SOFTWARE DREAMS AND TALKING MACHINES

LOW COST ADAPTIVE ALTERNATIVES.

The following programs were gathered from the internet and worldwide web during April AND May 1996.

IN THIS REVIEW ... FREEWARE is free, and SHAREWARE is low priced [under $ 50.00]. All software is "full featured" with/or without time limits.

REVIEW POLICY ... All items REVIEWED are PRE-TESTED before writing, and ONLY ITEMS WE LIKE are reviewed. All other items are just REPORTED.

TEXT BY SUPERADAPTOID

WINDOWS 3.1/3.11 SPEECH ALTERNATIVES ... KEYED SPEECH NOTE: SORRY-TO-SAY ... keyed speech is NOT a "full screen display reader or speech synthesizer".

Talkeys ...
Male voice [100 Wav files]. Alpha-numeric keystroke input is announced by letter and number ... including CAPITAL letters. Call Talkeys to work in Windows applications to announce your keystroke input. Click on "huge" icon. SHAREWARE DEMONSTRATION. No expiration. Full featured. *Requires PC Sound Card*. Demomstration Copy available on the web-net for download ...

SpkQQ ...
This a SHAREWARE "alternative" to MS Windows Spreaker Driver Package. Auto-install, set-up adjustable configuration, and auto-load to run. SpkQQ redirects wav sound output to the PC enternal speaker ... *RATHER THAT A SOUND CARD*. Installation may require removal of existing MS Windows System Wav-Driver [SND930.drv] ... if so pre-copy and save to restore. Also a variable byte Wav Player with volume control. DOES NOT LOCK-UP KEYBOARD or MOUSE functions while in use. [*WORKS WITH TALKEYS*] SHAREWARE DEMONSTRATION. 1 WEEK TIME DURATION. HAS IT'S OWN INSTALL AND UNINSTALL FUNCTIONS. Reloadable. Demonstration copy available on the web-net for download ... Ziff Davis PC MAGAZINE SHAREWARE LIBRARY ...

PLEASE NOTE:

An external PC speaker is usually small and mounted to the inside case wall. External speakers usually have sufficient sound quality and volume. An external PC "SQUEEKER" is a small can-shaped-object mounted directly to the enternal MOTHERBOARD. External squeekers are sound devices [they beep, and cheep] and may not have sufficient sound volume. If you have a squeeker and not a speaker ... watch this column for low cost alternatives to sound cards.

COMMENTS:

Although NOT a reader or speech synthesizer for the MS Windows PC environment ... Talkeys with SpkQQ is a functional adaptation at an affordable price. They will NOT fully address the needs of BLIND users ... without further computer adaptation and blind user training. HOWEVER, they are a functional adaptive assists to LOW VISION users. Speech quality is "realistic" speech output is adjustable and stable in PC's 386SX [and higher]. These products were demonstrated before reviewing and are "RECOMMENDED".

SUGGESTION:

When testing ANY demonstration software in MS Windows ... it is suggested that:

  1. An "UNINSTALL" program/utility be used.
  2. Backup copies of win.ini, system.ini, progman.ini to be held "on floppy".
  3. A zipped copy of the demonstration software be held "on floppy".

GOOD SURFING AND ENJOY!

SUPERADAPTOID

Top | ACSP Home | SuperAdaptoid Column