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CLEMMONS, NC - The law profession is legendary for its stress, long hours, and heavy workload. As an article for The New York Law Journal stated in 2008, it's becoming increasingly difficult -- and rare -- for lawyers to have a life that successfully balances work, family, and free time in any way at all. Steven Z. knows this all too well. As a successful attorney who has expanded his practice to serving multiple U.S. states, Steven enjoys his job even at its most demanding, but last year began to seek out solutions for curbing his workload so that he could find that balance that is often so difficult for law professionals to achieve. Steven's discovery of the PC software TextAloud, from NextUp Technologies (http://www.Nextup.com), was just the solution he had been seeking, however, and it not only enabled him to work faster and more accurately, but to manage the constant paperwork his profession requires.

TextAloud is the versatile and affordable Text to Speech program that exports written text into spoken audio, and which also exports that text to commonly used sound files for listening on anything from computer, to iPhone, to iPod. As Steven discovered, TextAloud flexibly converts text from almost any imaginable text source, including e-mails, websites, documents, text files, and PDFs -- into natural, human-sounding speech. The program runs on almost any Windows (R) PC, and is modestly priced from $29.95.

"I've been a lawyer for nearly 20 years," comments Steven, "however, law is a field in which the work doesn't get less intensive as the years go by. Changes in practice and procedure are ongoing and par for the course, so learning never abates. Because TextAloud reads virtually anything I need to review, I use the program regularly, and this results in better absorption of the information than I would get from visual reading alone."

Steven began using TextAloud because he was working extremely long hours, and could not afford burnout, or to allow his concentration to wane. "I found that TextAloud permitted me to keep working while reducing eye-strain," he comments. Eye fatigue is a common complaint of those in the law profession, who often plow through huge documents hundreds of pages in length per day. Reviewing his documents by ear helped Steven to avoid this common side effect.

He also discovered that the program offered additional value for him as a proofreading device, as, for Steven, accurate proofreading directly from a computer screen had always been difficult. To ensure accuracy, his previous solution had been both tedious and expensive, consisting of a routine in which he printed out a hard copy of every document to be reviewed, and made corrections directly on the printed page that he would then later transfer back to his electronic document for final review and printing. "This worked, but it always seemed wasteful and time-consuming," adds Steven, "so I tried TextAloud as an alternative to printing and proofing, and now I use it daily. TextAloud reads my work directly from the screen, highlighting its exact place in the document as it reads."

Using TextAloud in this way, Steven could pause, correct and continue in one step without wasting ink, paper and time. "And because I hear my work out loud, it reduces the risk of typographical or syntax errors as well as the accidental omission of words or phrases," he adds. In short, the program streamlined and shortened his workload while reducing the stress of document production. "Ultimately, TextAloud revolutionizes proofreading in the same manner that speech-to-text software revolutionizes the writing process."

Steven also began to use TextAloud for other solutions beyond those at work. "I used to receive most of my news and information in paper form," he adds, "but I lately rely primarily upon the Internet. TextAloud is able to 'read' stories of interest aloud to me, and without tethering me to the screen. Now, I can move about even while 'reading' the news and never miss a word."

After working with the program as part of his regular routine, like most users, Steven discovered his own secrets and short cuts to success with the software. "I would recommend utilizing more than a single voice, which is easy to do if one regularly relies upon the program," he comments, after discovering that TextAloud permitted him to change the voice persona easily, even in mid-document. This ability to vary the 'speaker' for listening really enhanced Steven's attention during the listening process, especially during more extensive listening sessions. "Have you ever wondered why news shows vary their anchors and reporters throughout a broadcast rather than relying upon a single anchor to deliver every news story (as was done in news-casting's early days)?" he asks. "They've learned to keep their audience tuned in by varying the speaker. The human attention span to a single speaker can be a bit limited, but TextAloud enables you to listen to multiple voices as desired." Steven uses both male and female voices to vary the listening process: "Whatever works in order to keep my attention on my work."

Steven is also impressed with the program's overall voice quality. "It's excellent. I expect in a few years' time that it will be impossible to tell the difference between computer-generated and human voices!"

However, TextAloud's greatest strength for Steven lies in its most basic asset -- its ability to convey information in a way that's both easy and interesting. "When it comes to learning, children are sponges -- they pick up everything," he adds. "Not so much adults. TextAloud helps to bridge the gap in the adult brain!"

About TextAloud
TextAloud has been featured in The New York Times, PC Magazine, Writer's Digest, on CNN, and more. Hailed by critics and users alike, TextAloud is priced at just $29.95, and is compatible with systems using Windows (R) 98, NT, 2000, XP and VISTA. The program is available for fast, safe and secure purchase via /purchase.html.

NextUp.com also offers TextAloud with optional premium voices from AT&T Natural Voices™, Nuance®, Acapela® and Cepstral® for the most natural-sounding computer speech anywhere. Available languages include U.S. English, U.K. English, Indian Accent English, Scottish Accent English, Arabic, Cantonese Chinese, Mandarin Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Belgian Dutch, Faroese, Finnish, French, Canadian French, German, Greek, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, European Portuguese, Russian, Castilian (European) Spanish, Latin American Spanish, Mexican Spanish, Swedish, and Turkish.

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. 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.

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.