Norway’s Opera Software ASA announced the release of a platform-independent speech solution for short- and medium-range interpersonal communication. Opera SoundWave has a range of 100 feet and can be used easily without special equipment. For those who have used email as a primary means of communication, SoundWave may open up a new world of efficacy and ease. The new technology was accidentally discovered during a research and development study while pursuing a way to let people communicate without using a keyboard or cell phone. A technical preview of Opera’s P2P real-time voice technology is available online.