Sun Microsystems has released the new Sun Grid service, which allows virtually any consumer with a Web browser to upload proprietary documents and have them automatically converted to Open Document Format (ODF). ODF documents are readable by ODF-enabled aplication such as OpenOffice and StarOffice.

Also in the next 30 days, Sun expects to make available a retail service that generates audio podcasts from any text-based content. Sun will make both services available through a web based interface.

The latter service is more targeted to end-users who want to have Internet content read to them, such as those with visual impairments. Clearly Sun is anticipating with the emerge of the next generation of the Web, widely known as Web 2.0.

I won’t expect very humanly voice on such service, however it should help people who spend a lot of their time telecommuting.

Source: Sun Grid Utility announcement.
See also: Podcast software.

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