Is there anyone here that uses...

For those of you using MSN chat I was wondering if you have your microphone hooked up and using it in chat? I just installed mine and would like to see if it works so, if you want to chat that way let me know.

I use MSN, but don't have a microphone. Sorry. Our house is like grand central station, so I don't think I will get a microphone either. There would be too much background noise going on.

if find msn unco-operative with live chat

yahoo chat is far more effective..give it a go!

yeh...and if you do call WonderDownUnder you'll find out she sho does talk funny. ô¿ô

Yahoo IM works better for voice chat, IMHO. I guess it depends on the time of day you're chatting, too.

I had Yahoo chat and had so many problems with it that I just finally removed it.

coooooeeee
oi!
I dont talk funny...you lot do!
especially you shoe my man!

Wind, I have it. Just have to find where I put my microphone. Bought it to chat with my niece and then her computor crashed so I never actually used it.

I haven't use mine yet,just downloaded it yesterday to see if it would work. I hate typing and wish I could just talk to the computer and get it to do what I want in every forum I visit lol

windsurfer, I think they now have a software program that lets you talk into it and it types for you. Or so I was told quite some time ago. It may have been another one of dave's jokes tho!
I reckon I could never use such a program as that...it would either not recognize such an accent as mine or I'd get an error message "Undecipherable" or perhaps "Get off the machine Hillbilly! Retreat!"

Shoe, you're right. I've seen it work and it's really cool. You just talk into it and it types out whatever you say.

You programme the computer with your own voice so that it recognises your voice when you speak. Programming can be strange, since, well I've found this anyway, when you are asked to pronounce a vowel, or word, you normally say it properly, and then when you try the programme, you speak again in accent and dialect, and the computer just spits out what it has heard.
It's a great programme, I had it for 1 year, then the software started fighting with my AOL, so I just may buy a new one now i've been remembered of it.

Thanks for reminding me folks :-D

Wintermoor

Does anyone know the name of the program or where to get it? Have a blind friend who sure would benefit from it. Is there one that "reads" the printed word out?
thanks
Sue

Sue, I don't know the name of it but if you have a Staples near you I would try there or any store that carries computers and software.I haven't heard of one that reads the printed words out but that doesn't mean they don't have one.

Sue - I know there's one out there. I've never seen it in operation, but about 3 years ago, I used to chat online with a blind friend. He had a program that would read out everything I sent to him, then read back to him before he'd send to me.

Definitely try some searching at computer stores, and maybe even check out http://www.cnet.com and look for their software reviews.

-Jennifer

shoe, I know what you mean about them not understanding us! we had voice pilot and DH spent hours and hours doing the training, where you teach it to understand you. That dumb program never did recognize GA redneck speak!!

How much does one of these programs cost and which one would you recommend?

Have a look at these hyperlinks, they should get you a wee bit further to finding the right programme. I found them in Google.

All the best

Wintermoor
http://www.utoronto.ca/atrc/reference/tech/voicerecog.html

http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,38962,00.html

Wintermoor thanks for the links.

Thanks so much wintermoor! This could make a very bored man very happy.

I have a friend who works for Universal Low-Vision Aides (or something like that). They have a machine which can scan a book you want to read and read it aloud. There's also a product which will magnify the page you're reading and display it on your TV, greatly enlarged. Neat stuff.

Thanks for the info, but I have given up on using the microphone, it seems like it causes more trouble than it is worth lol.

GW...any info or website that shows that stuff. My mom has a machine that will magnify a book so she can read it but she says she has to scroll back and forth so much it is no fun (so she gets cassette books). However, she can see the pics at movie theatres so maybe that gizmo you mentioned above would be nice to have.

I checked and the my friend's employer's site is down for construction. I'll have to check with Warren to see what aids they sell, and what they do. I think they're only dealers in our area, not the manufacturers, anyway. Here is a huge list of resources I found in the meantime...

Low-Vision Resources: http://www.washington.edu/doit/Faculty/Strategies/Disability/Vision/low_vision_resources.html

Hope this helps!

GW after doing a lot of reading at the links you and Wintermoor gave me, I think I'll just fotget it until they come up with something better.

I always thought it would be really cool to be a reader for people. Having grown up with my grandma reading to me, I learned how fun it was to listen to a good story. Wouldn't it be cool to have a service where you called people and read them stuff off the web or from books, or whatever? :)

GW I love to have someone read to me. I missed out as a child, too many kids in our family and mom didn't have the time. I think that's one of the reason's I love books on tape lol.

I like yahoo IM for voice chat and conference calls. Has always worked great for me. Have MSN, but stopped using it as I found yahoo IM better.