Nuance to Resell ScanSoft RealSpeak in 14 Languages

MENLO PARK, CA - Nuance (Nasdaq: NUAN) and ScanSoft (Nasdaq: SSFT) announced that Nuance will resell and support ScanSoft RealSpeak text-to-speech (TTS) solutions in 14 languages, including German, French, Dutch, Castilian and Mexican Spanish, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese, Korean and Japanese. By offering ScanSoft RealSpeak, in addition to Nuance Vocalizer, Nuance is able to provide its customers with speech solutions that encompass broader voice and language options. Nuance will continue to offer Nuance Vocalizer TTS for North American, U.K. and Australian English. This new agreement supersedes the prior co-marketing and sales referral relationship between the companies. "Text-to-speech is an important component of speech applications, enabling automated access to rapidly changing information," said Ron Croen, president, chairman and CEO, Nuance. "Our expanded partnership with ScanSoft better enables us to provide global businesses with speech solutions that can help reduce their costs and provide fast return-on-investment." Text-to-speech software converts written text into spoken words, allowing companies to automate the delivery of information over the phone for applications such as email reading, information lines and automated directory assistance. "ScanSoft joins Nuance in recognizing the importance in providing integrated solutions that can be affordably deployed around the globe," said Paul Ricci, chairman and CEO of ScanSoft. "We are pleased in the confidence that Nuance has demonstrated in the ability of RealSpeak to address the business needs of its global customers."