Motorola develops markup language: VoxML turns Web data into voice

Motorola hopes its new VoxML voice markup language will become a standard and position the company as a leader in the voice access to the Internet market. VoxML is a programming language that runs parallel to HTML to translate Web page data into voice rather than images.

"We view this as an opportunity to extend the reach of an application beyond the reach of the Web," said Mitesh Patel, director of mobile applications platforms for Motorola's ICSD group. Content providers, including the Weather Channel, CBS MarketWatch.com and Traffic Station Group, have already written voice applications using VoxML.

VoxML would allow users to call a personal assistant service, for example, and ask about stocks, weather or airline schedules. A voice browser integrated with the personal assistant would find the information on a Web site and deliver it to the user.

Siemens Telecom Networks is developing a similar type of service that is designed to allow users to browse sites using voice commands.

However, "I question the demand for these services," said Fran Firth, senior analyst for mobile data information service for Cahners In-Stat Group. A certain niche will find it useful, but not the mass market, she said.

Service providers such as General Magic are the most likely to be interested in a voice markup language and might decide to develop their own, said Bill Meisel, president of TMA Associates.