Shh, Can You Hear Me Now?

from the speak-softly-and-carry-a-cell-phone dept

Mon, Aug 18th 2003 11:17pm — Michael Ho

Korean engineers have created better microphones to pick up whispering. New signal processing and optimized construction of the microphone holes minimize harsh consonants and will hopefully allow people to whisper into their cell phones. Personally, though, when I'm yelling into my phone, it's because I can't hear myself, not because I don't think the phone isn't picking up my voice.

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Anonymous Coward, 19 Aug 2003 @ 12:14am

Kamsahamnida
The Korean language has so many plosives and hisses, it makes sense they would invent something like that.

p.s. if you want to freak out a Korean girl real bad, ask if she can sing pansori.
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Dan Neuman, 19 Aug 2003 @ 9:45am

Sidetone
I wonder if the reason cell-phone users talk so loud is because they can't hear themselves talk. Wired phones play your voice in the ear piece -- this is called sidetone, and if it isn't there, people tend to talk louder or think the phone isn't working.

Possibly, cell phones don't have enough sidetone. If it were louder, you'd think you were talking too loud and lower your voice.
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nil-ram, 19 Aug 2003 @ 12:55pm

Re: Sidetone
EXACTLY! Most cell phones have NO SIDETONE! I've been pointing this out to tech journalists and to journalists writing on rude cell phone users, and suggesting they ask phone companies why. No one asks, and I've never seen a story on this. Seems like a little sidetone could make the world a better place.
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