Voice applications and voice-based interface

A computer program product for initiating a tailored voice application, comprising:

• (a) computer code for installing a voice application at a server;
• (b) computer code for receiving a request to instantiate the voice application from a user;
• (c) computer code for receiving user-specific configuration parameters;
• and
• (d) computer code for instantiating an instance of the voice application in a modified form based on the user-specific configuration parameters.

A system for initiating a tailored voice application, comprising:

• (a) logic for installing a voice application at a server;
• (b) logic for receiving a request to instantiate the voice application from a user;
• (c) logic for receiving user-specific configuration parameters;
• and
• (d) logic for instantiating an instance of the voice application in a modified form based on the user-specific configuration parameters.

A method for providing a voice-based interface, comprising:

• (a) providing a voice application for verbally outputting content to a user;
• (b) instantiating an instance of the voice application;
• (c) selecting content for output;
• and
• (d) verbally outputting the content using the voice application, wherein the instance of the voice application pauses the output and resumes the output.

A computer program product for providing a voice-based interface, comprising:

• (a) computer code for providing a voice application for verbally outputting content to a user;
• (b) computer code for instantiating an instance of the voice application;
• (c) computer code for selecting content for output;
• and
• (d) computer code for verbally outputting the content using the voice application, wherein the instance of the voice application pauses the output and resumes the output.

A system for providing a voice-based interface, comprising:

• (a) logic for providing a voice application for verbally outputting content to a user;
• (b) logic for instantiating an instance of the voice application;
• (c) logic for selecting content for output;
• and
• (d) logic for verbally outputting the content using the voice application, wherein the instance of the voice application pauses the output and resumes the output.

A method for providing a voice habitat, comprising:

• (a) providing an interface to a habitat;
• (b) allowing a user to aggregate content in the habitat utilizing the interface;
• (c) receiving designation from the user of content for audible output;
• (d) audibly outputting at least a portion of the designated content;
• (e) allowing the user to aggregate applications in a habitat utilizing the interface;
• (f) receiving spoken commands from the user;
• (g) interpreting the spoken commands from the user using a voice application;
• and
• (h) issuing commands to one of the applications in the habitat via the voice application.

A method for sending a voice alert, comprising:

• (a) receiving a designation of an alertable event;
• (b) receiving configuration parameters for configuring a voice alert;
• (c) recognizing occurrence of the event;
• (d) initiating the voice alert upon occurrence of the event, wherein the voice alert is configured using the configuration parameters;
• and
• (e) sending the voice alert to a user, the voice alert including speech.