If your eyesight is suffering from reading the iPod's tiny screen, Steve Jobs and company may just have a remedy for you. According to this article from The Scotsman, Apple has filed a patent which they speculate will allow the company to include voice technology in the next generation iPods. The bottom line: the iPod will tell you what track you're navigating to.

The bulk of the work will be done by the computer when dowloading tracks onto the iPod, software will include a small file associated with each song with title and performer information. Safety seems to be the driving force behind the new technology, making the iPod safer to use when driving, or exercising, or when you are otherwise predisposed.

The Scotsman gushes about this announcement, saying this is Apple's response to some perceived downswing in its popularity. I'm not so sure. I guess it's a nice added feature for times when you can't, or don't want to, see the screen, but it could also be cumbersome. Is the response time going to be protracted now, waiting for the voice to announce each title as you browse through? I think wi-fi and Bluetooth connectivity would be much more useful enhancements in the nex-gen iPods. I don't really see even a celebrity's voice announcing the track as a differentiating factor when deciding between digital music players. — Brian Ward

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