voice recognition software

[Anne Frasier]

has anybody tried iListen? the voice recognition software for Macs? the few reviews I've found online certainly don't rave about it. I know that Dragon Naturally Speaking is supposed to be the best of the best, but it's not for a Mac -- although apparently it can be made to work on one, but that in itself seems to require additional software and hardware and some geek.

Does anyone use Dragon? I would hate to switch from a Mac to a PC, but I've been waiting years for Dragon Naturally Speaking to come out with a Mac version and I don't think it's ever going to happen.

[Anne Frasier]

most reviews say iListen is better than viavoice, but neither are very good.

[Sandra Ruttan]

I knew someone a few years ago who used a PC version - sorry, don't know which one. I'd assumed they'd invested in something top notch, because she had a condition which prevented her from physically typing and was a writer. I used to proof some of her stuff and there were a lot of glitches that came through - misunderstood words, etc. Overall, not bad, but you definitely have to edit it.

I'd love to try something decent, though.

[Anne Frasier]

it may have been dragon speak naturally, although so many misunderstood words doesn't sound like the raves i've read over the years. i've been following it for probably 8 years, waiting for the mac version! looks like it can be used on the new imacs because of the new processors, but it sounds like it can only works in word when using with a mac. it would be nice to use it in all applications.

[Vincent Holland-Keen]

I've a friend who was trying Dragon Dictate in the hope that dictating her work would stop her getting distracted by email, webchat and the internet in general as was the case when working with mouse and keyboard. When we last talked about it a few weeks ago she reported that it seemed to be working quite well, but I don't know if she's stuck with it since then.

[Anne Frasier]

most people say it's 98% accurate with no voice training. that would be pretty amazing.

[Vincent Holland-Keen]

I'm visiting her in two weeks (she's away in the US at the moment), so I'll try and get some feedback and maybe the dictationary equivalent of a hands-on.

[Anne Frasier]

thanks, vincent! that would be great.

[Anne Frasier]

here is a long, long, long discussion about iListen versus Dragon Naturally Speak. after reading some of it, i'm feeling more willing to give iListen a try.

http://www.atpm.com/12.09/ilisten.shtml

[Lee Lofland]

Anne, I used Dragon while writing the last half of my nonfiction book on police procedures and investigation. I loved it. It only took a few minutes to train it to my voice and it records my speech as fast as I can talk.

The only drawback I found was that I had to be sure to turn the program off before I answered the phone or spoke to my dog. There were a few instances when I forgot to do that, which confused my eidtor a bit when she read one-sided conversations in the middle of autopsy or CSI text.

[Anne Frasier]

lee, thanks so much for the feedback. Dragon sounds like an amazing tool.
your personal story makes me wonder if anybody has used it in crime fiction. i'll bet they have.

[Anne Frasier]

Okay, I purchased iListen, the voice recognition Software. I'm using it now. None other this is tight. Already flocking not all over the place fuck came up. It doesn't know how to cuss. The mistakes can be mildly entertaining. My favorite is Fuck King. I should have done back and corrected all of mistakes, but I left everything in. So far I'm not impressed. But then I never read a good review of law iListen before purchasing software. So my expectations of weren't very high. Seems to be geared more board business dictation.

Yours truly,

Fuck King

[Anne Frasier]

the instructions say that you have to go and and correct ever mistake, otherwise the mistakes will continue to occur. But I have gone in and made numerous corrections which is tedious and time consuming, but it always seems to default back to the original mistakes.

I'm going to continue trying to use this, in hopes that it will improve. I'll keep you posted.

Mr. King

The above was all dictated.