Microsoft Voice Command 1.5 Released

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.handango.com/ampp/store/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&productId=90635&productType=2' target='_blank'>http://www.handango.com/ampp/store/...5&productType=2</a><br /><br /></div><i>"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 get key device status and information. 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."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20050106-VoiceCommand.jpg" /><br /><br />Microsoft Voice Command 1.5 has finally been released. All versions of Windows Mobile 2003 are fully supported. Users of Version 1.0 may upgrade to Version 1.5 by following the instructions specified at your place of purchase, otherwise non-existing users may download a trial version or purchase the full version at <a href="http://www.handango.com/ampp/store/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&productId=90635&productType=2">Handango</a>. Being a U.S. English version, it is still only available to residents of the United States and Canada. [Affiliate] <!><br /><br />List of updates include:<br />• Added disambiguation among identical and homophonic contact records. <br />• Added status features to access battery level, signal strength, time, date, ringer volume, and low battery warnings. <br />• Added spoken caller ID feature that speaks the name or number of the calling party. <br />• Tuned microphone behavior for several devices, including variations of the XDA II and XDA III. <br />• Added support for Windows Media Player 10 found in Ozone AKU2 and later. <br />• Improved support for yellow page style contacts.

[Darius Wey]

I have just updated the post with a list of changes that have been made since v1.01. Of particular interest is full support for Windows Media Player 10 Mobile, Pocket PC status voice commands, and Caller ID features, among others.

In addition, Version 1.5 is future-proofed and is compatible with Windows Mobile 2005.

[freitasm]

tsk, tsk...

Still, no e-mail reader? No voice activated e-mail reply? It's a very good application (I have it in my Phone Edition), but I also have Fonix Voice Control. It's very nice to do a demo of multimodal voice mail/e-mail unified inbox and simply say "Read Inbox". "Reply" "Forward", "Delete" and other e-mail commands.

I'd expect this to be a new Voice Command version... :roll:

[Darius Wey]

Still, no e-mail reader? No voice activated e-mail reply?

Yeah... It's a good application, and this new update adds a few extra features, but it still has its limitations. So far, I'm seeing more benefits for PPCPE users than anyone else, but there is still certainly room for improvement if it really wants to be the perfect voice-recognition application for mobile devices.

[marcm]

Yeah, It'll be nice when we can just talk and it types, just like Windows XP. Unfortunately even Windows XP makes mistakes, a LOT of mistakes. It's almost funny to see what it types sometimes... Anyways, it's good to see that Microsoft is updating it, and that since it is confirmed to be compatible with WM2005, we know it must be coming soon! :wink: :D

[155]

When I use 1.1 and dial out, It'll be like call Michael Thompson at work, correct? and I'll say yes, but it won't pick it up and I'll have to say yes again. Does this versoin fix this? Also does anyone else have this problem? I'm using an sx66 (pda2k clone)

That fonix software is intriguing. is it possible to use voice command for dialing as I do, but fonix software for all the other stuff? How does it compare to voice command in terms of dialing?

[welmoed]

Question: Can I use this software to control my GPS software? It would be great if I could make Mapopolis voice-activated. I could say "tools -- GPS -- start -- OK" to start up the GPS while I'm driving without having to take my hands off the wheel. Or "Tools -- navigation -- find route --" etc and have it do all the entering and such.

Is this possible (currently)?

--Welmoed

[Darius Wey]

Question: Can I use this software to control my GPS software? It would be great if I could make Mapopolis voice-activated. I could say "tools -- GPS -- start -- OK" to start up the GPS while I'm driving without having to take my hands off the wheel. Or "Tools -- navigation -- find route --" etc and have it do all the entering and such. Is this possible (currently)?

The closest you'll get to this is &lt;Start>-&lt;"Application Name"> to open the relevant application, or &lt;Show "Contact Name"> and doing the rest by hand. The current limitations of the existing version of Voice Command is that it's all set around an unmodifiable architectural interface. That is, you can't "add" extra commands for it to recognise. You can only use the commands that have been preset within the application. The configurable options available are limited at best.

[Russ]

Thanks Microsoft, nice to see the 'special relationship', (laugh I nearly fell off my chair,) between the UK and US is soooo special you decided to not let us have a version of Voice Commander!

Another really nice touch is that you let us limeys download the trial version and then decide not let us buy it! What gives??? We invented the bl**dy language...is our money not good enough. Will there ever be a version for the UK?

I'm pi**ed off

Irony, akin to plasticky

[Paragon]

The current limitations of the existing version of Voice Command is that it's all set around an unmodifiable architectural interface. That is, you can't "add" extra commands for it to recognise. You can only use the commands that have been preset within the application. The configurable options available are limited at best.

Hey Darius,

While that may be true from the end user perspective, it is my understanding that all the handles and whatever else is needed in developer talk ;) is there for third party apps to take advantage of in their own software. If that is true and I'm not mistaken, I'm quite surprised no one has taken advantage of it. As welmoed has mentioned it would be an excelent combo for GPS software.

Dave

[Rob Borek]

Thanks Microsoft, nice to see the 'special relationship', (laugh I nearly fell off my chair,) between the UK and US is soooo special you decided to not let us have a version of Voice Commander!

Another really nice touch is that you let us limeys download the trial version and then decide not let us buy it! What gives??? We invented the bl**dy language...is our money not good enough. Will there ever be a version for the UK?

Yeah, it's weird... but it probably has to do with legal and support issues with different countries, not language issues. Microsoft isn't your ordinary small company that puts out Pocket PC software - there are hoops to jump through at every software launch, and not all countries get the latest release of Microsoft software at the same time (or even at all...).

There have also been country release problems with other software - the Microsoft arcade and games packs for the Pocket PC come to mind. Hopefully they'll bring the download to Europe shortly.

(also, just to bring up an interesting tidbit of infornation - Microsoft released the Smartphone and Phone Edition software for GSM first, and launched the platforms in Europe first)

[Darius Wey]

While that may be true from the end user perspective, it is my understanding that all the handles and whatever else is needed in developer talk ;) is there for third party apps to take advantage of in their own software. If that is true and I'm not mistaken, I'm quite surprised no one has taken advantage of it. As welmoed has mentioned it would be an excelent combo for GPS software.

Yes, I made that statement based on an end-user perspective. If indeed developers can configure their applications to take advantage of its features however, then it is certainly a promising prospect to say the least. The idea of GPS and Voice Command integration is a nice one. :-)

[Peter Foot]

While that may be true from the end user perspective, it is my understanding that all the handles and whatever else is needed in developer talk ;) is there for third party apps to take advantage of in their own software. If that is true and I'm not mistaken, I'm quite surprised no one has taken advantage of it. As welmoed has mentioned it would be an excelent combo for GPS software.

Yes, I made that statement based on an end-user perspective. If indeed developers can configure their applications to take advantage of its features however, then it is certainly a promising prospect to say the least. The idea of GPS and Voice Command integration is a nice one. :-)

Attempting to programmatically use the functionality included in Voice Command is expressly forbidden in the EULA, which is dissappointing because apps could add a lot of value by tagging on extra commands and making use of the text-to-speech engine.

Peter

[Jimmy Dodd]

While that may be true from the end user perspective, it is my understanding that all the handles and whatever else is needed in developer talk ;) is there for third party apps to take advantage of in their own software. If that is true and I'm not mistaken, I'm quite surprised no one has taken advantage of it. As welmoed has mentioned it would be an excelent combo for GPS software.

Yes, I made that statement based on an end-user perspective. If indeed developers can configure their applications to take advantage of its features however, then it is certainly a promising prospect to say the least. The idea of GPS and Voice Command integration is a nice one. :-)

Attempting to programmatically use the functionality included in Voice Command is expressly forbidden in the EULA, which is dissappointing because apps could add a lot of value by tagging on extra commands and making use of the text-to-speech engine.

Peter

This is extremely weird and entirely out of character with Microsoft's normal API-happy approach to software. Any idea why they decided to bar developer's from taking advantage of such a useful application?

[Darius Wey]

Attempting to programmatically use the functionality included in Voice Command is expressly forbidden in the EULA, which is dissappointing because apps could add a lot of value by tagging on extra commands and making use of the text-to-speech engine.

That was what I thought initially. Paragon, was your information based from a proper source or was it just a thought you had?

[Ploobers]

How do I upgrade if I purchased the physical version from Amazon?

[MountDan]

I bought VoiceCommand 1.1 for my PPCPE. It was pathetic in the extreme. It could not understand simple names. THEN it would want to confirm, but the &lt;explative deleted> thing could not understand "yes". It could not dial by numbers; I think it sent a call to Tonga or something. When I'm yelling at my phone becasue I'm so pissed off.... well, that's not good. Talk about a disincentive to try ver 1.5

[Kevin Daly]

...and consequently utterly useless to me (not that they'd let me have it anyway, for that reason).

Apparently the people making decisions on Voice Command project priorities think people living outside of North America don't matter (of course, there are only about 110 million or so native English speakers in that category, so I suppose we're not important...).

It makes me want to come over all Linux-y....


Nice looking update though. Bastards.
:evil:

[krad]

Here is the real question....

can i actually do voice dial over my bluetooth wireless headset?

I want to hit the talk button on my handsfree, and i want my ppc to enable voice command. I then want my voice to say " call jim" and have voice command call him.

Can this be done with this software? if it can't then this is useless to any phone ediiton device. What is the point of having voice recognition software if you have to touch the damn device!

[zilla31]

How do I upgrade if I purchased the physical version from Amazon?

Ploobers i have the same question. i went to the microsoft VC site and they don't have 1.5 in their "updates" section just 1.01. i wonder if we install the trial - but i doubt that since i don't have a key or anything. anyone know?

ps just a mini review: i really like it - it understands me *most* of the time and i use it (esp. for looking up contacts and opening buried programs) ALL the time.

[freitasm]

Here is the real question....

can i actually do voice dial over my bluetooth wireless headset?

I want to hit the talk button on my handsfree, and i want my ppc to enable voice command. I then want my voice to say " call jim" and have voice command call him.


No, it won't do this.

[ebadger]

Thanks Microsoft, nice to see the 'special relationship', (laugh I nearly fell off my chair,) between the UK and US is soooo special you decided to not let us have a version of Voice Commander!

Another really nice touch is that you let us limeys download the trial version and then decide not let us buy it! What gives??? We invented the bl**dy language...is our money not good enough. Will there ever be a version for the UK?

I'm pi**ed off

Irony, akin to plasticky

Russ, The full UK version is on it's way.

[ebadger]

I bought VoiceCommand 1.1 for my PPCPE. It was pathetic in the extreme. It could not understand simple names. THEN it would want to confirm, but the &lt;explative deleted> thing could not understand "yes". It could not dial by numbers; I think it sent a call to Tonga or something. When I'm yelling at my phone becasue I'm so pissed off.... well, that's not good. Talk about a disincentive to try ver 1.5

Dan, if you had problems with confirmations you should definitely try 1.5.

[ebadger]

When I use 1.1 and dial out, It'll be like call Michael Thompson at work, correct? and I'll say yes, but it won't pick it up and I'll have to say yes again. Does this versoin fix this? Also does anyone else have this problem? I'm using an sx66 (pda2k clone)

That fonix software is intriguing. is it possible to use voice command for dialing as I do, but fonix software for all the other stuff? How does it compare to voice command in terms of dialing?


155, You will find that v1.5 works significantly better on your sx66.

[Paragon]

Attempting to programmatically use the functionality included in Voice Command is expressly forbidden in the EULA, which is dissappointing because apps could add a lot of value by tagging on extra commands and making use of the text-to-speech engine.

That was what I thought initially. Paragon, was your information based from a proper source or was it just a thought you had?

Yes, I'm not going to name any names publicly but it was someone who's word I trust and is usually well informed on issues like this because he is usually in the front lines. It was mentioned when the app was first released. Although I'm not one to doubt Peter's word either......anyway my thoughts a seldom that deep. ;)

Dave

[onepieceman]

This must be the most frustrating experience I've had on the PocketPC. The recognition (for me) is fantastic. Certainly vastly better than version 1.0, so I suggest anyone who was disappointed with that gives this another try.
However, it's almost as though the app has been deliberately sabotaged. Since it has a pretty good text to speech capability, why not make it available to other apps?
Since it can build recognition dictionaries on the fly (e.g. for the list of programs you have installed), why not allow that functionality to be accessed by others?
There are a good number of apps I can think of that would be transformed by having access to this functionality.
Is there some legal problem with this? I think there's an issue in that something like this really needs to be part of the OS, so that everyone can benefit, but maybe it can't be, and opening it up in the ways I have suggested would make it an OS extension rather than a stand alone application.
Anyone have any idea what is going on here?

[EddieH28]

hey, if the mda III/imate pda2k cant take audio through the headset, does that mean you have to hold the pocekt pc up to your face to say a command then when the phone connects it transfers to your headset? if so that sucks! whats the point of using this if there is no audio input from the headset. if you are driving in the car how are you supposed to talk to your pocekt pc to take a command? that my friend is a deal breaker!

[bvkeen]

I have it installed on my 4700 and I'm pleased that it hasn't clashed with any of my background programs (Wisbar Advance, Rhinolaunch, Calligrapher). To conserve RAM, I am using the version of Pocket Informant that came pre-installed on the 4700, so I do not know if there is a conflict between this version of Voice Command and the latest (5.6.1) version of Pocket Informant. However, as a heads-up, I can say that the 1.01 version of Voice Command clashed with the 5.6.1 version of PI WHEN PI is assigned as the Default appointment and task handler (the latest version of PI lets you set it as the default handler). This conflict is so bad that the device pretty quickly locks up, requiring a soft reset . I managed to resolve the conflict by quickly going to the VC settings after reset and unchecking its Calendar integration. Again, just a heads up in case it might help those using the latest versions of VC and PI.

I do not have my bluetooth keyboard with me now, so I can't tell if there is a conflict there (I had one with the earlier version in that the driver wouldn't load - probably because of all the memory that VC takes up).

I do love VC and plan to keep it installed but I wonder if I'm going to have to upgrade to 128 MB if it does keep my keyboard driver from running. VC takes an enormous amount of memory (looks like about 6 MB on my device).

Update: I had a screen lockup after doing a soft reset (to recover memory) and after lauching Wisbar (I always launch it rather than having it launch automatically on startup). I went and uninstalled VC, partly because of the lockup and partly because it takes up so much RAM). I hate to dump because its contact lookup can be a great timesaver, but ...

[Jonathon Watkins]

Russ, The full UK version is on it's way.

How do you know that Ebadger? Do you have any timescales?

[nosaturn]

Russ, The full UK version is on it's way.

How do you know that Ebadger? Do you have any timescales?

It will be out soon enough.

If you think about exactly how Voice Command works, you can understand why there are seperate versions for the US and UK. Take phone number dialing pattersn for instance..... in the US, Voice Command recognizes some 3 digit numbers, 7, 10 and 11 digit numbers. A UK version of Voice Command should recognize the patters for the UK - pretty obvious right? Plus the text to speech and speech recognition engines will have to be tuned for the difference in languages too. After all..... I dont' want my PocketPC to sound like a Brit anymore than they want theirs to sound like a Yank.



[geek on]and as a totally aside note.... no-one "invented" English. English evolved from earlier languages and added parts from various places too. Certianly, English (the language) is named for the people that spoke it.... [/geek off]

[Darius Wey]

Ploobers i have the same question. i went to the microsoft VC site and they don't have 1.5 in their "updates" section just 1.01. i wonder if we install the trial - but i doubt that since i don't have a key or anything. anyone know?

Installing the trial won't help. It's a different revision of the program and is a 5-day time limited trial. I'll look into how Amazon users can upgrade and get back to you on that one.

[Darius Wey]

There are a good number of apps I can think of that would be transformed by having access to this functionality.
Is there some legal problem with this? I think there's an issue in that something like this really needs to be part of the OS, so that everyone can benefit, but maybe it can't be, and opening it up in the ways I have suggested would make it an OS extension rather than a stand alone application. Anyone have any idea what is going on here?

Read the previous posts - this was already touched upon. ;)

[Darius Wey]

Russ, The full UK version is on it's way.I dont' want my PocketPC to sound like a Brit anymore than they want theirs to sound like a Yank.

Now that this topic has been extensively raised and a UK version will be released soon, what about Australia and New Zealand? Any hints of a localised version for us? ;)

[Darius Wey]

Ploobers i have the same question. i went to the microsoft VC site and they don't have 1.5 in their "updates" section just 1.01. i wonder if we install the trial - but i doubt that since i don't have a key or anything. anyone know?

Installing the trial won't help. It's a different revision of the program and is a 5-day time limited trial. I'll look into how Amazon users can upgrade and get back to you on that one.

Okay, Microsoft have just updated their Voice Command webpage, so head over there (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/downloads/voicecommand/updateversion.mspx) if you wish to download the update. ;)

[jsmarr]

I just upgraded to v1.5 but it's working much worse for me now. I have an iPAQ 5455 and I had v1.0 which worked amazingly well. The main thing I used it for was showing contact info, e.g. "show joseph" and it seemed to almost always work. Now since the upgrade I can't get it to recognize any names or programs. The other commands like "what's my next appointment" seem to work fine and I have the settings/gain/etc just like the guide says I should (afaik). In addition to recognition being bad, it looks like they changed the contact name grammar so you can't say "show FIRST" (e.g. "show joseph") but you have to say "show FIRST LAST" (e.g. "show joseph smarr") which is considerably less convinient. Is it really the case that they dropped "show FIRST" or am I confused? Any suggestions on how to fix the recognition problem? Anyone else had this problem? If I can't fix it, I guess I'll have to roll back to v1.0 (can you still download it?).

Thanks for any help you can provide,
js

[zilla31]

speaking of settings/gain, etc. in the manual - does anyone know where all tihs is for the 4150? can't seem to find anything in settings (microphone, etc.). so maybe i don't have to worry about it?

ps link worked great to the upgrade for folks who store bought VC - THANKS!

[Darius Wey]

speaking of settings/gain, etc. in the manual - does anyone know where all tihs is for the 4150? can't seem to find anything in settings (microphone, etc.). so maybe i don't have to worry about it?

I'm confused. Are you referring to the preferable audio settings for the h4150, or are you referring to a missing Audio/Microphone type applet? The h4150 should be set on a medium level. The audio settings can be adjusted in the "Audio" applet.

[ebadger]

Russ, The full UK version is on it's way.

How do you know that Ebadger? Do you have any timescales?

Russ, I know this because I am a developer on the product. I can't give any time scales but a UK specific product has been developed and we have planned to release it.

[unplug]

umm,...1 question..i got a siemens sx66 and got this program is their anyway i can use my motorola h700 (bluetooth headset) to use voice dialing???