So I've read some semi-interesting things on speech recognition software, and have wanted to experiment with it. When I fired up my latest favorite browser tonight I was told a new version was available. I downloaded it and quickly glanced through the new features, noticing something called Opera Voice, which promised to read to me!

I couldn't resist, and ran out to Best Buy and bought a "Premium Stereo Headset" by Logitech. (This is where a real blogger, one who really cared about his three readers, would find the actual model and supply a link.) Now while surfing or reading blogs with Google Reader, I can simply highlight some text, hold down my Scroll Lock key, and order, "Opera, speak"! I tend to say this sternly, like I'm talking to a big I think might follow my orders, but I found out I don't need all that when my wife calmly stated the same command in her normal speaking voice. So now I can get a bunch of reading done on the web while resting my eyes, and I even understand most of what the Opera guy is saying. Click here for a sample of that Opera guy reading one of Scott Hanselman's recent posts on home networking. The real, live Opera guy sounds even better, given that I used Windows Sound Recorder to capture the audio.