Abstract: Devices, apparatuses, systems, methods and the like for marketing, promoting and/or advertising a business or product are provided. The present invention combines applications such as screen savers, desktop assistants and instruction with voice verification technology in a readily installable and operable computer form. The voice interactive applications include visual imagery to attract a user/customer(s) to activate and interact with the application. Once activated, the application prompts the consumer user for voice input. The voice input, once authenticated, can then be processed to interact with a product character to perform tasks such as connecting the consumer user to a web-site associated with the advertised business via a hyperlink.

Abstract: A wooden stake having a sharpened end with bevelled faces and having a striking end with bevelled faces is made on a novel machine by a novel method. Each bevelled face intersects a substantially planar face of the wooden stake and conforms substantially to a portion of a right circular cylinder. The machine has a sharpening drum carrying a multiplicity of removable cutting blades, which are mounted to a tubular wall of the drum, along an interior surface of such wall. The machine has an enclosure for the drum, a table mounted to the enclosure, and a fence mounted to the table at a suitable angle relative to a portal of the enclosure. A motor is provided for driving the drum. The table and fence are useful for guiding the stake through the portal, against the blades, which cut into the stake.