Entered CNET Catalog: 10/28/2004
SKU: T67-00003
Manufacturer: Microsoft Corp.
Manufacturer description
Voice Command transforms your Pocket PC into your own virtual personal assistant, letting you use your voice to look up contacts and place phone calls, get calendar information, play and control your music, and start programs. Voice Command makes it easier and more convenient than ever to take your digital lifestyle with you wherever you go. The state-of-the-art speech technology means you will never have to pre-record important phone numbers or use difficult commands to access the information you need. Simply select one of the many commands that is most natural to you and let Voice Command do the rest. You can even ask "What can I say? " at any time to help find an appropriate command.CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 11/03/2004
Getting started was a breeze. We installed the software on the HP iPaq H4150, and it was only a matter of loading the installation CD and performing a hot-sync operation. Once this is done, you'll find a Voice Command utility under the Settings menu where you can turn on the feature and choose which functions you want voice-enabled (Calendar, Contacts, Media, and Start Menu). The user's guide also recommends that you turn off the automatic gain control (found under Settings > System > Audio or Microphone) for better speech recognition. One other tweak you might want to make before diving in is assigning Voice Command to a shortcut key. The program was automatically allocated to the Calendar key after setup, but we frequently use this shortcut, so we chose to reassign it to the iTask button. Of course, this will be a matter of personal preference.
Enough with the shop talk, let's get on with the show. To start using the program, you press and release the Voice Command key, and a small microphone icon appears onscreen along with a sound alert to cue you to speak. We first called up a name in our address book by saying "Show first name, last name," and lo and behold, the contact information came up. Be aware that you have to be specific with names, as "Jen" won't return any entries for "Jennifer." We also would have liked it if you could call up specific information such as a work address. You can, however, dial numbers on devices with Pocket PC Phone Edition by giving one of several commands, such as "Call John Smith," "Call 555-1212," or "Dial 411."
Next, we checked our upcoming appointments. You can use a variety of commands, including "What's my schedule today?" "What's my next meeting?" and "What are my appointments tomorrow?" to get the information. We were pretty impressed by this feature, giving us the time and subject of our next meeting. Other Voice Command capabilities consist of starting applications (note: you have to say the full title of the program--for example, Pocket Word rather than Word), getting help, and playing music. With the latter, you can instruct Windows Media to play in shuffle mode, advance to the next track, and ask for the current song name. And while you can choose music by artist, genre, or album, strangely, you can't search by title.
Overall, Voice Command's accuracy was dead on. It understood a majority of our requests and even performed admirably when there was background noise such as a TV or a radio. Of course, all wasn't perfect, and there were a couple of times when we had to repeat ourselves (when the application doesn't recognize your command, it will say "Try again."). Also, the computer-generated female voice was hard to understand at times, with words sounding garbled and cut-off. That said, there's no denying the ease and utility of this application for road warriors and consumers alike.
Microsoft offers several technical support options, but we found the program so easy to use that we don't foresee any problems. Still, if you need any assistance, free phone support is available Monday through Friday, 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday through Sunday, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., PT. The call isn't toll-free, so long-distance charges may apply. You can also e-mail your query to Microsoft with a promised turnaround time of one business day, or check out the company's Web site for troubleshooting tips, tutorials, and more.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2
User Rating: 
9/10
Outstanding!!
Pros: Hands free operation, works with Bluetooth, Reads notifications with clear voice
Cons: Doesn't close out programs, won't open settings
I read that some folks have dificulty getting VC to acknowledge commands in a loud environment and that has got to be an equipment problem. I work at Starbucks, always VERY loud, and I have no problem with the program whether I'm wearing the provided stereo headset, my Bluetooth, or using the handset.
I love the fact that the program reads notifications to me clearly this includes announcing who is calling so I don't have to look at the screen when I am using my hands. This program will also read the content of text messages to me and it has yet to mispronounce words or names. I was playing some music and the voice did pronuonce AC/DC "Ack" but who's counting?
I did have trouble setting my bluetooth up when I first bought the program (I needed a driver for my bluetooth) but the Microsoft help desk actually helped me in less that 20 minutes! I spoke to a real person and everything! The operator may have been in Mumbai but he e-mailed me the proper driver and within a few short minutes I was talking to my PDA through my bluetooth unit! I'm looking forward to the next generation of this program!
User Rating: 
4/10
So So.....
Pros: Easy Install, Many Options
Cons: Rather poor voice recognition, does not close programs, and others
