09-09-2003, 05:00 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Why Pen Computing Could Put You Out of Business
"Warning: Pen computing, handwriting recognition, and machine translation threaten your standing in the global marketplace. I'm not saying you're going to lose your job, necessarily. Just that there will be hundreds of millions more people, armed with tablet computers, ready and able to compete for it. I've been thinking about this for the past couple of days, ever since I talked to an executive from a handwriting recognition and tablet input company called Pen & Internet. It was founded in Silicon Valley by a group of very smart Russian scientists, the same folks who did the Apple Newton handwriting recognizer (which did not work very well) and sold Microsoft the technology used as part of Tablet PC (which worked much better). They sell their technology to hardware companies, software companies and, increasingly, wireless service providers in places like mainland China."
The article goes on to talk about an automatic translation system that could drastically change the way we communicate - but the cynic in me has seen how well auto-translation systems work now, and I can imagine some comical results.
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09-09-2003, 05:20 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 226
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I had heard from people here that the Newton had superior handwriting recognition to our current Transcriber. I found it difficult to believe, but I don't recall anyone disputing it. Just curious.
I use Transcriber exclusively (except for passwords) and have for almost three years, despite trying every other popular input method and converting over from Palm's Graffiti. I've gotten to where it's pretty good and my editing of errors is lightning-fast, but it still definitely leaves a lot to be desired. My understanding is that the Tablet PC's significantly better handwriting recognition is a result of higher resolution sampling of the "ink" combined with more processor power - perhaps someday Pocket PCs will catch up!
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09-09-2003, 05:42 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,466
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Huh! Pen Computing could put me out of business!! Thanks for warning me, I will cancel my subscription immediately! :treadmill:
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09-09-2003, 06:16 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 127
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The hand writing recognition on the original version of the Newton was horrendous. This was partly due to it only having a 10,000 word dictionary to compare against :roll:
By the time Apple decided to finally pull the Newton off the market, 98-99 (soon after Jobs took it over again), the recognition software was actually pretty good. But the media had already trashed it based on the first versions and it never really recovered.
As an owner of a Tablet PC, Compaq T1000, 8) I can say that the handwriting and speach recognition is greatly improved. It has no comparison to anything else I've seen in the public arena.
Now the translation part...that remains to be seen. If what's out there is any indication, it's still got a ways to go.
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09-09-2003, 06:23 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 153
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oh gawd, not another one of those
"new and improved Handwriting recognition, with a working translator this time!"
I wouldn't be surprise if that combo will make babelfish sounds like a UN's linguist.
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09-09-2003, 07:51 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 27
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I had a Newton 130 and a Newton 2000. The recognition was *barely* usable. PPC is much better. But then, I *am* a doctor ... 
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09-09-2003, 09:40 PM
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Mystic
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,911
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I have a Newton 2100 and the handwritting is pretty good. I also have a 140 and the handwriting is trash. They just got it down and then they killed it. I'm sorry not they, Jobs.
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09-09-2003, 10:20 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 406
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I have a Newton 2100 too. The HWR actually is very good; it usually recognizes what I write 8O , and it's pretty quick fixing errors...
I think it may be better than Calligrapher, but I can't say for sure...
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09-10-2003, 12:52 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 138
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I think it is rather simplistic to think that the QWERTY keyboard divides the world. I don't think a billion Chinese are sitting around thinking, "If only we had better handwriting recognition software we could get a decent job".
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09-10-2003, 01:32 AM
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Mystic
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,911
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Hyperluminal
I have a Newton 2100 too. The HWR actually is very good; it usually recognizes what I write 8O , and it's pretty quick fixing errors...
I think it may be better than Calligrapher, but I can't say for sure...
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Yeah I am split on that desicion too.
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Linear Mode
