Speech Technology eWeekly - November 01, 2004

Features

Give the Gift of Speech for the Holidays!

Speech Technology Magazine has compiled a list of speech-enabled products suitable for the gift-giving season. The items were collected from NewsBlast reader submissions and categorized by gift type. Descriptions and images were provided by the speech solution providers.

Q & A

Manish Sharma, Nortel Networks

From Nortel Networks - Nortel Networks' Dr. Manish Sharma describes two key drivers that he feels are driving today's growing acceptance of speech applications for business use - the maturity of the solutions and the establishment of industry standards.

Datamonitor Analysts Daniel Hong and Peter Ryan

Speech Technology Magazine gets the skinny from Datamonitor analysts, Daniel Hong and Peter Ryan, on the current health of speech technology around the world.

Tal Cohen of ClickFox

Tal Cohen explains how the ClickFox framework ties together three concepts - the enterprise business objective, the interactive system as implemented, and the system's true utilization.

The Human Factor

Improving Customer Service with Speech

Dr. Rolandi explains why too often designers forget that nobody seeks customer service unless they have a problem. They want something or they need something. The advantage of speech, now being evinced in many well-designed VUIs, is that it can solve people's problems as fast as or faster than human-to-human interaction. And that can translate into a considerable improvement in customer service.

Talking Tech

Modernizing Communication among Field Service Workers

Travis White, vice president of marketing and product management at Datria, explains that predictable service should be a company's number one priority above all else.

Speech Technology News

Knowles Acoustics Announces MEMS Based SMD Microphone

MUNICH, Germany - Knowles Acoustics has announced its new "Mini" series of SiSonic™ silicon microphones.

Pronexus and CYGCOM Introduce ReadiVoIP

OTTAWA, Canada - Pronexus Inc. announced the availability of ReadiVoIP, the 'Rapid Enterprise Application Development in VoIP' starter kit.

Intervoice Announces Support for Microsoft Smarter Hospitality

From Hotels - Intervoice, Inc. announced its support for Microsoft's Smarter Hospitality initiative, a solutions framework for helping lodging and food service organizations improve how they interact with their guests while laying the groundwork for future innovations.

Vocalocity Appoints New Positions to Lead OEM Software Business

ATLANTA, Ga. - Vocalocity announced that Tom Ray, has joined the company as senior vice president of sales and business development and Luis Gutierrez-Rocca has joined Vocalocity as vice president of finance and operations.

Metaphor Teams Up with Genesys to Provide Speech IVR Solutions

Metaphor Solutions and Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories have formed a strategic relationship.

HTK and Habbo Launch Pay-by-Phone Online Gaming Solution

Sulake Canada Inc., creator of Habbo Hotel, the online community for teenagers has selected HTK for the launch of its operations in North America.

Loquendo and Eicon Networks Sign a Partner Agreement

Loquendo and Eicon Networks Corporation announced that they have signed a partnership agreement.

SALA II Project Enables GSM Speech Database for telisma

telisma can now offer a new GSM speech database for South America that recognizes Portuguese and Spanish dialectal variants.

Spreadtrum Selects ART to Bring Voice Recognition to SC6600 GSM/GPRS Baseband Chipsets

Spreadtrum Communications selected the smARTspeak XG embedded speech interface from ART for its SC6600 family of GSM/GPRS baseband chipsets.

ScanSoft and Microsoft Sign Expanded Global Speech Technology Licensing Agreement

PEABODY, Mass., and REDMOND, Wash. - Microsoft selects ScanSoft text-to-speech technology for Microsoft server family of products and deepens collaboration.

Frost & Sullivan Honors Comverse Technology for Messaging Platform & Advanced Call Completion Services

PALO ALTO, Calif. - Frost & Sullivan has awarded Comverse Technology, Inc. with the 2004 Market Leadership Award.

MacSpeech Releases AccountEdge ScriptPak

SALEM, N.H. - MacSpeech announces the release of its iListen ScriptPak for MYOB AccountEdge.

U.S. Coast Guard Signs Agreement with Wizzard Software

Wizzard Software announced the signing of a licensing agreement with the U.S. Coast Guard.

TeleData Technology Partners with Natural Speech Communication (NSC)

Teledata Technology has partnered with NSC to develop a range of messaging solutions based on automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology.

Sensory Joins ARM Connected Community

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Sensory, Inc. announced that it is a new member in the ARM® Connected Community.

ScanSoft Spends $100 Million on ART, Phonetic Systems

From HAARETZ International - ScanSoft will buy Phonetic, which employs 65 people, based on a market value of $80 million. Its investors have sunk in $50 million so far.

KB Toys Selects Angel.com to Deliver Phone-Based Store Locator

MCLEAN, Va. - KB Toys selected Angel.com to develop and manage its toll-free phone number and application that provides consumers with store location information based on their zip code.

ScanSoft to Extend Speech Markets through Acquisitions of Phonetic Systems, ART and Rhetorical

PEABODY, Mass. - ScanSoft, Inc. announced a series of acquisitions that expand the company's speech capabilities and resources.

Brooktrout and Comunycarse Partner to Develop the Voice and Speech Market in Spain and Portugal

NEEDHAM, Mass. - Brooktrout Technology, Inc. announced a partnership with Comunycarse as a Brooktrout Value Added Distributor (VAD) for Spain and Portugal.

MERA Releases New Version of Session Controller

TORONTO - MERA releases new version of Session Controller based on carrier requests.

Vocomo Releases VocomoVoice Studio

CUPERTINO, Calif. - Vocomo® Corporation announced the availability of VocomoVoice Studio: a desktop tool for development, testing, and debugging VoiceXML IVR applications.

Vocent Password Reset Application Qualified for Deployment on VoiceGenie NeXusPoint 6.4 Platform

TORONTO and MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. - VoiceGenie Technologies Inc. and Vocent Solutions Inc. announced the integration of Vocent Password Reset with VoiceGenie's latest VoiceXML platform, NeXusPoint 6.4.

Gartner and OPUS Weigh in on the Scansoft Acquisitions

Analysts from Gartner and OPUS speak out about ScanSoft's announcement of separate agreements to acquire Phonetic Systems, Advanced Recognition Technologies (ART) and Rhetorical Systems for a total of $63.2 million.

telisma Backs IBM's Reusable Components Initiative

telisma is offering its support for an initiative that represents an important step towards bringing speech technologies to mainstream developers.

voice robots Chooses teliSpeech

PARIS and HEIDELBERG - voice robots and telisma announce a worldwide retailer agreement.

Teleperformance Interactive Selects VoiceGenie for Speech Implementation in Call Centers Worldwide

Teleperformance Interactive announced the selection of VoiceGenie's VoiceXML 2.0 certified platform, NeXusPoint, for a speech-driven customer automation program.

IDX Imagecast Integrates Speech Recognition into Diagnostic Workflow

IDX Systems and ScanSoft announced that IDX has selected the ScanSoft Dragon NaturallySpeaking SDK (software developers toolkit) to directly integrate speech recognition capabilities into the IDX Imagecast product line.

J.D. Power and Associates and SIVOX Announcing the Formation of a Marketing Alliance

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. - J.D. Power and Associates and SIVOX Technologies, Inc., announce the formation of a marketing alliance to provide simulation training, learning solutions and performance monitoring tools to the call center industry.

SRC Appoints New Head of Technical Operations as Digital Dictation Support Facility Expands

LONDON - SRC has appointed James Araali-Kabyanga as head of technical operations.

MacSpeech Appoints German Distributor for iLISTEN

SALEM, N.H. - MacSpeech has announced that it has appointed Application Systems Heidelberg as its distributor for Germany.

Edify Names Jim Wambach Vice President

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Edify Corporation announced the appointment of Jim Wambach as vice president of worldwide sales operations.

Loquendo Releases Studio 6.0

Loquendo releases Loquendo Studio 6.0, the latest version of Service Development and Testing Environment for deploying VoiceXML.

Clarity Technologies Adds Surround Sound Technology to Its Portfolio for the Automotive and Home Theater Markets

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - Clarity Technologies acquires rights to develop and commercialize the next generation of ISP Technologies' Intelligent Surround™ technology.

Convergys Expands Business Transformation Outsourcing Services with Acquisition of Finali

Convergys acquires Finali , a contact center analytics firm.

Envox Worldwide Names Nick Applegarth Vice President of Marketing and Sales for EMEA

WESTBOROUGH, Mass. - Envox Worldwide announced that Nick Applegarth, the former managing director of Nuance EMEA, has joined the company as vice president of marketing and sales for Envox EMEA.

Cintech Announces Purchase Agreement with Skyflow

CINCINNATI - Cintech LLC announced that it has completed an agreement to purchase the assets of Skyflow Inc.

AVST Releases CallXpress 7.5

AVST released CallXpress 7.5, the latest version of its unified communications solution.

Pronexus VBSALT 1.1 Delivers Outbound Dialing Capabilities

Pronexus introduced VBSALT 1.1, the latest generation of its application development tool for Microsoft Speech Server (MSS 2004).

ScanSoft Negotiating to Buy ART Advanced Recognition Technologies

According to a story published by Globes [online], Tel Aviv-based ART - Advanced Recognition Technologies is in advanced acquisition negotiations with US company ScanSoft.

Continental Airlines Broadens eQuality Deployment with Speech Analytics Capability

ATLANTA - Continental Airlines announced that it is deploying Witness Systems' speech analytics solution in Continental's Tampa, Florida-based reservation center.

MoveOn PAC Receives Answers from Angel.com

MCLEAN, Va. - MoveOn PAC implemented a hosted call center management solution from Angel.com.

Uzbektelecom Selects MERA Systems Solutions for VOIP Network

Toronto, ON, Canada - Uzbektelecom, a provider of telecommunications services in Uzbekistan, announced that it has deployed MERA's MVTS Session Controller in its nationwide VoIP network.

MacSpeech Releases Australian/UK iListen 1.6.5

SALEM, N.H. - MacSpeech, Inc. released an update to the UK English version of its iListen speech recognition program.

The W3C Announces Revised Pronunciation Lexicon Requirements Document

The W3C Voice Browser Working Group announces a revised Pronunciation Lexicon Requirements document.

Alliance Systems Adds Two Executives to Finance Team

PLANO, Texas - Alliance Systems has promoted David Moore to vice president and corporate controller and has appointed Todd Kehoe to vice president and treasurer.

ScanSoft Introduces Dragon NaturallySpeaking Medical 8

PEABODY, Mass. - ScanSoft announced the availability of Dragon NaturallySpeaking® Medical 8, a new release of the speech recognition solution designed for healthcare organizations.

First Data Launches Fast REACT

First Data announces Fast REACT , a new end-to-end processing solution, which allows customers to leverage the power of Experian's Notification Services.

MERA Systems Unveils a New VoIP-based Service Creation Platform

TORONTO - MERA Systems, Inc. announced MERA SIPrise, its new VoIP-based service creation platform.

HeyAnita Unveils Content Delivery Service

HeyAnita unveiled its Content Delivery Service (CDSTM) software, which enables mobile phone users to receive audio content regardless of handset technology.

Inland Revenue Offers Tax Payers Telephone Tax Filing

Fifty thousand UK taxpayers have this year been given the opportunity to file the new self-assessment short tax return over the telephone, following last year's successful pilot of the Inland Revenue's advanced speech recognition service.

SynaMed Taps ScanSoft Dragon NaturallySpeaking Medical

PEABODY, Mass. and KEW GARDENS, N.Y. - SynaMed announced that it will integrate ScanSoft® Dragon NaturallySpeaking® Medical to enable speech recognition within its suite of EMR software.

ScanSoft Launches Industry-Wide Open Speech Initiative

PEABODY, Mass. - ScanSoft, Inc. launched an industry-backed initiative to enable interoperability among speech applications and tools.

8hertz and Kirusa Announce Multimodal Solutions for the Automobile Industry

BERLIN, Germany, and EDISON, N.J. - 8hertz and Kirusa announced the availability of multimodal applications for the automobile industry.

Southwest Airlines Leaps To Top Of Customer Service In VocaLabs SectorPulse Airlines Report

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. - In the most recent Vocal Laboratories SectorPulse Airlines report, issued October 15, 2004, Southwest Airlines leaped to the top of the customer service standings among the eight airlines evaluated.

Customized Multilingual Communication Provided with SpeechGuard

Ectaco announces customization of the SpeechGuard PD-4.

Speech Recognition Ware Launches Transcription Aid

Speech Recognition Ware announced the launch of Transcription Aid for Dragon NaturallySpeaking.

Otellini to Succeed Barrett As Intel CEO

From CBS MarketWatch: SAN JOSE, Calif. - Intel's board of directors announced Paul Otellini will replace chief executive Craig Barrett when he steps down to become chairman in May.