BOSTON-Vodafone U.K.’s Vodafone Speaking Phone, which features an application based on technology from SpeechWorks International Inc. and Brand & Grober Communications GbR, allows visually impaired customers to access mobile communications services on Nokia Communicator handsets.
The application combines SpeechWorks’ ETI-eloquence text-to-speech software and Brand & Grober’s TALKS accessibility application to allow visually impaired users to read and write short message service and e-mail, send faxes, manage contact information, dial phone numbers from phone books, use appointment calendars and customize phone settings.
“The blind and low-vision community represents an important and growing audience for mobile devices, and we are eager to provide them with a state-of-the-art mobile phone that offers messaging, e-mail, fax sending and word processing,” said Mike Duxbury, disability access manager for Vodafone U.K. “High intelligibility and accuracy are key criteria for a successful solution because we strive to offer a satisfying caller experience to all of our customers. We’re very excited about offering our blind and low-vision customers this new service and are confident in the solution’s trusted technology from Brand & Grober and SpeechWorks.”
The Nokia 9210i Communicator, branded the Vodafone Speaking Phone, is currently available from Vodafone U.K., but it is not cheap. It retails for around $825.
