Tellme, a Mountain View, Calif. voice recognition company, has launched a notable mobile voice search feature.
On a Java-enabled phone, you hit the “talk” button, and say the name of city and state you are searching in. Then you say the name of the business (or ‘restaurants’ or ‘pizza’), and Tellme will return results on your phone, along with address, map and directions. It is free (though data charges apply according to your wireless plan).
You can do this by talking or typing. It covers the U.S., but it is a limited testing mode — meaning you have to sign up for it.
In Oct., Tellme signed a deal to offer 411 voice service via Cingular. Earlier last year, it said it was handling more than two billion directory calls a year, 74 percent of which are done without human intervention.
7 Comments
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ravi said:
If we go by the 1 Billion number, did their call center agents answer 240 million calls last year, does this sound right ?
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RK said:
No it is more like 500 million calls for 2 billion call, this is why Cingular is not making a big deal out of it. This also boils to Voice Rec tech word error rate, which is extremely high. Also this might mean if you want direction for main st in San Jose, CA. they may send you direction for some street in Santa Monica,CA . BTW cingular win’s either way as you will end up using data plan and paying, also it seems with this java applet they are not doing much of front end audio processing, this means you will be uploading voice stream data as well. does not look like it is ready for prime time!! still way’s to go.
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jp said:
Tellme does 411 for verizon and cingular (as well as at&t toll free). I think that is where that 1 billion number came from.
RK, why do you think it is not ready prime time? have you used it much? not working?
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RK said:
I have used it via Cingular for 411, this service extremely high word error rate, 1 out 3~4 times, I was transfered to live operator. So based on this I am presuming they will send 26% of there directions to a call center top get it transcribed and routed manually to there directions server. On Cingular 411 , I stopped using it, Now I use Jingle 411 it has same issue, but it is free, cingular cost’s money!
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eric said:
Tellme is interesting, but the DNA of their company is not to acquire advertisers to support these apps. Cool technology, but tough to make the transition to media company from pure infrastructure
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Kathleen said:
Cingular charges $1.79 per call to 411. I had the unfortunate experience that 6 times in a row, even when I said “agent” over and over until I was put through to a live agent I could not get a direct connection. I was driving and could not write down a number and then re-dial. I was furious; thanks for nothing - oh yeah and thanks for increasing my monthly bill by almost 25% in the process. So, any of the free services like Jingle or Tellme get my vote.
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Felipe said:
Hello,
We have developed a similar solution but without requiring any downloads or setup. You simply call us, and our Mobile Helpers will search the web for you.
We’re beta right now. Please send us your feedback!
Felipe
