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The (not so) Daily Chris

Disclaimer: Chris Leonard is not an engineer, but he plays one on CR4.

Actually, I'm what you would call a "technology professional." I'm an editor and technical writer by trade. I'm interested in the dissemination of information, especially in relation to "Web 2.0", "Nu Media," etc., what ever you want to call it. I'm going to use this blog to investigate the big questions in the ever changing media landscape: How do we in the early 21st century communicate with each other? What tools do we use? How is language evolving? How can two people read the same sentence and draw two completely different conclusions?

I also have a soft spot for Cryptozoology and Urban Legends, so I will likely write about them from time to time.

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How Do You CR4 - PC/MAC, Mobile Phone, Other?

Posted December 20, 2007 2:38 PM by Chris Leonard

This morning, a friend of mine who knows about my "work" on CR4 sent me the following article: Japan Leads World In Mobile Blogging. This got me thinking about the manner in which users engage CR4. I'm curious, does anyone out there visit CR4 via a mobile phone, iPhone, Blackberry or similar such device? If so, how does the experience of interacting with CR4 compare to other sites you visit?

As the tech savvy continue to embrace microcomputers, I can't help but think we will see the online experience transition in that direction. I remember reading an article a few months ago (I can't find it again, though) about how PC use in Japan is falling drastically as more folks use mobile phones to surf the Web. Is your company preparing for this possibility?

Hmm, I wonder if anyone is working on a mobile phone that can audibly read blog entries, and can then transition a spoken response into a written commentary on the blog. Someone should be working on this. As they said in the 19th century, "There's gold in them thar hills."


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#1

Re: How Do You CR4 - PC/MAC, Mobile Phone, Other?

12/20/2007 4:04 PM

Hello Chris,

I use Linux and Mac laptops and desktop boxes exclusively to visit CR4 and, in a pinch, a Windows box. I don't use PDAs or cell phones to visit mostly because interacting with their tiny keypads is difficult and time-consuming.

Chris writes: "Hmm, I wonder if anyone is working on a mobile phone that can audibly read blog entries, and can then transition a spoken response into a written commentary on the blog. Someone should be working on this."

I'm sure they are, but voice recognition technology has a long way to go yet before I'd consider using it as my primary interface. And, as I tend to edit my posts rather heavily (usually within the 15 minute grace period after submission!), I'm not sure how I'd edit my posts using a VUI. I do badly enough using a standard keyboard!

Chris writes: "I remember reading an article a few months ago (I can't find it again, though) about how PC use in Japan is falling drastically as more folks use mobile phones to surf the Web."

Here's that article - or one like it - from USA Today:

PC Usage is Shrinking In Japan

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#2

Re: How Do You CR4 - PC/MAC, Mobile Phone, Other?

12/21/2007 12:51 PM

I use PC's for CR4. I get the email pulled to my iphone, and often read them there, but have not to date found any critical enough for me to respond on the mobile. I queue them up for response on the PC. I will respond on my laptop during travel though. I think it is the larger keyboard thing. Mobiles are really only sufficient if you can make your point concisely with few words.

Not sure about the voice to text ability. The slow down of writing and editing is good for the engineering process. Quick speech will lead to real engineering on the feet and may reduce the overall effectivity of a site like this. Great for social engineering sites though I would suppose.

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#3

Re: How Do You CR4 - PC/MAC, Mobile Phone, Other?

12/22/2007 10:47 PM

I've tried accessing CR4 via my cellphone but the small display makes it extremely difficult. I didn't bother trying to make a post due to the same reason given by europium.

I regularly use my home desktop as well as my laptop to access CR4. When I'm out in the field or away from a phone line, I use my cellphone as a modem to access the web via my laptop. Sometimes, I use my office desktop (don't tell my boss ).

I rarely make a very lengthy post. When needed, I copy the question to Word and type my lengthy reply there. Then it's back to CR4 and copy-paste my post into the editor.

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Re: How Do You CR4 - PC/MAC, Mobile Phone, Other?

02/16/2008 1:28 AM

It's the software www.fonixspeech.com

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