Cobra Electronics Corporation, a manufacturer of mobile electronic devices and iSpeech, a mobile speech technology provider, have formed a partnership that will enable users with a BlackBerry (News - Alert) or Android Smartphone to immediately listen and respond to incoming text and email messages in real time by using their Citizen Band Radios and Marine products.

The companies hope the user experience will be further enhanced by integrating iSpeech technology into these Cobra products, which will now enable users to stay connected without the necessity of looking at their mobile device.

In a release, Sally Washlow, senior vice president of marketing and sales for Cobra Electronics said, "Putting efforts into partnerships such as this with iSpeech is important to enhancing our products for a better user experience. The iSpeech mobile application called DriveSafe.ly reads text (SMS) messages and emails aloud on our Bluetooth enabled CB radios, in real time, without drivers touching the mobile phone. This will be a great tool for many professional drivers!"

iSpeech's DriveSafe.ly technology provides a smooth user experience with human quality automated speech recognition (ASR) and with human-sounding text to speech (TTS). Once activated, users will be able to communicate by sending and receiving messages, hands-free.

After an incoming text message is read aloud through the compatible CB radio's speaker system, the user will have the option to choose to replay the message, speak a response back to the sender or even call back the sender. The DriveSafely text-to-speech feature is compatible with specific Cobra CB and marine products.

The company said that by expanding the quality of communication, iSpeech's text to speech software combined with compatible Cobra products will provide a top-notch solution to consumers.

Yaron Oren, chief marketing officer, iSpeech said, "iSpeech is committed to discouraging distracted driving through the use of speech technology and mobile applications. We are excited to team up with an industry leader like Cobra to deliver on this promise”.

Both Cobra and iSpeech will be available for product demos at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas, NV from Jan. 6-9 at  iSpeech booth #2431 (Safe Driver -North Hall) and Cobra booths #9845 (Central Hall) and #4135 (iLounge – North Hall).