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August 14 2006
The Digital Imaging Marketing Association (DIMA) does pod cast interview of Voice-Express President, Geoffrey Stern. Discover opportunities for photo retailers to provide voice-enabled gift products to their customers as Digital Imaging Digest Editor Jennifer Kruger interviews Geoffrey Stern, president of Voice Express. Stern discusses his company's website, www.talkingpix.com, which allows visitors to create voice-enabled photo greeting cards.
Direct download: DIMAcast_012.mp3
June 13, 2006
Voice-Express Corp. launches online service offering talking phone cards
Westport, Conn., USA, launched www.TalkingPix.com where
consumers can use their digital images to create physical talking photo cards in a few steps.
The patented end-to-end system is fun and easy to use:
- Users to the site begin by uploading an image and selecting a template for their card.
- They then drag and drop their image into the template and type a written greeting.
- Users are then taken to a screen which allows them to record a message up to 10 seconds long. They can record there message either by dialing the toll free number provided, or by using their computer's microphone.
- After recording their message (they can re-record as many times as they like), they can immediately see and hear what their finished product will look and sound like - an image of their card appears and clicking on it plays the message they have just recorded.
- Customers then provide billing and shipping information and complete check out. Their card ships within three business days.
- The recipient simply presses the "play" button to enjoy image, written message and audio message together. The recorded message will play about 400 times and the batteries can be replaced without losing the message.
"We believe this application has extraordinary potential," says Geoffrey stern, founder and CEO of Voice-Express. "Think of that photo of a newborn; now add the sound of that baby's first cries. Or that birthday card for grandma with the photo of her grandchildren; now add the sound of them singing her happy birthday. We have launched www.TalkingPix.com to showcase our technology. Our vision is that other image sharing and image processing sites will recognize the value of talking photos and make this feature available to their customers as well."
Voice-Express Corp. is a technology enabler in the new media space, which designs and manufactures a variety of innovative audio and imaging products and delivery systems that enable consumers and brands to create and send products that deliver a self-playing personal voice message.
June 12, 2006
Voice-Express Corp. Launches www.TalkingPix.com,
Where Consumers Can use Digital Images to Create the World's First Physical Talking Photo Cards.
Westport, CT (June 12, 2006) Introducing an entire new dimension to the digital image printing and personalized photo gifts industry, Voice-Express Corp. has launched, www.TalkingPix.com, where consumers can use their digital images to create physical talking photo cards in just a few easy steps.
The patented end-to-end system is fun and easy to use:
- Visitors to the site begin by uploading an image and selecting a template for their card.
- They then drag and drop their image into the template and type a written greeting.
- Visitors are then taken to a screen which allows them to record a message up to 10 seconds long. They can record this message either by dialing the toll free telephone number provided, or by using their computer's microphone.
- After recording their message (they can re-record as many times as they like), they can immediately see and hear what their finished product will look and sound like - an image of their card appears and clicking on it plays the message they have just recorded.
- Customers then provide billing and shipping information and complete check out. Their card ships within three business days.
- The recipient simply presses the "play" button to enjoy image, written message and audio message together. The recorded message will play about 400 times and the batteries can be replaced without losing the message.
"We believe this application has extraordinary potential says Geoffrey Stern Founder and CEO of Voice-Express. . "Whether you want to capture and preserve a moment in time, or convey a heartfelt sentiment, audio adds a whole new depth and richness to the power of the image
.. Think of that photo of a newborn, now add the sound of that baby's first cries. Or that birthday card for grandma with the photo of her grandchildren, now add the sound of them singing her happy birthday. We have launched talkingpix.com to showcase our technology. Our vision is that other image sharing and image processing sites will recognize the value of talking photos and make this feature available to their customers as well."
About Voice-Express
Voice Express Corp., based in Westport, Connecticut, is a technology enabler in the New Media space which designs and manufactures a variety of innovative audio and imaging products and delivery systems that enable consumers and brands to create and send products that deliver a self-playing personal voice message. The Company's patents include US Patents 5,425,078, 5,490,206, 5,570,414 and 6,356,626. Visit www.Voice-Express.com, or call (203) 221-7799.
January 16, 2006
Attention Retailers: Voice-Express Corp. Introduces The Talking Gift Card
WESTPORT, Connecticut, January 16, 2006
Just as Voice-Express® gave Build-A-Bear its voice, their same technology is giving a voice to retail
gift cards. In 1999, Voice-Express® partnered with Build-A-Bear Workshop® to create a voice recorder
accessory for their stuffed animals - and customers snuggled up to this unique opportunity for selfexpression
in a big way. Today, using Voice-Express® technology, Build-A-Bear Workshop® is listed on
the New York Stock Exchange with annual revenues over $300 million and over 200 stores worldwide.
Now Voice-Express® has warmed and fuzzified the gift card business with their customer-voice
recorded Talking Gift Card. Voice-Express' innovative technology allows the customer to record up to a
ten-second personal message directly onto a gift card. What may often be perceived as an impersonal
gift - "I had no idea what to give you so I bought a gift card" - can now be personalized with the giftgiver's
own voice and unique message: "Hi Jessica and Mike! Congrats on the new apartment. Buy
something you love. Can't wait to see your new digs."
And Voice-Express® has made The Talking Gift Card a cinch to use. The customer simply presses a
button and speaks into the built-in microphone to record a message; re-recording is easy if necessary.
The recipient just presses the play button to hear the gift-giver's voice in remarkably high-quality sound.
The recorded portion of The Talking Gift Card is detachable from the gift card piece, so, long after the
shopping is done, the recorded voice lives on.
Can't get to the store? The Talking Gift Card can be ordered online from the retailer's website. The
customer's voice is recorded by phone or computer microphone, burned onto the gift card, and
delivered right into the hands of the lucky gift-getter.
"This is essentially very cool, very high tech gift wrapping", says Geoffrey Stern, Founder and CEO of
Voice-Express Corp. "Customers invest a lot of time and money to present a gift in a special way, and
The Talking Gift Card helps personalize their gifts and makes them stand out".
Voice-Express® was founded in 1997 to design, produce and market a variety of innovative, soundenhanced
products and services using the Company's patents for online/offline voice-chip recording and
delivery and other proprietary technologies.
Continuing its practice of finding best-in-class partners such as Build-A-Bear Workshop®, Voice-
Express® has partnered with Arthur Blank & Company to produce The Talking Gift Card. Arthur Blank
& Company is the largest producer of private label plastic cards in North America. Founded in 1934, they
print and personalize more than 850 million plastic cards a year.
For an online demonstration of The Talking Gift Card, go to www.voice-express.com and click on
Message Maker Demo. And for a product photo, www.voice-express.com/giftcard.shtml
January 15, 2006
Arthur Blank & Co., Inc. Partners with Voice-Express®
To Introduce the New Talking Gift Card
BOSTON (January 15, 2006) - Arthur Blank & Co. (www.arthurblank.com), the industry leader in card marketing solutions, announces a partnership with Voice-Express® to manufacture the new Talking Gift Card, an innovative gift card that lets consumers record a personal message. The Talking Gift Card contains voice chip technology that makes this more personal gift giving possible.
"There is a message behind every gift and consumers are always looking for new and better ways to express themselves. The Talking Gift Card opens a world of opportunity for retailers," said Geoffrey Stern, Founder and CEO, Voice-Express. "Delivering personalization and customization on a mass scale are among the great challenges facing retailers today."
The patented Talking Gift Card is a new addition to the Arthur Blank & Co. line of customizable gift cards. "We are happy to partner with Voice-Express for this new product," said Jake Jacobs, vice president of sales, Arthur Blank & Co. "Using Arthur Blank's high-volume, state-of-the-art capabilities in concert with the innovative technology from Voice-Express, we now offer the ideal gift for someone who wants to give more than just a gift card. We are excited to offer this unique product to our client base."
Arthur Blank & Co. and Voice-Express will showcase this product during the National Retail Federation Expo, January 16-17 in New York (Arthur Blank, Booth #744; Voice-Express Corp., Booth #257). Further information about The Talking Gift Card can be found by visiting www.arthurblank.com, or by calling (800) 776-7333.
About Arthur Blank:
Arthur Blank & Co., Inc., located in Boston, Massachusetts, specializes in all facets of custom printed plastic cards. Products include private label loyalty, gift, phone, credit, debit, membership, security I.D., and access cards, as well as complete card numbering and personalization. For more information, please visit www.arthurblank.com or call (800) 776-7333.
About Voice-Express®:
Voice-Express® was founded in 1997 to design, produce and market a variety
of innovative sound-enhanced products and services using the Company's patents for online/offline voice-chip recording and delivery and other proprietary technologies. Today, whether for e-commerce or for traditional retail, for enhancing the exchanging of gifts, or for adding impact to a marketing program, Voice-Express is leading the way in harnessing the power of sound.
November 30, 2005
A new kind of mail call:
Military families can now create and send talking photo keepsakes,
with their own voices, to their loved ones overseas using
technology from Voice-Express Corp. and dotPhoto.
Click Here to view a sample.
Click Here to see televised story.
Fifty Cents from each purchase to go to the United States Wounded Soldiers Foundation
Westport, CT (November 30, 2005) -- Now, the best part of a servicemember's day just got better. For the first time, family and friends on the home front can go online, upload a photo, and then use their telephone to add their voices to it, making a physical, one-of-a-kind keepsake that gets automatically shipped to any APO or FPO address.
This unique greeting card program, called "Wishes from Home™," marks the first time a personal voice message can be added to a photograph -- from any computer, anywhere in the world, and then shipped -- all done seamlessly in one visit to a single website.
Patented technology from Voice-Express Corp. lets families record a personal message through the phone, and add it to a digital photo that they've uploaded to www.dotPhoto.com. The recipient receives a printed greeting card with that photo, which includes a play button to push to hear the message. The card with the voice chip can be kept in a pack or pocket, or hung on a wall with its attached tab. The message can be replayed about 400 times, and replacing the battery doesn't erase the message.
Stars and Stripes, the daily newspaper published exclusively for the military, will have a "Wishes from Home" link at (www.stripes.com) that will take people to a special landing page on www.dotphoto.com . Those purchasing through the Stars and Stripes site will receive a special discount. President and CEO of Voice-Express, Geoffrey Stern suggests, "Like the introduction of talking movies vs. silent films, talking photos open a new world of expression. The addition of sound adds an emotional immediacy never before available with photographs."
Mail call has never sounded like this
Most soldiers will say that the greatest moment in camp is mail call, when they receive something special they can hold in their hands and keep close. "Wishes from Home" creates just that, uniting voice and photograph in a simple way.
Here's how it works -- with a simple process that takes place at one site:
- Mom takes a digital photo of the kids
- She goes to www.dotphoto.com and clicks on "Wishes from Home"
- She chooses a card design and uploads the photo, with a short message to be printed on the card
- She and the kids call a toll-free number provided on the site to record their message. They can re-record as many times as they want
- When the message is done, she hangs up and completes the transaction
- Dad in camp receives the photo card that includes a play button to press to hear his kids' voices
Photos that talk from
Voice-Express and dotPhoto
Contact: Andrew Barer, Voice-Express
203.221.7799, ext.5; abarer@voice-express.com
Ground-breaking combination
This simple, one-stop-shop method of marrying picture with sound as a physical gift item has never before been available. Stern states, "People have always shared sentiments with photos, saving them for posterity. It's only natural to combine an image with the voice, which is the most direct way of expressing oneself. Our partnership with dotPhoto allows customers to preserve a moment in time, with sound and image."
Holiday deadline
For guaranteed delivery in time for Christmas, orders must be received by December 11, 2005. The cost for a talking greeting card will be $7.99, plus $3.85 for U.S. Priority Mail shipping to any APO or FPO address. Special pricing for Stripes Club members will be $6.99 plus shipping. "Wishes from Home" is starting this Christmas and will become a year-round program. In addition, $1 from the sale of each card will be donated to the U.S. Wounded Soldiers Foundation.
About Voice-Express Corp.
Founded in 1997, Voice-Express designs, produces and markets a variety of innovative sound-enhanced products and services. With them, consumers and brand marketers can create and send products that deliver a self-playing personal voice message. Voice-Express is a leader in developing unique solutions for enhancing traditional products like gift cards, sales collateral, promotional advertising and image keepsakes. For more information, visit www.voice-express.com
About dotPhoto, Inc.
dotPhoto is the most comprehensive Internet provider for photo printing and image/sound archiving services. They were the first website to accept both image and sound files from digital cameras, and the only site where sound clips can be added to current and archived digital photos. dotPhoto's technology can also support businesses by creating multi-media presentations, enhancing existing presentations and providing digital imaging archiving services. Visit www.dotphoto.com for more information.
About Stars and Stripes
A daily newspaper published for the U.S. military, DoD civilians, contractors and their families, Stars and Stripes has published continuously in Europe since 1942. Stars and Stripes operates as a First Amendment newspaper, free of control and censorship. The daily paper contains all the elements of the hometown paper left behind by service members, from news and sports to coupons, comics and crossword puzzles. For more information, visit www.stripes.com .
About the United States Wounded Soldiers Foundation
Teresa Goforth began flying Military Troop Transports in March 2003 and with layover time in Germany, she inquired into the needs of the wounded at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. Wounded soldiers arrive at this hospital sometimes with very little other than the clothes on their back. The U.S. Wounded Soldiers Foundation provides the personal items these men and woman need to be comfortable during their rehabilitation in Germany. The foundation also supports The Fisher House located next to the hospital, which provides lodging for the families of critically wounded patients while visiting their loved ones, and for the wounded while receiving outpatient care. The US Wounded Soldier Foundation was formed by Teresa Goforth, and is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization.
September 16, 2003
Voice-Express Corp. and LJ Talk LLC Sign a Patent License and Collaboration Agreement Covering Recordable Pictures and Remote Record Playback and Messaging Products
Tuckahoe, NY, September 16th, 2003 - Voice-Express Corporation announced today that it has signed a License and Collaboration Agreement with LJ Talk LLC which will increase the Intellectual Property base available to the Company and its licensees in the Recordable Picture and Remote Record Messaging product markets and further enhance Voice-Express as the leader in this field.
Voice-Express and LJ Talk have independently developed technologies and been issued patents which permit the creation of consumer and promotional products which record and replay a personal voice message at the touch of a button. Using these technologies gift-givers and photo enthusiasts, whether at a retail store, on the phone or online, can purchase a gift, keepsake or image display product which will capture and play back their personal voice message to the delight of friends and family and for years to come. Premier Gift Companies such as Build-A-Bear Workshop® and Lillian Vernon are using this technology to further enhance their brand and personalize their customer’s retail experience. Digital photographers and users of cell phones equipped with a digital camera can describe their image or capture the ambient sounds at the moment they snap a picture and wirelessly transfer both into a talking frame, postcard or novelty item such as a talking mouse pad or photo message pillow.
The patents have filing dates going back to 1991 and disclose technology for voice recording that is found in products such as talking frames, gift and floral cards and memory-making products.
According to Alan Loudermilk, President of LJ Talk; “Voice-Express represented a perfect partner for LJ Talk since both companies had been issued patents and developed voice chip related technologies which complemented each other. Together our IP will provide one-stop shopping for any vendor wishing to allow their customers to express themselves in the personal, immediate and emotional manner that only self-playing voice will deliver.”
Voice-Express Corp. is based in Tuckahoe, New York and designs and manufactures a variety of innovative messaging products that enable consumers and brands to create and send products that deliver a self-playing personal voice message. The Company’s patents include US Patents: 5,425,078 5,490,206 5,570,414 and 6,356,626.
LJ Talk LLC is based in Chicago, Illinois and Cupertino, California and develops and licenses intellectual property relating to products that record personal messages and/or display images. LJ Talk has the following US Patents: 6,393,402 6,393,401 6,381,573 6,377,926 6,263,310 6,185,851 5,956,682 5,504,836
March 12, 2002
Newly Patented Application for voice chip enables talking products and appliances that share messages.
Peer-To-Peer System Enables Toys, Photo Frames, Alarm Clocks and Marketing Promotions To Transfer, Receive and Play Personalized Voice Messages.
Tuckahoe, NY, March 12, 2002 – Voice-Express Corporation, a privately held technology enabler and the provider of V o i c e-PackagingTM solutions, today announced the grant by the USPTO of a patent that will dramatically increase the market for products that deliver a personal voice message.
The Company has previously developed a patented online-offline messaging system, which simplifies the recording and ordering of self-playing voice messaging products over the phone or the Internet. Using the Company’s application, consumer and business customers are able to send a voice-card along with a gift or product sample without leaving their home or office. Voice enabled products such as customized plush toys, talking photo frames or packages combine the personal voice of the sender with a memorable object or product marking a special event, celebrating a holiday or launching a new product or service.
“With our new patent, users will be able to update previously delivered talking products with new messages and comments,” said Geoffrey Stern, President of Voice-Express, “Just as Internet users enjoy sharing Instant Messages, now a grandmother and grandchild, from afar, will be able to exchange voice messages stored on a photo frame or a teddy bear on a regular and timely basis. We envision this technology creating a host of voice enabled appliances such as clocks which deliver a personal wake-up call or a family message board where family members can record and hear messages from other family members whether they live across the hall or across the country.”
US Patent 6,356,626 (POINT TO POINT VOICE MESSAGE PROCESSOR, METHOD AND RECORDING PLAYBACK DEVICE) also enables retail, kiosk and flower shop customers to select a recordable gift and record a message directly into the store sample in-hand. Once the purchase is complete the customer’s message is retrieved off of the sales sample and transferred to an identical product at a location near the intended recipient. This new patent along with the Company’s previous patents will permit same-day-delivery of voice-personalized products purchased at any retail venue whether it be on the web, over the phone, catalog, kiosk or in-store.
The Company has already signed a long-term purchasing agreement and granted a license to sell voice personalized plush toys to Build-A-Bear Workshop and plans to offer similar deals for retailers and premier brands in markets such as image sharing, floral and gift, incentive rewards and continuity and loyalty marketing, medical compliance and other applications where the exchange of goods and services are enhanced and the perceived value of the offer increased with the addition of a personalized voice message.
About Voice-Express
Voice-Express Corp. is a technology enabler dedicated to advancing its patented next-generation messaging engine for traditional and e-commerce. The Company provides a total solution for delivering voice-chip enabled messaging. The Company’s V o i c e-packagingTM solutions personalize the exchange of goods and services and build brand loyalty and affinity and are appropriate for gift-giving, image sharing, product sampling, relationship marketing, compliance and sales support and other online-offline promotions and incentive rewards whose perceived value and impact is increased by the voice of the sender.
January 31, 2002
Build-A-Bear offers Build-A-Sound online
Build-A-Bear Workshop is offering its online customers the option to further personalize their bears with a recorded voice message placed inside the toy.
The Build-A-Sound option allows website customers to record a personalized voice message over a phone line and store it in a miniature recorder, which is then placed inside the stuffed animal. The feature has been available in its stores for nearly two years. The cost for the voice message is $8 both in the store and online.
"We are excited to launch this just before Valentine's Day when so many people want to share a special message of love through a stuffed animal," said Maxine Clark, Chief Executive, in a statement.
St. Louis-based Build-A-Bear Workshop is an interactive toy store. The privately held company currently has 72 stores in 30 states with plans to expand to 100 stores by the end of this year. The company was ranked as the second-fastest growing private company on the Business Journal's May 2001 list, with 1,609-percent growth in revenue from 1998 to 2000.
Copyright 2002 American City Business Journals Inc.
January 30, 2002
Build-A-Bear WorkshopTM Offers Build-A-SoundTM to Web Site Guests, Adds Voice Messages to Bears
January 30, 2002 (Newstream) -- Build-A-Bear WorkshopTM offers even more personalization for its web site customers by announcing the launch of its record your own Build-A-SoundTM option for their bears. The newly patented system, which is exclusive to Build-A-Bear Workshop, offers website customers the option to record their own personalized voice message over a phone line and without leaving the web site. The purchaser's voice is stored onto a miniature recorder, which is placed directly into the customer's new stuffed animal. Although available in Build-A-Bear Workshop for nearly two years, the company wanted to perfect the technology for online use. Build-A-Sound is available for the same price online as it is in store, just $8.
According to Build-A-Bear Workshop Chief Executive Bear Maxine Clark, "Adding this feature is another way for us to make the guest experience on our web site as personal and creative as the Workshop experience. We safely tuck the small recorder into the bear...a perfect way to say 'I love you' or to record a unique message such as 'Will you marry me?,' 'You got the job!,' or 'Congrats on your promotion,' just to mention a few. We are very excited to launch this just before Valentine's Day when so many people want to share a special message of love through a stuffed animal. The record-your-own feature has been available in our stores for almost two years and has been very popular from the beginning. We are very happy to be able to provide this option at the same affordable price for the first time to our web site guests."
The Build-A-SoundTM online voice feature combines the familiarity of a traditional telephone with the convenience of e-commerce and is powered by Voice-Express, an emerging leader in voice-chip messaging technology. Voice-Express also provides solutions for gift-giving, image sharing, relationship marketing and other V o i c e-packagingTM applications. Voice-Express is an APEX Voice Communications value-added reseller and offers hosting services and dedicated servers using the Omnivox® Intelligent Call Processor platform to licensees such as Build-A-Bear Workshop.
About Voice-Express
Voice-Express Corp. is a technology enabler dedicated to advancing its patented next-generation messaging engine for e-commerce. The company provides a total solution for delivering voice-chip enabled messaging. Voice-Express Messaging personalizes e-commerce and is appropriate for gift-giving, image sharing, product sampling, relationship marketing and sales support and other online-offline promotions and incentive rewards whose perceived value and impact is increased by the voice of the sender. Voice-Express is also an APEX value-added reseller. For further information, visit www.voiceexpress.com.
About APEX
APEX Voice Communications is a leading manufacturer of enhanced service and billing solutions for network service providers worldwide. APEX offers solutions for enhanced switching, intelligent call routing, network IVR, service creation, call processing, unified messaging, wireless e-mail, prepaid calling and usage-based billing. For more information, visit www.apexvoice.com.
About Build-A-Bear Workshop
Build-A-Bear Workshop is an interactive, entertainment retailer that invites guests to create their own customized stuffed animals. The company currently operates 72 stores in 30 states coast-to-coast and plans to have 100 locations by the end of 2002. The National Retail Federation (NRF) named Build-A-Bear Workshop the 2001 Retail Innovator of the Year. Build-A-Bear Workshop has also been named the Best Company to work for by Internet Week Magazine. The premier store opened in the Saint Louis Galleria in October 1997. For more information, call 888-560-BEAR or visit the company's award-winning web site at www.buildabear.com.
January 29, 2002
Build-A-Bear WorkshopTM Adds Build-A-SoundTM to Website Using OmniVox®
SHERMAN OAKS, CA, JANUARY 29, 2002 – APEX Voice Communications, a leading supplier of enhanced voice services and billing solutions to network service providers and the enterprise worldwide, today announced that Voice-Express Corp., provider of online-offline voice-chip enhanced messaging products and APEX value-added reseller, has entered into an agreement with Build-A-Bear Workshop to provide the Build-A-Sound option to its website Guests.
“Build-A-Bear Workshop wanted to offer the same high level of personalization for its website Guests by adding its already successful in-store record your own Build-A-Sound option to products purchased on its website”, said Geoffrey Stern, President of Voice-Express. “By using the OmniVox Intelligent Call/Media Processor from APEX, we were able to ensure reliability and ease of use, and do it in time for the Valentine's Day holiday, when so many people want to share a special message of love through a stuffed animal.”
The Build-A-Sound link is displayed throughout the Build-A-Bear Workshop website. When the link is pressed, a pop-up window appears which displays a toll-free number and a unique message ID number. The Guest simply dials the number, (then or at a later time) enters the message ID number and is prompted to record a 10-second message. OmniVox automatically replays the recorded message and the Guest is prompted to re-record or send the message.
Once the message is sent, it is converted to a .WAV file, normalized and truncated to maximize audio playback quality by the voice chip recorder. When the Build-A-Bear Workshop web store is ready to ship the order, a voice chip recorder is inserted into the Voice-Express Easy Programmer and the voice file is retrieved from OmniVox and programmed into the recorder, which is then assembled into the purchased bear and shipped. The integration of OmniVox with the patented Voice-Express chip application combines the familiarity of a traditional telephone with the convenience of e-commerce to provide a next-generation messaging and merchandising solution for Build-A-Bear Workshop.
According to Build-A-Bear Workshop Chief Executive Maxine Clark, “Adding this feature is another way for us to make the Guest experience on our website as personal and creative as the Workshop experience. We safely tuck the small recorder into the bear... a perfect way to say ‘I love you,’ or to record a unique message such as ‘Will you marry me?’ or ‘You got the job.’”
About APEX
APEX is a leading manufacturer of enhanced voice services and billing solutions for network service providers and the enterprise worldwide. APEX’s high-density, open platforms enable carriers to bring innovative, revenue-generating services to market quickly, easily and cost-effectively. APEX offers solutions for enhanced switching, intelligent call routing, network IVR, service creation, call processing, unified messaging, wireless e-mail, prepaid calling and usage-based billing.
About Voice-Express
Voice-Express is a technology enabler dedicated to advancing its patented next-generation messaging engine for e-commerce. The Company provides a total solution for delivering voice-chip enabled messaging. For more information please contact: +1 914.395.1010 (Worldwide), +1 888.293.5855 (United States), e-mail sales@voiceexpress.com or visit www.voiceexpress.com.
About Build-A-Bear Workshop
Build-A-Bear Workshop is an interactive entertainment retailer that invites guests to create their own customized stuffed animals. The company currently operates 72 stores in 30 states coast-to-coast and plans to have 100 locations by the end of 2002. For more information, visit www.buildabear.com.
Click here for more information about OmniVox Call/Media Processor.
February 7, 2001
Voice-Express uses Winbond's chipcorder to deliver real talking flowers and gifts
Valentine Presents That Deliver Sentiments in Your Own Voice
San Jose, CA, February 7, 2001 - Winbond Electronics Corporation America (WECA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Winbond Electronics Corporation and a leading supplier of semiconductor solutions, today announced that its award-winning line of ChipCorderTM solutions are powering one of the latest trends in e-commerce, personalized voice messaging via the Internet. Winbond's ISD1400 and ISD1100 series ChipCorder solutions are providing the high quality, single-chip solutions for consumers to record personalized voice messages into real flowers, gifts and cards.
Utilized by Voice-Express, the chips have been integrated into Voice-Express's on-line solution that enables consumers to record a voice message from any web page using a PC microphone or a standard telephone. When a consumer selects an item for on-line purchasing, the buyer can easily record a voice message that is temporarily stored on Voice-Express Internet Servers and then downloaded inside a greeting card or other ChipCorder-enabled gift at the delivery point. The voice-personalized gift is physically delivered directly to the recipient. Internet sites, including www.talkingflowers.com, www.flowerclub.com, and www.snapfish.com, are already utilizing the Voice-Express solution.
"Winbond's award winning ChipCorder product line has once again proven its versatility by providing customers with high quality, voice messaging solutions, this time for Internet e-commerce," said Tom Sullivan, Sr. Vice President, Sales, Winbond Electronics Corporation America. "Internet commerce has dramatically changed the buying habits of millions of consumers. But what has not changed, despite astounding advancements in technology, is the need for personalization. And nothing is more humanizing, more personal, than the sound of another person's voice."
"We are pleased to feature Winbond's ChipCorder products as part of our messaging engine solution for e-commerce," said Geoffrey Stern, president and founder of Voice-Express. "Our messaging engine engages and motivates browsers to become buyers while creating a compelling viral marketing tool which uses the voice of the sender to increase the perceived value of a brand or product offer. Only Winbond's chips provide the clear, crisp, voice record and playback that discerning consumers demand."
The Winbond ISD1100 and 1400 series chips feature high-quality, single-chip record/playback solutions for 10 and 20 second messaging applications. The CMOS devices include an on-chip oscillator, microphone preamplifier, automatic gain control, antialiasing filter, smoothing filer and speaker amplifier. The technology is made possible through Winbond's patented non-volatile multilevel storage technology. Voice and audio signals are stored directly into memory in their natural form, providing the highest possible quality, solid-state voice reproduction.
About Winbond
Winbond Electronics Corporation was founded in 1987 and is based in Hsinchu Science-Based Park, Taiwan. It has since become the largest branded IC company in Taiwan, offering a broad range of PC and peripheral-related ICs, consumer electronics ICs, multimedia ICs, and memory ICs. Winbond is a market leader in the telephone dialer, PC I/O controller, memory, speech synthesizer and MPEG decoder markets. With four wafer fabs currently in operation, the Company utilizes process technologies ranging from 1.0um µm down to 0.175µm. Winbond has more than 4200 employees worldwide, and its design centers located in Hsinchu, Taiwan; Shanghai, China; San Jose, California; Austin, Texas; and Herzilya, Israel. World Wide Web home page: www.winbond.com.
About Voice-Express
Voice-Express Corp. is a technology enabler dedicated to advancing its patented next-generation messaging engine for e-commerce. The Company provides a total solution for delivering voice-chip enabled messaging. Voice-Express Messaging personalizes e-commerce and is appropriate for gift-giving, image sharing, product sampling, relationship marketing and sales support and other online-offline promotions and incentive rewards whose perceived value and impact is increased by the voice of the sender.
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