Dictomail is not a computer
Mystery solved! I'm now convinced that Dictomail is a human and not some great new telephony-based dictation system: Here's the text I just entered (enunciated quickly, but clearly):
Guido, Its me, Feliciano. I stuffed the body in the trunk of a maroon Olds parked at One Rockefeller Way, Suite 10, Brooklyn 10210. The password is Greece, buttons, 1414, Gilligan, Sentinel. Ciao.
Within minutes, I got this result:
ANI:425882808x GUETTO IT'S ME FALESANO I STUFFED A BODY IN A TRUNK OF A MARRON OLDS PARKED AT ROCAFELLER WAY SUITE TEN BROOKLYN 10210. THE PASSWORD IS GREASE BUTTONS 1414 GILLGAN SETNAL. CHOW.,
Note:
- Numerous spelling mistakes ("Marron", "Rockafeller", "Setnal", "Chow."). No ASR system would have those mispellings in its dictionary.
- Word substitution ("a trunk" instead of "the trunk") suspiciously consistent with a non-native speaker as transcriber. With a little more help from some linguist friends I bet I could even identify the transcriber's native language.
- Word deletion (no "One" in front of Rockefeller).
- What's with all-caps? A computer can do capitalization with no effort, so why the hokey all-caps unless it's easier for the transcriber.
Also, after being down all weekend, they appear to be blocking any of us at Microsoft from accessing their site. Sorry guys!