Corallo Software has released VirtualKeyboard X 2.0, an on-screen keyboard designed for Mac OS X. The new version sports new features and capabilities, including voice synthesis.
Primarily designed to enable physically challenged Mac users to input text through means other than a physical keyboard, VirtualKeyboard X also comes in handy to help teach kids how to use the alphabet, or for kiosk environments where a “real” keyboard isn’t appropriate or necessary.
New features in VirtualKeyboard X 2.0 include support for keyboard layouts of all languages that use Roman alphabet characters. Shift, option and other modifier key combinations are now visualized correctly; “dead” keys are visualized as well. You can now adjust the sound level of key pressure independently from the System sound level. Voice synthesis has been added, too, both for individual letters and reading of all text in the Notes box.
VirtualKeyboard X 2.0 is distributed as shareware and costs US$10 to register. It requires Mac OS X 10.0 or higher. Older versions — including an OS 9-compatible version — are available as free “Lite” versions. Visit the Web site for more details.