Tellme will be vocalizing search and command in Windows Mobile phones this fall. Tellme claims to be is the
first to allow people to press one button, say what they want and get
it, whether that is to send a text, make a call or search for
information.
The new service
puts many of the most popular phone functions behind a single button.
Windowsphone users just press the side button of their phone to do
the following:
- Send a text by saying "text" to open a
text box, then speak the text message and say "send" to send it to
anyone in their contact list - Start a call simply by saying "call" and then the name of anyone in their contact list
- Search the Web with Microsoft Live Search by speaking your request,
such as "weather in San Francisco, California," "pizza in Kansas City,"
"movies" or "Mother's Day gift ideas.
A voice to phone comparison, shows why
people prefer voice over touch. For example, it requires four touches
and more than 20 keystrokes to find a business with the Apple iPhone,
while it only takes one button push and one verbal command to find the
same business with Tellme. Tellme's research shows similar results for
other tasks, such as making calls, sending text messages and conducting
searches for content such as traffic, movies, news and sports.
Tellme will be
available for free on Windows Mobile 6.5 phones in fall 2009 when the
phones hit store shelves. Initially available in the Windows
Marketplace for Mobile store, the service will also be available for
free to mobile operators and carriers to embed "on-device" for a voice
experience right out of the box.
"Because it's so
intuitive, we believe there is a real opportunity for voice to
materialize as the leading user interface for the phone," said Dariusz
Packzuski, senior director of consumer services at Tellme. "By bringing
voice access to calling, texting and searching, together we reduce
'menu surfing' on phones and make the benefits of voice more tangible
for everyday needs."
"For example, Sprint has integrated voice access to the Live Search
application on Sprint Instinct phones and subscribers love it,"
Packzuski said. "In fact, we've seen impressive adoption of voice with
three in every four search queries being initiated by voice."
In a
recent study conducted by Sanderson Studios Inc., more than 70 percent
of respondents said that voice is superior to keypad or touch-based
methods to perform some of the most popular mobile tasks. This includes
looking up a business listing or location (78 percent), sending a text
message (72 percent), placing a call (79 percent), getting information
such as movies, weather, traffic or sports (77 percent), and getting
directions (81 percent).
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