PEABODY, Mass. and GENT, Belgium, September 18, 2002 - ScanSoft, Inc. (Nasdaq: SSFT), the leading supplier of imaging, speech and language solutions, today shipped localized versions of OmniPage® Pro 12 in Germany and France. OmniPage Pro 12, released in the U.S. and U.K. earlier in the month, is the newest release of the world's most popular optical character recognition (OCR) and PDF conversion application.

OmniPage Pro provides unmatched support for languages, including support for converting documents in 114 languages and available in 12 localized versions. The product, which recently won a coveted "Readers Choice Award" from Windows .NET magazine, is able to process documents that contain content in multiple languages and supports adding custom words to its processing dictionary. ScanSoft will deliver localized versions for U.S. and U.K. English, French, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish and a range of Eastern European languages.

"The new, robust functionality and broad language support in OmniPage Pro 12, our flagship OCR product, enables ScanSoft to expand the addressable market opportunities for desktop OCR," said Peter Hauser, Senior Vice President and General Manager for ScanSoft International. "ScanSoft's products are valued by our customers because they recognize that the return-on-investment delivered through the automation of manual processes can be significant, from thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars."

OmniPage Pro 12 is a powerful productivity application that delivers highly accurate document and PDF conversion, replacing the manual reproduction of paper and image-based documents with an automated, electronic process. The product also helps businesses save time and money by instantly turning paper and PDF files - letters, contracts, spreadsheets, magazine articles, manuals and more - into documents that can be edited, archived and shared. OmniPage Pro 12 sets a new standard for OCR accuracy and page layout retention, and provides a new set of XML, network scanning, automation and republishing capabilities that expand the usefulness of OCR for any business.

As the global leader in OCR and PDF conversion, ScanSoft has developed a network of distributor, reseller and value-added reseller partners who deliver a high level of customer service and support throughout the world. As a member of the ScanSoft Solution Partner program, these organizations are trained and certified on all new releases of ScanSoft productivity applications.

"Tech Data has distributed the OmniPage family in France for over a decade. The new release is once again breaking new ground, with unique support for PDF conversion, network scanning and automated workflow features," comments Osée Benizri, Product Marketing Manager at Tech Data, France. "Its support for XML and Open eBooks is particularly valuable for professional organizations looking for an affordable way to archive and share business documents. This is an excellent release for upgrade and new customers."

"Corporate Software has delivered OmniPage to German organizations since 1995. Through each new release ScanSoft has proven its ability to deliver features that are highly valued by customers," says Erwin Wittmers, Director Sales at Corporate Software, Germany. "ScanSoft also recognizes the value that reseller partners bring to customers in providing local service and support. This strong partnership is another important advantage gained when customers select ScanSoft solutions."

Availability

ScanSoft OmniPage Pro 12 is available immediately through ScanSoft's global network of authorized resellers or through its direct sales organization. For additional information on features, pricing and volume licensing programs, please visit www.ScanSoft.com.

About ScanSoft, Inc.

ScanSoft, Inc. (Nasdaq: SSFT) is the leading supplier of imaging, speech and language solutions that are used to automate a wide range of manual processes - saving time, increasing worker productivity and improving customer service. For more information regarding ScanSoft products and technologies, please visit www.ScanSoft.com.

ScanSoft, OmniPage, OmniPage Pro and RealSpeak are registered trademarks or trademarks of ScanSoft, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other company or product names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

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