SpeakOn overview

Latest version available: 1.7.6, 28 April 2008
This version includes improved user interaction, minor new features and bug fixes.

New features in this version

SpeakOn is a free program that runs on your PC and is a speech enabled environment containing applications for listening to various media. SpeakOn has been developed for people who are comfortable using computers. It does not require a screenreader or magnifier; it does not have a visual interface and in fact does not require a screen at all. You communicate with SpeakOn using a numerical keypad or the standard keyboard and SpeakOn responds with speech. With a low cost external USB slimline numerical keypad, you can operate SpeakOn with one hand from the comfort of your armchair.

All SpeakOn's applications operate in exactly the same way. Once the interface is mastered, it offers a quick and easy access to all its features.

At the heart of SpeakOn is the 'Media Centre' application which allows you to do the following:

• CD media - Play DAISY books, MP3 books and CD audio music.
• Music - Play music stored on your computer.
• Radio - Listen to many internet radio stations through the directories provided.
• Podcasts - Play from source literally thousands of podcast files available through subject directories on the internet. Play podcast files downloaded by another application to your computer. Favourites links are provided to blind resources such as 'Soundings' magazine and ACB radio. Other Favourites directories such as information technology, shows, music and science are included.
• TNAUK (Talking Newspaper Association of the UK)
  eText publications - Browse, find and download automatically and then read text based newspapers, magazines and network guides.
  Audio publications - Browse, find and listen to streamed narrated newspapers, magazines and network guides.
  (You must be a subscriber of TNAUK to use this service which is available to the blind community for a modest annual fee.) You can visit their website at www.tnauk.org.uk.
• Seeing Ear Library - Browse, find and download automatically and then read books from the Seeing Ear library. (You must be a subscriber to the Seeing Ear Library to use this service which is available free of charge to the blind community under certain conditions.) You can visit their website at www.seeingear.org.

You can customize many of the services above. For example, you can create and organize your music in directories of your choice. Also, you can add your favourite radio stations and organize the links to your favourite podcast resources. Similarly you can organize your magazines and books.

A recent addition to SpeakOn is the "Last.FM" application, which is an accessible player for the Last.FM website.

Last.FM is "a free service that tracks your musical taste, finds similar users, and provides musical recommendations and free personalised radio". Last.FM provides a free specialized player program which you can download and install on your PC. Unfortunately, this player is not easily accessible (if at all) to screen readers.

The Last FM SpeakOn application provides a player which can be operated using the usual SpeakOn interface and hence it is fully accessible.

Imagine that you have a radio with 40 or so stations, each of which plays a different genre of music. Imagine that you can skip a track you don't like and influence the frequency that tracks you like are played. You can also ban a track you don't like, forever. Last.FM enables you to listen to your personalized radio station which plays the tracks you like and plays the tracks that people with similar tastes to you like.

The Last.FM website can be found at: www.last.fm

Other applications for SpeakOn will be available in the future and will integrate seamlessly with SpeakOn using exactly the same user interface.

A comprehensive manual including a step-by-step tutorial is available. Read the first few pages of the Introduction section for more background information. http://www.a-technic.net/SpeakOn/docs/SpeakOn/ht/SpeakOn.htm

SpeakOn and its applications are available to download free as a single installer. The system requirements, download and installation instructions are here:
http://www.a-technic.net/SpeakOn/docs/SpeakOn/ht/SpeakOn-r-0016.htm.

There is a new self-help speakon Yahoo group with a mailing list for discussions on all matters relating to SpeakOn use at:
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/speakon
If you already have a Yahoo ID you can join the group by sending an email to:
speakon-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

For further information and constructive suggestions you are welcome to send us an email to: speakon@a-technic.net

SpeakOn was conceived, developed and is maintained by Isaac Porat.

a-technic are also working on a complete speaking solution for the technologically frail, code name Pipistrelle and based on custom hardware. More information on Pipistrelle can be found here. Pipistrelle may use some of the SpeakOn software.