Computing sans keyboard. (IBM's VoiceType) (product announcement)
by Alan R. Bechtold

A new personal computer accessory can literally bring the world to those who are physically unable to operate a keyboard. IBM's Voice Type is a new multimedia speech recognition product that allows a person to use DOS along with familiar word processing, database, and spreadsheet applications simply by speaking a word or command into the device instead of typing it.

Developed jointly by the IBM Special Needs Systems group and Dragon Systems, VoiceType adjusts to each user's individual speech patterns and language usage and, once it recognizes a user's unique pronunciations, stores them for future speech recognition. The product is intended primarily for those who are unable to use a keyboard, but any- one can use it as a keyboard alternative - especially if price isn't an issue with the user.

VoiceType uses IBM's M-Audio Capture and Playback Adapter and is supported on IBM PS/2 386 and 486 systems that run 16 MHz or faster. It comes with a user's guide, training videotape, online reference guide, programs on 3 1/2-inch disks, and a headset microphone. The product is available through Dragon Systems for $ 3,185.