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WHY LAPTOPS HAVE TROUBLE LISTENINGTWO TRENDS IN PERSONAL computing are about to collide head-on. More and more people are ditching desktop computers to work exclusively on laptops. And speech-recognition software, while still not a mainstream application, is getting very close. Trouble is, in tests of laptops from several manufacturers, I've found that speech software doesn't work on notebooks. Software developers say the problem is fundamental. There is a lot of electronic noise bouncing around inside a laptop case, where components are necessarily very close together. Some of that noise is picked up by the sound system, where it interferes with the machines' ability to understand speech. The problem is worst on notebooks that, like some Compaq and Toshiba models, have their power supply inside the case. In addition, laptops often come with poor sound systems. Better systems with better noise-shielding will help, but only after laptop computers are redesigned to handle speech.
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Updated June 4, 1998 by bwwebmaster
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