This appears to be based on the Linguatec Voice Reader, an impressive piece of kit that reads text out aloud, supporting a great number of languages. Most impressive.

I have no need for the Linguatec Voice Reader, but it can still make my day. You’ve got to try this: Go to the voice reader demo site (it’s right here), then enter a text of your choice. I chose this from last Friday’s post: Talking on the mobile phone while sitting in a toilet cubicle with the trousers round the ankles is, I find, hugely borderline and a sign of disrespect for the party called.

I am sure you’d be impressed by the tool. I am also sure you’d be hugely amused having it read text of one language using the language setting for another language. For example, have an English text read in French.

Cheap, harmless yet highly effective amusement. Thanks, Linguatec!

When I re-ordered not too long ago, the coffee was lame, so I spoke to the lady who runs the shop in order to find out whether the previous or the current batch were ‘standard.’ Turns out the first batch must have been roasted too dark, and the lame stuff is the norm.

You’d normally expect the story to end here and now, but not so Carolyn. She made a test roast (“Special Dark W7 Sidamo”), overshoot the mark (too dark), and hit the perfect spot in the second attempt.

So, now I get my very special Ethiopian Sidamo W7 Medium-dark Roast. Brilliant, innit? Stop by for a sample.

Now, listen up. Here’s where you’ve got it right for a change:

Recently, I watched a documentary on the telly, telling the story of Genesis’ 2007 European tour. I liked what I saw, and bought an official copy of the Genesis When In Rome DVD set. Three DVDs for £15, featuring the aforementioned documentary, three hours of a very fine concert, and lots of background material and extra features.

I will happily pay the same again for a similar product. This is a good product, well worth its money. Compared to a single 50 minute playtime CD, which you used to sell at the same or similar price, this is a lot of value for the money.

Well done.

But, Spotify is now available to everyone in the UK, so that’s progress! Compared to Pandora and Rhapsody, the name Spotify is a regrettable step back, but as far as technology and content goes, it’s great.

It’s free and unlimited if you tolerate an advert every 3 songs. Register with them, download their player, search for an artist, select the album, hit Play – done.

Advert-free options are also available for a fee.

Go, Spotify!

Of course, there are the well-known and much acclaimed revolutionary aspects of the web. Google and blogs and the multi-medial information overload come to mind, the motivation for "broadband in every home" government programs, and advise how to cope.

I am fascinated by the way the web made us change the ways we write and read text. Did you notice that the text above is full of hyperlinks? Did you notice that you were expected to read two words at most, then to find a "hmmm…. I really should click here to get all this important extra information" hyperlink, follow, get side-tracked and unable to complete reading the initial statement?

It’s all very fascinating and, without doubt, delivers a lot of useful information, and fun, among all the rubbish, but I find it interesting to note just how far reaching the impact really is.

Maybe this is the single truly essential hyperlink in the online world today. Old but still good.