Allen Zadr's Journal: Just saw an AT&T Commercial

Techno-Geek Rant. Sorry...

It was a whole bunch of stuff about AT&T working with synthesized voice, and they are clearly talking themselves up. No surprise. But what bothered me is they were showing all of these popular-entertainment computer voices (from War Games, etc.) No big deal, but then they start playing digitized voice (recorded voice played by computers... as if it's the same), K.I.T.T. (William Daniels) and finally a modern GPS/Talking mapper.

Jumping subjects, and assuming people are stupid. Why is it that Chatty Kathy dolls had much better voices than anything AT&T could do back in 1965? Because they used RECORDINGS.

Voice digitizing is easy. Voice synthesis is very hard.

We Deliver YOUR world...

[Philip K Dickhead]

...To the NSA!

Digitized schmigitized

[Iamthefallen]

Voice synthesis is easy.

As long as the voice is a robot.

"Hey cool, AT&T has a robot answering their phones! Verizon only has that stuttering chick with a speech impediment."

A different perspective

[Shadow Wrought]

I saw that commercial last night with my 12 year old stepson. His take:

"A talking car would be so cool! Unitl it turned on you." ;-)

Re:A different perspective

[Allen Zadr]

Ah, 1983, and Michael Knight was a fool who was only around to do what the computer told him too, like fit into doorways, and talk to humans. Indeed, when Michael Knight didn't do what the computer told him, it would kidnap him, and take him to the Desert, where some company men would 'set him straight'. So, absolutely right, your wife's kid has keen insight.