Talklets, from Textic, is a breakthrough technology introducing, among others, the following five key innovations:
- Server-based text-to-speech technology that avoids downloads by operating as a service that is available on demand to all website visitors.
- Designed from scratch for the latest Internet technology such as broadband
- Natural-sounding voices which can be listened to comfortably for sustained periods
- Fully programmable so it fits like a glove into every company’s website
- Designed as part of the new Internet, so is extensible for new ideas and technologies
Together, these innovations transform the potential for this technology to change the way that website content is delivered to users, offering corporate website owners new ways of enriching the relationship with visitors.
The key breakthrough - Software as a Service (SaaS)
Software which makes website content talk is not new, but Talklets is new technology that totally changes the experience of implementing and delivering speech on a site. It is a service, not a product. Because it is a service, it is ready to use as soon as a user first comes on to your site. They do not have to download or install anything to make the speech work.
Accessibility and compliance
The service approach makes a website explicitly compliant as a ‘reasonable adjustment’ under the terms of the DDA (Disability Discrimination Act 2005), unlike other solutions which are merely implicitly compliant as they require a download and installation process first. Under the DDA, all companies are required to make reasonable adjustments to provide products and services to all groups of disadvantaged users. A downloadable application puts the onus on the user, and puts into question the DDA compliance.
Furthermore, the act of downloading can be highly difficult and intimidating for the very people for whom the software is designed.
Usability
Textic does not open a new browser window to deliver the text-to-speech, as well as offering keyboard ‘hot keys’, making it much more useful for many users for who easy accessibility is key.
Natural voices
The technology has come a long way for the robotic Stephen Hawking-type voice. It has been improved it to sound natural and to cope with numbers, letters, punctuation and inflection.
There are several English voices available and many foreign language voices too, as well as USA English, and even a Scottish accent. For larger organisations there is the capability to create custom voices that represent and enhance the brand.
Measurement
Textic serves every single text-to-speech request and therefore collects useage metrics which can be regularly sheared with website and marketing teams.
This creates a feedback loop whereby regular improvements can be made to the service - indeed to the entire website - to create a virtuous circle of continual progress. There are little or no statistics collected by downloaded applications.
Latest Internet technology
Talklets is designed with the speed of the broadband internet in mind and has built-in high-speed performance. This ensures a rapid and responsive service and allows for top-end scalability for larger sites.
Ugrades
The software used is always the latest version and so there are no concerns or issues with upgrading it
Fully programmable
Unlike downloaded applications which come in a standard form only, Talklets is ‘soft’ and can be customized to each website’s requirements. Examples include:
- Different styles including toolbar, toolbox or minibar
- Custom button or command to invoke the service
- Incorporation of other functions to create a single accessibility command area
- Change graphical appearance to fit into the site’s look and feel
Ready for the future of the Internet
The Internet is becoming a more involving and compelling multi-media environment. Up to now, it has been like a silent movie, plenty to see but most of it unspoken.
Because Talklets is a new development, it can be future-proofed and there is a series of exciting developments in the pipeline. Examples include an on-line dictionary that includes new words and phrases, and more on-line services to take browsing to a new level.
Talklets is helping bring in a new era of Web interaction that starts with accessibility but offers something for everyone. It’s an exciting time for this technology and one from which millions of people will benefit.
