speakandspell
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Speak & Spell is B-A-C-K
If you're a techie of a certain age (cough), you probably have fond memories of the Speak & Spell. The Texas Instruments toy's quirky speech synthesis may be quaint by modern standards, but it sounded like magic at a time when getting any computer to talk was a big deal. You'll be glad to hear it's back, then. Basic Fun is introducing a revived Speak & Spell that includes all the familiar games, that simple segmented display (albeit one based on modern LCDs) and, of course, that signature orange-and-yellow design. However, there is one important change you'll have to consider: the voice.
N900 hacked to replace the innards of a Speak & Spell, can never bring back your childhood
Nokia has been handing out the N900 for selective "artsy" uses lately through its "Push" program, and the folks at Tinker it now! sure seem to have put their model to good use. They've paired the device with all matter of nostalgia, including a Rolodex, FM radio and a 3D Viewmaster. Our favorite by far, however, is the Speak & Spell hack, which puts the gargantuan Speak & Spell keyboard to good use in penning text messages for the N900 -- which displays them in the classic font and even articulates your words with a speech synthesis engine. It's all a testament to the flexibility of Linux, hacker ingenuity and of course liberal application of Arduino, but it's also a little advertorial-ey, so you might want to leave your gag reflex at home for this one. [Via Nokia Conversations]
