| Working on the computer all day long can lead to | | | | etc), then go for the cheapest Standard Edition. |
| quite a few problems. While there is not much | | | | The Preferred Edition includes software voice |
| that can be done about tired eyes, Dragon | | | | commands and support for mobile devices. |
| Naturally Speaking 10 can help with sore fingers, | | | | Professional Edition is for office use with its |
| wrists and the possibilities of getting carpel tunnel | | | | networking and security capabilities, support for |
| syndrome. Moreover, creating documents with 4 | | | | filling out forms and for custom commands etc. |
| to 5 times faster rate than typing them is | | | | The Legal Edition and Medical Edition are for |
| another great advantage of Dragon. Speech | | | | lawyers and doctors respectively, as they include |
| recognition software is becoming more and more | | | | extra preconfigured vocabularies with legal and |
| popular, and this is one of the best on the | | | | medical specific terms. |
| market. Before continuing with our Dragon | | | | I think the biggest drawback of Dragon |
| Naturally Speaking Review, let's talk a little bit | | | | NaturallySpeaking is the microphone headset that |
| about speech recognition software and what you | | | | comes with the product. It is recommended that |
| should expect from such a program. | | | | if you do not already have a good headset, get |
| Understanding voice recognition software is all | | | | one. You can find a good noise-cancelling |
| about having the right expectations. While they will | | | | microphone for under $20. The quality of the |
| eliminate the need to type, they will also have to | | | | microphone will go a long way in making this |
| be trained, and this can take some time. When | | | | software much more effective. The one that |
| we talk about "training" we mean to make the | | | | comes with the program is of low quality, but |
| voice recognition software understand our voice | | | | that is par for the course with these programs. |
| better and convert our speech into written words | | | | Do not let the added cost of the microphone |
| with better accuracy. This means that if your | | | | deter you from buying the product because it will |
| speech is not clear enough or your annunciation is | | | | be the same regardless of the program that is |
| not good, the software will have a hard time to | | | | being used. I suggest you to try the included |
| get the word right. There is some training that | | | | microphone first to see how it works for you, |
| happens right out of the box, but the program will | | | | because some people found it ok. |
| more than likely continue to make some mistakes. | | | | Accuracy is pretty good, but you are going to |
| The more the program is used and that | | | | have to take your time when speaking. They tout |
| corrections are made, the more likely it is to get | | | | 99% accuracy, but this is going to take some |
| better. So keep in mind the training factor when | | | | time to achieve. Very few of us speak clear |
| using Dragon NaturallySpeaking, although the | | | | enough for the program to truly be able to |
| company touts a 99% accuracy for this particular | | | | recognize every word that we say. If you take |
| product (which I believe is valid with the proper | | | | your time and annunciate every word, after a |
| training). | | | | few weeks the program will do a great job of |
| Out of the box, Dragon Naturally Speaking is | | | | picking up just about every word. It may not be |
| pretty easy to use. The installation goes relatively | | | | so much a matter of training the software as it is |
| quickly and the setup does not take very much | | | | retraining you on how to speak. |
| time at all. The software works on all modern | | | | Overall, Dragon Naturally Speaking 10 is about as |
| Windows versions (XP, Vista, Win 7). As far as | | | | good as it gets. We consider the microphone |
| hardware resources needed, the software comes | | | | inconsequential because every program out there |
| with a microphone headset but requires a PC with | | | | that included one is of low quality. While this |
| 16-bit sound card and a DVD. Even the training | | | | headset will serve its purpose, the software is |
| process will go fairly quickly. Pay particular | | | | much more effective with a high-quality headset. |
| attention when training to see how easy the | | | | There is also the price to consider, but you do |
| program is actually picking up what you are | | | | truly get what you pay for when it comes to |
| saying, as this will give you a better idea of the | | | | voice recognition software. It will take some |
| speed at which you can talk when using the | | | | training, but the software offers the best |
| program for real. | | | | alternative to typing. Once you become proficient |
| The software's pricing depends on which product | | | | in speaking to the software, 100-120 words a |
| edition best fits your needs. There are five major | | | | minute with few or no mistakes is very |
| editions available: Standard, Preferred, Professional, | | | | achievable. Actually, this article was created by |
| Legal and Medical. If you only need the tool just | | | | dictating using Dragon. It made a couple of |
| for its basic functionality (that is, to type words | | | | mistakes but overall I'm very satisfied with this |
| as you talk using the most popular word | | | | software. |
| processors like MS Word, WordPerfect, Outlook | | | | |