Audio

Play CDs, tapes and iPODs on your car’s radio with the Belkin Tunecast

I was so excited to buy a new (okay, okay, “pre-owned”) car, I forgot to notice something important: There was no cassette deck. Not usually a tragedy, but I love to listen to books on tape. And I do a lot of driving. So, in this case, it’s a tragedy. What’s a commuter to do? […]

Voice Recognition FAQ – Microphone and performance help, information and recommendations

I’ve been using voice recognition software for a long time (see the full review of Dragon NaturallySpeaking and IBM ViaVoice). I often get questions from readers asking about recommendations on hardware or similar issues. Here are some of the most common. Is there a good microphone you recommend? What microphone setup do you need for quality […]

Voice Recognition Software Review: Dragon NaturallySpeaking 8.0 and IBM ViaVoice 10

The casually-conversing HAL 2000 computer in the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey makes it look easy. From “Danger, Will Robinson!” to the Star Wars’ language translation droid C-3PO, the movies continually assume that computers can and will understand the spoken word as well as any human. It’s not that easy. When you consider the use […]

CD to MP3 conversion is simple

A respected friend told me he tries never to pay for work he could do himself. Don’t know how? Learn. If the tools are affordable, get them. You’ll save money long term, and be better prepared for new adventures. Now, my friend and I were talking about cars, but this philosophy applies beyond the greasy, […]

Free karaoke software: EvilLyrics

A while ago I had the lucky experience of going to Japan as a bright-eyed foreign exchange student. One of my favorite parts? Karaoke. It’s not the same in the USA. Here, a standard karaoke night involves a smoky bar, dozens of strangers, and one too many drinks with names like “Bahama Mama”. If you’re […]

Automatically finding vinyl track and time information

George asks a question about converting Vinyl to CD and MP3, while automatically pulling track and time information: I want to transfer my valuable vinyl collection to my PC first and later onto CD. The problem is that I don’t have time to type in the information for every album, every track, etc. Is there […]

Sound weapons are a reality. And no, earplugs won’t help.

Step aside, sticky foam. Move over, tear gas. This may be the first case of a technologically advanced non-lethal crowd control weapon in active use. No longer science fiction… Sound weapons are a reality. We’re talking about a directional sound wave generator. The depelopers in the US Government won’t comment, so details are sketchy, but […]

How to clean and spell CDs and DVDs

You want to clean your compact disc. You’re worried about the scratches on your DVD disk. …Wait, is it “disc” or “disk”? Is this just a case of “poTAYto, poTAHto”, or is there a difference? “Disk” and “disc” are indeed two different words. “Disk” is of American origin, while “disc” is British. “Disk” refers to […]

Free music creation software, from techno to classical to rap beats and sound creation tools

Music can soothe the savage beast, speak as a universal language, and reduce stress. And beyond these noble aspirations, it can generate truckloads of money. If we have musical aspirations but no instruments, instruction, or (in my case) talent, what can we do? Use these free music creation software tools to alternately soothe, speak, reduce […]

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