Can We Talk About This?
The computer of tomorrow --with eyes - as discussed in the previous chapter, and now with voice.
Negroponte starts the chapter by stating the importance of speech. First on his list is that it leaves the hands free. Another, it allows us to function from a distance. Whereas now, we have to remain seated in front of a computer and keep our eyes on it, speech will make things a lot easier.
Negroponte stresses that the way things are said are sometimes more important than what is actually said.
Some of the problems though could be that the computer might not have the word in its "vocabulary", or that it does not understand the words that are said. As of which can be remedied.
Speech could be great either with or without the "sight". It will work well on its own. But then, to quote Negroponte - "Redundancy is, once again, good. The use of parallel channels (such as gesture, gaze, and speech) is the essence of human communications".
