MacSpeech Dictate: Typist in a Box

LOS ANGELES -- Speech-to-text programs have been around for a while, but there have not been many offerings for Mac users. MacSpeech Dictate is specifically made for Apple's (AAPL Quote) Mac and contains a hardware/software package. The software is based on the Dragon NaturallySpeaking voice recognition engine (a staple for PC speech-to-text users). The recognition is stellar, and its voice commands, that allow you to open programs and reply to emails, are enormous time-savers.

Next up, there are a few of these coming to the market: Watch phones. Gadget Grrl says this watch phone, while somewhat bulky, has built-in Bluetooth and a touchscreen. With some other models, you have to use a small stylus in order to get it to work, so keeping track of the stylus becomes a problem.

Now more about the MacSpeech.

MACSPEECH DICTATE $162.99 Click here for more info.

MacSpeech Dictate is specifically made for Mac and contains a hardware/software package. The software is based on the Dragon NaturallySpeaking voice recognition engine (a staple for PC speech to text users).

The hardware includes a pair of headphones with a built-in microphone. The headset is manufactured by Plantronics.

A couple of notes on the headphones: First, they fold up and would not take up much room in a laptop bag, if you were using them on the road. Second, the microphone does not sit on or too close to your face, making it easy to dictate into.

On the software, you start out using a Data Disk that takes you step-by-step through a set-up. What this set-up is doing is creating a speech dictionary and recognition in order to better recognize your commands. If you have never tried speech-to-text, it takes a little time to get used to some of the commands, like "new paragraph," "caps on," or "asterisk," but once I was on a roll with this it was not a problem.