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M1400 audio technology primed for speech recognition, voice recording
There's a new sound in the tablet PC market. It's the sound of innovation, and we heard it in the Speak Anywhere audio technology featured on the latest tablet from Motion Computing Inc., the M1400.
The audio system, which includes two microphones and a software package, makes it easier to use speech recognition and voice recording in the real world, where background noise often interferes.
The software allows users to adjust the range of sound accepted, from narrow to wide. To visualize this, think of a coneshaped zone above each microphone. A narrow range will only pick up sounds within a narrow cone-shaped area, for example.
When set to narrow, the microphone might pick up your voice but not the voice of someone standing next to you. It's a good way to filter out background noise so you can record notes on the fly without an external microphone.
In case that's not enough, the software also features acoustic echo cancellation and noise suppression.
These functions sound good not only on paper but also in real life. We noticed a marked difference in quality when we recorded in a somewhat noisy environment with a narrow range vs. a wide one. The narrow-range setting filtered most of the extra noise and enabled us to hear the voice more clearly.
Seeing is believing
This tablet is a delight not only for the ears but also for the eyes. Motion's new wide-viewing-angle display is a noticeable improvement from the previous model, the M1300. With the 12.1 -inch XGA, thin-film transistor display, users can view the screen from angles of more than 160 degrees.
Depending on the lighting, of course, glare might interfere with viewing....