Dragon NaturallySpeaking 8 Preferred

We've all wanted to talk to our computer at some point, even if only to shout, but wouldn't it be useful to be able to dictate documents rather than type them? Dragon NaturallySpeaking 8 is the latest release of one of the best known dictation tools for the PC, allowing you to do just that, and even to control the PC using your voice.

You begin by plugging the supplied headset into the computer's microphone and headphone ports, and installing the software. It will then take you through some configuration settings and calibrate the microphone so it can adjust itself to the level of your voice. The largest part of the induction process involves reading aloud several screens of text so the program can calibrate itself to your accent and speech patterns.

It works fairly well; we tested it with some passages read from a book, and the transcribed text was 90 per cent accurate (around one word in 10 was misread). But the automatic punctuation didn't work so well, and we had to go back and add commas and full stops to the text (you can do this by saying the words 'comma' or 'full stop' while transcribing).

Attempts to transcribe a taped interview failed miserably, partly because of background noise but mainly because the software wasn't calibrated for the other person's voice, which can hardly be helped.

The voice control worked reasonably well but it failed to pick up some basic commands. It also has a clever system for mouse control, with a grid overlaid on the screen in which you zoom in on the point at which you want to place the pointer.

Overall, it's better than you'd expect at straight transcriptions, but you'll have to keep an eye on its output. The voice-control elements could be invaluable to disabled users, although accuracy is not quite up to scratch.

This 'Preferred' version includes playback, text-to-speech and support for digital recorders. For many users, the cheaper standard edition is a better choice.

Contact:
ScanSoft 0871 872 0150
www.scansoft.co.uk