From Reuters via peHUB:
Amazon.com Inc said on Thursday that it acquired speech-recognition company Ivona Software, a sign the world’s largest Internet retailer may be looking to develop more services similar to Apple Inc’s Siri voice-based search product.Lest we forget:
Amazon did not say how much it paid for Ivona and an Amazon spokeswoman declined to comment on a purchase price.
Ivona’s technology already supports several features on Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablet computers, such as “Text-to-Speech,” said Dave Limp, who oversees the Kindle business.
“We look forward to building great products to deliver world-class voice solutions to customers around the world,” Limp said in a statement.
Apple’s Siri service on its iPhone smartphones lets users ask questions and delivers answers, suggestions or actions. Ivona’s text-to-speech technology on Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD tablets reads Kindle e-books aloud to users.
“The Ivona acquisition could provide some technology on the Kindle to compete with Siri, although I would argue that Siri has not been all that was expected of it so far,” said Kerry Rice, an analyst at Needham & Co....MORE
Amazon’s $775 Million Acquisition of Kiva Systems Could Shift How Businesses See Robots
HAL: Just what do you think you're doing, Dave?
[on Dave's return to the ship, after HAL has killed the rest of the crew]
HAL: Look Dave, I can see you're really upset about this. I honestly think you ought to sit down calmly, take a stress pill, and think things over.
