Nuance launches Nuance Voice Control 2.0, hello feature phones
By Sean Cooper 
posted Feb 11th 2009 12:37PM
posted Feb 11th 2009 12:37PM
We've had opportunity in the past to play with some of Nuance's voice control software -- in an alpha state -- on a Windows Mobile handset and to say we were blown away is an understatement. Things like voice dictation for messaging and handset control were loaded with wow factor, but sadly, it fizzled away, or at least appeared to. Nuance launched Nuance Voice Control 2.0 today, and this package is headed to feature phones -- in some 20 languages -- via carriers and OEMs as a value add for customers. With NVC 2.0 your set will offer voice activated dialing, by just saying a name, voice activated web search, SMS and mail dictation, music search, and just about anything else that a service operator wants to add. Sure, we've all tried various speech to text engines, but this one -- at least the version we tried -- is truly something that we'd dive to pick up, if the integration is done well. We're going to get together with Nuance at Mobile World Congress next week to get some proper hands-on time, but until then, check the video of it in action after the break.
I want this feature......goodbye qwerty. I just want a large screen,
good camera and a un-brick design.
Is the processing all done on the phone or via internet?
If it's all on-phone, then I expect Apple to buy these guys soon and incorporate the feature into the next iPhone.
The version I tried running on Windows Mobile used the web, I'd assume the same is true here. The processing power and dictionary or whatever magic they're using might be more than a simple feature phone could deal with.
if it's done through the web Sean, are there any lags that you notice?
It was so long ago, but I remember there was a pause, but nothing horrible. Bottom line I could enter text much quicker than I could with my fingers. There are videos floating about of it in use in a text messaging "duel" and the guy using this tool handed the text champion's stuff to him. Amusing.