Jabber, Nuance to advance IM

Instant messenger Jabber.com says it has teamed with Nuance, a provider of voice Web software, to provide consumers with advanced voice instant messaging. Jabber plans to use the Nuance 7.0 speech recognition engine to let customers add audio to their IM applications. With the service, people will be able to send text messages and voice messages from any phone, including wireless data devices. Jabber is a subsidiary of Webb Interactive Services, which offers an advanced XML-based technology platform. Menlo, Calif.-based Nuance develops voice Web software, including speech recognition, voice authentication, text-to-speech and voice browsing products.