Speak is a fun activity with 2 main modes; talkback and ask a question mode. Both modes are based around the robot (the face in the center of the screen) responding to input from the text entry below its mouth. Speak can be downloaded for free from Sugar Activities.
Talkback Mode
When you launch Speak, the default mode is the talkback mode. In talkback mode, you type text in the text entry, press enter and then the robot will say the text.
This mode can be fun to play with, but can also be very helpful. Speak can help with learning how to pronounce words in other languages, since the robot is able to correctly pronounce the words when set to the appropriate language. To set the robots language, you need to click 
and then select the language from the drop down menu (the 
icon).
Ask A Question Mode
Speak also has a mode where you can talk to the robot. This feature is only available in Spanish and English. You can ask the robot questions about itself, general knowledge, famous people and much more.
The robot is even capable of holding conversations and asking you questions, though these "conversations" can seem a little weird. It is not good at having a conversation like a human. It also falls asleep after a very short time, which can be frustrating and seems unlike real life conversations.
Changing the Robot
My personal favorite part of Speak is changing the look of the robot. You are able to change the mouth style, number of eyes and eye style. You can also change the rate/speed and pitch of the robot's voice. A carefully designed robot face could be used in a video project as a narrator or in a presentation. Other times, this feature is lots of fun and a great time waster.
Conclusion
Speak activity is a useful tool for working on your pronunciation. The Ask A Question mode is very enjoyable. Speak is a fun, stable activity with endless customization options for hours of fun.
My rating: ★★★★☆
