In recent weeks, rumor has it that Apple has hired Tomlinson Holman to run the company’s audio initiatives. Apple hasn’t confirmed it, but that makes sense. It could tie into the company’s speech recognition plans (see yesterday’s op-ed), improve iTunes files, or result in better speakers on Apple products.
Read More
An Apple patent (number 20110109769) for adjusting the time metadata of digital media items has appeared at the US Patent & Trademark Office. The invention involves editing digital media items, for example, based on the metadata associated with the digital media items.
Read More“TechCrunch” (http://macte.ch/UNEAw) is reporting that Apple is hammering out a deal with Nuance, which specializes in speech software and voice recognition technology, to either license its technology or (less likely) buy the company outright. It’s a match that makes sense.
After all, Apple introduced voice control on the iPhone with iOS 3.0. The company is likely planning on extending this functionality — and perhaps bringing voice recognition to the Mac in ways beyond what’s been accomplished before.
Read More
By Greg Mills
Someone needs to explain the concepts behind selling things at a profit and buying things competitively to Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer. The conversation ought to be in one syllable words, quit simple, so he can understand.
One might imagine selling the rights for to use a fresh mobile OS to the biggest cell phone company on the planet (for the time being) would net you a chunk of change enough to retire on. The great dealmaker Ballmer actually agreed to pay one billion dollars to Nokia for them switching to Windows Mobile 7.
Read More
By Greg Mills
When Thomas Edison invented the telephone, he and his associates just strung wire between the phones, no matter how far apart they were. Each city had one or more switching stations so wires between cities could be hooked up between users and the long distance lines on each end.
Remember long distance phone bills? I can remember not that long ago playing musical phone companies to get the lowest prices for long distance. In those days long distance was often more than your local service each month.
Read More