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New audio module coming soon!!!


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purplemd
Member

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Silicon Valley, California
Posts: 173

check out: http://www.thinmodem.com/audibleadvisor.html

Card-Access is coming out with the AudibleAdvisor which allows you to listen to up to 16 MB of audiobooks (or other material, I guess). Has an earphone jack up top and plays up to 4.4 hours of "audio content."

Whadya think? Someone around here can come up with a way to adapt this sucker to play music or whatever we want, I'm sure!

I think I'd rather have this than a modem. Now, if the cost is comparable to an MP3 module, I might have a more difficult decision.

03-24-2001 05:07 AM

gcowan
Member

Registered: Mar 2001
Location:
Posts: 7

text readers

Is there any plan in the works for a means to read the e-books or other material on my Palm (such as from AvantGo or a newspaper)-- guess it would have to be a module which could have an earpiece through which one would listen to a robotic voice read the selected text. This would allow one to hear the news, etc. while driving or walking. Is there some such? Is it coming soon? If not, why not?

Thank you in advance for your anticipated kind response(s).
George

03-24-2001 06:19 AM

miradu
TreoCentral Staff

Registered: May 2000
Location: St. Paul, MN
Posts: 1429

I don't think that it will have a good enough DSP to play MP3's well.

Spken Voice, really doesn't need as much range of frequencies, or anyhting else, compared to MP3's. They use a lot lfess space, and jsut aren't as good. BEsides with 16 mb of mem. That's NOT a lot of MP3's so..

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-miradu

03-24-2001 06:35 AM

purplemd
Member

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Silicon Valley, California
Posts: 173

Re: text readers

quote:
Originally posted by gcowan
Is there any plan in the works for a means to read the e-books or other material on my Palm (such as from AvantGo or a newspaper)-- guess it would have to be a module which could have an earpiece through which one would listen to a robotic voice read the selected text. This would allow one to hear the news, etc. while driving or walking. Is there some such? Is it coming soon? If not, why not?

Thank you in advance for your anticipated kind response(s).
George

check out www.audible.com. That is the place where the content is coming from. You can subscribe to papers, but I didn't really read the details.

There are some PC software products which will "read" text to you...you could probably make it "read" news webpages to you...convert the files to something that would go on a CF or smartmedia card...

03-24-2001 07:13 AM

EricG
Member

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Alive and well on VisorCentral.com
Posts: 861

This killed it for me:

"Encryption/decryption software to allow for secure playback."

Forget it.. No thanks... next product please..

I don't waste my money on products that I don't have 100% control over the content..

This falls under the same idiotic logic as SD cards, see my comments on that farce:
http://discussion.visorcentral.com/...?threadid=13256

The "secure" in "secure playback" doesn't provide any "security" for you and me.. It's a feature not intended to benefit us.

secure = copy protection, it's just a nicer way of saying it.

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"One of the most important things you learn from the internet is that there is no �them� out there. It�s just an awful lot of �us�." -- Douglas Adams

Last edited by EricG on 03-24-2001 at 07:27 AM

03-24-2001 07:19 AM

Card Access
Member

Registered: Sep 2000
Location:
Posts: 33

Actually, the DSP in AudibleAdvisor *is* powerful enough to playback MP3's (50-70 mips -- we've been doing it for some time in our lab). However, to keep the prices down, is doesn't make sense to increase memory to make a viable MP3 player when memory has such a direct relation on cost.

As far as encryption, to be able to utilize content from Audible.com, encryption must be supported. On the other hand, there is no reason the player cannot also play content which is in the clear. It basically boils down to determining viable compression formats to support.

-Card Access

03-24-2001 02:50 PM

gcowan
Member

Registered: Mar 2001
Location:
Posts: 7

There were a couple of "replies" following my comments but they don't seem on point.

Could someone "out there" please answer my question directly:
Is there a method, now or planned, of having an audio (robot spoken) output via a Visor or Palm from written text?

If not, why not(Mac had the technology just about from the start)? Bet there would be a big market.

This would apply to e-books, Avantgo sources, e-zines and other entities to allow listening "on the road."

Thanks in advance once again. George

03-24-2001 02:55 PM

vtaia
Member

Registered: Jan 2001
Location:
Posts: 11

To EricG

I guess "I don't waste my money on products that I don't have 100% control over the content.. " is just a nicer way of saying that you want to be able to break copyright laws with no one stopping you.

Just think...if you put in lots of time developing your talents, working on some intellectual capital, produced content (a book, music, software etc) and planned on making a living selling it on the net. But unfortunately everyone likes to have complete 100% control over the stuff you produce. In that case, you would definitely need to keep your day job.

Just a thought

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Truth matters

03-24-2001 03:20 PM

miradu
TreoCentral Staff

Registered: May 2000
Location: St. Paul, MN
Posts: 1429

hmmm. Why not put a memory slot in it, and than BOOM! you have a MP3 player too. THAT'S IN A SLIM FORMAT! You can market it as Audible Advsor, but extra meory allows it to play mroe books, AND play MP3'S! (P.S. If you need a beta tester.. 'mail me )

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-miradu

03-24-2001 03:38 PM

EricG
Member

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Alive and well on VisorCentral.com
Posts: 861

Re: To EricG

quote:
Originally posted by vtaia
I guess "I don't waste my money on products that I don't have 100% control over the content.. " is just a nicer way of saying that you want to be able to break copyright laws with no one stopping you.

Just think...if you put in lots of time developing your talents, working on some intellectual capital, produced content (a book, music, software etc) and planned on making a living selling it on the net. But unfortunately everyone likes to have complete 100% control over the stuff you produce. In that case, you would definitely need to keep your day job.

Just a thought

It's not a question of breaking copyright law, people do have a the right to make backup copies by the way as well as other rights and "fair use" rights, I just don't like the idea of what I want to do with it taken away from me and decided by someone else. If the copyright holder wants to provide free platform/media upgrades when I need to change platforms and as frequently etc.. free for life even if their company goes out of business then I am all for it..

For the record, I have developed applications which I have released free and clear onto the internet..

__________________
"One of the most important things you learn from the internet is that there is no �them� out there. It�s just an awful lot of �us�." -- Douglas Adams

Last edited by EricG on 03-24-2001 at 07:00 PM

03-24-2001 06:43 PM

EricG
Member

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Alive and well on VisorCentral.com
Posts: 861

quote:
Originally posted by Card Access
Actually, the DSP in AudibleAdvisor *is* powerful enough to playback MP3's (50-70 mips -- we've been doing it for some time in our lab). However, to keep the prices down, is doesn't make sense to increase memory to make a viable MP3 player when memory has such a direct relation on cost.

As far as encryption, to be able to utilize content from Audible.com, encryption must be supported. On the other hand, there is no reason the player cannot also play content which is in the clear. It basically boils down to determining viable compression formats to support.

-Card Access

I agree you would need the encryption/decryption stuff if you use Audible content.. I more than likely never will due to my stand on copy protection..

__________________
"One of the most important things you learn from the internet is that there is no �them� out there. It�s just an awful lot of �us�." -- Douglas Adams

03-24-2001 06:58 PM

gcowan
Member

Registered: Mar 2001
Location:
Posts: 7

robotic textreader on pda

purple md, Appreciate your feedback but this doesn't really answer my question. Apparently this device you described will play already recorded tapes through the pda but will it/can it, or some other device, read from the text itself to make the text audible itself, so that one could have the new york times or wall street journal read to you as you drive to work, etc.?

03-24-2001 07:28 PM

dalamar70
Member

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Champaign, IL
Posts: 200

Re: Re: To EricG

quote:
Originally posted by EricG

If the copyright holder wants to provide free platform/media upgrades when I need to change platforms and as frequently etc.. free for life even if their company goes out of business then I am all for it..

What the heck does this mean? I've never seen any copyright holder do this. Are you against copyrights, as well as against copy protection ("secure" media)? Free for the life of what?

Also, like the Card Access guy said, security is inherent in the CONTENT (the Audible format), so any "Audible player" has to support that protection. Don't blame the module.

03-24-2001 08:20 PM

dalamar70
Member

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Champaign, IL
Posts: 200

quote:
Originally posted by EricG

I agree you would need the encryption/decryption stuff if you use Audible content.. I more than likely never will due to my stand on copy protection..

Sorry, missed this.

Card Access guy, do you know/can you tell what audio formats will be supported? If you could play say MP3s, even with only 16MB, it would obviously be much more flexible and useful. (Or if there's a way for individuals to create Audible files from other formats.) People could compress and playback their existing books on tape or CD without having to pay again.

The player isn't listed on Audible's homepage yet.

Also, the product web page says the memory can also be used for "user storage." Will that be like the Thinmodem+'s memory?

Thanks!

03-24-2001 08:33 PM

Gameboy70
Member

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Metro Station, Hollywood and Highland
Posts: 1018

Re: To EricG

quote:
Originally posted by vtaia
I guess "I don't waste my money on products that I don't have 100% control over the content.. " is just a nicer way of saying that you want to be able to break copyright laws with no one stopping you.

Just think...if you put in lots of time developing your talents, working on some intellectual capital, produced content (a book, music, software etc) and planned on making a living selling it on the net. But unfortunately everyone likes to have complete 100% control over the stuff you produce. In that case, you would definitely need to keep your day job.

Just a thought

Any policy that starts with the presumption of guilt is anti-consumer. As a humanist, I would add that it's antisocial. There are spiritual implications, which unfortunately never get discussed in IP debates, for a society founded on mistrust.

But if content providers want to restrict control of what they call intellectual property, that's fine -- as long as it doesn't interfere with the use of my physical property: i.e. the media I paid for. If violating my property rights is the way content providers avoid getting a day job, it just means they have one less customer. I can stomach proprietary software for the most part, since most handheld software is proprietary. But I draw the line a so-called "digital rights management" aimed at recordable media.

Just another thought.

03-24-2001 08:43 PM

EricG
Member

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Alive and well on VisorCentral.com
Posts: 861

Gameboy70 - You captured my thoughts beautifully.. I don't think I could have worded it any better..

dalamar70 - I don't blame the module or it's maker, I understand that they have to support the encryption to be able to play Audible content (which is the goal of the module). I am just against the whole concept of anti-consumer "digital rights management". If the module does indeed support consumer friendly formats that's great! Wonderful! The free for life is in reference to "my" life.. I don't have problems with content creators or copyright holders watermarking their products, give credit where credit is due.. so long as the watermark is an informational tag only and not some "digital rights management" mechanism.

As a consumer I use the most effective method I have (my cold hard cash) to show I do not support "enforced" "digital rights management".

__________________
"One of the most important things you learn from the internet is that there is no �them� out there. It�s just an awful lot of �us�." -- Douglas Adams

03-24-2001 09:05 PM

gcowan
Member

Registered: Mar 2001
Location:
Posts: 7

talking print module for visor

Thank you!!! The Audible Advisor claims to be able to read the newspaper and, presumably, other print entities. It will be available this May according to the Web Site.

Thanks again, George

03-25-2001 12:22 AM

dalamar70
Member

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Champaign, IL
Posts: 200

Re: Re: To EricG

quote:
Originally posted by Gameboy70

Any policy that starts with the presumption of guilt is anti-consumer. As a humanist, I would add that it's antisocial. There are spiritual implications, which unfortunately never get discussed in IP debates, for a society founded on mistrust.

Stores lock their doors at night, everybody goes through the X-ray machine at the airport, you have to give a credit card number before getting a replacement Visor from HS. There is a reason for all this mistrust: a relatively minor number of people have shown that in fact they are not trustworthy. Many people have also shown that they will violate copyright laws -- enough apparently so that content providers are willing to risk alienating customers like you.

quote:
Originally posted by Gameboy70

But if content providers want to restrict control of what they call intellectual property, that's fine -- as long as it doesn't interfere with the use of my physical property: i.e. the media I paid for.

1. Providers have always had legal control over their property. It's just that they now have a means of enforcing that control. I don't have any problems with that, but of course they'd better not get more control than they had before.

2. The whole problem with "intellectual property" is exactly that it's not physical property. If you get an Audible book, you pay for nothing but a bunch of ephemeral bits that gets transmitted to you. You didn't pay for any media and you didn't get any physical property.

03-25-2001 03:25 AM

miradu
TreoCentral Staff

Registered: May 2000
Location: St. Paul, MN
Posts: 1429

Than why do 7-11's which are open 24 horus a day, 365 (or 366) days a year have locks on their door? They never use them? Why bother putting them in..

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-miradu

03-25-2001 04:42 AM

EricG
Member

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Alive and well on VisorCentral.com
Posts: 861

As a very good friend of mine says:

"Locks are for honest people..."

__________________
"One of the most important things you learn from the internet is that there is no �them� out there. It�s just an awful lot of �us�." -- Douglas Adams

03-25-2001 05:33 AM

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