« Mobile Phone Kiosks | Main | Identity, Memory »
Things That Are Spoken
In China a number of VOIP phone, such as a phone in Beijing above, speak the cost of the call once the call is completed. Audio feedback in the context of the shop is a potentially useful feature in a number of ways: it projects to others the services that are available in store - enabling sales; the audio feedback provides an additional layer of transparency (yes - an oxymoron, indeed) since it is more difficult to inflate the cost of a call to a customer or between customers if the price is announced; the shop owner can attend to other things without having to keep an eye on the customer - the end of the call signals the need to collect payment (assuming the call is completed); and in places where illiteracy is an issue it supports users who are less equipped to comprehend the alternative visual feedback.
Examples of spoken features on mobile phones? The Nokia 1110 and 1600 targetted at emerging economies provide speaking alarm and clock functionality - the latter provided through a long key press on a dedicated button. Related research here and here.
There are of course potential drawbacks to providing audio feedback not least annoyance. But being the cultural tourist that I am, the sounds are part and parcel of being in China.
Writing from Tokyo | March 7, 2006 | Permalink
Comments
There's a little freeware app for S60 phones called NiceDial that speaks the numbers you dial in, as well as showing the digit in a large font above.
http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/software/item/Nicedial.php
I don't know why S60 shows the numbers so small anyway, that's one thing I'd make bigger.
There are also some S60 apps out there that'll beep every minute, or just before the minute so you can keep track. I don't know how practical that actually is, or if it's just annoying.
Posted by: Hugo at March 9, 2006 7:57 AM
An alternative might be to bundle a mobile game that teaches digit recognition. Of course, you would have to avoid the obvious audible feedback mechanisms so you could play it during public downtime (waiting in line, travel on public transportaton) without revealing your innumeracy.
Posted by: Paul M. Aoki at March 9, 2006 9:10 AM