Unisys and Microsoft Collaborate to Enhance Speech-Application Development Tools and Technology.

BLUE BELL, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 13, 1999--

Alliance to Yield Software, New Speechdepot.com Web Site

to Make Deploying Speech Easier Than Ever

Unisys Corporation and Microsoft Corporation, two of the leading companies in speech technology, today announced a marketing and technology alliance that promises to broaden the market for advanced desktop and telephony speech applications.

Unisys and Microsoft are working together to accelerate the adoption of the Speech Application Programming Interface (SAPI) for speech applications, providing software developers with a rich set of tools and support programs that will make speech-based technology easier to deploy.

The alliance identifies Unisys as an Early Adopter for Microsoft speech technology and enables Unisys to distribute key Microsoft speech- and SAPI-based software such as Microsoft automated speech recognizer (ASR) and the Microsoft Text-to-Speech (TTS) engines.

Microsoft and Unisys will jointly participate in speech-related trade shows and other industry events. Unisys will also be included in the ongoing planning and product rollout of future versions of Microsoft SAPI technology.

The objectives of the alliance will be furthered by a Web site launched today and sponsored by Unisys. SpeechDepot (www.SpeechDepot.com) is an electronic-business Web site that provides all the components, information, guidance, expertise and products needed for design, development and deployment of speech-based applications.

Unisys will provide this single source for knowledge and technology, enabling the average developer to create speech applications ranging from the simplest to the most sophisticated. The site will offer background and products from Unisys numerous speech-technology partners.

As a key part of the new initiative with Microsoft, Unisys has created a specially packaged SAPI-only version of its award-winning Natural Language Speech Assistant (NLSA) application development toolkit, available today for downloading from the SpeechDepot Web site.

Unisys NLSA is an easy-to-use toolkit that streamlines voice-user interface design, development, testing and deployment, cutting the average time for creating a new application from months to days. Microsoft SAPI provides the speech middleware required for building Windows operating system-based speech applications.

"Speech is a natural way for people to interact with their computers, anools to build great speech-enabled applications excited to have Unisys on board as one of the premier tool providers working with SAPI."

"Our alliance with Microsoft will help broaden the speech marketplace, resplications being deployed," said Joe Yaworski, vso easy that anyone with a good programming bac clumsy, unnatural dialogue can discourage a uson speech recognition technologies and applications.

The entry-level SAPI version of the industry-leading Unisys NLSA is intended for use in developing desktop applications. This special version of NLSA will support any SAPI-compliant, U.S. English speech recognizer.

This special version will be priced at $495 per copy and will include the Microsoft automated speech recognizer (ASR), the Microsoft Text-to-Speech (TTS) engine, and Microsoft and Unisys middleware, documentation and example applications.

-sponsored SpeechDepot Web site will provide a single source for the components needed for design, development and deployment of speech-based applications. In addition, iech Assistant is an advanced speech-application development tool set. Unisys NLSA not only provides application developers with the tools for designing and creating speech applications but also enables application project management, development methodology and testing.

Unlike ding designation as Best Industrial/ProfessionalQ:MSFT) is the worldwide leader in software foro take advantage of the full power of personal Unisys solutions are based on a broad portfolisportation, telecommunications, government, publishing and other commercial markets. The company is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pa., in the Greater Philadelphia area.

For more information on the company, access the Unisys home page on the World Wide Web at www.unisys.com. Investor information can be found at www.unisys.com/investor.

Unisys is a registered trademark of Unisys Corp. Microsoft, Windows and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries. All other brands and products referenced herein are acknowledged to be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.