[March 13, 2009] Verizon Wireless introduces assistive technology for blind and visually impaired customers Tweet Mar 13, 2009 (TELECOMWORLDWIRE via COMTEX) -- Verizon Wireless, a provider of wireless voice and data network and a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE:VOD)(LSE:VOD) announced on Thursday (12 March) the availability of TALKS for Verizon Wireless, a new assistive technology that converts displayed text into highly intelligible speech for the company's customers who are blind or visually impaired. The solution will be available initially on MOTO Q 9c smartphones from communications solutions provider Motorola Inc (NYSE:MOT) beginning 15 March 2009. According to the company, TALKS for Verizon Wireless is powered by Nuance Communications Inc (Nasdaq:NUAN), a supplier of speech and imaging solutions, and uses ETI-Eloquence text-to-speech software, similar to other screen-reading packages on Windows PC platforms, to offer visually impaired and blind customers familiarity and high intelligibility. With the application, the MOTO Q 9c from Verizon Wireless can: read the caller ID of an incoming call; dial a number from the phone's Contacts directory; add and edit entries in the Contacts directory; read and write text messages and e-mail; read and write documents using Mobile Office; access and compose multimedia message service (MMS) messages; use Mobile Internet Explorer to access the Internet; as well as control speech volume and rate of speech, the company said. The MOTO Q 9c with TALKS for Verizon Wireless will be available on 15 March for USD249.99 after a USD70 on-line instant rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Existing MOTO Q 9c customers who wish to add the TALKS application should contact Verizon Wireless Customer Service. Comments on this story may be sent to [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]