[Wikipedia-l] [PR] Kurzweil Educational Systems Announces Kurzweil 1000 Version 9 With Expanded Online Search, Portability and Information Sharing

I've nerver heard a company name such as "kurzweil" and I have no clue waht this Kurzweil 1000 - Version 9 is about. But at least they mention wikipedia- so it must be good. Yours, Mathias Schindler [[de:Benutzer:Mathias Schindler]] http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_vi… Here's FYI: June 28, 2004 09:30 AM US Eastern Timezone Kurzweil Educational Systems Announces Kurzweil 1000 Version 9 With Expanded Online Search, Portability and Information Sharing BEDFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 28, 2004-- Company Kicks-off Annual Pricing Promotion and Introduces New "Refer a Friend" Program Kurzweil Educational Systems, Inc., innovator of reading technology for individuals with visual or learning disabilities, today announced Kurzweil 1000(TM) Version 9, the premier scanning and reading software for people who are blind or visually impaired. The latest version of the software makes printed pages and electronic archives more accessible and usable than ever before with a new online encyclopedia search and retrieval capability, broadened support for Web repositories, more accurate scanning, enhanced DAISY and portable device support, and better navigation through document linking. "Computer users everywhere are demanding more and better online access for communication, and for business, personal or academic research, and Kurzweil 1000 users are no different," said Stephen Baum, Chief Technology Officer at Kurzweil Educational Systems. "As online resources expand, so will Kurzweil 1000's access to those resources. We will continue to develop best-of-breed tools to access information--in whatever form it may take." "Kurzweil 1000 was a tremendous help to me as a college student and continues to be very helpful to me now as a working adult," said Vince Tomassetti, Assistive Technology Coordinator for Assistive Technology - British Columbia (Canada). "Kurzweil 1000 not only reads books and documents aloud, but with the extensive online search and retrieval capabilities, I can also research information for whatever my purpose. And the best part of all is, I can transfer text and MP3 files to portable devices, like Book Port, and take my reading with me wherever I go." Kurzweil 1000 Version 9 new features give users: -- Expanded Online Search and Retrieval - Support for online encyclopedias, such as Columbia Encyclopedia and Wikipedia from Wikimedia Foundation as well as access to additional Web repositories, including American Foundation for the Blind's (AFB) AccessWorld and Talking Newspaper Association of the United Kingdom, complement the online book and magazine search capabilities and the already notable list of accessible Web repositories. -- More Accurate Scanning - A new Optical Character Recognition (OCR) engine, ScanSoft(R) OCR(C), and an update of the ABBYY FineReader(TM) OCR engine provide the most accurate recognition available. -- Additional Study Tools - Notes and Document Link options expand an already powerful set of study tools. The Notes feature provides an additional way to annotate documents. The new Document Link feature allows users to explore existing links to dynamically navigate within the same document, another document or Web site to access needed information. -- Increased Portability - Support for Book Port(TM) extends the list of portable devices to which Kurzweil 1000 can transfer text and MP3 files. -- Talking Business Calculator - A new full-function talking business calculator performs, for example, financial functions for loans, mortgages, leases, savings, annuities and more. Version 9's new features expand upon the extensive list of existing features in Kurzweil 1000, including state-of-the-art synthetic speech options, color scanning, flexible writing and editing tools, the ability to send files to e-mail, Braille embosser compatibility, and photocopier, fax and calculator applications. Availability, Pricing and Summer Promotions Kurzweil 1000 Version 9 is scheduled to ship to customers later this summer and can be previewed at the 2004 National Federation of the Blind (NFB) Convention, June 29-July 5 in Atlanta, Georgia; the 2004 American Council of the Blind (ACB) National Convention, July 3-10 in Birmingham, Alabama; and the 2004 Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) International Conference, July 13-18 in Orlando, Florida. A single license of Kurzweil 1000 retails for $995. Volume pricing is also available. Through October 29, 2004, Kurzweil Educational Systems is also offering customers: -- A discount of $100 off the retail price of any new, full-product purchase of a Kurzweil 1000 license. -- The opportunity to participate in the new Refer a Friend Program in which registered Kurzweil 1000 users who refer a new customer who buys a Kurzweil 1000 license receive a $50 American Express gift certificate. Kurzweil 1000 can be purchased directly from Kurzweil Educational Systems at 800-894-5374 (within the U.S. or Canada) or 781-276-0600 (outside the U.S. or Canada), or from Kurzweil Educational Systems' worldwide network of resellers listed at (http://www.kurzweiledu.com/resellers.asp). About Kurzweil Educational Systems, Inc. Kurzweil Educational Systems, founded in 1996, is the industry leader and innovator of reading, writing and learning solutions for people with learning disabilities, and people who are blind or visually impaired. Ray Kurzweil, a co-founder of the original company, invented computer-based reading machine technology 25 years ago to provide access to printed text for the blind. With a pioneering history in developing assistive technology, the company has received worldwide recognition for enabling people with disabilities to lead more independent lives through improved reading and writing abilities. Kurzweil Educational Systems products have recently won a "Media and Methods Awards Portfolio" 2004 Award from Media and Methods magazine, a 2004 Bessie Award from ComputED Gazette magazine, and a 2004 Codie Award from the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA). For more company or product information, or to order online, visit www.kurzweiledu.com. Kurzweil 1000 and Kurzweil Educational Systems, Inc., are trademarks of the Kurzweil Educational Systems, Inc. Other company names and products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Contacts Collaborative Insight, Inc. Ellenann Haughey, 617-357-7715 haughey(a)collaborative.com At A Glance Kurzweil Educational Systems, Inc. Headquarters: Bedford, MA Website: http://www.kurzweiledu.com CEO: Michael Sokol Employees: NA Organization: Private Source: via Business Wire Updated 05/10/2004 by company