October 26th, 2007
Dictating to your browser
SAN FRANCISCO (NYT) — Slow typists of the world may find relief in a new Internet dictation service that promises to turn spoken words into a polished document in about an hour, 24 hours a day. Users of the service first call the company, iDictate.com, at (877) DICTATE or (800) 342-8283 and speak their message. The service, based in San Francisco, records your voice, turns it into an audio computer file and sends the file over the Internet to one of hundreds of typists based around the world, as far away as India. Once the message is transcribed, the company checks for errors and returns it to the caller via e-mail.
The service is available only in English, but the company’s founder, Lee Dorfman, said that other languages were on the way. Callers can also fax a handwritten note for typing and can have the company send a message. First-time users can try the service free for up to 100 words. After that, the service charges one cent per word, or about $3 to $4 per page of double-spaced text.
Playing with radio waves
LOS ANGELES (NYT) — At first glance, the $40 Airplay video game controller looks much like any one of many handheld game devices. But a closer look reveals a significant advance: hey, no wires. Made by Eleven Engineering, based in Canada, Airplay uses radio waves, which are more reliable than the infrared signals used by television remote controllers.
This year, the company hopes to ride an expected tidal wave of console-product sales with the introduction in October of Sony’s much- anticipated PlayStation 2 in North America. Sony is preparing to ship 2 million PlayStation 2 consoles to North America this year. John Sobota, the chief executive of Eleven Engineering, said his company’s controller, which has the familiar configuration of control keys, d- pad and thumb-controlled joysticks, is fully compatible with the new PlayStation.
The device has a range of up to 25 feet, and in a demonstration this month at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles its game could not be interrupted by objects or people moving between it and the game console. “Console gaming has evolved well beyond conventional controllers,” Sobota said in a company statement.
Asparagus sprouts
HADLEY, Mass. (AP) — Hadley asparagus is once again attracting a gourmet market, nearly a century after it first graced the finest tables in New York and Newport, R.I., society. Its return comes decades after the so-called “Hadley grass” was wiped out by a fungus in the 1970s. But despite the revival, out-of-town asparagus aficionados still have to scramble to get any of the prized crop. The demand is so great that most of the asparagus grown in the Connecticut River Valley is snapped up by local buyers before it reaches the wholesale market.
Its taste has people willing to pay more than $40 a crate wholesale, about 25 percent above prices at New Jersey markets. Retail prices start at $2.50 to $3 a bunch and climb.
What if Arnie were young now?
SAN ANTONIO (NYT) — Decades before a Tiger ruled the PGA Tour, a lion named Arnold was the king of golf. Imagine the possibilities if Arnold Palmer were in his prime now. What could a man with Palmer’s All-American looks, charisma and professionalism earn in today’s market where athletes pitch everything from mutual funds to Micatin? “He would have won enough to buy the PGA Tour just on his attitude alone,” said Buddy Cook, Southwestern Bell Dominion tournament director. “He and Tiger Woods are similar in their drive to excel. That’s what makes them both successful.”
If Woods is any indication, Palmer could earn twice as much as he does now as golf’s elder statesman. Woods earned $47 million last year while winning eight events and pitching products such as Nike and American Express. Palmer, 70, has not won a tournament since 1988 but he still earned $19 million last year mainly through his golf- related businesses and from pitching products such as Cooper Tire and Pennzoil.
“Arnie, if he was in his prime (today), would probably be one of the highest-paid (athletes),” said Jim Reese, a sports administration and facilities management assistant professor at Ohio University. “He is definitely going after a different target market, but he is still very marketable.”
Endorsements are just a portion of the money Palmer could have earned. Woods has accumulated $13.9 million while winning 18 events since joining the PGA Tour in July 1996. In comparison, Palmer won 60 titles and yet his total earnings on the PGA Tour amount to $1.8 million for a career that spans more than 30 years.
Just under $2 million? Woods surpassed that in his first five PGA Tour events this year.
When questioned about the possibilities, Palmer offered a warm, friendly smile that has become as familiar as his unfinished swing. “I couldn’t say I wouldn’t think about that,” Palmer said. “It’s hard to think about what might have been. If I had to do it all over again, I would accept it if it turned out the same way.”