Nuance launches natural speech LBS mobile search voice application

by: admin Thursday, August 9th, 2007

Rating: click to voice find

Nuance offers Nuance Voice Control a one-click mobile search and messaging service based on speech technology. Its available today from AT&T (on the Blackberry 8800) and Sprint (on the Blackberry 8830).
With the BlackBerry devices users can find services and applications using natural voice commands. 411 business searches are also available and users can also receive driving directions using voice entry.

From the press release“Combining speech recognition with GPS functionality allows easy access to feature-rich location-based capabilities using simple voice commands,” said Michael Thompson , vice president and general manager, mobile search and communications, Nuance. “With Nuance Voice Control, it’s easier than ever to conduct 411 searches on mobile devices, with the added benefit of location relevance. Nuance Voice Control also brings mobile navigation to a new level of convenience. With voice-enabled driving directions, users simply push one button and speak a destination point to the NVC application. Directions from their present position are then displayed on the handset’s screen. All it takes is one click.”

What we think
We haven’t tried it so I can’t say much for the natural voice controls. I have used T-Mobile’s Telematics services and TIM’s voice command services for portal navigation that need key word input. The idea of natural voice does appeal but as usual with these mobile services there is always some physical input needed. To speak the command users still need to physically push a button. This can be dangerous in a car.

Services such as these will improve tenfold when devices can automatically detect if the owner is speaking to it…. So we’ve probably got a very long way to go then.

Voice Signalhttp://pushingthebarrier.typepad.com/pushing_the_barrier/2007/06/nuance-to-acqui.html

Interview with Nuance http://pushingthebarrier.typepad.com/pushing_the_barrier/2007/06/nuance-stuart-p.html

http://pushingthebarrier.typepad.com/pushing_the_barrier/2007/07/the-mobile-sear.html