SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 22 (UPI) -- Two U.S. tech companies say they're teaming up to give cable subscribers the ability to tell their televisions what they want to watch by talking to their sets.
Electronic-guide service Rovi and speech technology company Nuance Communications said television viewers will be able to change the channel with voice commands -- as well as browse, bookmark and search for content on both live and recorded programming by speaking to their sets, MediaNewsDaily reported Wednesday.
The companies did not disclose when the technology -- said to be similar to Apple's iPhone 4S's Siri voice-assistance function -- would be available.
"Entertainment options will continue to grow," Rovi's Corey Ferengu said. "With it will be the complexity of finding and deciding what to watch.
"Consumers want easy-to-use and simple ways for discovering entertainment that doesn't require a remote control with as many keys as a keyboard. Voice brings this capability."
