IBM's VoiceType software, which previously ran only on OS/2, is now available for Windows 95, as demonstrated in the territory with minor glitches last week. Unfortunately, with demonstrators from Hong Kong and Australia, the limitations of the software's British and US versions became apparent. When Andy Wong, a technical sales specialist for software and networking at IBM in Hong Kong, read the poem After Hours, the computer interpreted it as 'often collars'. Mr Wong then read the line: 'I stand on my hands while it types what I say,' which became: 'I stand on my pants July while it types what I say.' Afterwards, David Rainsford, the advisory marketing representative at IBM, gave it a go. The Australian read an article from last week's Technology Post with a greater amount of success. It would seem the software is capable of learning. Both demonstrators were using the American system and were, therefore, slightly handicapped. It was clear, however, the system has its uses. 'VoiceType increases efficiency and turn-around time,' according to S K Chiu, software business manager at IBM. The software, already available in Spanish and Italian, will release a Chinese version - Putonghua only - next year. The VoiceType software will be part of the latest version of IBM's own system software, OS/2, which is currently called Merlin.
