FINAL Research Paper
Content
Chapter 1 Introduction
Background of the Study
In the market today, many portable media players are available but the most popular portable media player is the iPod. iPod is manufactured and designed by the Apple Inc., and was launched last October 23, 2009. The merchandise line – up consists of iPod Classic which is hard drive based, the iPod touch, iPod Nano which is video capable, and the smallest portable media player which is the iPod Shuffle. Also last January 09, 2007, Apple launched the most talked about touch screen phone which is the iPhone. iPhone can also function as a portable media player but is treated as a separate product. Former iPod products consist of iPod Mini and the spin – off photo iPod Photo. According to Wikipedia, “The name iPod was proposed by Vinnie Chieco, a freelance copywriter, who (with others) was called by Apple to figure out how to introduce the new player to the public. After Chieco saw a prototype, he thought of the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey and the phrase "Open the pod bay door, Hal!", which refers to the white EVA Pods of the Discovery One spaceship. Apple researched the trademark and found that it was already in use. Joseph N. Grasso of New Jersey had originally listed an "iPod" trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in July 2000 for Internet kiosks. The first iPod kiosks had been demonstrated to the public in New Jersey in March 1998, and commercial use began in January 2000, but had apparently been discontinued by 2001. The trademark was registered by the USPTO in November 2003, and Grasso assigned it to Apple Computer, Inc. in 2005”.
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iPod can play several audio formats such as MP3, AAC/M4A, Protected AAC, AIFF, WAV, Audible Audio book, and Apple Lossless that is why this is the ultimate and the most popular portable media player in the market. Originally, iPod software can only run in Macintosh Operating System, but as the demand gets higher, Apple Inc. was encouraged to create software that can run in the Microsoft Windows environment. Today, iPod display is colored. They are using the anti – aliased for graphics, text, and animations. iPod Classic and iPod Nano has five buttons that integrates the minimalist interface. These five buttons performs basic five functions such as play / pause, stop, next track, previous track, and menu. iPods not only play your much loved music in various formats and also play your most wanted videos on the go, you can also play games on the said device. “The unusual iPod had the game Brick incorporated as an Easter egg hidden facet, soon after firmware versions added it as a menu option. Afterward revisions of the iPod added three more games in addition to Brick: Parachute, Solitaire, and Music Quiz” according to Wikipedia.com. Another characteristic iPod caters is the File Storage and Transfer feature. According to Wikipedia.com, “All iPods except for the iPod Touch can function in "disk mode" as mass storage devices to store data files. Unlike many other MP3 players, simply copying audio or video files to the drive with a typical file management application will not allow an iPod to properly access them. The user must use software that has been specifically designed to transfer media files to iPods, so that the files are playable and viewable. Usually iTunes is used to transfer media to an iPod, though several alternative third-party applications are available on a number of different platforms”.
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This study was proposed in order to contribute or give market development of the iPod, and then to suggest any contributory factors of its remarkable market performance. These suggested contributory factors include opportunity identification, product design, product platform, speed to market, and advertisement and publicity. Future research can incorporate all these factors in a theoretical causal model in order to test the statistical significance of these factors and relative importance between them.
Statement of the Problem
This study aims to recognize if iPod with Voice Command feature will be as wellliked as the recently release iPod Touch. Also this study aims to know the feedback of the community if this feature will be integrated in the new iPod devices. Specifically, the study sought to answer the following questions: 1. Since Apple Inc. included the touch innovation for iPod, what would be the possible explanation why the voice command was not included in the newer versions of the product? 2. If this feature was integrated, can it contribute on ease of use? 3. iPod Touch was so popular since many devices cater such feature. If the Voice Recognition will be included as its new feature, what will be the possible outcome of this development? 4. What are the possible effects if this project will be implemented?
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Objectives
General Objectives The general objective of this study is to know whether the iPod with Voice Command will be as easy to use as the previous iPod products. Specific Objectives The specific objectives of this study are as follows: 1. To know the possible advantages and disadvantages of iPod 2. To find out if it works better in noisy environments and is tolerant of normal speaker imperfections – ums and ahs. No need to learn a constrained grammar and command set. To identify whether the voice command feature will be accepted by the people. 3. To know the feasible consequences of this feature.
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Conceptual Framework IPOD WITH VOICE RECOGNITION: A NEW INNOVATION FOR MUSIC ENTHUSIAST
Advantages / Disadvantages of the voice command on Input the iPod Marketability of the iPod Effectiveness of having voice command on the iPod Effects of having the iPod with Voice Recognition
Descriptive Method
Solve for the Population Proces s Questionnaire Formulation Gathering the Answers of the Respondents Analyzing the gathered Data Presenting the data on the graph and tabular form Interpreting the graph and tables
Formulate a result out of the surveys conducted Outp ut Prove the effectiveness of its new feature Create a conclusion
Figure 1 – A simple Analytic Framework for iPod with Voice Recognition 5
The study focuses on the iPod Recognition for music enthusiasts. The voice command will act as the independent variable and the iPod as the dependent variable. Figure 1 illustrates the structure of the dependent variable, iPod, the effectiveness, effects and marketability it will get after conducting the study. Besides, to elaborate certain advantages and disadvantages it will obtain after having the voice command as one of its attributes.
Hypothesis
iPod with Voice Command will hit the market because of it’s features such as being able to create playlist by voice command and being able to query via keywords for songs with a particular word or phrase that will certainly captivate the users.
Scope, Limitation and Delimitation of the Study
This study is concentrated on the portable media player specifically on iPod. It seeks to identify the possible results if it would be integrated with the Voice Command feature. Also, this study will be concentrated on the feedbacks of the said community. This study does not include the stability and performance of the iPod once integrated with the Voice Command feature. Also, it does not include other portable media players. It does not tackle other issues dealt with the iPod.
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Significance of the Study
This study would be beneficial for the iPod manufacturers, researchers, readers and future researchers. The iPod Manufacturers The manufactures of iPod would be informed about this feature of iPod with voice recognition technology and they will test the impact of the said device if it will hit the market. The Researchers Through this study, the researchers would be able to know the effect if voice recognition technology will be integrated in the iPod on how it adds functionalities to the said device. The Readers The readers would be able to understand why people love to have or own an iPod as their portable media player device as it develops its features as time passes by. The Future Researchers They would be able to use these data for them to get the ideas and references if they are planning to conduct the same study.
Definition of Terms
Apple Inc. (conceptual definition) – American multinational corporation with a focus on designing and manufacturing consumer electronics and software products. iPod (operational definition) – A portable media device . Voice Command (operational definition) – A command that controls your iPod rather than controlling using hands.
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Chapter 2 Review of Related Literature and Studies
This part of the study shall be discussing the findings of related researches to this study. It shall provide a discussion on the significance of this study to the existing literature. The content of this portion of the study is gathered and collected from its secondary data.
Review of Related Literature
The first thing that comes up in the minds of the people when they hear MP3 music is iPod. The iPod has transformed the MP3 Player market since its initial release and has continued to do so in next releases. Its stylish look or the way it’s been advertized encourage the people to buy such device. October 23, 2001 when the digital music revolutionized created by Apple Computer known as Apple Inc. They released the first MP3 player, the iPod. Marketing systems and methods are used that made it so successful. As they released the first iPod, they continued to develop another iPod with better hardware, software, packaging and marketing strategies. The iPod was also more durable than its competing products due to its better products which in return more reliable. As iPod become popular, Apple incorporate games with a new hardware, software and better applications for the iPod. Apple integrated numerous companies to promote it markedly. They partnered it with “cell phone vendors, rock bands, radio broadcasters, Myspace and Facebook”. With its growing popularity, Apple set up profiles for the iPod
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where people could download free desktop backgrounds, screen savers, custom playlist which worked in iTunes audio software. Another thing that made by Apple marketing increase was keeping its exterior design exactly the same for many years which made it more recognizable. iTunes is software that integrates with the iPod which has become more popular piece of music software for many users as it manages their music collections and can transfer it to their iPod. It was made possible due to the iPod’s mass success and dominance in the market with almost 100 million sold. Many players may beat the iPod on its features nothing has yet pinnacle the iPod’s interface, ease of use, and integration with iTunes (Kobrin, 2006). In the past eight years many versions have been produced by Apple. Included in those versions are the updates of a color screen, photo and video playback and a much glossy appearance offered in a variety of colors. In the first year of production the iPod could only be catch up to an Apple computer and the following year the change was made to allow PC users to use the iTunes. This change definitely broadened the market for users and began the worldwide spread of the iPod trend. Due to the wide variety of versions, users can literally choose which version of iPod to use for different activities. These activities may include; travel, exercise, or family vacations in which the user could store movies and music videos on the larger storage capacity devices. The first two generations of iPod is to connect it to the computer. The third generation marks a “new design, placing a central row of touch – sensitive, and backlit buttons above the wheel”. Currently, 15GB and 30GB versions were introduced along with a USB connector port.
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Many have accustomed to the standard touch sensitive wheel with the center clicking the button to play the music. Now on the newest shuffle the new button that is connected to the ear buds gives an ease to those who have their iPod in their pocket and now would just have to reach the cord to switch songs or change the volume. It also poses a problem for others if those specific ear buds were lost or misplaced. The replacement cannot be a generic pair from a local thrift store; it would have to be only the apple ear buds compatible to control the shuffle. Voice Recognition is “a process of taking the spoken word as an input to a computer program” (Jim Baumann, 2009). It provides a moderately natural and instinctive way to control the simulation while letting the user to continue what they are doing. The present invention relates to a voice recognition device and program for recognizing voice input from a user and obtaining information for use in controlling an object in the basis of a result of the recognition. Voice or speech recognition is the process of captivate, understand and carries out the spoken commands as an input to a computer program. It is the ability of the program to receive and interpret dictation. It is the technology by which words or phrases spoken by humans are converted into electrical signals. Voice recognition is commonly used to operate a device, perform commands, or write without having to operate a keyboard, mouse or press any buttons. You can speak documents and e-mails in mainstream applications, use voice commands to start and switch between applications, and even fill out forms on the web. Moreover, it is an alternative to typing on a keyboard. Basically, you talk to the device and your words appear on the screen. It was intended for people who want to significantly limit their use of the mouse and keyboard while maintaining and increasing
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their overall productivity. The software has been developed to provide a fast method of writing onto a device and can help people with a variety of disabilities. It is useful for people with physical disabilities who often find typing difficult, painful, or impossible. Voice recognition software can also help those with spelling difficulties because recognized words are always correctly spelled. On the other hand, voice or speech recognition has a language that is limited to the words or phrases uses in the training session and its user base is also limited to those users who have trained the program. This type of system is known as “speaker dependent”. It can have a vocabularies on the order of the few hundred word and short phrases, and recognition accuracy can be 98%. A more general form of voice recognition is available through feature analysis and this technique usually leads to "speaker independent" voice recognition. Instead of trying to find an accurate or more accurate match between the actual voice input and a previously stored voice template, then attempts to find characteristics similarities between the expected inputs and the actual digitized voice input. These similarities will be present for a wide range of speakers, and so the system need not be trained by each new user. According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a voice recognition device which determines a control content of a control object on the basis of a recognition result of an input voice, comprising: a task type determination processing unit which determines the type of a task indicating the control content on the basis of a given determination input; and a voice recognition processing unit which recognizes the input voice with the task of the type determined by the task type determination processing unit as a recognition object (First invention).
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Preferably, the voice recognition device according to the first invention further comprises a domain type determination processing unit which determines the type of a domain indicating the control object on the basis of the given determination input, and the voice recognition processing unit recognizes the input voice with the domain of the type determined by the domain type determination processing unit as a recognition object, in addition to the task of the type determined by the task type determination processing unit (Second invention). In the voice recognition device according to the last invention, the given determination input for determining the type of the task is data indicating a task included in a previous recognition result in the voice recognition processing unit regarding sequentially input voices (Third invention). The voice recognition device according to the first or second invention has voice recognition data classified into at least the task types for use in recognizing the voice input by the voice recognition processing unit, and the voice recognition processing unit recognizes the input voice at least on the basis of the data classified in the task of the type determined by the task type determination processing unit among the voice recognition data (Fourth invention). Thus, according to the third invention has voice recognition data classified into the task and domain types for use in recognizing the voice input by the voice recognition processing unit, and the voice recognition processing unit recognizes the input voice on the basis of the data classified in the task of the type determined by the task type determination processing unit and in the domain of the type determined by the domain type determination processing unit among the voice recognition data (Fifth invention).
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In the voice recognition device according to a fourth or fifth invention includes a language model having at least a probability of a word to be recognized as data (Sixth invention). All voice recognition systems or programs make errors. Screaming children, barking dogs, and loud external conversations can produce these inputs. A large amount of this can be avoided only by using the system in a quiet room. There is also a problem with words that sound alike but are spelled differently and have different meanings for example, ”hear” and “ here”. This problem might someday be largely overcome using stored contextual information.
Review of Related Studies
The following are taken from an article made by Jake Gaecke (January 2010) CES 2010: One on one with Nuance [speech technology] This article features about Nuance, a multinational computer software technology corporation that provides speech and imaging applications. Current business products focus on server and embedded speech recognition, telephone call steering systems, automated telephone directory services, medical transcription software & systems, optical character recognition software, and desktop imaging software. Voice technology is the wave of the future, and behind that Wave is Nuance. They are behind nearly every implementation of voice recognition of which you are aware. They’re everywhere; from the voice systems at AT&T and Vonage, to MacSpeech, GPS units, in-car units, and so much more. But that’s not all. Nuance is behind some of the most used voice systems known. They provide the tech for Ford’s Sync and other similar
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automobile systems, including Mercedes, GM and BMW. BMW’s system even has a newer way of inputting your destination. You don’t have to answer prompts like “Street?” or “City?” you can just speak the entire thing. You probably won’t be surprised to hear they also provide speech technology for nearly all of the major GPS navigation companies for both speech recognition and text to speech. Speech technology is one of those things that make you feel like you’re in the future. Perhaps someday we won’t even have to know how to type quickly because the computers might just listen to what we say. Sadly, we aren’t there yet, but Nuance is constantly improving their technology. Say Where, Voice Recognition Coming Soon to iPhone (Sepetember 2008) an article by John Martellaro discussed the voice recognition software, Say Where, that is launched by the company Dial Directions. Users can speak to the iPhone, provide a place, and then chose the mobile site to launch. "Featuring new voice-entry technology and open user interface simplicity across devices, Say Where unlocks mobile content for mainstream adoption," according to the company. It is not a general purpose voice recognition application linked to personal data on the iPhone, and it still requires the user to interact with the touch screen. Speech Recognition Case Study Kuwait Finance House (KFH), a study that talks about the Emerging Technologies successfully developed and deployed, giving KFH customers easy access to banking, real estate and commercial services over the phone. The solution enabled KFH to increase their customer satisfaction rates, improve the service's quality and enhance overall operational efficiency.
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"Speech recognition has made it possible to deliver a simpler, faster and more userfriendly interface to our valuable customers. Thanks to Emerging Technologies' speechenabled banking system, we have increased our customer satisfaction as well as improved our operational efficiency by providing a convenient 24/7, next generation speech-enabled phone banking." Ehab Fawzi Madanat - Consultant Call Center. Applications of speech recognition have been made in office or business systems, as well as in manufacturing, medicine, and telecommunications, and usually concern the recognition and retrieval of information, such as voice- activated data entry; the control, operation, and monitoring of various machines and devices; call-processing functions; and the automation of services normally requiring human beings. While speech recognition has many short-term applications, it also has the potential to change daily life profoundly as free communication between man and machine becomes a reality.
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Chapter 3 Methodology
This section of the paper will further discuss the research design used in the study, the respondents of the study, the type of sampling used in determining the respondents, research locale, the research instrument employed, procedures and the statistical techniques for the interpretation of data.
Research Design
The research design used in the study is the descriptive research. This was used to achieve the objectives of the study that aims to know the impact or the response of the respondents which are ITE students in UIC whether the iPod with Voice Command will be as easy to use as the previous iPod products (iPod Touch, iPod Classic, iPod Nano, and the iPod Shuffle). The study will also introduce the iPod especially to those ITE students who are not familiar with it and give its features to be a must have device for a music lover student. To be able to achieve the objectives of the study, the researchers will conduct a survey using Observation Checklist to the selected respondents which owns or used an iPod. Since the objective of the study is to know whether the iPod with Voice Command will be as easy to use as the previous iPod products, the researches decided to conduct survey to the selected respondents so as to have a more thorough and effective interaction with the respondents, as well as to provide an opportunity to explain better the details regarding the proposed feature of the iPod.
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Respondents
The respondents of the study are the students from the Information Technology Education (ITE) Department of the University of the Immaculate Conception. Specifically, the study focuses to those students who has an iPod or used an iPod.
Sampling
The sampling design used by the researchers is simple random sampling wherein they used the formula:
n= Where:
n = size of the sample N = size of population e = margin error
N = 838 n= n= n = 273
%= %= % = 32%
The result is two hundred seventy – three (273). This study will have 273 respondents coming from the ITE Program in the University of the Immaculate Conception, Fr. Selga Street, Davao City.
Research Locale
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The location of the study is within the University of the Immaculate Conception, Fr. Selga Street, Davao City. Particularly in the ITE Program which has a population of 838 students.
Research Instruments
In conducting the survey the instrument used by the researchers is Observation Checklist in which the respondents can choose or check their answers from the given list of answers/observations prepared by the researchers. And also, simple random sampling was used in conducting the research.
Procedure of the Study
1. The researchers choose a topic that is relevant to technology and also that suites to their interest in which they can use their existing knowledge. 2. Proposal and explanation of the topic to their instructor is the next step. 3. After explaining the topic, the instructor then approves the proposed topic for it to be studied. 4. The researchers then gather data and information. Also they ought to find useful sources to complete the Chapter 1 and 2 of the study. 5. The researchers will conduct a survey in which the respondents are the ITE students in UIC who owns or used an iPod. 6. ITE students of UIC will be given a observation checklist by the researchers. The respondents will be asked to answer all the questions in the observation checklist. The data of the respondents will be recorded and consolidated. 18
7. The researchers will then analyze the data gathered from the respondents. Researchers will then interpret the data gathered. 8. Researchers will then conclude their findings and analysis. They will then write a recommendation regarding the result of the survey performed. 9. The research paper will be then finalized and will be submitted to their instructor.
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Chapter 4 Conclusion and Recommendation
Conclusion
In the market today, the most popular portable media player is the iPod. iPod is manufactured and designed by the Apple Inc. the merchandise line-up consist of iPod Classic, the iPod touch, iPod Nano and the smallest portable media player which is the iPod shuffle. Last January 9, 2007, Apple launched the most talked about touch screen phone which is the iPhone. Thus, the iPod with voice command will be as well-liked as the recently released iPhone. The features of iPod with voice commend gives you the ability to control music playback with spoken commands and it can be used to make a command using your voice. This new feature of iPod would be the reason why people subscribe to this new innovation. Having said that, the new iPod with voice command to represent beter values than other iPod models.
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Recommendation
The following are the recommendation of the study: 1. Offers students absolutely new ways to play music. 2. Present effective way to easily have fun in listening to music without consuming time in searching the chosen music.
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Bibliography
CBS Interactive (2010). Apple iPod. www.cnet.com/ipod/ Apple Inc (2010). iPod. http://www.apple.com/ipod Wikipedia (2010). iPod. March 13, 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod#Trademark Buzzle (2010). History of iPod. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/history-of-theipod.html The Uber-Reviw (2010). A brief history of iPod. http://www.uberreview.com/history.htm PC Magazine (2010). Evolution of iPod. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0, 2817,2037089,00.asp Wikipedia (2010). iPod-marketing. www.wikipedia.org/iPod-Marketing Jim Baumann (2000). Voice recognition. http://www.hitl.washington.edu/scivw/EVE/ I.D.2.d.VoiceRecognition.html Fresh Patents (2009). Voice recognition device, voice recognition method, and voice recognition program. http://www.freshpatents.com/Voice-recognition-device-voicerecognition-method-and-voice-recognition-program-dt20080724ptan20080177541.php Ability Net (2009). Voice recognition software. http://www.abilitynet.org.uk/content /factsheets/pdfs/Voice%20Recognition%20Software%20-%20An%20Introduction.pdf
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Appendices
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University of the Immaculate Conception Fr. Selga Street, Davao City March 17, 2010 Mr. Joseph S. Yamit, MIM, MAEM ITE Associate Dean University of the Immaculate Conception Fr. Selga St., Davao City Sir:
Praise be Jesus and Mary! We would like to request your permission to please allow us to conduct our survey entitled “iPod with Voice Command: A New Innovation for Music Enthusiasts”, in relation to our subject IT Research Methods to accomplish our Research Paper. We are hoping for your approval on this matter.
Respectfully yours,
Capiña, Mary Joy E. Researcher
Ma-aya, Ed Jr A. Researcher
Mercado, Mylene V. Researcher
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Rabanal, Mia Marchet R. Researcher
Tura, Roselle C. Researcher Noted by:
Ms. Aurora Cristina J. Atilano IT Research Instructor Approved by:
Mr. Joseph S. Yamit, MIM, MAEM ITE Associate Dean
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University of the Immaculate Conception Fr. Selga Street, Davao City March 17, 2010 The Respondents ITE students University of the Immaculate Conception Fr. Selga St., Davao City Respondents: In connection with our subject IT Research Term Paper, we would like to ask your cooperation to be one of our respondents with the study entitled, “iPod with Voice Command: A New Innovation for Music Enthusiasts”. Your answers will be kept confidential. Please answer the attached questionnaire. We are looking forward for your consideration. Thank You and God bless!
Respectfully yours,
Capiña, Mary Joy E. Researcher
Ma-aya, Ed Jr A. Researcher
Mercado, Mylene V. Researcher
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Rabanal, Mia Marchet R. Researcher
Tura, Roselle C. Researcher Noted by:
Ms. Aurora Cristina J. Atilano IT Research Instructor Approved by:
Mr. Joseph S. Yamit, MIM, MAEM ITE Associate Dean
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Questionnaire
Name of Respondent (Optional): Course/ Year and Section :
Direction: Place a check mark on the box labeled YES if you agree to the question. If not, place a checked mark on the box labeled NO.
1. Will you use the iPod if it has a voice command feature? YES NO
2. Can this feature help in improving the four commands (play, pause, stop) used in the iPod? YES NO
3. Do you think the Voice Command feature will increase the popularity of the iPod? YES NO
4. Will this new feature work on a noisy environment? YES NO
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Curriculum Vitae
Name Sex Address Email Contact number
: : : : :
Mary Joy E. Capiña Female Pob. Caraga, Davao Oriental [email protected] 09203193260
Birthday Age Course
: : :
January 27, 1992 18 Bachelor in Science in Information Technology
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENTS Elementary Secondary College : : : Caraga Central Elementary School Saint Mary’s Academy of Caraga University of the Immaculate Conception
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Name Sex Address Email Contact number
: : : : :
Ed Jr A. Ma-aya Male Balusong, Matina – Pangi, Davao City [email protected] 09157414195
Birthday Age Course
: : :
September 22, 1987 22 Bachelor in Science in Information Technology
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENTS Elementary Secondary College : : : Isulan Central Elementary School Montessori Learning Center University of the Immaculate Conception
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Name Sex Address Email Contact number
: : : : :
Mylene V. Mercado Female 699-4 Barangay 32-A, Jacinto Street, Davao City [email protected] 09397643631
Birthday Age Course
: : :
July 27, 1991 18 Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENTS Elementary Secondary College : : : Jose Timbol Sr. Central Elementary School Holy Cross of Sta. Maria University of the Immaculate Conception
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Name Sex Address Email Contact number
: : : : :
Mia Marchet R. Rabanal Female B9 L26 P1 Roseville Subd., Lanang Davao City [email protected] 09286382920
Birthday Age Course
: : :
March 26, 1990 19 Bachelor in Science in Information Technology
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENTS Elementary Secondary College : : : Rizal Elementary School Davao City National High School University of the Immaculate Conception
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Name Sex Address Email Contact number
: : : : :
Tura, Roselle C. Female Estrella Street, Durian Village Calinan, Davao City [email protected] 09212657648
Birthday Age Course
: : :
December 18, 1991 18 Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENTS Elementary Secondary College : : : Calinan Central Elementary School Holy Cross College of Calinan University of the Immaculate Conception
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Background of the Study
In the market today, many portable media players are available but the most popular portable media player is the iPod. iPod is manufactured and designed by the Apple Inc., and was launched last October 23, 2009. The merchandise line – up consists of iPod Classic which is hard drive based, the iPod touch, iPod Nano which is video capable, and the smallest portable media player which is the iPod Shuffle. Also last January 09, 2007, Apple launched the most talked about touch screen phone which is the iPhone. iPhone can also function as a portable media player but is treated as a separate product. Former iPod products consist of iPod Mini and the spin – off photo iPod Photo. According to Wikipedia, “The name iPod was proposed by Vinnie Chieco, a freelance copywriter, who (with others) was called by Apple to figure out how to introduce the new player to the public. After Chieco saw a prototype, he thought of the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey and the phrase "Open the pod bay door, Hal!", which refers to the white EVA Pods of the Discovery One spaceship. Apple researched the trademark and found that it was already in use. Joseph N. Grasso of New Jersey had originally listed an "iPod" trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in July 2000 for Internet kiosks. The first iPod kiosks had been demonstrated to the public in New Jersey in March 1998, and commercial use began in January 2000, but had apparently been discontinued by 2001. The trademark was registered by the USPTO in November 2003, and Grasso assigned it to Apple Computer, Inc. in 2005”.
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iPod can play several audio formats such as MP3, AAC/M4A, Protected AAC, AIFF, WAV, Audible Audio book, and Apple Lossless that is why this is the ultimate and the most popular portable media player in the market. Originally, iPod software can only run in Macintosh Operating System, but as the demand gets higher, Apple Inc. was encouraged to create software that can run in the Microsoft Windows environment. Today, iPod display is colored. They are using the anti – aliased for graphics, text, and animations. iPod Classic and iPod Nano has five buttons that integrates the minimalist interface. These five buttons performs basic five functions such as play / pause, stop, next track, previous track, and menu. iPods not only play your much loved music in various formats and also play your most wanted videos on the go, you can also play games on the said device. “The unusual iPod had the game Brick incorporated as an Easter egg hidden facet, soon after firmware versions added it as a menu option. Afterward revisions of the iPod added three more games in addition to Brick: Parachute, Solitaire, and Music Quiz” according to Wikipedia.com. Another characteristic iPod caters is the File Storage and Transfer feature. According to Wikipedia.com, “All iPods except for the iPod Touch can function in "disk mode" as mass storage devices to store data files. Unlike many other MP3 players, simply copying audio or video files to the drive with a typical file management application will not allow an iPod to properly access them. The user must use software that has been specifically designed to transfer media files to iPods, so that the files are playable and viewable. Usually iTunes is used to transfer media to an iPod, though several alternative third-party applications are available on a number of different platforms”.
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This study was proposed in order to contribute or give market development of the iPod, and then to suggest any contributory factors of its remarkable market performance. These suggested contributory factors include opportunity identification, product design, product platform, speed to market, and advertisement and publicity. Future research can incorporate all these factors in a theoretical causal model in order to test the statistical significance of these factors and relative importance between them.
Statement of the Problem
This study aims to recognize if iPod with Voice Command feature will be as wellliked as the recently release iPod Touch. Also this study aims to know the feedback of the community if this feature will be integrated in the new iPod devices. Specifically, the study sought to answer the following questions: 1. Since Apple Inc. included the touch innovation for iPod, what would be the possible explanation why the voice command was not included in the newer versions of the product? 2. If this feature was integrated, can it contribute on ease of use? 3. iPod Touch was so popular since many devices cater such feature. If the Voice Recognition will be included as its new feature, what will be the possible outcome of this development? 4. What are the possible effects if this project will be implemented?
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Objectives
General Objectives The general objective of this study is to know whether the iPod with Voice Command will be as easy to use as the previous iPod products. Specific Objectives The specific objectives of this study are as follows: 1. To know the possible advantages and disadvantages of iPod 2. To find out if it works better in noisy environments and is tolerant of normal speaker imperfections – ums and ahs. No need to learn a constrained grammar and command set. To identify whether the voice command feature will be accepted by the people. 3. To know the feasible consequences of this feature.
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Conceptual Framework IPOD WITH VOICE RECOGNITION: A NEW INNOVATION FOR MUSIC ENTHUSIAST
Advantages / Disadvantages of the voice command on Input the iPod Marketability of the iPod Effectiveness of having voice command on the iPod Effects of having the iPod with Voice Recognition
Descriptive Method
Solve for the Population Proces s Questionnaire Formulation Gathering the Answers of the Respondents Analyzing the gathered Data Presenting the data on the graph and tabular form Interpreting the graph and tables
Formulate a result out of the surveys conducted Outp ut Prove the effectiveness of its new feature Create a conclusion
Figure 1 – A simple Analytic Framework for iPod with Voice Recognition 5
The study focuses on the iPod Recognition for music enthusiasts. The voice command will act as the independent variable and the iPod as the dependent variable. Figure 1 illustrates the structure of the dependent variable, iPod, the effectiveness, effects and marketability it will get after conducting the study. Besides, to elaborate certain advantages and disadvantages it will obtain after having the voice command as one of its attributes.
Hypothesis
iPod with Voice Command will hit the market because of it’s features such as being able to create playlist by voice command and being able to query via keywords for songs with a particular word or phrase that will certainly captivate the users.
Scope, Limitation and Delimitation of the Study
This study is concentrated on the portable media player specifically on iPod. It seeks to identify the possible results if it would be integrated with the Voice Command feature. Also, this study will be concentrated on the feedbacks of the said community. This study does not include the stability and performance of the iPod once integrated with the Voice Command feature. Also, it does not include other portable media players. It does not tackle other issues dealt with the iPod.
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Significance of the Study
This study would be beneficial for the iPod manufacturers, researchers, readers and future researchers. The iPod Manufacturers The manufactures of iPod would be informed about this feature of iPod with voice recognition technology and they will test the impact of the said device if it will hit the market. The Researchers Through this study, the researchers would be able to know the effect if voice recognition technology will be integrated in the iPod on how it adds functionalities to the said device. The Readers The readers would be able to understand why people love to have or own an iPod as their portable media player device as it develops its features as time passes by. The Future Researchers They would be able to use these data for them to get the ideas and references if they are planning to conduct the same study.
Definition of Terms
Apple Inc. (conceptual definition) – American multinational corporation with a focus on designing and manufacturing consumer electronics and software products. iPod (operational definition) – A portable media device . Voice Command (operational definition) – A command that controls your iPod rather than controlling using hands.
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Chapter 2 Review of Related Literature and Studies
This part of the study shall be discussing the findings of related researches to this study. It shall provide a discussion on the significance of this study to the existing literature. The content of this portion of the study is gathered and collected from its secondary data.
Review of Related Literature
The first thing that comes up in the minds of the people when they hear MP3 music is iPod. The iPod has transformed the MP3 Player market since its initial release and has continued to do so in next releases. Its stylish look or the way it’s been advertized encourage the people to buy such device. October 23, 2001 when the digital music revolutionized created by Apple Computer known as Apple Inc. They released the first MP3 player, the iPod. Marketing systems and methods are used that made it so successful. As they released the first iPod, they continued to develop another iPod with better hardware, software, packaging and marketing strategies. The iPod was also more durable than its competing products due to its better products which in return more reliable. As iPod become popular, Apple incorporate games with a new hardware, software and better applications for the iPod. Apple integrated numerous companies to promote it markedly. They partnered it with “cell phone vendors, rock bands, radio broadcasters, Myspace and Facebook”. With its growing popularity, Apple set up profiles for the iPod
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where people could download free desktop backgrounds, screen savers, custom playlist which worked in iTunes audio software. Another thing that made by Apple marketing increase was keeping its exterior design exactly the same for many years which made it more recognizable. iTunes is software that integrates with the iPod which has become more popular piece of music software for many users as it manages their music collections and can transfer it to their iPod. It was made possible due to the iPod’s mass success and dominance in the market with almost 100 million sold. Many players may beat the iPod on its features nothing has yet pinnacle the iPod’s interface, ease of use, and integration with iTunes (Kobrin, 2006). In the past eight years many versions have been produced by Apple. Included in those versions are the updates of a color screen, photo and video playback and a much glossy appearance offered in a variety of colors. In the first year of production the iPod could only be catch up to an Apple computer and the following year the change was made to allow PC users to use the iTunes. This change definitely broadened the market for users and began the worldwide spread of the iPod trend. Due to the wide variety of versions, users can literally choose which version of iPod to use for different activities. These activities may include; travel, exercise, or family vacations in which the user could store movies and music videos on the larger storage capacity devices. The first two generations of iPod is to connect it to the computer. The third generation marks a “new design, placing a central row of touch – sensitive, and backlit buttons above the wheel”. Currently, 15GB and 30GB versions were introduced along with a USB connector port.
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Many have accustomed to the standard touch sensitive wheel with the center clicking the button to play the music. Now on the newest shuffle the new button that is connected to the ear buds gives an ease to those who have their iPod in their pocket and now would just have to reach the cord to switch songs or change the volume. It also poses a problem for others if those specific ear buds were lost or misplaced. The replacement cannot be a generic pair from a local thrift store; it would have to be only the apple ear buds compatible to control the shuffle. Voice Recognition is “a process of taking the spoken word as an input to a computer program” (Jim Baumann, 2009). It provides a moderately natural and instinctive way to control the simulation while letting the user to continue what they are doing. The present invention relates to a voice recognition device and program for recognizing voice input from a user and obtaining information for use in controlling an object in the basis of a result of the recognition. Voice or speech recognition is the process of captivate, understand and carries out the spoken commands as an input to a computer program. It is the ability of the program to receive and interpret dictation. It is the technology by which words or phrases spoken by humans are converted into electrical signals. Voice recognition is commonly used to operate a device, perform commands, or write without having to operate a keyboard, mouse or press any buttons. You can speak documents and e-mails in mainstream applications, use voice commands to start and switch between applications, and even fill out forms on the web. Moreover, it is an alternative to typing on a keyboard. Basically, you talk to the device and your words appear on the screen. It was intended for people who want to significantly limit their use of the mouse and keyboard while maintaining and increasing
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their overall productivity. The software has been developed to provide a fast method of writing onto a device and can help people with a variety of disabilities. It is useful for people with physical disabilities who often find typing difficult, painful, or impossible. Voice recognition software can also help those with spelling difficulties because recognized words are always correctly spelled. On the other hand, voice or speech recognition has a language that is limited to the words or phrases uses in the training session and its user base is also limited to those users who have trained the program. This type of system is known as “speaker dependent”. It can have a vocabularies on the order of the few hundred word and short phrases, and recognition accuracy can be 98%. A more general form of voice recognition is available through feature analysis and this technique usually leads to "speaker independent" voice recognition. Instead of trying to find an accurate or more accurate match between the actual voice input and a previously stored voice template, then attempts to find characteristics similarities between the expected inputs and the actual digitized voice input. These similarities will be present for a wide range of speakers, and so the system need not be trained by each new user. According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a voice recognition device which determines a control content of a control object on the basis of a recognition result of an input voice, comprising: a task type determination processing unit which determines the type of a task indicating the control content on the basis of a given determination input; and a voice recognition processing unit which recognizes the input voice with the task of the type determined by the task type determination processing unit as a recognition object (First invention).
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Preferably, the voice recognition device according to the first invention further comprises a domain type determination processing unit which determines the type of a domain indicating the control object on the basis of the given determination input, and the voice recognition processing unit recognizes the input voice with the domain of the type determined by the domain type determination processing unit as a recognition object, in addition to the task of the type determined by the task type determination processing unit (Second invention). In the voice recognition device according to the last invention, the given determination input for determining the type of the task is data indicating a task included in a previous recognition result in the voice recognition processing unit regarding sequentially input voices (Third invention). The voice recognition device according to the first or second invention has voice recognition data classified into at least the task types for use in recognizing the voice input by the voice recognition processing unit, and the voice recognition processing unit recognizes the input voice at least on the basis of the data classified in the task of the type determined by the task type determination processing unit among the voice recognition data (Fourth invention). Thus, according to the third invention has voice recognition data classified into the task and domain types for use in recognizing the voice input by the voice recognition processing unit, and the voice recognition processing unit recognizes the input voice on the basis of the data classified in the task of the type determined by the task type determination processing unit and in the domain of the type determined by the domain type determination processing unit among the voice recognition data (Fifth invention).
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In the voice recognition device according to a fourth or fifth invention includes a language model having at least a probability of a word to be recognized as data (Sixth invention). All voice recognition systems or programs make errors. Screaming children, barking dogs, and loud external conversations can produce these inputs. A large amount of this can be avoided only by using the system in a quiet room. There is also a problem with words that sound alike but are spelled differently and have different meanings for example, ”hear” and “ here”. This problem might someday be largely overcome using stored contextual information.
Review of Related Studies
The following are taken from an article made by Jake Gaecke (January 2010) CES 2010: One on one with Nuance [speech technology] This article features about Nuance, a multinational computer software technology corporation that provides speech and imaging applications. Current business products focus on server and embedded speech recognition, telephone call steering systems, automated telephone directory services, medical transcription software & systems, optical character recognition software, and desktop imaging software. Voice technology is the wave of the future, and behind that Wave is Nuance. They are behind nearly every implementation of voice recognition of which you are aware. They’re everywhere; from the voice systems at AT&T and Vonage, to MacSpeech, GPS units, in-car units, and so much more. But that’s not all. Nuance is behind some of the most used voice systems known. They provide the tech for Ford’s Sync and other similar
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automobile systems, including Mercedes, GM and BMW. BMW’s system even has a newer way of inputting your destination. You don’t have to answer prompts like “Street?” or “City?” you can just speak the entire thing. You probably won’t be surprised to hear they also provide speech technology for nearly all of the major GPS navigation companies for both speech recognition and text to speech. Speech technology is one of those things that make you feel like you’re in the future. Perhaps someday we won’t even have to know how to type quickly because the computers might just listen to what we say. Sadly, we aren’t there yet, but Nuance is constantly improving their technology. Say Where, Voice Recognition Coming Soon to iPhone (Sepetember 2008) an article by John Martellaro discussed the voice recognition software, Say Where, that is launched by the company Dial Directions. Users can speak to the iPhone, provide a place, and then chose the mobile site to launch. "Featuring new voice-entry technology and open user interface simplicity across devices, Say Where unlocks mobile content for mainstream adoption," according to the company. It is not a general purpose voice recognition application linked to personal data on the iPhone, and it still requires the user to interact with the touch screen. Speech Recognition Case Study Kuwait Finance House (KFH), a study that talks about the Emerging Technologies successfully developed and deployed, giving KFH customers easy access to banking, real estate and commercial services over the phone. The solution enabled KFH to increase their customer satisfaction rates, improve the service's quality and enhance overall operational efficiency.
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"Speech recognition has made it possible to deliver a simpler, faster and more userfriendly interface to our valuable customers. Thanks to Emerging Technologies' speechenabled banking system, we have increased our customer satisfaction as well as improved our operational efficiency by providing a convenient 24/7, next generation speech-enabled phone banking." Ehab Fawzi Madanat - Consultant Call Center. Applications of speech recognition have been made in office or business systems, as well as in manufacturing, medicine, and telecommunications, and usually concern the recognition and retrieval of information, such as voice- activated data entry; the control, operation, and monitoring of various machines and devices; call-processing functions; and the automation of services normally requiring human beings. While speech recognition has many short-term applications, it also has the potential to change daily life profoundly as free communication between man and machine becomes a reality.
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Chapter 3 Methodology
This section of the paper will further discuss the research design used in the study, the respondents of the study, the type of sampling used in determining the respondents, research locale, the research instrument employed, procedures and the statistical techniques for the interpretation of data.
Research Design
The research design used in the study is the descriptive research. This was used to achieve the objectives of the study that aims to know the impact or the response of the respondents which are ITE students in UIC whether the iPod with Voice Command will be as easy to use as the previous iPod products (iPod Touch, iPod Classic, iPod Nano, and the iPod Shuffle). The study will also introduce the iPod especially to those ITE students who are not familiar with it and give its features to be a must have device for a music lover student. To be able to achieve the objectives of the study, the researchers will conduct a survey using Observation Checklist to the selected respondents which owns or used an iPod. Since the objective of the study is to know whether the iPod with Voice Command will be as easy to use as the previous iPod products, the researches decided to conduct survey to the selected respondents so as to have a more thorough and effective interaction with the respondents, as well as to provide an opportunity to explain better the details regarding the proposed feature of the iPod.
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Respondents
The respondents of the study are the students from the Information Technology Education (ITE) Department of the University of the Immaculate Conception. Specifically, the study focuses to those students who has an iPod or used an iPod.
Sampling
The sampling design used by the researchers is simple random sampling wherein they used the formula:
n= Where:
n = size of the sample N = size of population e = margin error
N = 838 n= n= n = 273
%= %= % = 32%
The result is two hundred seventy – three (273). This study will have 273 respondents coming from the ITE Program in the University of the Immaculate Conception, Fr. Selga Street, Davao City.
Research Locale
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The location of the study is within the University of the Immaculate Conception, Fr. Selga Street, Davao City. Particularly in the ITE Program which has a population of 838 students.
Research Instruments
In conducting the survey the instrument used by the researchers is Observation Checklist in which the respondents can choose or check their answers from the given list of answers/observations prepared by the researchers. And also, simple random sampling was used in conducting the research.
Procedure of the Study
1. The researchers choose a topic that is relevant to technology and also that suites to their interest in which they can use their existing knowledge. 2. Proposal and explanation of the topic to their instructor is the next step. 3. After explaining the topic, the instructor then approves the proposed topic for it to be studied. 4. The researchers then gather data and information. Also they ought to find useful sources to complete the Chapter 1 and 2 of the study. 5. The researchers will conduct a survey in which the respondents are the ITE students in UIC who owns or used an iPod. 6. ITE students of UIC will be given a observation checklist by the researchers. The respondents will be asked to answer all the questions in the observation checklist. The data of the respondents will be recorded and consolidated. 18
7. The researchers will then analyze the data gathered from the respondents. Researchers will then interpret the data gathered. 8. Researchers will then conclude their findings and analysis. They will then write a recommendation regarding the result of the survey performed. 9. The research paper will be then finalized and will be submitted to their instructor.
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Chapter 4 Conclusion and Recommendation
Conclusion
In the market today, the most popular portable media player is the iPod. iPod is manufactured and designed by the Apple Inc. the merchandise line-up consist of iPod Classic, the iPod touch, iPod Nano and the smallest portable media player which is the iPod shuffle. Last January 9, 2007, Apple launched the most talked about touch screen phone which is the iPhone. Thus, the iPod with voice command will be as well-liked as the recently released iPhone. The features of iPod with voice commend gives you the ability to control music playback with spoken commands and it can be used to make a command using your voice. This new feature of iPod would be the reason why people subscribe to this new innovation. Having said that, the new iPod with voice command to represent beter values than other iPod models.
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Recommendation
The following are the recommendation of the study: 1. Offers students absolutely new ways to play music. 2. Present effective way to easily have fun in listening to music without consuming time in searching the chosen music.
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Bibliography
CBS Interactive (2010). Apple iPod. www.cnet.com/ipod/ Apple Inc (2010). iPod. http://www.apple.com/ipod Wikipedia (2010). iPod. March 13, 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod#Trademark Buzzle (2010). History of iPod. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/history-of-theipod.html The Uber-Reviw (2010). A brief history of iPod. http://www.uberreview.com/history.htm PC Magazine (2010). Evolution of iPod. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0, 2817,2037089,00.asp Wikipedia (2010). iPod-marketing. www.wikipedia.org/iPod-Marketing Jim Baumann (2000). Voice recognition. http://www.hitl.washington.edu/scivw/EVE/ I.D.2.d.VoiceRecognition.html Fresh Patents (2009). Voice recognition device, voice recognition method, and voice recognition program. http://www.freshpatents.com/Voice-recognition-device-voicerecognition-method-and-voice-recognition-program-dt20080724ptan20080177541.php Ability Net (2009). Voice recognition software. http://www.abilitynet.org.uk/content /factsheets/pdfs/Voice%20Recognition%20Software%20-%20An%20Introduction.pdf
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Appendices
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University of the Immaculate Conception Fr. Selga Street, Davao City March 17, 2010 Mr. Joseph S. Yamit, MIM, MAEM ITE Associate Dean University of the Immaculate Conception Fr. Selga St., Davao City Sir:
Praise be Jesus and Mary! We would like to request your permission to please allow us to conduct our survey entitled “iPod with Voice Command: A New Innovation for Music Enthusiasts”, in relation to our subject IT Research Methods to accomplish our Research Paper. We are hoping for your approval on this matter.
Respectfully yours,
Capiña, Mary Joy E. Researcher
Ma-aya, Ed Jr A. Researcher
Mercado, Mylene V. Researcher
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Rabanal, Mia Marchet R. Researcher
Tura, Roselle C. Researcher Noted by:
Ms. Aurora Cristina J. Atilano IT Research Instructor Approved by:
Mr. Joseph S. Yamit, MIM, MAEM ITE Associate Dean
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University of the Immaculate Conception Fr. Selga Street, Davao City March 17, 2010 The Respondents ITE students University of the Immaculate Conception Fr. Selga St., Davao City Respondents: In connection with our subject IT Research Term Paper, we would like to ask your cooperation to be one of our respondents with the study entitled, “iPod with Voice Command: A New Innovation for Music Enthusiasts”. Your answers will be kept confidential. Please answer the attached questionnaire. We are looking forward for your consideration. Thank You and God bless!
Respectfully yours,
Capiña, Mary Joy E. Researcher
Ma-aya, Ed Jr A. Researcher
Mercado, Mylene V. Researcher
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Rabanal, Mia Marchet R. Researcher
Tura, Roselle C. Researcher Noted by:
Ms. Aurora Cristina J. Atilano IT Research Instructor Approved by:
Mr. Joseph S. Yamit, MIM, MAEM ITE Associate Dean
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Questionnaire
Name of Respondent (Optional): Course/ Year and Section :
Direction: Place a check mark on the box labeled YES if you agree to the question. If not, place a checked mark on the box labeled NO.
1. Will you use the iPod if it has a voice command feature? YES NO
2. Can this feature help in improving the four commands (play, pause, stop) used in the iPod? YES NO
3. Do you think the Voice Command feature will increase the popularity of the iPod? YES NO
4. Will this new feature work on a noisy environment? YES NO
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Curriculum Vitae
Name Sex Address Email Contact number
: : : : :
Mary Joy E. Capiña Female Pob. Caraga, Davao Oriental [email protected] 09203193260
Birthday Age Course
: : :
January 27, 1992 18 Bachelor in Science in Information Technology
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENTS Elementary Secondary College : : : Caraga Central Elementary School Saint Mary’s Academy of Caraga University of the Immaculate Conception
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Name Sex Address Email Contact number
: : : : :
Ed Jr A. Ma-aya Male Balusong, Matina – Pangi, Davao City [email protected] 09157414195
Birthday Age Course
: : :
September 22, 1987 22 Bachelor in Science in Information Technology
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENTS Elementary Secondary College : : : Isulan Central Elementary School Montessori Learning Center University of the Immaculate Conception
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Name Sex Address Email Contact number
: : : : :
Mylene V. Mercado Female 699-4 Barangay 32-A, Jacinto Street, Davao City [email protected] 09397643631
Birthday Age Course
: : :
July 27, 1991 18 Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENTS Elementary Secondary College : : : Jose Timbol Sr. Central Elementary School Holy Cross of Sta. Maria University of the Immaculate Conception
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Name Sex Address Email Contact number
: : : : :
Mia Marchet R. Rabanal Female B9 L26 P1 Roseville Subd., Lanang Davao City [email protected] 09286382920
Birthday Age Course
: : :
March 26, 1990 19 Bachelor in Science in Information Technology
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENTS Elementary Secondary College : : : Rizal Elementary School Davao City National High School University of the Immaculate Conception
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Name Sex Address Email Contact number
: : : : :
Tura, Roselle C. Female Estrella Street, Durian Village Calinan, Davao City [email protected] 09212657648
Birthday Age Course
: : :
December 18, 1991 18 Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENTS Elementary Secondary College : : : Calinan Central Elementary School Holy Cross College of Calinan University of the Immaculate Conception
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