Apple Developing Computer That Can Recognize Sounds

By Peter West

Apple Computer Inc. has unveiled a working prototype of a Macintosh personal computer that appears to greatly advance the capability of computers to recognize and respond to commands in spoken English.

Spokesmen for the company said the device--which was the focus of a great deal of attention this month at the Technology, Entertainment, and Design conference in Monterey, Calif.--is still in development and many years away from commercial availability.

But they also acknowledged that the device has potentially important applications for education, particularly...