[bksvol-discuss] BlindNews: NextUp Technologies updates its text-to-speech tool forWindows users

"Shelley L. Rhodes" <juddysbuddy@xxxxxxxxxxxx> · Fri, 22 Oct 2004 12:37:16 -0400

BIOS Magazine (UK)
Thursday, October 21, 2004

NextUp Technologies updates its text-to-speech tool for Windows users

Product: Text Aloud 2.0
Company: NextUp Technologies
E-mail: sales@xxxxxxxxxx
Price: $29.95
Availability: 21.10.04

US-based NextUp Technologies has updated its text-to-speech tool for Windows 
users. TextAloud 2.0 helps visually impaired users to hear documents, 
e-mails and Web pages by using voice synthesis to convert text into spoken 
audio. As well as an improved interface that now supports skins, the updated 
software offers direct support for Word, PDF and HTML files, includes a new 
proofreading function, a batch file converter to convert audio files quickly 
from any number of documents, and a new Internet Explorer plug-in promises 
to make listening to Web pages easier than ever. You can now also change 
voices within a single document to simulate conversation or multiple 
speakers, choose advanced font controls to improve readability for those 
with low vision, and add bookmarks for easy navigation of large texts. 
Pronunciation tools are available to teach computer voices unusual, 
technical or medical terms, and configurable pauses between sentences and 
paragraphs should make text more understandable. Finally, you can listen 
aloud, or create WAV, MP3 and WMA files for listening at a later date, and 
improved word highlighting should assist dyslexics in reading and 
proofreading.

Pros: Low cost; reads text from e-mail, Web pages and more
Cons: Windows only; browser plug-in only supports IE

Release: NextUp.com (www.NextUp.com), the leading provider of innovative 
Text-to-Speech (TTS) software for consumers, educators and business 
customers, today announces the release of TextAloud 2.0, the latest version 
of the company's popular Text-to-Speech tool for Windows.

TextAloud uses the power of voice synthesis to 'speak aloud' documents, Web 
pages, e-mail and more. Text is seamlessly converted into spoken audio for 
listening on a PC, or to create MP3 or Windows Media files ready for 
playback on portables like the iPod, PocketPC, or even the Home Media Option 
from TiVo.

TextAloud 2.0 provides a variety of upgraded features, including an improved 
and redesigned user interface, direct support for Word, PDF and HTML 
formats, a proofreading feature, a batch file converter covering a multitude 
of popular formats, advanced font controls, advanced pronunciation tools, an 
Internet Explorer Plug-In for easy listening of your favourite Web pages - 
and more. TextAloud's improved interface now allows users to handle multiple 
documents with ease, and includes voice, pitch and volume adjustments on the 
main window - an innovation that means users can now customise voices or 
options even while TextAloud is speaking.

'The new features offered by 2.0 further enhance TextAloud's appeal for the 
wide range of users who find it an essential tool they use daily,' says Ken 
White, CEO of NextUp.com. 'TextAloud 2.0 not only has an improved interface, 
it also gives users more control over the tasks they use most. And with our 
expanded offerings for premium voices, it all sounds better than ever.'

TextAloud allows listening instead of reading, and is used by business 
people, students, educators, writers, medical and legal professionals, and 
busy individuals from all walks of life. NextUp currently offers TextAloud 
with optional premium voices from AT&T Natural Voices, NeoSpeech and 
Cepstral, for outstanding speech quality on a personal computer or for 
playing on portable MP3 players such as the iPod. TextAloud 2.0 is priced at 
just $29.95, and is for Windows 98, NT, 2000 and XP. It is available for 
fast, safe and secure purchase via www.nextup.com.

http://www.biosmagazine.co.uk/article.php?id=1253

--
BlindNews mailing list

Archived at: http://GeoffAndWen.com/blind/
Address message to list by sending mail to: BlindNews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Access your subscription info at: 
http://blindprogramming.com/mailman/listinfo/blindnews_blindprogramming.com 

Other related posts: