Category: accessible Devices
Hello; All, I have a question. What do you think about the Nokia phones with Talks Software? Has anyone used them before? Please let me know.
From Jose Lomeli.
Hi Jose. I have a Nokia N70 with Talks on it. Talks 2.54 premium edition's the one where you can use WAP, the music player and access those multimedia ringtones, graphics, screensavers and stuff. It's just like a mini computer and Talks works just like JAWS and the speech sounds quite similar to JAWS. I upgraded to my current phone from a Nokia 7610 last year. I wouldn't spend too long on the internet either if you plan to get one of those phones unless you're rolling in it. It wouldn't be the first time Mum's gone skitzo when she saw a couple of my bills. If you are thinking of getting one though, have fun.
Jen.
Hello; Jen, So you think I should get the phone? I mean its the only phone that I have with a screenreader. Because you know, People in my house won't read stuff for me. Its not that I anoy them with my questions. I guess they don't like to read what it says on each phone. They just use it for text messaging, calls, and to put numbers on the phone. Well write back.
From Jose Lomeli.
Well Talks software only works with Simbian OS or Smart phones, so if you don't have either of them already, it might be worth investing in one so you would be able to keep an address book, enter important dates, events or meetings in to the calendar, send text messages and stuff. People didn't mind reading my texts for me, but when Talks first came out, I thought I'd get a new phone so I could put all my phone numbers in my phone book (Contacts) instead of having to get the Brailler out to write the numbers down and file them in my indexed address book, so that is exactly what I did, and I've never looked back since I got the phone I have now. There're quite a few good deals around. For example, I'm with Orange, a Brittish mobile phone and Broadband network provider, and I got a free wireless router and Live box with my phone, which only costs me £35 a month. (don't ask me how much that is in US dollars) but your download fees're added on to that £35 which is where the huge bill and my acceptionally angry mother come in to the equation. If you think a smart phone with Talks is right for you, just go for it.
Jen.
I've got questions on this topic and thus I decided to post on this one so that no other post would be repeated or reiterated when there is already one in place. I have got the talks software; however, I'm trying to decide on a phone that is midi capable (so that i could upload my own ringtones). If this is not available I'd not mind, although i've seen this feature on other phones (that can convert midis so that they can become ringtones for other phones.) If so, any users out there, which phones (among the nokia or symbian compatible ones supporting talks) which one do you like the best and why? What are the main uses for these phones (other than placing calls, obviously) and why are they comendable? feedback is apreciated.
Hi there. I use a Nokia E70. I have tried Talks but I have sight so I come at this from a slightly angle. I'm also a bit of a geek so my interest is more than passing!
firstly I believe most (if not all) of the recent Nokias will play midi files as ringtones (on this phone, the Classic Nokia tune is a midi file on this phone). Also the 6630, N70 and N91 play midis. I don't know of many Nokias that will allow you to create midis but that is just me. I have used a Sony Ericsson P990i to create a midi ringtone and then bluetoothed it to my Nokia which played it with no problem.
Also I haven't checked recently but the version of Talks that was around a couple of months ago isn't compatible with the newer versions of Symbian, ie Talks for the Nokia 6630 wont work on the E70.
i hope this is all useful to someone!
I also have a question i currently have a Nokia 6680 but my contract runs out in july so i am hoping to get a new fone. Where can i find a list of fones that talks goes on and will i need to buy a whole new version of talks as i alreaey have talks on my 6680?
Hi Suzy,
Here's the link to the Nuance page where you can see a list of the phones that support Talks:
http://www.nuance.com/talks/phones.asp
Obviously not all phones are available with all networks, so you'll need to check with your provider's website. The other option is to buy the phone offline of course. As far as I know, you need to purchase a new version of Talks with a new handset, however there may be a discount if you are a returning customer.
One final thing; you don't necessarily need to change your phone in July (unless you really really want to); hold out for the upgrade until a phone you really want is available, this may also put you in a better overall bargaining position with your network.
Dusty
Interesting. Well, I have acquired (don't askme how *wink*) talks version 2.51.4. This one is compatible with all the 60 series nokia phones. i have one of my friends and she uses a 6682. It seems quite alright... except for the whole camera thing (although I could hire someone to take pictures for me *grin*) We'll see how it works. Thanks for the info dusty bin.
Yeah thanks for the info dusty it was helpful
I have been offered an upgrade but i want to go back to pay as you go as i always seem to run up high bills with contract so i think it might be the best idea even though i will have to get a new fone and talks
and worry about transferring all my contacts over.
I've got the Nokia 6682 and the Talks software, and I think it works great. I mainly use it for text messaging, but it makes almost all of the features of the phone accessible.
I also use Nokia N70 with talks and it works great! I do everything what I need for my life and my job there! It works very well and it's more than useful! With that, we are completely independent about all tools what we need for everyday!
I use nokia 6620 with talks. I love it allot. it works so well without any trouble. it was worth waiting for!
i use a nokia 6600 with talx!
however, i'm looking for new one, because my extremely reliable 6600 has decided it's had enough of me!
looking t Nokia E65 . . hope it's alright it has not had good reviews.
Well, if you are looking for a phone, I recommend the 6682. I have a friend who uses it, and he loves it. It's good to get several opinions before choosing a phone.
Ok Ok... I'm new here, and i have a few questions about this talks software. How much is it? I'm from the United States, so I'm asking for an amount in dollars. What companies can I use it with? What kinds of phones can i use it with? How many times can I use the talks software? Do I need to get a new one each time I buy a new phone? Is it worth getting? I need info. I really want to get in to the texting fad lol. If anyone can help, it would be appreciated. Thanks.
Between Talks and Mobile Speak (Talks' competitor), phones from all the major companies (Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, T-mobile) are compatible. The software generally costs around $300, although I've seen it lower. I'm not sure how the licensing process works for Talks, but Mobile Speak's maker (Codefacctory) just implemented a licensing system where the license is attached to the user, not the phone. That is, when you get a new phone, you can transfer your copy of Mobile Speak to it, rather than dealing with the hassle and cost of a new license. Hope that helped...
thanks!! It helped a lot. Do you know which is better talks or mobile speak?
Well, that's a pretty subjective question. People who use Talks are going to say that's better, while people who use Mobile Speak are going to say that's better. I'll try to be objective as I can here. I use Mobile Speak Smartphone on a Motorola Q, and Verizon is my service provider.
Talks uses Eloquence as its speech synthesizer, which is very familiar to most blind people (it's the synthesizer that comes standard with JAWS). Mobile Speak uses Decktalk, which is more familiar to Window Eyes users. Talks works only on the GSM networks; that is, AT&T and T-Mobile. Talks runs on the Simbian (I am totally spelling that wrong, probably) platform, and supports mostly (only?) Nokia phones.
Mobile Speak has several options. Mobile Speak works with the Simbian phones, in a similar way to Talks. Mobile Speak Smartphone works with windows mobile smartphones. All four major service providers provide options that work with Mobile Speak Smartphone. Mobile Speak Pocket works with pocket PC style phones, and I believe that all four major service providers carry compatible phones in that area, too.
I chose Mobilespeak because I didn't want to switch service providers in order to get an accessible phone. I also liked the wide variety of phones that are supported by the 3 different versions of the product. The new licensing system is an added perk, in my opinion. I think a talks user should jump in here and make this a little less biased.:)
Oh, and as an afterthought, both talks and mobilespeak have screen-magnifying counterparts. Zooms is made by Nuance and Codefactory makes Mobile Magnifier.
You really really helped me a lot!!!!! Just one more question, then I'll leave you alone *grins* (maybe a few more if i think of them lol) Do you purchase talks or mobilespeak through your phone provider, or do you buy it yourself and install it yourself. Does the cell company give you the option of purchasing either talks or mobilespeak? I'm confused as to which one I'll buy. I'm a jaws user, so talks will probably be more familiar to me, but I like the license thing that mobilespeak offers. I also like the fact that mobilespeak serves a bigger variety of phones than talks. Again, thanks for the help :)
The only company that currently offers support for a mobile screenreader is AT&T. They used to support Talks, but have now switched to Mobile Speak. With the other companies, you buy the phone and software separately. Each product's website lists places where the software can be purchased.
Understand that neither screenreader acts like JAWS or Window Eyes. Talks just uses the same synthesizer that comes standard with JAWS while Mobile Speak uses Decktalk which comes standard with Window Eyes. I'm a JAWS user, but ultimately, the synthesizer wasn't the most important deciding factor for me, which is why I chose Mobile Speak.
I have at&t, so that means that I can go to a store, speak to someone, ask them which phone supports mobilespeak, buy the phone, and they'll install the software for me? I mainly want a phone screenreader for texting, and so i'm able to use a phone myself. Do you have any problems with mobilespeak?
I too have a few questions and am going nuts. I have Talks (forget which version) and have tried it with the recent symbian phones. I'm using TMobile, and I went to three different places, two that show phones and one regular store. They all said that the phones that work with Talks are older models and special order. I want to see a phone before I order one, cause once I do, it's for keeps. I'm not allowed to return it. Anyway, I want a phone that's reasonably large (I know larger phones are hard to find today), one where the numbers are actually tactually appealing as opposed to just crammed together, one that doesn't have a touch screen or buttons on the side of the phone that I could accidentally hit. I never thought of using my phone as any more than that, and wanted to just be able to see who called, check the battery status, change the ring tone, check the time and date and check how many minutes I used. I have no use for text messaging or address books, but if the phone has other features, I want them to be fully accessible. Why shouldn't I take advantage of them? For me, if everything's not accessible, I don't want it. It's either all the way or no way. Right now, I'm using a Nokia 6610 I believe, and while it does have those side buttons, the numbers are accessible. However, it doesn't work with Talks, so I have no speech output. Anyway, can anyone help me?
I want a phone that is a new modle... if i'm gonna buy screen reading software for a phone, and it costs about $300, I'm gonna have a new phone that i'm gonna like. If these programs don't work with new phones, then I'm gonna say forget about it. I want to be able to text, and do all that good stuff. I'm so confused. I called at&t to ask them about it, and they told me that they don't sell either talks or mobilespeak, and that i had to buy it through some company (i forgot the name) so i called them and i got no answer... grrrrrrrrrrr this sucks
Ok... I talked to at&t (my service provider) and they told me that they use talks. They gave me the number of the people who make it, I called and spoke to a guy (chris) He told me that the only phone that works with talks and at&t is the Nokia n75. Does anyone have this particular phone? If so, is it an older or a newer modle phone? How does talks work with it? Is it worth buying? Is the phone a good phone? Chris told me that if I purchase the phone, and e mail him the serial number, he'll send me a 3 day demo of talks to try out. Does anyone think I shouldn't go through with it? If I hate talks, at least I get a new phone!!
Well, AT&T is misleading you... they're switching over from Talks to Mobile Speak. I recommend talking to someone at their national center for people with disabilities (you can find the phone number on their website).
As for therebetisa, you're pretty much out of luck. Most phones supported by either program don't have touch screens, but I don't think there's a single phone currently on the market that meets all your requirements.
i did talk to someone from at&t, and they told me they had talks... I even talked to someone from vission cue and he said that the n75 was the only phone from at&t that is accessable. I was on the vission cue web site today, and they are the company that has both talks, and mobile speak. I'll call back tomorrow, and talk to that guy at vission cue again. Thanks (smiles)
oh and one more question... does it really matter which one you have? If vission cue is the company that makes them both, what exactly is the difference. What happens if I get talks, and at&t switches? Will talks still work?
No, seriously. AT&T is switching to Mobile Speak. I've read about it, and I've heard it from other AT&T customers. And they definitely carry other phones; the Blackjack, for example, works with Mobile Speak Smartphone. The number for the National Center for Customers with Disabilities is 1-866-241-6568.
Vision Q does not manufacture either product. They are a distributor. Nuance (www.nuance.com/talks) makes Talks, while Codefactory (www.codefactory.es) developed Mobile Speak. I suggest at looking at both those websites for lists of compatible phones, as well as the pros and cons of each product.
Ultimately, it comes down to which one you're more comfortable with, similar to the JAWS/Window Eyes/Hal debate.
omg!! You saved me from making a huge mistake (smiles) So lets say I get talks, and at&t switches to mobilespeak, will talks work? And I'll deffinitely call the number you gave me, and go to the websites Thanks
Ok so I just called that number you gave me, and spoke to someone. They told me the same thing you did, that they will be switching to mobilespeak. They said that they will have licenseing for it by the end of the year and that I should wait to get a new phone. Lets say I wanted to buy a new phone now, could i get mobilespeak from visioncue? I know I'm probably soooo annoying with all my questions, but I don't want to make a huge mistake. Sorry if you think i'm super annoying *grins*
Yes, you could buy a new phone and Mobile Speak from Vision Q now, but you wouldn't get the kickbacks from AT&T. If you can, I'd hold out till the end of the year. It's only another month, after all.:)
I'll wait til the end of the year, but I was on the at&t website earlier, and I read that they were joining with mobilespeak in the spring of 2007... um... that has come and gone... I'm not surprised though, companies like that always lie *sighs* I really want to get into the world of the sighties when it comes to cell phones lol
Responding to post 27, what comes the closest to my type of phone? I didn't think it would be that difficult to find a phone that was totally accessibl and not the size of a peanut. Like I said, I did find one that felt nice in my hand, but it doesn't work with Talks and wouldn't work with Mobile Speak because it's a Symbian. The Jitterbug looks cool, but you have to sign up with their service.
I really like the Motorola Q. It has a built-in qwerty keyboard, and the buttons are very distinctive. It's thin, but rather large length and width-wise. Unfortunately, only Verizon and Sprint carry it now, but T-Mobile and AT&T have similar devices (the t-mobile dash and the Blackjack, respectively). It does have a lot of bells and whistles, though, so it might not be what you're looking for...
Also, Mobile Speak does work with the simbian operating system.
so at&t says they're hoping to be licensed with mobilespeak by the end of this year... that means like March right? lol
Ooo! This sounds promising, thanks! Is it accessible? Wow, full quirty keyboard... I don't mind the bells and whistles, so long as they're accessible.
Hey sorry if this is not the right place to post these questions. But I am thinking about getting an excessible phone and I was wondering what program
you all recommend?
If you have talks is there only 1 type of phone you can have the talks software on?
If you have a phone with GPS and moblespeak and gps does the moblespeak read the
gps also?
I have also seen phones with out a screen and am wondering if anyone has those and
if so what do you think of them.
Thanks for any help anyone can give me.