: the latest iPod will
>talk...


>>Whether or not this makes for an accessible device is yet to be determined
>... but it is an interesting development nonetheless.


>Dave



>>This article is taken from 
>>http://news.scotsman.com/scitech.cfm?id=999772006&format=print.  -Steve.
>>
>>Scotland on Sunday
>>Sun 9 Jul 2006
>>Alive and clicking: the latest iPod will talk...
>>
>>Alive and clicking: the latest iPod will talk the listener through 
>>the songs and
>>bands on the menu.
>>
>>Apple pips its rivals with the iPod that talks
>>RICHARD GRAY SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT (
>>rgray at scotlandonsunday.com)
>>
>>FROM Walkman to Talkman. Not content with changing the world's 
>>music-listening habits,
>>Apple has come up with another innovation: the talking iPod.
>>
>>A new generation of machines will use sophisticated software to 
>>convert the names
>>of bands, albums and individual tracks into recognisable speech.
>>
>>The new iPod will tell you what it is about to play, removing the 
>>need for users
>>to look at the screen while selecting music, and making the device 
>>safer and easier
>>to use while driving, cycling or in badly-lit locations.
>>
>>Crucially, the talking machines could give the iPod a badly-needed 
>>new competitive
>>edge in the hotly-contested digital music player market.
>>
>>The iconic machines were last week reported to have lost some of 
>>their sheen, with
>>consumers following a series of technical problems and controversy 
>>surrounding the
>>working conditions of those who make them. To make matters worse, 
>>software giant
>>Microsoft is said to be working on its own iPod-bashing digital music
>player.
>>
>>Apple has flatly refused to comment on the design, but a patent 
>>lodged by the company
>>in the United States makes clear the sixth generation of iPods will 
>>be able to convert
>>those famous text menus into speech.
>>
>>The ingenious system will rely on home PC processing power and clever 
>>software. The
>>computer being used to download tracks will analyse each album title, 
>>song name and
>>artist and convert them into sound files. These will be loaded into 
>>the iPod, along
>>with the song files.
>>
>>Users of the music players will still operate the Clickwheel as 
>>normal, but hear
>>the names of songs and bands through their headphones.
>>
>>The patent reveals the idea is driven largely by safety considerations.
>>It states: "A user will have difficulty navigating the interface in 
>>'eyes-busy' situations.
>>"Such activities include, for example, driving an automobile, 
>>exercising and crossing
>>the street."
>>
>>The patent also makes clear that text-to-speech technology is likely 
>>to spread to
>>other hand-held electronic devices such as mobile phones and palm-top 
>>computers.
>>
>>The move is expected to spark a new digital player war as competing 
>>manufacturers
>>attempt to cram more and more features into their digital music 
>>players in a bid
>>to keep up.
>>
>>iPods have recently begun losing favour with consumers, amid claims 
>>of poor working
>>conditions at a Chinese factory where the devices are made.
>>
>>Microsoft is reported to be planning a digital music player with 
>>wireless internet
>>capabilities, removing the need for a PC to download music.
>>
>>The firm is believed to be keen to break Apple's stranglehold on the 
>>download market
>>with its iTunes software.
>>
>>The iPod and iTunes enjoy market share of about 80% in the US and the 
>>UK, as well
>>as more than half the online music market in Europe as a whole.
>>
>>Sony is also believed to be working on a wireless product that can 
>>download music
>>and video broadcasts in venues such as concert halls and even shops. 
>>The firm filed
>>a patent in 2004 which states that compressed files could be sent to 
>>concert-goers
>>with footage from the concert they had just seen.
>>
>>Converting text into speech has been a major goal of the computer 
>>industry for decades,
>>but early versions of the technology struggled with difficult words and
>names.
>>It also requires formidable computer processing power to carry out 
>>the difficult
>>conversion.
>>
>>But Apple says its system will break down words in a new way that 
>>makes it possible
>>to pronounce perfectly even the most obscure song titles and artist names.
>>It also proposes using "voice talent" - such as famous actors - to 
>>make the speech
>>more human and add in the celebrity factor.
>>
>>The patent also proposes using different voice "characteristics", 
>>such as gender,
>>for different sections of the iPod menus.
>>
>>Professor Steve Renals, a speech technology expert at Edinburgh 
>>University, said:
>>"It is possible to create very high quality text-to-voices these days.
>>"We have seen some already used in mobile phones, but it has 
>>struggled in the past
>>with difficult words and names. The technology is much better now and 
>>can cope with
>>most things."
>>
>>Safety experts have raised concerns over cyclists, pedestrians and 
>>motorists being
>>involved in accidents when they are distracted by their digital music
>devices.
>>
>>Last month, a teenager from Preston was killed while listening to his 
>>iPod on his
>>bike when he collided with a tractor. Another teenager, Kathryn 
>>Thomas, caused a
>>fatal road accident last year when she took her eyes off the road to 
>>show a friend
>>how to use her iPod. Roger Vincent, spokesman for the Royal Society 
>>for the Prevention
>>of Accidents, said: "If people don't need to take their eyes off the 
>>road and hands
>>off the wheel then there are clear benefits to that.
>>
>>"Provided there is a sensible approach and the technology is used in 
>>a way that it
>>is intended, it could make using such devices far safer.
>>
>>"There are concerns, though, about the isolation from surroundings 
>>that wearing earphones
>>creates, and this can cause serious accidents, particularly among
>cyclists."

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