Apple's Speech Technologies Enable Interaction with the Internet via the
Spoken Word

Developers Tap Apple's PlainTalk Technology to Bring Interactive Voice
Navigation and Synthesis to Netscape Navigator

WWDC, SAN JOSE, California--May 13, 1996--Developers are utilizing Apple
Computer, Inc.'s advanced speech technologies to create innovative
applications that let users surf the Internet via spoken commands. Apple's
suite of leading-edge speech recognition and speech synthesis technologies
have been incorporated into plug-ins compatible with Netscape Navigator
Internet client software.

"We at Apple applaud the pioneering developers that are using PlainTalk
speech technologies to accelerate the interactive media revolution on the
Internet," said Carlos Montalvo, director of Apple's Interactive Media
Group. "Apple's key contribution to the Internet community is to provide
multi-platform interactive media technologies, such as QuickTime,
QuickTime VR, and now PlainTalk, to transform the Internet from a
text-based and static landscape to a media rich and interactive
experience."

The combination of Apple's proven speech technologies with the Netscape
Navigator provides an unparalleled ease-of-use experience for Internet
users. Incorporating speech technology into a Web site also delivers a
richer online experience and provides increased entertainment
opportunities for the Web surfer. The integration of speech technology
provides a key differentiator so that Webmasters can attract and maintain
potential Web surfers.

Voice navigation of the Internet, and command and control of the Netscape
Navigator alleviates the need to memorize cryptic URLs, thus encouraging
overall productivity. Using speech recognition and speech synthesis
together, developers can create Web applets based on conversational
interactions, engaging the user in a unique virtual environment.

Committed to making it easier to create speech technologies for the
Internet, Apple today announced the Speech Recognition Manager software
development kit. Part of Apple's overall PlainTalk suite of speech
recognition and speech synthesis technologies, the kit is designed to
enable developers to incorporate speech recognition into any application.
The Speech Recognition Manager is available free of charge on the Internet
at Apple's newly launched Web site at http://speech.apple.com/. Apple's
Speech Synthesis APIs continue to be available.

"The Netscape Navigator Plug-In architecture enables Internet developers to
extend the Netscape Navigator in all kinds of exciting ways," said Tim
Hickman, technical evangelist for client integration at Netscape
Communications Corp. "Netscape is very happy to see Apple, a company known
for ease-of-use, providing voice navigation and speech synthesis on the
Internet via Netscape Navigator plug-ins."

A sample of Netscape Navigator plug-ins based on Apple's speech
technologies include:

* SurfTalk--by Digital Dreams: The SurfTalk plug-in will enable users to
control the Netscape Navigator via spoken commands, "Go back", "Reload",
and "Net Search". Users will be able to speak any hypertext link as well
as bookmarks. The SurfTalk plug-in is expected to be available in June at:
http://www.surftalk.com/.

* ShockTalk--by Digital Dreams: This plug-in utilizes Apple's speech-
recognition technology to enable Webmasters to create Web sites that can
be navigated via spoken commands. ShockTalk also enables Macromedia
Director developers to create Shockwave movies that prompt the viewer for
spoken information. ShockTalk can be found at:
http://www.surftalk.com/shocktalk.

* ListenUp--by Bill Noon: This plug-in enables Web-page creators to make
their Web pages listen for phrases associated with a URL and link to that
URL when the appropriate phrase is spoken. Online information and a
demonstration of ListenUp can be found at:
http://snow.cit.cornell.edu/noon/ListenUp.html.

* Talker--by MVP Solutions: The Talker plug-in utilizes Apple's
text-to-speech technology to enable Web pages to talk and even sing. In
addition to speaking text in a regular text file, Talker also lets the
author embed special commands to change the voice. Talker is available at:
http://www.mvpsolutions.com/PlugInSite/Talker.html.

* Speech Plug-In--by William H. Tudor: This plug-in utilizes Apple's
text-to-speech technology to enable a Web page to read textual information
to the user. An online demonstration can be found at:
http://www.albany.net/~wtudor/.

"We've all heard the buzz that speech technology will be the next major
trend in the personal computer market," said Tim Morgan of Digital Dreams
in Oakland, California. " Apple's innovative PlainTalk technology is an
ideal way for developers to bring that promised excitement and
productivity gains to the legion of Internet users."

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized innovator in the information industry
and leader in multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on
easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software, personal
digital assistants and Internet content. Headquartered in Cupertino,
California, Apple develops, manufactures, licenses and markets solutions,
products, technologies and services for business, education, consumer,
entertainment, scientific and engineering and government customers in more
than 140 countries.

If you are considering the purchase of an Apple product and would like to
have product information faxed to you, please call 1-800-462-4396 in the
U.S. or 1-800-263- 3394 in Canada. If you do not have a fax machine or
would like to locate an Apple authorized reseller near you, please call
1-800- 538-9696. Customers outside the U.S. should contact their local
Apple representatives for information.

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/
 
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