Autumn 2006

Handheld terminals from Psion Teklogix are now available pre-installed with a voice recognition capability from Vocollect. This results from an agreement between the two companies in which Psion's Workabout Pro unit is now offered in a special "Speech" version, which incorporates Vocollect hardware and software.

The development reflects a move by Psion to beef up its voice recognition credentials. As part of that drive, it has created a new product range branded VIP, or Voice Integrated Platform. Under this heading will come products offering a range of voice-related functionality in areas such as speech recognition, VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol), push-to-talk and cellular voice.

For Vocollect, the launch represents part of a move to extend its voice recognition systems further into the realms of third-party hardware. Unlike rival Voxware, which has pulled out of hardware development to concentrate on voice recognition software, Vocollect continues to offer its well-established Talkman range; but the arrangement with Psion Teklogix underlines its ability to work with third-party products as well.