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Dragon NaturallySpeaking Voice Recognition Software PDF Print E-mail

By Jane Emery

My choice of dragon.

The day I discovered voice-recognition software,my life became so much more productive.

Like many people, I've been using the computer keyboard and mouse for years and began developingsymptoms of strain in my arm, wrist and hand (they call this repetitive strain injury (RSI). As a writer, this was not a good thing. I had many writing projects that were getting put on the back burner, as I was forced to type less because of this.  I had heard of voice recognition technology, but always thought it would be  a very complicated and expensive prospect.  Then my editor suggested I try Dragon NaturallySpeaking software, and write a review. I was simply amazed with this incredible technology.  I have only one question; with this wonderful new technology that allows you to dictate and give commands to your computer , why are people still typing?

 

Onscreen tools and tutorials make this program a breeze.

Onscreen tools and tutorials make this program a breeze.
When I received the software I was expecting a very complicated and lengthy challenge. I was amazed at how easy it all was. I installed the software, and it was a very simple set up. I had my choice of interesting and enjoyable text selections to read, as they trained the software to recognize the individual characteristics of my voice. There is a tutorial wizard, which explains each of the app's primary features and lets you practice along the way. You may find that practicing tasks with the wizard is a bit easier than using the product on your own in the beginning. Before I knew it I was able to dictate to my computer, and it was amazing to see complete sentences that I had spoken appear before my eyes. My life had just become so much simpler!

 

Easy to use and amazingly accurate.

Easy to use and amazingly accurate.
Besides being able to accurately turn my voice into text, Dragon Naturally Speaking allowed me to use my voice to change fonts and sizes, select words, fix paragraphs, and rewrite sentences, control the mouse and navigate the web and perform virtually any computer task. It's almost magical! The tool is smart enough to include punctuation and format special text such as e-mail addresses, web pages, times, dates, currencies, and phone numbers automatically. If you'd like to improve overall speed and word recognition, you can use the app's Performance Assistant wizard to turn off such tools selectively.

 

Transfer digital recordings straight to text documents.

Transfer digital recordings straight to text documents.
Dragon Naturally Speaking is a market-leading product that is well designed and smooth in operation. Most people can speak faster than they can type, and for those who find typing difficult, dictation may be the one thing that makes computing possible.  As accurate as Dragon is, its ability to correct mistakes is even more impressive. If the app gets a word wrong, for instance, you can highlight it with a simple voice command, and a menu will automatically pop up, giving you a list of alternatives. If none of the alternatives are what you are looking for, you can quickly input the right word by spelling it out loud. It's quite easy to use the app without even touching your mouse or keyboard. You can use voice commands to input predefined text and graphics into a document. You can fine-tune the app's dictionary with an easy-to-use Vocabulary Editor. And you can set up commands to have different effects depending on the placement of your cursor in a document. Plus, the new version now supports Palm devices. Dragon has long been able to transcribe dictation recorded on digital recorders and other handheld PCs, but this is the first time it has been able to handle the Palm.
 
Quality headset makes for seamless text dictation.

Quality headset makes for seamless text dictation.
Dragon Naturally Speaking 8 comes with a headset which includes a microphone and earphone, and integrates with Windows software. Among its features is a built-in vocabulary of 300,000 words and you can also customize with words, phrases and terms that you frequently use. It claims 99% accuracy on voice recognition, and accurately transcribes a speech to page speed of 160 words a minute. Compatable with Word, Outlook Express, America Online and Corel WordPerfect, users can dictate into virtually any Windows-based application. It is also adapted for American, Australian, British, Indian and Southeast Asian speakers of English.

Speech recognition has never been this good. If you've been disappointed with speech recognition tools in the past, Dragon Naturally Speaking 8 Professional could truly turn you into a believer. There are several different versions which available and also upgrades you can purchase. They are as follows:

Dragon NaturallySpeaking Preferred 8.0

Dragon NaturallySpeaking Preferred 8.0 offers home and small office users powerful features to maximize their productivity. After completing about 5 minutes of training, you can talk to your computer and watch your words instantly appear in virtually any Windows® based application, including Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Outlook Express, Internet Explorer and Corel WordPerfect.

 

Dragon NaturallySpeakingProfessional Edition 8.0

Dragon NaturallySpeaking Professional Solutions version 8.0 the flagship product for the Solution Series, is used by professionals in many industries, including insurance, finance, research, and manufacturing. Create and format documents, enter time and billing information, send e-mail and much more-all by voice! Automate complex tasks with a single word or phrase; dictate directly into a handheld device for easy third-party editing and more.

Dragon NaturallySpeaking Medical Edition 8.0

Dragon NaturallySpeaking Medical Solutions version 8.0 enables medical professionals to work faster and more efficiently. Dictate directly into electronic medical records or any Healthcare Information System. This revolutionary new release will save healthcare organizations tens of thousands of dollars per doctor each year in reduced or eliminated manual transcription costs.

 

Dragon NaturallySpeaking Legal Edition 8.0

Dragon NaturallySpeaking Legal Solutions version 8.0 enables legal professionals to work faster and more efficiently with less reliance on support staff. Create and format documents, enter time and billing information, send e-mail, and more-all by voice! You can even dictate into a Pocket PC or a certified digital handheld recorder for automatic transcription when you synch to your PC.

Dragon Naturally Speaking software is a product of the Nuance corporation (formally ScanSoft). Nuance is the leading provider of speech and imaging solutions for businesses and consumers around the world.

For more information, go to their website at: http://www.nuance.com/naturallyspeaking/

You can also purchase Dragon Naturally Speaking at any retail outlet that carries computer software.


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