MacSpeech Dictate Review: Mac Voice Recognition Dictation Software
Until Apple changed to an Intel chip, one of the big disadvantages of using a Mac was the lack of an efficient voice recognition dictation software. It was one of the few areas where Windows users could fairly claim a productivity advantage over Mac users.
No longer.
With MacSpeech Dictate for Intel powered Mac computers, voice recognition dictation software for Apple Mac computers is now as good as it gets:
- Fast and accurate voice recognition performance
- Comprehensive vocabulary
- Computer commands as well as text
- Works with most popular software applications, not just for word processing
- 13 English speaker variations, American and British spelling
- French, German, Italian
- Specialized Medical and Legal vocabulary versions
For a long time, the best voice recognition software available for the Mac struggled to match the performance of the leading PC dictation software, Dragon Naturally Speaking. The MacSpeech iListen version for the PowerPC Macs was quite good, but when the Macspeech Dictate version arrived for Intel Macs I upgraded and the voice recognition performance, speed and precision improved markedly for me. With Intel chips, it became possible for MacSpeech to adopt a similar technology to that which drives Dragon Naturally Speaking, and Mac users were no longer at a disadvantage compared to their Windows counterparts when it came to dictation software.
Voice recognition dictation software has given me a very significant productivity gain, and now rates as one of the most important "must have" software tools on my Mac. I was able to start using the software as soon as it was installed, and was astonished at how accurately it interpreted my speech without any learning, and it just continued to get better as it learned more about how I speak.
For those Mac users with disadvantages when using a keyboard, being able to dictate and see your words emerging almost instantly on the screen is a very satisfying experience. For those like me, a two finger typist from way back, voice recognition software is a big leap forward. For those who are physically disadvantaged and who can't type at all, dictation software makes using a computer possible. The advances with MacSpeech Dictate opens the door for these users to the many other accessibility advantages of using a Mac, where before they may have felt the relative strength of dictation software on the two platforms swung the balance for them in favor of using a Windows PC.
A nice feature that is especially valuable to those with accessibility issues is that the software will allow you to speak commands. Not only will it enter commas, periods, start a new sentence or paragraph, etc., but it will also interpret keyword entry commands, including multiple key commands. With Dictate you do not have to depend on mouse and keyboard data entry to get things done on your Mac.
Personally, I still do use my mouse and keyboard. I find it is a little faster to combine voice with mouse clicks and the occasional keyboard entry.
The software works with all the popular application software, not just word processing software, enabling you to enter text and execute commands by voice to use Adobe products, Mail, Keynote, iPhoto, Microsoft Office, web browsers like Safari and Firefox, and most other software that is compatible with an Intel Mac.
You can also open existing documents and have them understood by the software sufficiently well for you to use it to edit them, even though they were not originally created using the software. You can move the cursor about using voice commands to select where in the document you want to work.
The release of MacSpeech Dictate has been recognized as a significant new software advance among leading Mac commentators. For example, it has won the MacUser 2009 award for best business software of the year, and was awarded education product of the year for Macworld UK in 2009.
MacSpeech Dictate International supports dictation in English, French, German and Italian languages. The standard English MacSpeech Dictate package supports 13 English speaking variations, 9 with American spelling, and 4 with British spelling. This flexible approach improves the capability of the software to accurately recognize regional dialects and accents.
In earlier versions of MacSpeech, the training required for the software to learn your personal way of speaking took some time. With the latest version, the systems learns much faster, and training sessions are hardly necessary. Each user has a separate resource file or profile, and the system continues to learn and improve its accuracy, vocabulary and speed over time, getting better as you use it more.
The unique vocabulary needs of legal and medical users is taken care of with special versions of the software. MacSpeech Dictate Medical understands the terms of over 54 medical and dental disciplines and specialties. MacSpeech Dictate Legal fully understands over 30,000 legal words and terms. These specialist versions greatly reduce the amount of training that would be required to have the dictation software quickly recognize the unique terminology of these professions. There are many situations where doctors, dentists and lawyers will see big productivity gains from being able to accurately dictate into their Mac to create computer records and documents as they work.
The voice recognition software works best with compatible headsets incorporating earphones and a microphone. Most of the better quality headsets are listed in the compatible headset lists you will get with the software, and some purchase options include a suitable headset as well as the software. While a USB plug headset is fine, if you can afford it I would recommend you invest in a wireless headset that leaves you more free to move around as you work, without occasionally yanking at the tether to your computer.