See Me Talk

$60, iPad

Teaches: A utility to help people communicate

CTR Rating: 80%

CTR Review

Let's say you were laying in a hospital bed, and you couldn't talk. This app is designed to help, by presenting a set of cartoon-like icons at your fingertips. Each icon is associated with a spoken label, and you can choose between a male or female voice. Designed for people who have difficulty communicating effectively, See Me Talk ($60) is an "augmentative and alternative communication" (AAC) tool, much like Proloquo2Go. There are 14 categories of words presented in an ongoing scroll at the top of the screen. The onboard collection of items is limited (just five options for the "home" category). You can also create and edit categories. Other options let you toggle between a male and female voice. Limitations include some buffer issues (if you press the same icon multiple times). The menu could be more elegant, and it would be nice if the base library of words was larger. A "Favorites" category remembers which icons you use the most, to speed things up. This app was created in Australia. See also Proloquo2Go. CORRECTION: We initially wrote that you can record your own voice. This feature is promised in future updates but was not available in the version we tested.