Digitized Talking Heads Lend Voices to the Web
Voice technology is improving and making its way onto the Internet in the
form of voice-controlled Web browsers and talking avatars. The British Press
Association has created a digital newscaster named Ananova that reads news in
a human-sounding voice. Ananova runs on Lernout & Hauspie's RealSpeak, and
though her voice quality leaves something to be desired, handlers are working
to improve the voice-synthesis program. In the future, Ananova will be able
to listen to users, responding to individual questions about the news. 
Already, many companies offer technology that allows users to surf the Web
using a telephone. About 45 million wireless phone users in North America
will browse the Internet by voice in the next five years, according to The
Kelsey Group. Experts say voice browsing is set to explode since telephones
are so easily accessible, especially to mobile users, visually impaired
users, and those without PCs. (Investor's Business Daily, 5 May 2000) 

http://www.ananova.com/
http://www.cnn.com/2000/TECH/computing/01/18/ananova/index.html