Portable multimedia devices are almost as popular with companies as the flood of eco-friendly gadgets. Most “multimedia” gadgets over promise and under deliver. Philips latest gadget - the DCP951 Portable DVD Player - reverses that trend. It has a 9″ TFT LCD screen. Philips designed this media player to be different from its competition. Unlike the laptop media player that fills the market today, the DCP951 resembles a tablet. It can easily sit on a table, counter or an entertainment center. This media player even includes a retractable docking station for your iPod. You can play music through your iPod while the DCP951 recharges it.

The compact Philips DCP951 is a hand-held media player. It has the following dimensions: height 7″, width 9.3″ and depth 1.6” Weighing in at a petite 3 pounds, this media player is definitely light enough for you to pack for a much needed vacation or quick trip to the office. The DCP951’s battery can provide approximately 2 ½ hours of video playback before needing a recharge. Philips packs its media player with an AC and Car Adapter. You will need to buy or build a stand for this media player. It is light enough to be propped up by a small picture stand.

Philips focuses the DCP951 features toward one goal - providing solid multimedia entertainment. This media player has several SD/MMC card slots. This allows the DCP951 to display your digital photos. You can review images individually, see thumbnails or run a slide show. You can even zoom, pan and rotate your photos. Philips includes a 35 key remote control that controls this and all other player functions. The controller will even access a docked iPod for music playback. The DCP951 can play movies from the following formats: DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD, MPEG4, DivX and VCD. Philips includes Dolby Digital Sound for your audio enjoyment.

Philips DCP951 costs $199.99. This is an incredible price for a device that allows you to listen to music and watch movies anywhere you desire. The DCP951 is elegantly designed. It can leave the oftentimes sterile computer area and take its place amongst designer furniture in your living room.

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Music is one of those mediums where it is easy to tell if you are talented or not. Play before a live audience. The ear tells no lies. You will know before the last note if you have touched audiences’ heart or angered their ears. With the cooperation of Toshio Iwai, Yamaha’s latest gadget bridges the divide between the musical and the unmusical. It is called the Tenori-On. This gadget consists of 16 rows of 16 LEDs on a light board. Side control buttons allow players to change note length, time signature, samples or pitch or select from one of sixteen sound layers. The Tenori-On is “visual music.” Each light on the 16 x 16 grid can play a different note or generate a light effect. It is both a display and input controller. The Tenori-On includes six sound/light and performance modes. It’s also has 16 layers which are the equivalent of recording tracks. The tracks can be combined to create truly complex music.

Montreal electronic composer Pheek describes his first impressions of the Tenori-On. “My first impression was a flashback from my youth. As a kid, I was imagining the year 2000 filled with gadgets and weird instruments like the Tenori-On. The Tenori-On is more of a performance tool which has a tactile interface for fast creative output. That’s more of something you can’t get from a mouse and keyboard.” Pheek liked the device especially for its randomizer feature. The musician hits the notes and the device determines how it is played.

The Tenori-On is a unique instrument. It has a complexity that attracts electronic musicians. Their Tenori-On compositions are making their rounds about the net. Yamaha’s instrument is also simple enough for the non-musician. The LED lights provide musical feedback. Yamaha’s latest instrument can accept SD media cards. This allows you to upload your own samples into the device.

Yamaha’s Tenori-On costs £629.99 in the UK. The North American price has not been determined. It is a revolutionary device that will inspire even the most amateur of musicians and fascinate professionals. As the Tenori-On catches on it will only be a matter of time before samples will be available for internet downloads.

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Writing can be a lonely business. As technology improves you can perform your duties quicker and more efficiently. The possible cost - relationship deterioration. Laptops can be happy medium but they can be a little pricey. Whole-Star latest offering allows writers to go out amongst the people once again. The Writers MP3 pen is a nifty gadget that allows you to work your trade in the company of family and friends. If you are one of the unfortunate few who are using Windows Vista - you can use its features to assist you in transcribing your bardic scribbles.

The Writers MP3 pen, which also includes both a FM radio (87.5 MHz to 108 MHz) and Voice Recorder (records in WAV format), is a USB 2.0 device. You can have the best of both worlds with this pen which really writes as well. The pen accepts standard replacement ink cartridges. You can listen to sports or news while working on your next best-selling novel, short story or comic strip. Doctors or lawyers can record their dictations away from the office. You can even be a truly secret agent recording your observations in your carefully designed secret agent pen. Your options are limited only by your imagination.

The Writers MP3 pen has a 4 GB storage capacity. It supports the following media formats: WMA, WAV, MP3 and ASF. It has a 14 mm diameter and a 144 mm length. The pen can communicate with the following operating systems: Linux 2.4+, Mac 9.2+ and Windows 98 and higher. The pen is silver with chrome detailing and includes a rubber grip. It has 4 button controls and a LED display. Its Li-ion battery can be recharged via its USB connection. The Writers MP3 is one of the coolest pen gadgets on the market today. Whole-Star even includes ear buds so you can even keep your tune listening to yourself.

The Writers MP3 pen costs $62.25 in quantity. It is an excellent purchase for Writer’s groups, university book stores, police or fire departments as well as smart retailers. This is an awesome gadget that will sell well on the world market.

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We live in a media rich society. DVDs, digital photos, MP3 and CDs are just some of the items that fill our homes. Most gadgets add to the growing multimedia collection. When we travel, we have to decide what media we can take with us and what has to stay at home. IOGEAR latest gadget, the portable media player, allows you to take your media with you on the road.

Miranda Su, IOGEAR’s executive VP, describes the portable media player. “IOGEAR recognizes that today’s tech-savvy consumers are creating and collecting large amounts of digital media, such as movies and photos, and need simple solutions to transport and access them from any location. Our Portable Media Player makes it easy for people to transfer, organize and take their entertainment with them while on-the-go, and enhances the viewing experience by upscaling standard content to HDTV resolutions.”

IOGEAR’s portable media player dimensions are: 0.75 inches x 3.20 inches x 5.25 inches. It weighs 1.74 pounds. The core feature of IOGEAR’s portable media player is its 120 GB hard drive. It can store up MP3: 30,000, digital photos: 34,000, digital video: 9 hours, CDs: 3,000 songs and DVD video: 50 hours. Before going on your trip you can easily transfer your desired multimedia content to IOGEAR’s media player via a USB 2.0 connection. The player can transfer files at a blistering 480 MB per second.

The media player can easily connect to a conventional TV or a HDTV for playback. The media player cannot play any media content without being connected to a TV. The portable media player will improve standard definition video to HDTV quality if connected to a high definition television. IOGEAR’s portable media player will upscale the video to 720 pixel resolution. This is the gadget’s main selling point. It does have VCR like features to assist with television playback. IOGEAR’s media player also supports subtitles.

IOGEAR’s portable media player costs $349. Other than the HDTV playback option, this media player sounds like a huge Flash drive. There are cheaper portable multimedia solutions on the market. If you want a high tech VCR, IOGEAR’s portable media player is the gadget for you. Otherwise, explore other digital storage options.

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James Bond has it all - the music, the gadget, the excitement. His only problem is that he can’t keep a steady girl friend. She never lasts to the end of the movie. But oh the toys that James gets to play with. From mine-laying cars to knife-packing shoes, you can see just about any type of gadget in a Bond movie. Now you can live out your own Bond fantasies with the latest gadget from China - the Cool G108.

The Cool G108 is designed for a larger wrist. Its dimensions are 51 x 51 x 20 mm. A distinct clam shell protects the watch and phone elements. The clam shell top includes a LED display. When it opens up you will see a circular keypad on one side and another 1.5 inch 256-k color display. The designers are to be applauded for the well-designed keypad. It looks like a high-tech rotary phone (resembling the B&O Serene) and adds a distinct class to the G108. This is a good-looking gadget. Even if it did not have great features it will sell very well on just its appearance alone. Add the solid features and you have a definite winner.

What would a secret agent be without his ultra-secret digital camera? The G108 includes a 1.3 megapixel camera. Before you take pictures of all those scenic locations, you will need to purchase a memory card to increase the G108’s limited 0.5 MB onboard memory. You can easily add your card to the G108’s expansion slot. This phone-watch includes a speaker phone and multimedia player. What’s the use of going on a top-secret vacation assignment without your theme music?

The Cool G108 is designed to take its place on the world stage. It supports quadband GPRS and GSM. This phone watch has USB 2.0 and Bluetooth connectivity. Pricing is not currently available for the Cool G108. It is an awesome digital watch phone combination. If priced correctly, the G108 could sell out when it hits the European and American markets. Thousands and maybe millions of gadget lovers with get to be either Dick Tracey or James Bond.

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This latest gadget from Headplay makes Commander LaForge’s Visor (Star Trek: the Next Generation) look simple. Headplay has created the Personal Cinema System. Slip on this visor and prepare for a jaw dropping gaming experience in 2D. You can even have an incredible 3D game machine with a Vidia GeoForce card. You are able to experience total game immersion with the Personal Cinema System. This system can even help with marital bliss - your spouse will stop screaming at you to turn the volume down. With its enclosed sound system, only your ears will tell you when they have had enough. You still might get in trouble because of the goofiness of making faces while wearing the visor. The Personal Cinema System is compatible with PC and Mac, DVD player, game console, USB drive, set-top box, cell phone, CF card, iPod and many more. Connect your input device to the Liberator console and you are ready to enter your own virtual world. Headplay designed the Personal Cinema System to be used for long durations.

The Personal Cinema System allows you to do more than just play games. You can watch movies, videos, surf the web and even use your computer in a whole new way. It is possible to replace your monitor with the Cinema System. Bring excitement to the daily drudgery of working on your computer by looking at it - wide screen-style. The On-Screen Display allows you to adjust your video and audio settings and make program selections. The Personal Cinema System’s native resolution is 800 x 600 pixels. It can, however, support resolutions up to 1024 x 768 pixels. The Personal Cinema has 52″ diagonal virtual display at 6 feet.

Headplay’s Personal Cinema System $499.99 for the standard unit and $549.99 for the addition of a rechargeable portable battery. The battery gives you up to 6 hours of game play. The Personal Cinema System is an amazing device. It is unclear if it can support the portable game systems like the Game Boy and the Play Station Portable. It is highly likely since they support cell phones. If the PCS can bring portable games to its virtual screen this is the device for every portable gamer. Yes you would be less portable taking the PCS with your game but you will be able to experience portable games with incredible depth and realism. Since the PCS with rechargeable battery can last for 6 hours that equates to a decent amount of portable game cinema experience.

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With more than 4,000 iPod accessories, it takes a phenomenal gadget to stand out from the crowd. MiShare is one such gadget. MiShare is the brainchild of two Brooklyn, NY based designers. Their concept is simple - sharing music between two iPods. This is an idea that has been done before but not as well as the miShare. One of the first issues that the developers faced was making sure that they did not violate digital rights management software protected songs from places like the iTunes Store. MiShare, unlike the original Napster, is designed for one to one file sharing. DRM protected songs will transfer but the new owner must contact iTunes Store for authorization and password.

MiShare is simple and easy to use. You are able to transfer music, video, photos and other files without a computer or any cables. The sender iPod is known as the pitcher and the receiving iPod is the catcher. Create an “on the go playlist” for the “pitcher” iPod. The “catcher” iPod needs to be in manual mode. MiShare has two 30 pin connectors on each side. Connect the “pitcher” to MiShare’s source connector and the “catcher” to the other connector. Push MiShare’s only button to initiate transfer. MiShare is a USB 2.0 device allowing file transfers to occur at the highest rates possible. An average transfer rate is 500 kb/second.

MiShare LLC’s cofounder is Nathaniel Wice. He describes MiShare as a constant work in progress. Currently MiShare is not compatible with all iPods. Other iPods can only be “pitchers” or “catchers” but not both. The developers will be releasing updated software to correct these and other known issues in a few weeks. Further plans include making MiShare iPhone and the Touch compatible with a later update.

MiShare costs $99. It is amazingly efficient gadget. Its work in progress mind set is troublesome. Never release a product until you have at least 99% of the bugs worked out of it. MiShare is a product which is long overdue. MP3 players in general, and iPods in particular, have joined the elite group of products like television sets and computers that are part of every modern home.

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Many companies pack their gadgets with so many features. The gadgets become “jack of all trades but masters of none.” Equip breaks this mode with their latest gadget - a Digital FM Transmitter with LCD Display. The beauty of this device lies in its simplicity. You plug the stereo jack into your music source’s an audio out port or head phone socket. Find an empty channel on your FM radio. (Anywhere between 88.1 and 107.9 MHz) Tune the Digital FM Transmitter to the same frequency. Turn on all devices - music device, Digital FM Transmitter and your FM radio which can be located anywhere within your house. Output from your music source can now be heard on any FM device tuned to your station.

Equip’s Digital FM Transmitter has the following dimensions: 52 x 78 x 15 mm. It weighs .039 kilograms without batteries and its color is silver plastic. The Digital FM Transmitter’s LDC Screen displays your selected station and whether the device is turned on or not. Equip made this gadget as easy to use as possible. It has an off and on switch and a tuning dial. Cell phones or magnets can impede transmissions.

Equip’s Digital FM Transmitter has a range of 25-30 feet. Its stereo jack will work with the following audio formats: MD, CD, MP3, iPod and MP4. Equip includes a cigarette lighter so that you can hear the music from your MP3 Player on your car’s stereo. The Digital FM Transmitter requires 2 AAA batteries. The batteries will provide 6-7 hours of constant use. If you want to listen to a lot of music, you can pick of a couple of rechargeable AAA batteries so you can hear your tunes almost constantly.

Equip’s Digital FM Transmitter is a thoughtful device. Equip saw a need and created a device to fill that need. The Digital FM Transmitter costs Ⓤ29. This is a small price to pay to be able to listen to audio books, hear the evening news or jam to your favorite music anywhere in your house without having to run cables or deal with messy wiring.

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Cobra Technologies latest gadget, the 29 LTD BT with Bluetooth Technology, will not revolutionary technology as we know it today. It is a combination of the new with the old that has been long overdue. For decades, CB radios have been the primary communication device for the transportation industry. Truckers would use the radio for many purposes - chat with each other, updates on weather or traffic, police activity reports or break the monotony of driving long hours. Any of the current GPS systems on the market today could do a better job than a CB radio for weather and traffic needs but the CB radio provides links with other people that truckers sometimes need. A trucker’s cell phone also meets that need. Cobra’s latest gadget links the two devices.

Cobra’s 29 LTD BT features noise cancellation technology. Drivers will be able to hear their calls loud and clear even over a running diesel engine. Incoming calls are announced through the 29 LTD’s 5-watt speakers. Cobra also provides one-touch call control. Push a button to receive a call and push again to end your call. The trucker is able to remain focused on the road and any upcoming hazards. Truckers can also automatically redial their last number with one-touch.

Besides the Bluetooth addition, Cobra’s 29 LTD BT comes with the standard CB features. They include: Blue Channel station indicator, Instant Channel 9 Access, Delta Tune strengthens incoming signals, front microphone connector, power output of 4 watts AM RF, dimmer control, 9 foot microphone cord and signal adjustment knobs. Cobra offers slight improvement, if any, for core CB features. This greatly reduces the 29 LTD’s upgrade appeal.

Cobra could have improved the 29 LTD BT CB Radio a lot more. Some GPS systems are voice sensitive. With today’s technology it would be easy to allow a trucker to vocally change CB stations. MP3 or video playback would have been another nice feature.

The 29 LTD BT costs $189.95. Cobra’s latest CB Radio is a natural upgrade for truckers with older CB units. The 29 LTD BT will have limited appeal to the larger general public.

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Sony’s latest gadget, the Dancing Rolly, is also one of the most unique. The Dancing Rolly is an MP3 player that sings and dances. It took Japan by storm last year and its has now set its sites on the US. Rolly Mania is about to be unleashed. Sony’s latest gadget has everything it needs to become big in the US. Rolly packs incredible sound system into a small package. It is an egg-shaped device that easily fits in your palm. Sony gives listeners true surround sound with 180 degrees speakers. They have also included a digital amp and a neodymium magnet to improve sound quality.

Rolly moves its shoulders, wheels and arms in time to the music. Advanced robotic technology allows the device to move realistically. Sony even includes 700 different light colors for effects. Although Rolly can dance straight from its packaging, software is included so that you can program dance moves for Rolly using your PC. A USB connection allows you to transfer your instructions to Rolly. You and your friends can hold “Dancing with Rolly” competitions in the comfort of your own home. YouTube already has a host of Rolly dancing videos. Rolly’s programmability is what will make it a huge hit in the US. Sony has even arranged for you to be able to upload and download new dance routines. This makes Rolly “geeky cool.”

Sony designed Rolly to interact with its owners. You have to turn its wheels to change songs or alter its volume. Shaking Rolly, switches him to shuffle mode. Rolly includes Bluetooth technology. He can wirelessly stream music from a compatible phone or PC. Rolly has 2 GB of flash memory. It can hold approximately 520 songs. Rolly’s batteries can provide up to 5 hours of music or 4 hours of music, lights and dancing. Sony’s Rolly can play both iTunes and MP3 music.

Although pricing for Rolly is currently unavailable, Sony has a hit gadget on their hands. Rolly interacts with its owner. Humans can bond with the strangest things and Rolly will be one of them. As owners program dance routines for their Rolly, the bonding grows. Sony or some other forward thinking company, will come out with little Rolly clothing and accessories.

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Media Players are flooding the market today. So many of them have similar features that it can be hard to distinguish one player from another and sometimes one company from another. From its humble origins as a PC sound card manufacturer, Creative Labs has been in business a lot longer than most. Their experience and expertise shine through with each gadget they create. The Zen Media Player proudly continues this trend.

Creative Labs Zen is an awesome media player. It is the size of a credit card and weighs a mere 2.1 oz. Zen has a 2.5″ high resolution color display. The screen can show 16.7 million colors, can be viewed from any angle and works in direct sunlight. Zen can also double as an external hard drive. Its organizer easily views and syncs contacts, calendars and Tasks from Microsoft Outlook. Zen’s batteries grant you up to 30 hours of audio playback or up to 5 hours of video playback.

Zen is the first Creative Labs media player AAC unprotected format. With this feature, you can enjoy music that you copied with your iTunes software. Zen supports MP3, WMA and iTune Plus music tracks. It is also compatible with Rhapsody, Music to Go and other music subscription services. Zen also supports movies and TV shows that have purchased or rented from sites like Amazon or Walmart.com. Zen even allows you to play audio books that you purchase through Audible.com. Creative Labs even packed a clock with alarm function and a voice recorder into this gadget. Lastly, Zen also includes a FM radio with 32 preset stations. Creative Labs latest product is a true media player.

Creative Labs makes it easy for you to get the Zen for you. Their media player comes in many storage sizes ranging from 2 GB all the way up to 32 GB. The 2 GB Zen can store 500 songs or 7.5 hours of video. It also includes a SD slot to expand its storage capacity. You can further personalize your Zen experience with different skins, screen protectors and cases. Pricing for Zen begins at $79.99 for the 2 GB model.

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Portable sound gadgets whether MP3 Players, iPods, or even Digital Cameras make deciding what you want to listen to on a road trip even harder. Pioneer’s latest gadget, the DEH-700BT CD Receiver, is the one stop solution for your multiple audio system woes.

Bluetooth compatibility is one of the two big features for the DEH-700BT CD Receiver. Rotary Commander allows you to use up to three Bluetooth compatible phones. Pioneer makes it easy for you to transfer your phone’s contact information into your CD Receiver. The DEH-700BT can hold up to 3600 telephone numbers. Noise Cancellation Technology makes your phone calls clear and crisp. The DEH-700BT allows you to play tunes from your Bluetooth compatible music player or audio phone.

The DEH-700BT CD Receiver’s 2^nd feature is its Advanced Sound Retriever. This feature restores the data loss from MP3, AAC and VMA during the file compression. Your music will sound richer on your Pioneer CD Receiver than it would during normal mobile play. The DEH-700BT CD Receiver is USB 2.0 compatible allowing you to transfer your music files at the fastest rate available today.

Pioneer provides top of the line standard features for the DEH-700BT CD Receiver. Its AM/FM tuner features 18 FM and 6 AM preset stations. You can save your favorite stations in memory. Like the AM/FM Radio the CD and MP3 Players have all of the things you’ve come to expect in them including the CD player being CDR/CDRW compatible. You can take your favorite home mixed CDs with you on the road. The MP3 player supports the following formats: MP3, iTunes, WAV and VMA. The DEH-700BT CD Receiver is Digital Radio compatible. You can access Sirius, HD and XM Radio with additional equipment. Since there is not a single digital radio standard, Pioneer gives you the option of selecting your preferred company.

Pioneer’s DEH-700BT CD Receiver costs $290. Car CD Receivers have been struggling for survival since the first MP3 player. Pioneer does a good job of marrying the old with the new. The DEH-700BT is a solid CD receiver with links to the latest technology. Pioneer’s latest CD Receiver can breathe new life into your car’s sound system.

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Daily more companies attempt to compete with Amazon’s Kindle by providing inferior products with a bloated price. ECTACO, known for its handheld translators, enters the E-reader market with its jetBook priced at $349. Products like this one will drive new customers to Amazon’s Kindle. Feature by feature, Amazon has created a better device and its wireless downloads of newspapers and books is the Kindle’s knockout punch for any of its current competitors like the jetBook.

ECTACO’s jetBook features a 5-inch monochrome screen. Like other E-readers, you can adjust the font face and text size for easier reading. The screen has almost a 180 degree viewing angle. Like the other E-readers on the market, the jetBook can also play AudioBooks and MP3 music and display photos. It weighs just more than 7 ounces. The jetBook website is void of details about the E-Reader. For example, it has a rechargeable battery but it does not give stats for how long the jetBook can be used per charge. Its competitors are very clear about how long their E-readers can function on one charge. Ebooks are downloaded into the jetBook from your computer via a USB cable. Also like the other E-readers, ECTACO’s reader is environmentally friendly since it reduces trees being used for paper.

The only innovative feature with jetBook is its dictionaries. It includes an English Dictionary and two Translation Dictionaries - English to Russian and English to Polish. None of the other major E-readers list this as a feature. It is helpful to have a dictionary to look up words while you are reading an eBook. Since ECTACO is a translation company, it is highly likely that it will offer additional Translation Dictionaries for its jetBook. ECTACO should consider making additional dictionaries free or very low cost for its jetBook. This will distinguish them from its competitors and it may attract a different customer base than the Kindle.

ECTACO is the latest company to jump on the E-reader bandwagon. JetBook offers the customer little in comparison with the market leader, the Kindle. ECTACO touts that the jetBook allows readers to take advantage of the thousands of free ebooks on the internet today. The company fails to tell consumers that most of them are English classics. While these are definitely a good read, they are not current New York Times bestsellers.

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The Nintendo DS is arguably the most powerful portable game system in the world. It has some of the most innovative features in the industry. The DS has two colorful LCD touch screens that encourage programmers to create unique game interfaces. You have free wi fi which allows you to connect to any other DS within 30 feet. The DS is backwards compatible with Game Boy Advance titles. Nintendo DS battery has been rated for up to 19 hours of play and it can be recharged completely within 3 hours. Now with the Korg DS-10, the DS can add one more thing to its impressive list of credentials: a mini synthesizer.

AQ Interactive plans to release the Korg DS-10 in July of 2008. At its core, the Korg DS-10 is music creation software. It has two dual-oscillator analog patchable synth simulators. The Korg DS-10’s four-part drum machine can even use sounds created with the synth simulator. Korg is the producer of some of the world’s most renown instruments. The DS-10 can produce high-quality sounds. With the Korg DS-10, you have a total of six tracks - 4 for the drum machine and 2 for the synth simulators. The DS-10 includes a mixing board where you can add a variety of audio effects. AQ Interactive is to be applauded for getting all of this functionality into the confines of a Nintendo DS. The Korg DS-10 supports three different ways to enter notes: via the touch-control screen, keyboard screen or matrix screen. When the Korg DS-10 is released, it will open up a new market for the Nintendo DS - amateur and professional musicians. The sheer musical potential of the cartridge is easy enough to be grasped by beginning musicians but complex enough to delight master composers. While a solo DS-10 can in no ways compete with a full fledge synthesizer, it packs enormous potential in a small size. The DS’s innate wi fi abilities can be taken to a new level with the Korg DS-10. You will be able to play multiple units simultaneously. This feature takes the one man band idea to a whole new level.

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Michael Callahan, cofounder of Ambient Corporation, stunned observers at a Texas Instruments cell phone conference. Mr. Callahan made a cell phone call without speaking. Ambient has recently created a device to help people with disabilities which prevent them from speaking. The Audeo Neckband is able to detect nerve impulses your brain sends to your vocal cords and translate them into meaningful electronic speech. During the demonstration, no sound left the Mr. Callahan’s mouth as the call was made. He became the ultimate ventriloquist.

A person needs careful training before being able to wordlessly send nerve signals to their vocal cords. These signals are picked up by the Audeo Neckband. The device wirelessly relays the signals to a computer which converts them into words. Finally, the computer speaks the words using text to speech technology. The device is able to distinguish from normal thinking and the focused thinking required to transmit nerve signals to vocal cords. Mr. Callahan describes this “as a level above thinking.” Users must think specifically about voicing words for them to be picked up by the Audeo.

Mr. Callahan further explains about the Audeo. “I can still talk verbally at the same time. We can differentiate between when you want to talk silently and when you want to talk out loud.” The Audeo System demonstrated at the Texas Instrument Conference can only recognize 150 words and phrases. This is similar to the early years of speech recognition software.

Ambient plans to release an updated version of the Audeo by year’s end. This new Audeo will not have a vocabulary limit. Instead of recognizing words and phrases, the new Audeo will identify the individual phonemes that make up complete words. The increased power of new Audeo will mean that users will need to build up what they want to say one phoneme at a time but they will be able to say whatever is on their minds. The phoneme-based system will be directed at people who have lost the ability to speak due to ALS and other neurological diseases. Ambient has also demonstrated how the Audeo can benefit people who are wheelchair bound. It can allow them to move their wheelchairs by their thoughts alone. Innovative uses of the Audeo Neckband could easily benefit a wide range of the disabled population. Ambient has done good work in creating a device like Audeo to aid the disabled.