May 22, 2013 - 12:32 AM EDT — AAPL: 441.302 (-1.628, -0.37%) | NASDAQ: 3498.965 (+33.722, +0.97%)

Nuance launches voice-controlled television with new Dragon TV platform

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 · 11:08 am · 20 Comments

“Nuance, a speech recognition company that [in=part] powers Apple’s Siri service, has launched a new voice-controlled platform for television sets called Dragon TV,” Killian Bell reports for Cult of Mac.

“The service allows you to navigate your way around different content by ‘speaking channel numbers, station names, show and movie names’ using natural language,” Bell reports. “With Dragon TV, you won’t be restricted to structured commands, and like the Siri service in the iPhone 4S, you’ll be able to use natural language to control your set.”

Bell reports, “While the service may allow manufacturers to compete with an upcoming Siri-powered Apple TV, it could also be the engine that drives Apple’s set.”

Read more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: Wait for Apple.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader "Arline M." for the heads up.]

Categories: News

Tags: Dragon TV, iPhone 4S, Nuance, Siri, television, voice control, voice recognition

Thank You for supporting MacDailyNews!

 Apple 13.3" MacBook Air dual-core Intel Core i7 2.0GHz, 8GB RAM, 512GB Flash Storage, Intel HD Graphics 4000, Mac OS X Lion (Z0ND-20GHZ8GB512) only $2,159.99
 Secret Sale Exclusive for MacMall Valued Customers Only
 Apple 15.4" MacBook Pro (with Retina display) quad-core Intel Core i7 2.3GHz/16GB RAM/256GB FS/IntelHD Graphics4000/OS X Lion (Z0MK-15-2.3-16-256RT) only $2,333.99
 Apple Blowouts: Up to $649 OFF on Last Gen Macs. Prices start at $1,999.99 w/ Free Upgrade to OS X Mountain Lion & Free FedEx Overnight ends 02/08 6:15PM PST.
 Apple 13.3" MacBook Pro dual-core Intel Core i7 2.9GHz, 8GB RAM, 750GB 5400-rpm hard drive, Intel HD Graphics 4000, Ships with Mountain Lion (MD102LL/A) only $1,419.97

Comment Feed

20 Comments

correctu

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - 11:18 am · Reply

The service will also be coming as an app to iOS, Android, and Linux.
- John Smith
  
  Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - 12:08 pm · Reply
  
  Here’s the elephant in the room: WHY didn’t Apple lock down (buy) Nuance BEFORE launching Siri???!!
  - DeRS
    
    Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - 12:12 pm · Reply
    
    Because talking to your TV will be never main way to use the device.
TheMacAdvocate

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - 11:19 am · Reply

First of all, I don’t see how you can get much less restrictive than Siri, which is also billed as using the “natural language model”. Dragon’s spokespeople should choose their language a little more carefully; Siri put these people on the map.

That said, being able to call up “Doctor Who” and get a list of show times would be sweet as hell.
- Predrag
  
  Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - 11:58 am · Reply
  
  …”you won’t be restricted to structured commands, and like the Siri service in the iPhone 4S, you’ll be able to use natural language”…
  
  Nowhere did he indicate that they are less restrictive than Siri. He clearly said that they are EXACTLY like Siri, with natural language interface.
- Truth
  
  Wednesday, January 11, 2012 - 8:33 am · Reply
  
  A tad arrogant don’t you think. THEIR software allows SIRI to EXIST is more to the truth. SIRI is based off of Nuance’s technology, not the other way around.
eldernorm

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - 11:20 am · Reply

I can see it now. Watching the game on channel 33 and at a critical juncture, the wife asks how many biscuits hubby wants with lunch…… “2″ he says…. and the tv changes to channel 2..

“33″ he yells……. Then the wife says “You want 33 biscuits”??
Whats wrong with you…. and Don’t yell at me!!!

Well, you get the idea. lol
- Bizlaw
  
  Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - 11:29 am · Reply
  
  What’s even worse is when you’re watching a big game and a fantastic play happens. You yell, “Oh my God!” or “Jesus!” and the TV changes to a show with people Tebowing ….
  - Heimer
    
    Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - 1:05 pm · Reply
    
    now that’s funny shit
  - skylec
    
    Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - 2:02 pm · Reply
    
    You would have to press button before you speak just like iPhone 4s. Duh
- AAPLGuy
  
  Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - 11:40 am · Reply
  
  You have to press a button to activate Siri on the phone. Why do you think it would be different with the Siri TV remote?
  - Michael G
    
    Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - 12:38 pm · Reply
    
    No button. Just simply say, “Siri…”
    
    But Tom Cruise and his wife might have trouble.
Hg Wells

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - 11:28 am · Reply

Companies often do defensive buying, taking over a company just so a competitor doesn’t buy it and either lock them out or fuel a competing product. I still do not understand Apple’s failure to do this with certain companies. In the wrong hands, there is more than one company purchase by a competitor which could hurt Apple.
opsono

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - 11:50 am · Reply

I just do _not_ want to talk to a remote, sorry. It’s bad enough how often I talk back to the TV, period. I do want a remote that _knows_ what my TV has available, though, and will let me switch, instantly, to other channels or sources, with a preview function in the remote itself, and have it able to control _any_ other device connected. Big pluses would be one-touch contrast/brightness and, yes please, auto-mute for commercials, and some way to block certain programming (not channels), like religious crap and ‘reality’ TV.
- davylow
  
  Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - 12:40 pm · Reply
  
  Amen, Brother. I find it hard to believe that Steve Jobs’ comment about “finally cracking it” (or whatever) had to do with voice controlled televisions.
DRMSSDB

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - 12:02 pm · Reply

My understanding is that Nuance’s speech recognition is just that – speech recognition. Siri’s is “powered” by the artificial intelligence, which is the thing that differentiates Siri from simply voice recognition. Therefore, I suspect that Dragon TV will not have the same breadth of ability that an Apple HDTV would have with Siri.
Obermac

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - 12:03 pm · Reply

Not sure why Apple is getting beat to the market by all these guys, while they dick around with Appe TV as a hobby.
- kingmel
  
  Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - 12:49 pm · Reply
  
  Since I do not have insight into Apple’s plans and future products, I share your trepidation. However, Apple can come to market later and still succeed, because Apple jumps in when it is ready, not just to make a publicity splash. Besides, Apple’s plans and approach may be entirely different, involving iOS devices as remotes for the AppleTV, etc. Apple’s would-be competitors might very well be barking up the wrong tree (as usual).
Dave H

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - 1:43 pm · Reply

I guess it’s going to work similar to Siri, but aimed at the TV landscape. For example you hold down a button on the remote then state “Find me a show not involving Simon Cowell in any way”. After a couple of days the TV will finally locate something, probably on a shopping channel, and change you to it.
Derek Currie

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - 2:02 pm · Reply

Of course the huge problem with speech recognition is:
Ambient noise

I hope the microphone for this setup is on the remote and NOT on the TV. That is one reason Siri works so well: The mic is at the mouth. Tossing the mic out into the world at large = hell.