Microsoft Corp has decided to move still further away from the desktop with plans for software that will power dashboard mounted, voice-activated vehicle computers. The new software will be incorporated into hardware developed by US car audio and electronics outfit Clarion Corp. The new Auto PC will contain a radio stereo and CD player and the ability to translate text messages to a synthetic voice output. Lernout & Hauspie Speech Products NV – a company Microsoft invested $45m in last year (CI No 3,245) – has licensed speech technology to be incorporated in the product, including the text-to-speech 3000 and automatic 200 software enabling the control of Windows CE by voice. The Auto PC device will be based on the Universal Serial Bus architecture enabling compatibility with other USB products. The product is to be targeted at taxi and bus drivers, as well as business people and sales representatives. But with the basic device starting at $1,300 the question of whether it is actually going to sell has to be asked. Clarion will start shipping the device in limited quantities in the Spring, before mass production gets under way in June.
