Some much needed information about the dectalk USB has been gained

[nick G]

Hi.
    The first thing I'd like to show you is an article in business line about this new unit.  There'll be additional comments at the end.
"Access Solutions Incorporates Fonix Text-to-Speech in the New DECtalk USB
Powered by Business Wire
March 18, 2004 09:00 AM US Eastern Timezone
Access Solutions Incorporates Fonix Text-to-Speech in the New DECtalk USB
SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 18, 2004--Fonix(R) Corp. (OTC BB: FNIX), an industry leader in delivering conversational speech solutions to consumer
systems and devices for everyday use, announces its leading DECtalk(TM) text-to-speech technology (TTS) has been integrated into the new USB-based external
speech synthesizer designed and sold by Access Solutions, a world leader in PCI and USB speech synthesizers. The new product, called the DECtalk USB, will
result in unit royalties for Fonix from each copy Access Solutions sells. Text conversion devices like the DECtalk USB are integral to blind and visually
impaired computer users who need access to screen readers and TTS conversion software. The DECtalk USB is available from Access Solutions for $695.
Access Solutions' DECtalk USB is an external box that gives blind or visually impaired computer users a faster and more reliable interface to PCs, laptops
and tablets. Access Solutions' DECtalk USB replaces the original DECtalk Express, widely used by the visually impaired community to initiate computer functions
with the ease previously enjoyed only by mouse users. DECtalk Express users looking to upgrade their systems or laptops will want the new DECtalk USB,
which provides added convenience to users by allowing them to listen to text on portable devices such as laptops and tablets.
"We chose Fonix DECtalk because it is the clear leader in embedded speech synthesis and provides capabilities no other TTS engine offers," said Mike Cozzolino,
president of Access Solutions. "In designing the new device, we were excited to use Fonix DECtalk as our key technology and to capitalize on the success
of the Fonix DECtalk brand. DECtalk's reputation in the assistive market is a major advantage to us and to our customers. Fonix DECtalk has helped us meet
our goal of providing a robust solution to better meet the communication needs of blind and visually impaired computer users."
Fonix DECtalk is the industry leader for full-featured, small footprint TTS solutions and is a long-term supplier to the assistive market. Fonix DECtalk
is the industry's most intelligible TTS technology and creates a more natural voice that includes inflections, intonations, pauses and changes in pitch,
speed and emphasis. The result is speech that's easier to understand.
"We are delighted to see Fonix DECtalk incorporated into Access Solutions' new product," said John Oelfke, vice president of Fonix Embedded Systems. "The
DECtalk USB exemplifies how Fonix's easy-to-use speech interfaces help people communicate through a broad range of applications and provides an upgrade
path to many of our long-time loyal users."
About Access Solutions
AXSOL Inc. dba Access Solutions (
www.axsol.com)

was founded in 1999 and delivered to the market the first dedicated PCI and USB speech synthesizers. Access Solutions is striving to make the new DECtalk
USB the leader in speech quality and performance. The new DECtalk USB is powered by a 150Mhz microprocessor, 32mb sdram and is able to perform 150 million
instructions per second. The new DECtalk USB has 7.5 times more processing power then its predecessor, the retired DECtalk Express. At around half the
price of the original DECtalk Express, the new DECtalk USB provides more responsiveness, smaller packaging, more speech power and is 100 percent backward
compatible to the DECtalk Express. For more information on the new DECtalk USB, contact Access Solutions at 916-481-3559 or e-mail
info at axsol.com.
About Fonix
Fonix Corp. is an industry leader in delivering conversational speech solutions to consumer systems and devices for everyday use. Manufacturers and developers
incorporate Fonix's award-winning technology to provide their customers with an easy, convenient, and reliable user experience. Fonix currently offers
voice technology for mobile/wireless devices, computer telephony systems, the assistive market and automobiles. Fonix recently acquired LecStar Telecom
Inc., a rapidly growing Atlanta-based regional provider of integrated communications services to businesses and consumers. LecStar offers a full array
of wireline voice, data, long distance and Internet services to business and residential customers throughout BellSouth's Southeastern operating territory.
LecStar's solid customer base offers a unique direct marketing and distribution channel for Fonix speech technologies and solutions. Visit
www.fonix.com
for an introduction to Fonix's complete suite of speech solutions, or contact a Fonix representative at 801-553-6600 and say "Sales.""

    Naturally, I was curious, and called Access solutions themselves to ask about this thing.  I had a lengthy conversation with Mike and talked about dectalks, doubletalks, and Trippletalks.  Yes, the Death of the dectalk was sent out a year ago last October.  Dectalk Express, and PC2, despite what fonix says, are all dead.  Naturally the Dectalk USB, as it will be called, waa made.  The first thing I asked was about compatibility with the old Dectalks.  He said that was esential to this prodects sails.  All oDectalk USB's can run as expresses using the serial moad.  The next thing I asked was about sound quality, and he told me that Dectalk 5.0 was originally to be used, but he raised a hole bunch of hell reguarding that.  They switched him over to dectalk 4.62's sound quality, and Still hell was raised.  He wants this to sound as otrue to the Dectalk 4.1and 4.2CD Versions, the Dextalk expresses we all know.  A few bugs were found in the coad, so this will be a dectalk 5.0, but with Dectalk 4.2CD sound.  This wouldn't have gone forword without that.  I also asked about responsiveness.  He said that this has 7-times more processign power, which means that it is more responsive than Dectalk ever was, and of corse, at less of a price.  The name of the PCI version is still up in the air, but I suggested Dectalk PC3.  A PCI version will happen very soon.  Keep checking thw access solutions web sight at www.axsol.com for more details, and he assured me that demos of this speach system will be coming allong.  I also have a few inside info about the Trippletalk, and there relationship with RC systems, and a claim you won't want to miss.  I'll be sending that on within the hour.
Hope this helps,
Nick
P.S. I wouldn't mind doing an interview for Main menu as well.