Tellme Microsoft’s One Button Voice Access Application Managing Mobile Communications and Information

“Today  Tellme, a pioneer of voice services, announced the first mobile voice service to combine content and communications, [...] putting many of the most popular phone functions behind a single button.”  [ref01] This news article will highlight the most important facts from the announcement, highlight some features and background research, and end with some personal initial thoughts.

The screenshot below shows the start screen of the application. The message is intuitively clear, and probably needs no further explanation: “Tellme what you want !” Part of the design remember m of the Microsoft Recite Technology Preview, which was announced just before MWC 2009. Microsoft Recite was aimed at recording- and searching through voicenotes, which to me seem essential building blocks in the Tellme application.

Background information and research

The Tellme website states that the company was started back in 1999, and therefore Tellme can be considered as one of the pioneers in voice services.

“In a recent study conducted by Sanderson Studios, more than 70% of respondents said that voice is superior to keypad or touch-based methods to perform some of the most popular mobile tasks. This includes looking up a business listing or location (78%), sending a text message (72%), placing a call (79%), getting information such as movies, weather, traffic or sports (77 %) and getting directions (81%). ” [ref01]

“In a head to head comparison, it’s clear why people prefer voice over touch. For example, it requires four touches and more than 20 keystrokes to find a business with the Apple iPhone, while it only takes one button push and one verbal command to find the same business with Tellme. Tellme’s research shows similar results for other tasks, such as making calls, sending text messages and searching for content like traffic, movies, news and sports.” [ref01]

That the outcomes of the research are directly used in the design and development process of the Tellme application on the phone is supported with some examples:

Windows phone users just press the side button of their phone to:

• Send a text by saying “text” to open a text box, then speak the text message and send;
• Initiate a call simply by saying “call” and then the name of anyone in their contact list, to call anyone in their contact list;
• Search the Web with Microsoft Live Search by speaking your request, such as “weather in San Francisco, California”, “Pizza in Kansas City” or “mother’s day gift ideas”  [ref01]

The third bullet highlights another important building block of the Tellme application on Windows Phones: Microsoft Live Search. For about a year ago Microsoft Live Search got a major upgrade with some customer-driven features, analogue to the described ones above.

Some personal initial thoughts

Although it is impossible to draw hard conclusions on a press-release, I will try to write down some of my initial thoughts about this application.

“Because it’s so intuitive, we believe there is a real opportunity for voice to materialize as the leading user interface for the phone,” said Dariusz Paczuski, senior director of consumer services at Tellme. “By bringing voice access to calling, texting and searching together we reduce `menu surfing’ on phones and make the convenience of voice more tangible for everyday people.” [ref01]

The interface design is very intuitive, and I want to compliment Tellme with that result. Furthermore I was able to test the Microsoft Recite application myself (speaking in the Dutch language), and the results were very acurate. Therefore I think the voice recognition part will result in a same experience.

Back in 2007 Jason Langridge provided me with a demo of Microsoft Live Search, searching restaurants in the USA. This functionality is further extended to weather and other information. A small questionmark is the link with- and initializing of the internal applications. Is this technology similar with the Microsoft Voice Command application, or is this an enhancement of the Microsoft Live Search function: Local search your Windows Phone.

“Tellme will be available for free on Windows Mobile 6.5 phones in the Fall 2009 when the phones hit store shelves. Initially available in the Windows Marketplace for Mobile store, Tellme will also make the service available for free to mobile operators and carriers to embed  `on-device’ for a voice experience right out of the box.” [ref01]

For the end-user it’s cool that this application is available for free, however just on Windows Mobile 6.5 Phones, which aren’t on the market yet. This means that for now, the large installed userbase of Windows Mobile 6.1 and 6.0 devices can’t make use of free to download application like this.

To wrap up I hope to get my hands soon on this application to conduct some testing, and re-view some of the initual thoughts above. However what are your thoughts about this application ? Is it useful, and does it enhance your productivity, or is it just a clever connection and combination of the different Microsoft applications & services available today ?  More information and subscribe to news updates over HERE !!

About Tellme

“Tellme, is an Microsoft subsidiary located in Mountain View, Calif.  Tellme has been pioneering voice services for businesses and consumers, answering billions of calls every year and helping more than 40 million of people get the information they need simply by speaking a request. Now the convenience of voice is coming to Windows phones, bringing people closer to the things they want by providing easier access to more of the phone’s functionality.

Tellme plays an exciting role in achieving Microsoft’s vision around the limitless potential of voice as a way to find information, connect with people and enhance business processes, any time and from any device.” [ref01]

Reference list

1. PRESS RELEASE: Microsoft’s Tellme announces “one button” voice acces to mobile communications and information
2. MOBILEJAW:  Microsoft’s New Recite For Windows Mobile Reviewed
3. MICROSOFT: About Microsoft Recite Technology Preview