Patent attributes
The invention includes an apparatus and method of providing information using an information appliance coupled to a network. The method includes storing text files in a database at a remote location and converting, at the remote location, the text files into speech files. A portion of the speech files requested are downloaded to the information appliance and presented through an audio speaker. The speech files may include audio of electronic program guide (EPG) information, weather information, news information or other information. The method also includes converting the text files into speech files at the remote location using an English text-to-speech (TTS) synthesizer, a Spanish TTS synthesizer, or another language synthesizer. A voice personality may be selected to announce the speech files.
