One of my favourite blogs, ReadWriteWeb, has an interesting commentary on IBM’s latest ‘Next Five in Five’ list- five big things that are going to happen within technology in the next five years. They’re excited about the ‘Talking Web’, already an emerging use of voice technology from boundary pushers like Google. Their Google Mobile App for the iPhone can accurately translate your speech into search queries. While something of a novelty, the potential for exciting new applications is real, and the groundwork is complete.

Voice is a great medium for input when you take into account the speed of transmission; most people can speak faster than they can type, and in terms of accessibility, those with physical impairments can accurately and quickly dictate their intentions. On the flip-side, how does your website cope with multiple languages, accents or even speech impediments? Can you afford to add voice functionality to your application, as well as maintaining standard keyboard and mouse inputs?

To happen in the next five years I think that developers need to do a really solid job of applying the technology, or it’ll enter the already laughable realm of automated phone lines such as ticket booking lines or change of address systems - that’s right TV licensing, I said the number SIX three times and you still didn’t get it!

I think the most fundamental question, one everybody can answer, is this: If the web could talk to you, would you talk back?