Talk to text

I know to many this may be old news but to me it's kinda new and interesting. When I first started at ECC I was a "helper" to the blind. I would read and type their homework and help them study. I don't know how long we had the software (ECC) or if it was new but I went into the Curriculum center on the RMT campus and one of my ladies were taking a test with this software. I found it interesting then but with life so busy I put it to the back burner. So now is the perfect time for me to research it.

The one I am researching is the Dragon NatruallySpeaking 10 speech recon ignition software. This software is highly accurate, it's streamlined with natural language editing and system commands,integrates with all Office software....so writing that paper will be a snap. It also works with portable recorders so no more typing notes or for that fact even writing them again. That has to be a plus with any college student! This has a 99% accuracy where the others only promise 97% yes it's only 2% but it makes a difference. They have even increased the speed on the all ready fast version 9. There is a learning curve to master all the commands but what doesn't really have one? Once you learn and practice with the software it will be like a second nature.

Now for the cons...this takes up a lot of computer space so please don't use a Emachine or something equally crappy because this will be the only software that will run and it might not run correctly. It's expensive but I think worth it in the long run. I'm sure after college this would still be a good tool for the business world. This software allows a person to multitask as well because it leaves you hands free and is blue tooth compatible.

This type of software has come a long ways over the years and this is one product that I can say is improved every time they make a newer version. So if talk to text is something that interests you Dragon NatruallySpeak is the software to buy.

pcmag
blogger.com
toptenreviews.com

Asus G51J 3D

How far would you go for the ultimate gaming experience? Would you run the risk of looking silly and wear 3D glasses? I would! I have recently come across the reviews for the Asus G51J 3D and I am so excited and ready to try out the new technology. At $1,699 this laptop has a 120Hz LCD panel, an Intel Core i7 CPU, a high-end Nvidia GeForce GTX 260M GPU, and comes bundled with a pair of Nvidia's active glasses and the USB-powered IR emitter required to make the glasses work. Yes it may be a bit pricey but well worth the price and still cheaper then it's competition Alienware. The great look of the G51J 3D extends to the keyboard, with a white back light this gives each key a nice soft glow that can be brightened or dimmed by pressing the F3 and F4 key. Because they dropped the ball a bit the layout does not reach to the edges,some keys are small, like the right Shift key and the numbers on the number pad. On a good note the island-style keys are springy, which gives you a solid typing experience. Because this is a gaming laptop there are a few specific game icons highlighted across the keyboard: Arrows highlight the WASD keys ( movement keys), the 1 -6 keys are highlighted with white circles, making it easy quickly tap whatever number you need to switch between weapons.

Above the keyboard are the Altec Lansing stereo speakers, and buttons that let you cycle through visual modes and power settings. The speakers deliver excellent sound when tested but not when put against bass heavy music the audio was kind of muddy. Volume will not be a problem unless you plan on blasting then the speakers will disappoint you.Sadly this laptop does lacks a full HD screen but it still exhibits great colors and definition. Pretty good views from 90 degree angles except when you tilt the screen too far back. The screen tends to wash out.

Several ports and slots are available for connecting peripherals. The right side of the notebook hold the 8X DVD±RW drive, two USB 2.0 ports, dual headphone jacks, and a microphone jack.
The left side have two more USB 2.0 ports, FireWire 400, eSATA, HDMI, VGA, and a ExpressCard/54 slot. The back holds an Ethernet port, while the front contains a Wi-Fi on/off switch and a 6-in-1 memory reader.

Now for the best part...the G51J 3D is capable of displaying 3D images and videos because of Nvidia’s 3D Vision technology. The G51J 3D uses powered shutter glasses that receive a signal from an infrared emitter that’s attached to your laptop’s USB port. Add this to a display that has a refresh rate of 120 Hz it makes the 3D images pop more than those of lesser system. The glasses themselves are a bit heavier then those of other laptops but not noticible for most and instead of a nose clip add on for those who wear glasses these will fit over your glasses with little problems.The top left side of the shades have a power button, along with a mini USB port on the bottom to recharge them. They should last about 40 hours. There are over 400 games avaiable for 3D gaming so even a picky person should find something they would enjoy.
This 3D screen isn’t just for playing games, you can also use it for watching 3D movies and pictures. Too bad this is more limited then the game Video or photos that have not been shot in 3D can’t be easily optimized for 3D. Videos and photos that were filmed in 3D are bright and have great depth to them. The extra dimension enhances your viewing pleasure. Sorry to all you Blue ray owners because this model does not come with a bay for blue rays...maybe the next model will, I guess you can't have it all.

I give this laptop 5 stars even with the small amount of cons I mentioned. Anyone who is lucky enough to own one will not be disappointed.



For reviews check the links below

http://promos.asus.com/US/PR_2009/G51J_Worlds_First_Notebook/Index.html
http://www.engadget.com
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10400144-1.html
http://www.laptopmag.com/review/laptops/asus-g51j-3d.aspx

Google's Nexus One phone

It looks like iPhone now has new competition, the Nexus One phone from Google. At a whopping price of 529.00(unlocked) this phone offers talk time up to 420 minutes, standby time 250 hours,Google Android 2.1. playback digital video format, flash memory,a 5 pixel camera. First, Google Voice is deeply integrated with the phone, as it is with all Android phones. This means you can assign your Google voice number to the phone to use it to make all calls and text messages. Every text field in the device is now voiced enabled. In most of the apps you can use the microphone and talk into the phone which will then convert your speech to text. How cool is that? This phone also offers the live wallpaper feature, meaning you can have blades of grass blowing in the breeze during the day or night, it also has a water wallpaper, that if you touch the screen the water will ripple.

This phone is also powered by the Snapdragon 1 GHz core processor, giving the Nexus One’s 3D graphics, multiple applications and heavy browser use the boost it needs. This is a definite step up from the previous Android phones, there is no need to worry about slowdown or lag when you push the phone to it's limits. The noise cancellation feature is great to have. Nexus One has a second microphone on the back that monitors inbound noise and automatically cancels it out. It does a great job of canceling out machinery and wind noise on the other end of the call. Does the iPhone do that?

Now for the cons, because it wouldn't be fair to tell the good and not the bad. The app storage can only be stored on the internal memory, there is no blue tooth dialing and does not support Outlook calender syncing, still does not handle copy/paste very well and there is no UMA, T Mobile currently has the lock on this phone and their coverage is spotty at best. The speakers aren't excellent on play back but they are good enough. The gaming capabilities on this phone has great potential, but they will need to step up their game because at the current time their platform fragmentation makes it hard for developers to create content that will be used on different phones.It currently does not have as many apps as iPhone but give it time, I have a feeling that will soon change.

Pretty much the pros outweigh the cons in my book and if you are looking for a new smart phone the Nexus One is the phone to get. This phone has put "Android" on a whole other level from the iPhone.


Check out more reviews here, here and here