Dragon Naturally Speaking: The Gift of Gab

By TechnologyGuide staff, NotebookReview Staff | | 3229 Reads

Talk is cheap, but if you are looking for a dependable and reliable speech-to-text solution that can be used for both consumer and business applications, then you'll have to pay the price and invest in something more than a low-cost download or feature-sparse wanna be.

Nuance's Dragon Naturally Speaking is not the lowest-priced product in this class, but it has been on the market for a while, so it has a history and it is a very powerful piece of software. The company has put in a lot of time and effort into refining the technology and has developed a fairly wide product line that targets consumers who may want to dictate a few letters and maybe that killer novel, or professionals who are fastidious about correctly and smoothly transforming speech into text. In fact, Nuance offers a version for the legal profession, so you know it has to be accurate if the Perry Mason's of the world trust their affidavits to it.

Don't be put off by the manual's use of the word 'training', which you'll have to do to let the system get used to your speech pattern, minor lisp or peculiar regional accent (not my Boston lilt, of course).

With each release, the accuracy level of Dragon Naturally Speaking has increased as did its ability to keep pace with fast-talking users. The software also proved to be adept at converting second hand dictations -- that is, speech that may have been recorded using another device like a digital recorder and then re-input into the Dragon software.

Standard features of the software include natural language commands for such business-standard applications as Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint. Bluetooth microphone support and even wireless dictation from remote Apple iPhones and Android smartphones equipped with a small Nuance app is also possible.

Bottom line is this is one very neat and useful system that can be relied on to eliminate the keyboard roadblock and create a fluid pathway from mind to manuscript, and that's not just talk or heresay.

Read the full review of Dragon Naturally Speaking.

Be sure to check out our full 12 Tech Days of Christmas list for new suggestions and picks by TechnologyGuide editors through Christmas Eve on Dec. 24th! Spend some time with our 2012 Holiday Buyers Guide as well, for high-tech gift suggestions from across

Most Recent News

HP Launches Exciting All-New Consumer PC Lineup

OCZ Announces the Vertex 450 Series Solid State Drives

First Look Review: AMD Showcases New Processors

Our Most Popular Notebook Reviews

Partner Resources

Shop Sony Deals!

Dell Coupons

Featured Dell Business Deals

Today's Promotions

Mobile Convergence Comes Home with Higher-Speed, Lower-Cost.
Click here to learn how Sony Business Store can help you increase your Business Productivity.
Custom Notebooks, Gaming Laptops & Desktops!
Looking for the ultimate in a gaming rig? Look no further than XOTIC PC for the latest gaming laptops & desktops!
Improve Business Productivity
Make it easier to work remotely or from home. Click to learn more about Emerging Tech For SMB sponsored by Sony Business Store.
Rugged and reliable Panasonic Toughbook® mobile computers.
Designing mission-critical tools for the mobile user is how we're engineering a better world.

ULTRA SMART. ULTRA AFFORDABLE. ULTRABOOK.
Lenovo Ultrabooks are a statement in style, mobility and productivity. Choose your favorite color and get going.
Uncompromising Gaming Performance
For a limited time save $100 on the award-winning MSI GT Series gaming notebooks. Redefine your gaming experience.
Countdown to COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2013
COMPUTEX TAIPEI joins the ICT greats who are out to set the trend. To make IT happen, this is the place to see and be seen.

MORE FEATURED Notebook/Laptop CONTENT

SSD vs Hard Drives: A Beginner's Guide to SSD Upgrades
Upgrading notebook storage is often an easy and worthwhile way to boost the speed of your laptop without buying a new one.
How To Upgrade Your Old Laptop
In this exclusive how-to guide we'll explain how to breathe new life into your old laptop. We took a look at a wide sample of systems that all have a unique way to getting at the internal components.
Dell Inspiron 15R (N5110) Review
The Dell Inspiron 15R (second gen., N5110) features Intel's "Sandy Bridge" Core processors and your choice of surprisingly powerful integrated graphics or AMD Radeon discrete graphics for gaming.

Notebook Buying Guide: How To Buy The Right Laptop
We'll help you figure out what to look for and what to stay away from in your search for that perfect portable system.
HP EliteBook 8560p Review
The EliteBook 8560p is the latest generation of 15-inch premium business notebooks from HP. This aluminum-clad workhorse is designed to serve as a mobile desktop replacement for business professionals.
Lenovo ThinkPad W520 Review
A true 15-inch ThinkPad mobile workstation, the W520 delivers serious performance for professionals who need it.

How To Improve Notebook Battery Life
Anyone with a notebook knows that at the end of the day, battery life is still the key mobility factor when using a notebook on the road. Increase your productivity--read our guide on getting the most out of your laptop battery.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Review
The all new ThinkPad X1 promises to deliver all the features and dependability you expect from a ThinkPad inside a thin and lightweight 13-inch laptop.
ASUS K53E-B1 Review
The Asus K53E combines good performance and battery life into a well-made 15.6-inch laptop.

Dragon Naturally Speaking: The Gift of Gab

Our Most Popular Notebook Reviews

HP ENVY dv7

Lenovo G580

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13

Dell Inspiron 15R Special Edition

Dell XPS 12

Partner Resources

Today's Promotions

MORE FEATURED Notebook/Laptop CONTENT