ZReader for Outlook

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ZReader E-Mail Reader

Introduction

ZReader enhances your email client by making it easier to read your mail. Your messages can now be read to you by a variety of synthesized voices, or smooth scrolled in various display sizes. Select "filters" that tell ZReader which messages you are interested in. Push the "Play" button and sit back. Or, choose to have your new messages read automatically. Works with your installed SAPI-compliant speech engine (ie. - IBM ViaVoice, Dragon, etc.), or use Microsoft's included speech synthesis engine. ZReader uses the familiar video and audio controls: play, pause, rewind, etc. to provide a simple and intuitive user interface. ZReader is available for both Outlook 98 and Eudora Pro 4.0.

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Requirements

To use ZReader, you must:

Have at least a 166 MHz Pentium-class microprocessor.
Be running one of the following Microsoft operating systems: Windows 98, Windows 95, or Windows NT.
Have a properly installed version of Microsoft Outlook 98 or Qualcomm's Eudora Pro 4.0.
Have a recent Java Virtual Machine (JVM) from Microsoft installed. If you have Internet Explorer 5.0 installed, you already have the correct JVM. The latest JVM is available to download from the Microsoft Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/java
If you desire to use the speech synthesis features, you must install a speech synthesis engine. You can use your existing engine, or have the Microsoft engine automatically installed when you install ZReader. You must also have a sound card installed in your system.
To use the Eudora Pro 4.0 version of ZReader, you must enable your Eudora E-Mail client to support Windows automation. This can be accomplished from the Tools menu, choosing Options, and then selecting the Automation icon. Select or check the box labeled "Automation enabled from this machine".

Features and Limitations

ZReader will display and/or read your E-mail messages. Below is a summary of the main features.

Familiar VCR/Audio buttons for controlling ZReader.
Smooth scrolling of your messages in a variety of sizes. Read all your email from across the room, hands-free.
Realistic voice synthesis of your messages. Choose the voice and the speed. Configure the synthesis engine from within ZReader.
Filter your messages by their status, date received, sender, and folder.
Small application window size.
Automatic reading of incoming messages.
Selectable E-mail elements to be read.
Ability to open the actual message window at any time during the "reading".

Limitations

ZReader can "read" your messages with voice synthesis at the same time that it is displaying them. However, there is no synchronization between the two. What you see being smooth-scrolled before you may not be what you are hearing. It is best to use one or the other. Using both at the same time is bound to make somebody unhappy.

Our test with IBM's ViaVoice products have led to a page fault in a system module. This issue is presently unresolved. This problem is not seen when using the voices provided in Microsoft's speech synthesis engine. Other speech engines have not been tested.