BEDMINSTER, N.J.-Verizon Wireless said it is offering a software upgrade to its VX4500 phone, built by LG Electronics Co. Ltd., that will allow users to operate the phone through verbal commands.
Verizon said the move will help blind users or those with poor vision to more easily navigate their phones. The move comes shortly after Cingular Wireless released a phone with similar capabilities from Nokia Corp.
Verizon has been selling the VX4500 since January. The device features speakerphone capabilities. The software upgrade, which is available through Verizon retail stores and takes about an hour, allows users to dial numbers and names by speaking, as well as hear voicemail, caller ID and battery-strength announcements.
