Casio's New Electronic Dictionaries Feature Fonix Language Learning Speech Solution
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 03, 2005 9:00 AM
- BusinessWire
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SALT LAKE CITY, Feb 3, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Fonix Speech, an operating division of Fonix Corp. (FNIX) , an integrated communications carrier providing telecommunications services and value-added speech technologies, has been selected by Casio Computer Co., Ltd., a market-leading device manufacturer headquartered in Tokyo, to provide the Fonix Language Learning Speech Solution on Casio electronic devices.
The Ex-word, XD-LP series (which includes nine different models) are the first and newest models in Casio's electronic dictionary product line and will feature Fonix DECtalk text-to-speech (TTS). Fonix's speech solution will "speak" to the device user, demonstrating how to pronounce a word or phrase, enabling users to communicate with foreign speakers more easily. The product is available in Japan.
"By incorporating the Fonix Language Learning Speech Solution in Casio products, we are giving customers a convenient, user-friendly interface to assist in learning a new language," said Fumitsune Murakami, Casio director and senior GM. "With Fonix technology, Casio provides a convenient, useful electronic device for people who are looking for ways to improve and expand their language skills."
According to the agreement, Fonix will receive unit royalties from the sale of each device sold as well as development fees. The Fonix solution has been customized and licensed for devices manufactured and sold by Casio.
"Our solution offers customers understandable, accurate TTS voices that have been optimized for use in a handheld dictionary device," said Walt Nawrocki, senior VP and GM, Fonix Speech. "The TTS for the Fonix Language Learning Solution has been specifically designed to help non-native English speakers learn how to speak more clearly."
Casio analyzed the 2004 market in Japan for domestic electronic dictionaries and determined market size to be approximately 3,350,000 units. An independent market researcher, GfK Marketing Services Japan Ltd., gathered actual sales data from 3,500 home electronics retailers and found Casio garnered the No. 1 share of the market for electronic dictionaries from data reflecting January through December 2004.
For more information about Fonix speech solutions, visit www.fonix.com, or call 801-553-6600 and say "Sales."
About Casio
Casio Computer Co., Ltd., is one of the world's leading manufacturers of consumer electronics products and business equipment solutions. Since its establishment in 1957, Casio has been dedicated to the creation of innovative and imaginative products incorporating both originality and advanced technology. Today, Casio's offerings include electronic dictionaries, timepieces, digital cameras, cellular phones, calculators, musical instruments, system equipment and electronic components such as LCDs.
About Fonix DECtalk
DECtalk offers the smallest memory footprint for a full-featured, multi-language, full-dictionary TTS and provides a standard of intelligible and natural sound quality that surpasses competitive offerings. Fonix ASR is specifically engineered for small devices and provides robust, speaker independent speech recognition capable of operating well in noisy environments and across a number of users.
About The Fonix Speech Group
The Fonix Speech Group is an operating division of Fonix Corp. that currently offers voice technology solutions for mobile/wireless devices; interactive videogames, toys and appliances; computer telephony systems; the assistive market and automotive telematics.
About Fonix
Fonix Corp., based in Salt Lake City, is an innovative communications and technology company that provides integrated telecommunications services and value-added speech technologies through Fonix Telecom Inc. and The Fonix Speech Group.
Statements released by Fonix that are not purely historical are forward looking within the meaning of the "Safe Harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the company's expectations, hopes, intentions and strategies for the future. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainties that may affect the company's business prospects and performance. The company's actual results could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. Risk factors include general economic, competitive, governmental and technological factors as discussed in the company's filings with the SEC on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. The company does not undertake any responsibility to update the forward-looking statements contained in this release.
SOURCE: Fonix Corp
