BusinessWeek profiles SoundPix to Watch.
By Roger O. Crockett

On the Way: Digital Photos That Talk--or Sing

You've heard the buzz for years. One day soon, software wizards will marry sound with digital images so you can e-mail pictures of li'l Johnny to his grandmother, and they'll really come alive. Programs such as Microsoft's PowerPoint already let users mix images and sound in presentations. And some handhelds have toyed with attachments that match sound with pictures. But all of that is a far cry from searing sounds straight onto a digital photo. "It's always been the future thing," says IDC analyst Kevin Burden. "We've been hearing promises for 10 years now."

SoundPix Inc. says the wait is nearly over. The Lake Tahoe (Nev.) startup is developing PC software that will let users embed anything from a few words to a whole song in an image. Once the message is assembled, it can be zapped via computer, cell phone, or a future handheld device with a browser and a color screen.

The software includes security features designed with medical, insurance, and real estate applications in mind. For example, users can record multiple audio clips onto a single image--and specify which recipient hears what clip. This way, a physician could send the same X-ray with different messages to a patient and a fellow doctor.