Voice operated Web browser in the works

Opera Software is developing a new Internet browser that allows users to talk to their computer, the company announced Tuesday.

The new browser incorporates IBM's ViaVoice technology, enabling the computer to ask what the user wants and "listen" to the request. Opera declined to give a launch date.

The browser is at its developmental stage. At a demonstration, a pizza order form was promptly displayed when the tester told the computer, "Order pizza." But the browser misinterpreted an order for "a pizza" as "eight pizzas."

"We feel we are on the verge of moving the Web a little bit," said Christen Krogh, head of Opera's software development.

"Voice is the most natural and effective way we communicate," Krogh said. "In the years to come, it will greatly facilitate how we interact with technology."

The computer learns to recognize its users voice, accent and inflections by having them read a list of words into a microphone.