Imagine crumbling a clean piece of white paper, throwing it across the room and then uncrumbling it. Now imagine that there are no wrinkles in that paper. That’s the analogy Virginia Beach-based Vianix uses to describe the clarity of its new audio compression technology.

Vianix has put its Managed Audio Sound Compression (MASC) technology to use in the latest, must-have, high-tech gadget. SASO (pronounced say-so) is a digital audio recording device that can compress and decompress audio files flawlessly, without sacrificing clarity during playback.

Besides working as a mini-tape recorder, the software can translate speech into ready to print or edit text files. Among its more practical uses, it cuts out the need for executive assistants to take dictation or type up notes. Although voice-recognition software has existed for some time, Vianix’s drowns out all others. Using the MASC technology, SASO compresses audio files so tightly that the data is easier to transmit over any bandwidth connection. And it’s faster. SASO can download 140 minutes of audio to a computer with a 56k modem in just 10 minutes. That’s a 14-to-1 compression ratio, about half as fast as DSL or cable connections.

"What MP3 did for music, MASC is going to do for voice," says Reza Hashampour, president and CEO of Vianix. "We are in a digital age. We are where PC was in 1976."

With a user-friendly approach, SASO can catalog up to 512 files and 64 subdirectories. Besides being practical, it’s also fun. SASO supports audio formats such as WAV and MP3 files, meaning it can double as a personal MP3 player — the Walkman’s successor — capable of one hour of play.

Unlike other digital recorders on the market, SASO is designed to "piggy-back" with Palm handheld devices. SASO and Palm connect via a cradle made available by Vianix. "We’re the first company in the world to bring voice to the Palm," says Hashampour. SASO’s files and compression options become more readily accessible on Palm’s large LCD screen, and recorded audio may be downloaded to a desktop via Palm’s mobile connection.

Vianix debuted SASO at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in early January and SASO should be available to consumers for $399 in early March. The company hopes to develop and release a Macintosh version later this year.