Qualcomm adds Nuance voice input to its Toq smartwatch: Toq Talk

Qualcomm’s Toq smartwatch is a genuinely interesting smartwatch device from the company that powers lots of other people’s devices but you don’t often see make its own branded devices.

The Qualcomm Toq makes a feature of its always-on Mirasol touchscreen display which uses reflected light to make it readable even in the brightest conditions. The watch can run for days between charges. It works with your Android smartphone to “accept or reject smartphone calls, view text messages, meeting reminders and more right from your wrist.”

Qualcomm Toq Smartwatch

Today we have learned that the Toq capabilities have been expanded significantly thanks to Nuance speech technology. Nuance is a leader in voice to computer interaction and is behind lots of well used tech such as Apple’s iOS Siri personal assistant.

On the Toq, Nuances technology has been leveraged to provide text message services using voice to text conversion. You can compose and reply to text messages quickly by speaking into the Toq using this new software. GigaOM tested this newly introduced capability at the weekend and report that it works “fairly well”. Also it noted that you have a nine second speech limit to compose your texts for communications, Tweets etc.

Qualcomm Toq Smartwatch Nuance speech

Voice seems to be gaining momentum as the input method for smartwatches as touch is rather hindered by the small screen area available. Android Wear devices that are going to be launched shortly are also expected to lean upon voice input heavily via Google Now.