Mar 21, 2008

Just Say It to Play It

We don’t know how many accidents are caused by drivers searching for songs on their in-car music system, but we are certain the number is high. Now there is a way to avoid this trap. VoiceTunes is an inexpensive voice activation for all us who listen to music in our vehicles via an iPod, MP3 player or Zune interface. The technology allows you to play music by simply saying the artist name, album, genre or your favorite playlist. According to its maker, One Voice Technologies, it works with iTunes and Windows Media Player on all versions of Windows XP and Vista.

By simply saying commands like “Play Rock Music,” you can enjoy music without having to click through menus and folders, which, of course, can be very distracting when you drive. Sample commands include “Play Genre Rock,” “Play Artist ‘The Raspberries’,” “Play Playlist Power Pop,” and “Play Album ‘Fresh Raspberries’.” (Now that’s good listening!) Its maker says VoiceTunes installs quickly and works right away, with no voice training required. (A good thing, since our voice resists training.) The suggested retail price of the product is $29.95, and a trial version is available for free download.