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CLEMMONS, NC - NextUp.com, the developer of TextAloud Text to Speech (TTS) software, has chosen Acapela speech synthesis to enrich its latest software packages. TextAloud enables users to convert text into audible speech for easy listening, study, and comprehension. Text can also be converted to audio files for easy playback via iPod (R), PocketPC (R), and a wide range of portable devices.

With Acapela High-Quality speech synthesis, TextAloud provides improved reading comprehension and speed, the ability to listen to text away from the computer, and a number of utilities, from audio proofreading, to word highlighting for dyslexics.

"TextAloud users include educators, individuals with reading disabilities, writers, medical professionals and others who find this powerful Text to Speech tool useful in their daily lives," noted Rick Ellis, President of NextUp.com. "Our customers depend on this technology and demand the best available, most natural-sounding speech synthesis, so we are excited to offer the outstanding Acapela TTS engine with our software."

"We are very happy to contribute to voice empower a user-friendly and powerful tool such as TextAloud. Text to Speech has become a natural way to communicate, freeing time and relaxing eyes from screen dependence," added Antoine Kauffeisen, VP Marketing of Acapela Group.

Acapela's High-Quality tones speech-empower TextAloud with its Italian, Swedish, Spanish, Norwegian, French, Dutch, Arabic, British English and U.S. English and are available in male or female voices. To test the Acapela voices, please visit http://nextup.com/acapela.html and select the language you wish to hear.

The TextAloud speech software, voice-enabled by Acapela's High-Quality voices, is priced at $59.95 for one voice of your choice, with the cost for an additional voice priced at only $35. TextAloud is compatible with systems using Windows (R) 98, NT, 2000 and XP. The program is available for immediate purchase online via http://www.NextUp.com.

Evaluation copies of TextAloud are currently available upon request. To receive a review copy, or for more information on NextUp.com or TextAloud, please contact publicist Angela Mitchell at (904) 982-8043.

About NextUp.com

NextUp.com, a division of NextUp Technologies, LLC, provides award-winning Text to Speech software for consumers, business customers, educators, and those with visual or vocal impairment, or learning disabilities.

In addition to TextAloud, NextUp.com markets other innovative Windows software designed to save time and deliver vital information. NewsAloud™ is a talking personal "news agent" that finds the stories users want, and then reads them aloud or to portable audio files. WeatherAloud™ is a weather application that lets users select and listen to personalized weather forecasts, while StocksAloud™ reads stock updates and related news headlines aloud for specific companies of interest. NextUp Talker is an easy and affordable program that allows people who have lost their voices to use the latest in high-quality computer voices to communicate with others.

About Acapela Group:
Entirely dedicated to developing and deploying natural language interfaces, Acapela Group is the European leader in speech solutions. Acapela Group speech solutions have already been deployed in many services and applications: voice portals, unified messaging services, CRM and contact centers, talking web, interactive games, edutainment software, e-learning tools, public address, assistive tools for the disabled, navigation aid, embedded systems, and much more.

Numerous clients and partners have already placed their confidence in Acapela Group to work on their speech projects. These include: Alcatel, Apoll, Assistiveware, Atos Origin, Avaya, Bo Jo Tveter, Bosch Blaupunkt, Cegetel, Daimler Chrysler, Dolphin, Don Johnston, , Handitek, Harman Becker, Imagetalk, Intervoice, Kirusa, Klett, Magneti Marelli, Navteq, Once, Phoneticom, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Telia, Telefonica, Temic, Tieman, Toby Churchill, Scandis, Sensory Software, SFR, Siemens, Vocalcom, Voxtron, etc. For further information, please visit the Acapela website: http://www.acapela-group.com.

Note to Editors:

Evaluation copies of TextAloud are currently available upon request. To receive a review copy, or for more information on NextUp.com or TextAloud, please contact publicist Angela Mitchell at (904) 982-8043.

All companies and products referenced in this press release are the trademarks of their respective owners.