Nuance Dragon Naturally Speaking Preferred Full Version 9 Software Review

The premise of this software is to allow the user to speak the words that they would normally type into a document or an e-mail message.  Since most people can speak three times faster than they can type the same number of words, Dragon NaturallySpeaking should make creating a document faster and easier.  I am actually writing this review by speaking into a microphone, rather than by using my computer keyboard.  If I make any mistakes along the way that I cannot figure out how to fix, it will show up in this review.  (Wish me luck!)

Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9 Preferred, comes complete with two CDs, instructions, and a microphone so that users can get started quickly.  The installation process was very straightforward, and I had no problems getting started.

Activating the Software and Teaching the Program to Recognize How You Speak.

The first time I opened Dragon NaturallySpeaking, I was required to activate the copy of the software.  Activation simply means connecting to the Internet to register the product's serial number and the computer it's installed on.

After activation I created a new user.  I ran into a couple of issues with this step, mainly, I couldn't seem to get the headset microphone set up correctly, nor did it fit comfortably on my head.  It took me several minutes, but finally I figured out what I was doing wrong and got the microphone plugged into the correct source.  I went through the program's tutorial set up, positioned my microphone for optimal results, checked my volume, and finally began the Quality Check by reading the text displayed in the screen.  I passed.

The software allows you to skip the Initial Training, which involves reading aloud for several minutes to enhance the program's accuracy.  Well, since the whole idea is to be able to train the software to understand my unique voice, I thought it made sense to spend the time up front in the training session.  For voice training, I selected a reading from a Dilbert management training manual, and spent the next half hour - off and on - speaking into my computer.  I think the time that I spent on the voice recognition training really made a difference.  In the short time I've been using the software, there have been a couple of mistakes (otherwise known as mis-recognition) but I am amazed by how well Dragon NaturallySpeaking is able to decipher what I'm saying.

How Well Does It Work?

I began my experiment with the software by opening a Microsoft Word document.  I began by reciting a random nursery tale (which translated into "nurse or retail") but was pleased that most of the text was correct.  However, it is a little tricky to think through what I wanted to say, trying not to pause too long, or to say ummm, errr, or uhhh in the middle of a sentence.  You have to be careful not to speak too quickly, too slowly, or too softly.  You also must remember to enunciate  (which transcribed as "eat none C8" and "eat none see eight" until I finally gave up and used the voice command to spell it out, i.e., SPELL e-n-u-n-c-i-a-t-e).  When speaking, I found that I had to think through sentences a little differently than how I typically compose sentences when writing.  It's a little trickier than it sounds. 

Formatting and Editing

Once I finished practicing turning my speech into text, I wanted to see how long it would take for me to format my document.  Dragon NaturallySpeaking gives you the option to correct text with the keyboard or by using voice commands.  Since I already know how to use the keyboard, I wanted to try correcting mistakes via voice command.  The correction menu shows the software's best guess of the word you intended to use.  It is very similar to the pop up option in Spell-check.  For example, in the previous sentence the word intended transcribed as "intent it".  I simply commanded the program to select the word and my voice prompt chose the correct word.

In addition to using voice commands to format and edit text, Dragon NaturallySpeaking lets you use your voice to control your computer, start software programs, control Windows menus and browse the Internet.  I have tried this on a limited basis without any problems.  However, my first goal is mastering the dictation of my documents.  I'll spend more time on those functions later.

My Viewpoint on Dragon NaturallySpeaking

in my opinion, the main reason for using the software is that it is considered more than three times faster than typing.  During the short time that I have been using Dragon NaturallySpeaking I have to admit that I can touch type considerably faster than I can give accurate voice commands.  Of course, I type quickly because I've been typing for decades; the QWERTY keyboard is second nature to me.  Since speech recognition software takes a little time and effort to master, I imagine it will take a lot of practice for me to become as proficient with the program as I am with my keyboard.

Skilled users of speech recognition software will appreciate how amazingly accurate this software is, and how easy it is to get started.   For newcomers to the technology, a little patience and practice will get you up and running in no time.   As a newcomer to Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9 Preferred Speech Recognition Software, I will probably never use this technology as my sole method of creating documents.  However, I am looking forward to becoming proficient enough in its use that I will have a viable option for writing personal and business correspondence on those days that I simply don't feel like typing.

p.s.  I did encounter some mistakes while I dictated this review, but I was able to fix them all via voice commands. :)