Do you use dictation software?
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Since I tore both my retinas last year, I’ve been using dictation software a lot. Here are some of my favourite apps, with a request for those of you who use it, to make your recommendations, too.
All these are free.
For desktop:
https://dictation.io/This works well, but I find it isn’t as accurate as the iPhone apps. Just hit the button, record your text, then copy and paste it into your Word/Pages doc, or whatever you’re working on.
As with any app like this, you need to say your punctuation: comma, period, quote, end quote, new paragraph, etc.
Be aware it might not understand everything you say, so edit carefully!
For the iPhone:
Dragon Dictation AppThis app is easy to use and quite accurate, but I’ve been getting messages that say it needs updating, so I’ve stopped using it.
Gmail App for iPhone
Best for me, the gmail app does a great job recognizing and understanding my voice. You just put your own email address in the “to” spot and dictate your message to yourself.
Look for the little microphone in the keyboard area. Android phones also have this function, but sometimes the microphone is hidden in a drop down menu, so you might need to look for it.
Then hit send. Open gmail on your computer, copy the text into your word processor and edit.
This has been a lifesaver for me. But if there is something better, I’d like to hear about it.
So what do you use? Thanks in advance for your feedback.
Norma Esler
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Hi again Norma,
Personally I have “Dragon Naturally Speaking” version 13. I purchased it around 18 months ago. I got quite good at using it and then allowed my learning to lapse. It is quite easy once you get a little way through the training, but like most things you have to be consistent and persistent to make it stick for the long term.
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Also Norma, Thanks for the other tips as to where we can find dictation aids on our mobile phones and desktops. Super helpful thanks!
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Great post and info Norma!
Scott Hogue CChH
Scott Hogue CChH
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Are “have” and “use” the same thing? It’s funny, but I got a copy of Dragon Naturally Speaking a few years ago as a gift. I had (have) every intention of using it.
I guess in some ways I’m old school. I recently transcribed some videos that I want to re-purpose, but I did it the old fashioned way — listen, hit pause, write. . .listen, hit pause, write.
I’m glad you brought this up. I totally forgot I had access to the software and now realize how much more efficiently my time could have been spent.
So I guess the answer to the question, “Do you use dictation software?” is. . .I will now.
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I’m beginning to “train” Dragon 15 and find it much better than earlier editions. Also, on the iPhone Notes app, you can enable dictation – really handy while walking or otherwise out and about and some “great idea” pops into your mind.
Need anything written or edited?
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I’ve never used dictation software because writing for me often is thinking out loud.
This stream-of-conscious writing I learned from a book (can’t remember the title) by Julia Cameron.
Bruce Hoag PhD
The Internet Marketing Psychologist
The Mindful Writer - for deep and persuasive copy -
Try Google Drive docs via a Chrome browser … there’s a voice function.
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@ Leslie, @ Scott – Thanks for the feedback. 🙂
@ Bob – Glad I could help! Lol.
@ Dana – Yes, I do use dictation for the iPhone notes app. My notes are usually shorter than the articles, etc. I need to dictate.
@ Bruce – I do still write by hand quite a bit, but I’m dealing with distortion so things are quite messy until my eyes get better.
@ Don – Thanks for the Google Docs tip. I had no idea. It works quite well though. I’ll definitely use that.
Norma Esler
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Thought-provoking question Norma thank you we do so many things habitually that we forget there may be better options.
That being said I have over 10 years experience with dragon dictate, Dragon NaturallySpeaking and whatever they want to change their name to.
My wife is a forensic psychologist and uses Dragon 24/7 and has for the last 10 years, and loves it! She relies on me to troubleshoot it when it crashes (frequently) I guess that’s why I hate it. — My personal intake is that dragon is the biggest and the best, but… it’s way too complicated way too sophisticated and requires way more learning and memorization than I’m willing to commit to. (that’s all my baggage). I see her productivity and I’m envious and I try again and fail.Dragon does/did? have a mobile APP which I tried a year ago. Frequently, I could not log in because of their security system and gave up.
Today, I dictated this post from my Android cell phone into Evernote (Note: I am very biased toward Evernote) that’s my preferred mobile dictation process.
It accepts verbal punctuation well, as well as paragraph pagination.I am not an apple person so I cannot attest to any experience using IO.
At my desktop I’m totally committed to Google Drive and Google Docs and use the Google dictation frequently [Docs-> tools-> voice typing]
Note: this only works with the chrome browser – what a surprise LOL!For any Android users I discovered (kind of the hard way) that the microphone and voice recognition on the android is a function of the “keyboard” – somewhere in settings you can select the keyboard. — currently the ‘Swype’ keyboard gives me the best voice recognition (don’t ask how I figured that out.)
Norma, I’m going to try the Google dictation in my voicemail.
I wasn’t even aware of that. Thanks for the tip and thanks for your post. -BDo You Want to Live Worry Free With Your pet?
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My little private joke, Norma, is that my handwriting is so bad that I had to get a PhD so that I’d have a reason. 😉
I can understand how if you can’t focus on what you’ve written that that could be a problem; but if you dictate into a machine and it doesn’t understand you correctly, don’t you have the same problem? Or can you make the font big enough to see it?
Bruce Hoag PhD
The Internet Marketing Psychologist
The Mindful Writer - for deep and persuasive copy -
Hi Bruce. Yes, it’s the same problem but for a shorter period of time.
“Dictate plus edit” means a shorter time staring at the screen than “type plus edit.”
I have a bigger screen that I can attach to my laptop to enlarge everything. I am seeing improvement since the surgery so I’m hopeful that things will keep getting better.
Norma Esler
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Norma, I, like Bruce Bauersfeld, really do like and prefer Evernote.
It works great on my phone, I find there is very little editing to do, and most of the editing required is because I got lazy or was trying to be too quiet in a public place.
I really like the fact that I do not have to email it to myself, but the option is there, should I want to email it to me or anyone else.
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Thanks, Bruce B., and Roger for the recommendation for Evernote. I had this years ago, but never got into the flow of using it. Perhaps it’s time to take another look.
Norma Esler
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I’m with you, Norma.
Every time I look at EverNote, I can’t understand why people like it so much. 😉
Maybe it’s like Marmite in the UK. 😉
Bruce Hoag PhD
The Internet Marketing Psychologist
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I’m using Dragon Naturally Speaking too. Great tool and I must say very accurate. Around 99%.
I like the feature where you can record your voice (your thoughts) and then (later) Dragon writes them down for you.1 user thanked author for this post.
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Bruce – Marmite … Not my cup of tea. I’m the kind of person that if you hand a piece of paper to, “No One” including myself will be able to find it in the next 10 minutes. So,,, Evernote which captures everything has been a Godsend for me for over 7 years.
As you know it has notebooks (folders) and tags which can be used to personalize your system. But, the chief reason I’ve used it for so long with so much enthusiasm is it’s powerful search and retrieval system.
Using nothing more than natural descriptions for my documents either in the title or anywhere in the text of the document (now including photographs), Evernote can retrieve anything – for me at least. Since April 8th 2010, I have accumulated approximately 3771 notes. I have the utmost confidence that I can retrieve what I need easily and quickly. I trust that helps – B
Do You Want to Live Worry Free With Your pet?
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Bruce, I’ve never had Marmite, but the smell is enough to tell me that I don’t want to. LOL
Is there a tutorial, video, or something like that that will show me the benefits of EverNote, and how to use it?
I’m quite good at organization, but long ago I realized that not everything can be on top. 😉
Bruce Hoag PhD
The Internet Marketing Psychologist
The Mindful Writer - for deep and persuasive copy
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Norma,
I bought a copy of Dragon and don’t use it. I intentionally got an older version because it was cheap, and I didn’t know if I would ever use it.
A couple of years ago, I downloaded the speech-to-text off of my YouTube videos. Pretty much too silly to edit. Quite funny sometimes. But from about a year ago, YouTube does a fantastic job for me. I’m not sure what changed…my voice and delivery or YT’s software. Of course, that wouldn’t work for day-to-day emails or forum replies. But it helps me put together larger documents from my YT presentations.
I’ve tested dictation.io and liked the output.
Mark
All About Health And Healing
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