One of my absolute favorite features of Jelly Bean is Google's new text to speech engine inside Google Now.
At first I was under the impression that the voice only sounded so good because it was prerecorded to match the limited set of Google Now commands ("The weather today is...") with arbitrary words filled in by a more versatile yet less capable engine. However, I was surprised to find that Google Now is equally capable of handling arbitrary word definitions. Which there are simply too many to prerecord. For the most part, Google Now appears to have a fully featured text to speech engine.
Unfortunately, I was saddened to find that the actual text to speech engine available on Jelly Bean devices (while a significant improvement over previous iterations) is not the Google Now voice. I recall reading an article describing Jelly Bean as having two forms of text to speech. A more capable online version (the Google Now voice) and a less capable offline engine (the standard engine). This is apparently the case.
So far I've found that any apps making calls to the device's text to speech engine return only the default voice, not the Google Now voice. I would be absolutely thrilled if someone found a way to build apps capable of using Google Now's online voice engine. Or at the very least, force Google Now to read arbitrary text.
This might be helpful
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/...t-to-speech-engine-not-availble-for-developer
Related
source here-
http://lifehacker.com/5432314/most-...l+(Lifehacker)&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher
1. GV Mobile
Brings Google voice function. Limited by required jailbrake and required dial-in on dial out
Android App- Google Voice
fully integrated, no hackery required.
2. Stanza/Kindle
eBook readers
Android app- Wattpad/Adiko/etc/etc/etc
We have about a thousand of em. Not to mention the Nook, a dedicated eink ebook reader running Android.
3. Runkeeper
Jogging/Running/Walking app. Supplants the Nike+ Great app. Ours is better
Android app- Runstar
Looks great, location aware, mulitasks
4. Email & Walk
Really cool app actually. Lays SMS over camera
*Update* We got it! *Update* Android app- Droid Text and Walk
http://www.androlib.com/android.appl...text-xAmw.aspx
5. Dropbox
Native dropbox app. Self-Explanitory
Android app- Sugarsync
Just use it until Dropbox gets on their own app.
6. Cardstar
Uses your reward cards and brings them all together. Nifty.
Android app- Keyring
Autofocusing android cameras make ours much simpler. Easy to use and stable.
7. Skype
Self-explanitory
Android app- printout a search of "voip" on the market. Nail it to a wall, and throw a dart at it. Install that app and you've got integrated Voip.
8. Dragon Dictation
dicates text-to-speech
Android app- *crickets* We have the function of text-to-speech, but dictation? Google search yields nothing. Handscent uses speech recognition though.
9. Epicurious
Recipes, etc.
Android app- We've got recipe apps. I'll probably never use em, but we got em!
10. gCalwalllite
Displays calendar and time info on the wallpaper
Android app- Widgets.
The final two are Push notifications and tethering. We do that easily enough, push better and tethering worse simply because we have to root to do it.
If you guys think of anything I missed let me know.
Quick, concise, useful. Good info Wii60.
Actually there is a Skype beta app in the app-store now.
The PDA Net app allows USB and wireless tethering with out rooting your phone.
I would also put MyTracks + Twidroid integration up against any of their running/walking/hiking apps.
there used to be a text to speech notepad, i doubt its gone....
This is for #4....
Droid Text N' Walk
http://www.androlib.com/android.application.com-gmail-tianjianyong-walkandtext-xAmw.aspx
#8:
The Nexus fw supports speech-to-text.
have a look at the engadget review, there's a video of it.
Handcent already incorporates google speech recognition software for Speech-to-Text SMS so you can respond to a text while driving. What else would dictation be good for? From what I read, Dragon is a speech to text notepad that you then have to cut and paste into the app you're using. Pain in the ass compared to Handcent!
Requirement: Android 2.2 or higher
Overview: EVA is the Best Voice Assistant for your Android phone
Description
EVA is quite simply The Best Siri-like Voice Assistant for Android.
EVA is quite simply the most full featured Siri-like virtual assistant for Android. Please try the free Intern version first if you have not tried EVA before.
Let's face it, there are plenty of wannabe Siri clones out there. If you are looking for an electronic friend to chat with then please go with one of them. On the other hand if you want a real virtual assistant that has useful functions that will make your life easier then please give EVA a try.
EVA has all the functions you'd expect your assistant to perform plus some that you probably never new were possible. Here is a list of some of the functions that you wont find in most of the competition:
★ Location based reminders. Remind you to do something based on your location.
★ Location based actions. Perform any function that EVA can do based on your current location. Have EVA automatically text your wife when you leave the office.
★ Time based actions. Perform any function that EVA can do on a set day and time
★ In car mode including wake up phrase
★ Custom voice shortcuts to your phone applications. Give your apps any name you want and open them using that name.
★ Voice bookmarks to your favorite web sites. Give your bookmarks any name you want and open them using that name.
★ Activate just by shaking your phone
★ Works with all Bluetooth Headsets
If you have tried Vlingo, Speaktoit, Jeannie and Iris and you want something that does most everything they can do plus a lot more then give EVA a try.
If you prefer a male assistant please choose EVAN instead.
If you don't already have a third party text to speech voice that replaces the default Pico voice on your phone I recommend SVOX Classic. Their voices will work with any text to speech app on your device. Download the Free SVOX Classic to demo the voices.
keywords: Voice Recognition, Virtual Assistant, Personal Assistant, Speech Recognition, Bluetooth, Hands Free, Text to Speech, Voice Actions, Voice Search, Google Maps, Siri, Vlingo, Speaktoit
What's in this version:
**GOOGLE VOICE TEXT MESSAGING. EMAIL AND TEXT LISTS/MEMOS.
**INCLUDED GOOGLE PLACES FOR BUSINESS LOOKUP
**HOLD YOUR PHONE TO YOUR EAR TO SPEAK TO EVA
**NEW HELP LAYOUT, MENU BUTTON FUNCTIONS
**LOCATION BASED ACTIONS
**TIME BASED ACTIONS
**IN CAR MODE ADDED with customizable buttons
**ALARMS ADDED
**ALL NEW WEATHER FUNCTIONS
**LOCATION BASED REMINDERS ADDED!
Now Eva has all the major functions that Siri has plus a load of them that Siri does not.
re-posted
Having read this article over on CNet Crave UK I couldn't help but compare it to the standard voice offering within Android.
To get the results of the test for Siri and S-Voice look here:
http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/samsung-galaxy-s3s-s-voice-vs-siri-on-iphone-4s-50008087/
Here is me doing the same test with Google Voice:
Here is my response to the article:
Test One: Call Luke Bailey, the standard Google voice recognition on my HTC One X hits this one out the park... RESULT: Success
Test Two: Whats the weather like today? Another instant success with the standard Google Voice offering, bringing up Google Search with a 5 day forecast for my location in Wigan, UK. RESULT: Success
Test Three: Do I need an umbrella today? This trips up the standard offering by just doing a Google Search for the statement but the first result is half way to success by giving me the option to input my location (which I do again with Voice on the keyboard and it returns a successful YES response) RESULT: Fail
Test Four: Text Luke Bailey, again instant success using the standard Google Voice recognition offering. No problems understanding my Northern Monkey accent when I say "Text Luke Bailey, You will need an Umbrella today." RESULT: Success
Test Five: Slight change of question to suit myself I ask "Find a Good pub nearby" The standard offering understood what I asked but hesitated slightly and gave me five options to pick from. The top being correct required me to use my hands but then swiftly brings up Google and having used location services brings up various pubs.
However even with 15+ pubs within a mile of my house it only brings up those with Google listings the nearest of which is 5 miles away. RESULT: Neither success or fail but requires work.
Test Six: Directions to Wigan Town Hall, it doesn't fail to accurately understand my command and brings up Google Maps with the right directions. RESULT: Success
Test Seven: Set Alarm for...unfortunately due to Google Voice not integrating with the Clock App on my HTC One X this results in a web search when asked to set the Alarm for 1023pm. However Google do list this as a valid command... RESULT: Fail
Test Eight: How High is Mount Everest? 29,029feet bang on and instant answer. RESULT: Success
Test Nine: Tell me a joke? Asking the standard Google Voice to talk to me made me one. RESULT: Fail
Test Ten: Search Bonobo Apes, apparently my Northern Monkey accent isn't helping here and after two attempts I give up but it does seem to they they are Noble Apes lol RESULT: Fail
Test Eleven: Google Voice does not integrate with the Calendar app and offers no commands for it. However I can open up Google Calendar in my browser via Voice to input manually.
Still...RESULT: Fail
Test Twelve: Again as the standard Voice offering is not designed to talk back to you all this does is make me look like a twonk. However for me this beats S Voice and Siri hands down as the web search this results in gives me the YouTube Video for Crossing the Bridge of Death in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Result: FAIL but laced with WIN
Test Thirteen: What's the best smart phone? Well having asked Google Voice it returns with a web search and in the top sponsored results I find the HTC One X with an average of 4 and half stars out of 5 from over 120 seller reviews. Not perfect as it doesn't take consumer reviews into consideration however as I get a result which neither Siri nor S-Voice does I say... RESULT: Success
Test Fourteen: Update Twitter, Again lack of app integration means another web search RESULT: Fail
Test Fifteen: Speed? What is the Capital of Iraq? Answer: Baghdad in 3 seconds flat...RESULT: Success
Conclusion: With seven successes and having read how the Siri and S-Voice offerings don't really fare much better my conclusion is that voice commands only serve their purpose while doing other tasks such as driving and you can't hold your phone. Leaving me with the same opinion I had at the outset, if you either brag about having Siri or I see you talking to your phone as they do in the ads in public, I reserve the right to tell you, you look like a tw*t.
You've entirely missed the point of Siri.
Sent from my SGH-I777
MikeyMike01 said:
You've entirely missed the point of Siri.
Sent from my SGH-I777
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Disability accessibility tool? Make the human race even lazier? A friend for anti social or socially inept types?
Please be a little bit more constructive and tell me what you think the point of Siri is?
As you say I miss the point of Siri when all I've done is compare both offerings as they exist and work from a UK perspective as per the CNET article I fail to realise how me adding GVoice into the mix is missing the point of anything?
I've not even tried to explain what the point of either of the three is. My conclusion is based on personal opinion and even if Siri lives up to what its point is, you'll still look like a twonk using it out in public.
I agree that the human race will be getting lazier and fatter at the same time I'm afraid that we have become to dependent on our technology. It's a scary feeling.
SB13X You're a legend
SB13X said:
Disability accessibility tool? Make the human race even lazier? A friend for anti social or socially inept types?
Please be a little bit more constructive and tell me what you think the point of Siri is?
As you say I miss the point of Siri when all I've done is compare both offerings as they exist and work from a UK perspective as per the CNET article I fail to realise how me adding GVoice into the mix is missing the point of anything?
I've not even tried to explain what the point of either of the three is. My conclusion is based on personal opinion and even if Siri lives up to what its point is, you'll still look like a twonk using it out in public.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I completely agree with you. Unless you're driving there is no reason to use voice recognition because the accuracy isn't there yet. Mike, interesting to see you weren't able to reply with any constructive reason why "the point of Siri" was missed in this very fair test of voice recognition. This leads me to conclude you're one of the people referred to who likes to brag about Siri or enjoys talking to his phone and looking like a tw*t.
So I saw quite a few old threads about this but nothing in the past two months and a lot of new options have popped up. So far I've tried "Assistant", the new Nuance Dragon assistant, google now, and Sherpa but they all fall a bit short in one way or another.
The things I'm looking for are pretty basic, imho...
-Auto-play all of an artist when I name it, or a song when I name that. Preferably search my music library first and then default to google play if it's not in my library.
-Link straight to the navigation app when I ask for directions and not just google maps, I'm too spoiled to decipher the route when I could get turn by turn directions.
-Answer my random questions "Name of classy goose liver" - "Foie gras"
I'd prefer for it to have intuitive speech recognition and a little bit of sass, but these are secondary to the three above.
Anyone know of an option that covers those three? If you have an option that you love but doesn't cover these feel free to post what you like, although I don't really care about calendar/appointment management.
I've just finished my first ever made app and I'm very excited to have it on Google Play but to be honest, it's hard to get noticed in the swarm of other apps so if you're interested, try it and give me a review or maybe share it with your friends if you find it useful.
My app is a voice recognition app which can make user's custom voice commands. It has a special feature which I call "Voxce head". It helps you make your commands outside of the app, virtually anywhere.
It's very simple and very light (to be honest, I'm not quite good enough to make complex apps).
It uses the voice recognition mechanism of Google Voice Typing and therefore many languages can be recognized and some are supported to work offline.
Have a look at it and give me your opinion about it.
Thanks in advance.
Here's the link:
play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.voxce.lp&hl=en
(I'm sorry I can't post the full link because of the forum's rule)