Speech to text messaging comes of age

Product: Voicemode 2.0
Supplier: Voice Signal Technologies
Price: €9.95 - €19.99
Available from: www.softwaremarket.nokia.com
Language: British English

THE ANSWER for anyone who can't key text messages into their mobile phone is Voicemode 2.0 which has recently been released by Voice Signal Technologies (VST) – now part of Nuance.

Basically this is a speech-to-text converter which enables you to dictate short sentences into the handset. The main use would be for text (SMS) message creation. But there are other applications within the handset where it applies equally well. For example, it can enable you to compose a half decent email message. Handy if you're away from your PC. It can also create diary entries and allow you to keep notes on the phone.

The INQ acquired its copy of Voicemode 2.0 from Nuance and it appears to run on a select number of Nokia handsets at present. For this review, Voicemode 2.0 was loaded onto a Nokia N95.

The good news is that the software works extremely well – with a number of provisos. Firstly, you need to train the software to recognise your own voice. This requires repeating 75 phrases the software feeds to you. The first attempt didn't work well because there was too much background noise. The second attempt proved very successful. It takes about four to five minutes but is a worthwhile investment.

If you speak slowly, clearly and in short phrases, it works perfectly. Which was something of a surprise. Another shock is that VST appears to have created the British English version first – before releasing a US English version. No wonder it recognised our voice so well.

Incidentall, even if there wasn't too much background noise in your car, VST doesn't recommend this as a means of creating SMS messages while you drive.

Voicemode looks like it should allow you to speak a name and then dial it. Otherwise there wouldn't be a feature that imports names from your addressbook? Sadly it seems that VST is going to offer such a capability as a separate product. .

The app is currently being sold by Nokia through its own online softwaremarket service. The normal price should be €19.99 but there's an initial offer for this British version @ €9.95.

There's no indication of how existing US users of version 1.0 might upgrade. µ

The Good
Recognition works well

The Bad
Takes a quiet room and 5 mins to train

The Ugly
No voice dialling capability

Bartender's verdict
8/10