Online Without a Modem

This article introduces Faxtex, a series of database products by Searchcraft. Faxtex is being started for the purpose of leapfrogging over the primary three limitations in the industry namely, the need for a computer or a terminal, a modem and a password. Searchcraft's Faxtex service is a series of database products that have the potential to become the first truly mass-market, consumer-oriented database products. Faxtex requires only a touchtone phone to search textual databases. The user dials one of a series of 900 telephone numbers to connect to the Faxtex service. A combination of prerecorded and computer-synthesized voices leads the user through the search process. Searches are entered using the telephone keypad like a computer keyboard. Results are read by the computer and, if a user has a facsimile machine, full articles will be FAXed after a search is complete. The charge is automatically added to the user's phone bill. The Searchcraft software interacts with users via prerecorded human voice and menu choices selected by users with the telephone keypad. When the Faxtex system retrieves information from the large online host, results pass through a computerized voice-synthesizer that translates the transmitted results to voice.

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