Speak uses Microsoft Agent-animated characters to read text to you. You can read documents, email, Web pages, or any text in the Clipboard. Just keep the animated character on top and click it whenever you want it to read to you. You can control the speed and pitch and enjoy many characters with different expressions and animation. This latest release has an improved interface, new right mouse button menu commands, and the ability to launch files with associations (such as Web pages, MP3 files, and graphics files) as well as executables. This download contains the Microsoft Agent ActiveX control. To activate the optional speech recognition features, you have to download the Microsoft Speech Recognition Engine. Speak can now be programmed to reply to voice commands. You can also play wav files, and disable singing without having to disable jokes.