BlueAnt Takes TTS to Bluetooth

Bluetooth supplier BlueAnt Wireless announced today the general availability of Supertooth 3 Bluetooth Handsfree, a portable speakerphone device incorporating text-to-speech technology to vocally prompt users and help them configure the device and upload their mobile phone address books. 

Supertooth 3 uses Cambridge Silicon Radio’s Clear Voice Capture and Digital Signal Processor technology to maintain its audio abilities. CVC segregates background noise and uses echo cancellation and noise suppression for incoming and outgoing voices, which enhances the recognition in Supertooth 3. Additionally, the speakerphone adjusts these levels to compensate for abnormally loud noises, for instance if the windows are down.   

Supertooth 3 snaps onto a car’s sun visor and when a call is received, the speakerphone verbally identifies the caller. The user then verbally accepts or rejects the call. The speakerphone can be configured in six languages, including U.S. and U.K. English, Spanish, French, Italian, and German.  It also features voice controls for dialing and re-dialing.   

According to BlueAnt Wireless CEO Taisen Maddern, California Highway Patrol statistics list cell phone use as the top cause in highway fatalities. "The Supertooth 3 has been designed with the safety of the driver in mind," Maddern said in a release. "The device allows you to keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road, providing a safer and legal alternative to talking on your cell phone while driving." 

According to BlueAnt, Supertooth 3 also cuts the expense of installing a fully-integrated car kit. It retails at $129.95.