http://blog.prompt-speechapps.com Self-service phone applications in and around Belgium Fri, 29 Jan 2010 08:44:14 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en After fifteen years in speech, language and Internet technology, I'm about to make a big career shift. Three weeks from now,  on February 22, I will join the ranks of the TeleAtlas/TomTom engineering force in the beautiful city of Ghent, on a permanent, full-time basis. My task: contribute to various process automation ... http://blog.prompt-speechapps.com/?p=165 For years I have been practising various aspects of agile software development, commonly used in speech technology projects. Short iterations, test-driven development, self-organising teams: been there, done that. But explaining how and why to other people wasn't always easy. So after a brief lookout, I decided to further consolidate my ... http://blog.prompt-speechapps.com/?p=162 After previous editions in Silicon Valley, the widely acclaimed eComm conference is now coming to Europe! If there's one conference that European telecom innovators and strategists shouldn't miss, this is it. See you in Amsterdam? http://blog.prompt-speechapps.com/?p=114 This week's issue of Vacature Magazine (Belgium's most widely circulated HR magazine) features an interview (in Dutch) with two fellow managers and myself about the question: does an MBA repay itself? The obvious answer is: it depends. The most important payback factors are timing, personal drive & involvement, and immediate on-the-job ... http://blog.prompt-speechapps.com/?p=113 Last Tuesday at the iMinds conference in Ghent my speech application prototype with realtime Belgian train times got a Bronze INCA Award. Here's what the jury had to say: A practical application shows the clear potential for new applications by voice via any phone using public data and open APIs (that ... http://blog.prompt-speechapps.com/?p=112 Since the train delay voice application demo submitted for the INCA Award does not only exist in Dutch, I thought a French video was also in order. Here it is: %CODE1% http://blog.prompt-speechapps.com/?p=111 Yesterday afternoon I submitted my proposal for the INCA Award. Read all about it on http://traininfo.i-speech.com/. Or just watch this video: %CODE1% http://blog.prompt-speechapps.com/?p=110 In two weeks's time the Flemish Institute for BroadBand Technology (IBBT) is hosting a new networking event called iMinds. This conference is the sequel of the 5-year old IBBT Brokerage event. What's more, IBBT also announced an excellent new initiative for innovative developers: the INCA Awards, with €20K in prize money. ... http://blog.prompt-speechapps.com/?p=104 Unlike last year, I wasn't able to make it to the eComm09 conference in Silicon Valley. Neither was Martin Geddes, Head of Strategy at BT Design, but he was kind enough to record and publish his keynote address: %CODE1% Required listening for all telco & call centre strategists! http://blog.prompt-speechapps.com/?p=103 See the Plugg website for more details on this European Web startup conference. I'll be there. http://blog.prompt-speechapps.com/?p=102 Two of my favourite companies in the speech-driven call automation field today announced their union. By acquiring VoiceObjects of Cologne, Germany, the American voice hosting company Voxeo further expands its presence in mainland Europe. Voxeo of Orlando, Florida runs the world's largest VoiceXML platform and is reputed for its extreme service. ... http://blog.prompt-speechapps.com/?p=101 About 175 professionals from the Dutch-speaking speech & language technology community gathered in Brussels yesterday for the second edition of Taal In Bedrijf ("Language At Work"). The main goals of the event were to present results from the government-sponsored STEVIN program, to poll for remaining needs in and around the ... http://blog.prompt-speechapps.com/?p=100 Ten days ago the third edition of Philippe Poux' brainchild VocalExpo was held at the CNIT La Défense in Paris, France. VocalExpo brings together industry professionals and customers in the French (speaking) market active at the interface of speech technology and customer relationship management. Paris is only an 80 minute ... http://blog.prompt-speechapps.com/?p=99 Under the auspices of the Taalunie (= [Dutch] Language Union), the Dutch-speaking speech & language industry from The Netherlands and Flanders will meet in Brussels on November 19, 2008 for the second edition of Taal In Bedrijf (best translated as "Language At Work"). The first, 2005 edition in Eindhoven attracted ... http://blog.prompt-speechapps.com/?p=98 See the Voice Days website, as well as my report from the 2007 edition. Note this year's conference won't be held in Bonn, but in Wiesbaden. http://blog.prompt-speechapps.com/?p=97