Voice Email
I got a wonderful surprise in my inbox this morning. My Uncle Brad sent me a message. This is a big deal because he recently went blind, and the internet / email scene was kind of difficult for him. It’s too cool. He sent a voice recording over email and told me that if I wrote him back (which I am!) he had some cool software that would read the mail back to him. I love it!
The only thing that makes me sort of sad is thinking that I get a rich message full of subtle vocal intonation. I can hear his purposeful inflection - sarcasm, care, concern, etc. If I send him a text email that will be read by a computer, I can’t help but imagine it reading my words in very much the same way that Appletalk and virtually every other text-to-speech software I’ve toyed with has sounded - blatantly mechanical. Seems like an unfair trade-off. Maybe I can figure out a way to trade voice messages with him. Like phone calls, but spaced out like emails for convenience’s sake. Anyway, I just wanted to praise the technology and make a note of it. Too cool. I’ve missed his voice. And Uncle Brad - if you are surfing my page, I guarantee you that we’ll hang out before you head off on your Christmas trip. 
(If not, don’t worry, it’s in my reply.)