EmailBest Reviewed
Voice Recognition Software
- Best voice recognition software Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 Preferred *Est. $85
- Basic voice recognition software Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 Standard *Est. $45
- Voice recognition included with Windows Windows Speech Recognition *Est. $0
- Best speech recognition software for Mac MacSpeech Dictate *Est. $150
Get info about new reports and updates
- Doesn't need much computing power
- Needs just 500 MB of hard-drive space
- There's a Mac version
- Mistakes are not easy to correct
- Not as accurate as Dragon NaturallySpeaking
- Has not been updated recently
Reviews say that if you have an older or less powerful computer, IBM ViaVoice 10 Standard, which needs 500 MB of hard-drive space, is your best choice. There are four ViaVoice editions, including one for Macs, ranging in price from about $45 to $150. Some reports indicate version 10 will be the last because ViaVoice and Dragon are now produced by the same company, Nuance. Even if you have a fossil of a computer, reviewers say you will still need a decent microphone to get reasonable accuracy. Professional and owner reviews indicate some computer hang-ups during installation and use. If your computer has enough oomph, most reviews recommend Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9 Preferred (*Est. $145).
We found the best review at technology consultant/columnist Andy Kaiser's Digital Bits. A brief capsule review at CNET is enough to say that ViaVoice is "buggy" and inferior to Dragon NaturallySpeaking. SmallBusinessComputing.com's Gerry Blackwell appears to want to like ViaVoice because he's heard good things about it from acquaintances, but he has trouble with it even on his Pentium-class computer. Owner reviews at Amazon.com are scarce and all over the map, depending on edition.
| Featured Stores | Store Rating | Notes | Total Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  2134 store reviews | In Stock. nuance viavoice v.10.0 standard edition - complete product - standard - 1 user - pc 10151377 792842 | $47.99 | See It |
 |  170 store reviews | In Stock. Fantastic prices with ease & comfort of Amazon.com! | $39.99 | See It |
| See All Stores | ||||
Our Sources
1. Digital Bits
Andy Kaiser, a computer consultant and technology columnist, compares and contrasts the current version of IBM ViaVoice with the then-new version of Dragon NaturallySpeaking and recommends the latter. He speculates that ScanSoft (now Nuance) is continuing to improve Dragon but won't update ViaVoice.
Review: Voice Recognition Software Review: Dragon NaturallySpeaking 8.0 and IBM ViaVoice 10, Andy Kaiser, Not Dated
2. CNET
This review is old enough that CNET has removed all but the three-star rating (out of five) from its website, and a brief capsule exists on its sister website, ZDNet.com. The bottom line is that ViaVoice is "buggy." Dragon NaturallySpeaking is recommended instead.
Review: Reviews of the IBM ViaVoice Standard Edition 10 (Windows), Editors of CNET, Feb. 23, 2006
3. Small Business Computing.com
Reviewer Gerry Blackwell doesn't compare ViaVoice to any other product. He describes training the program as "tedious" and says it didn't work very well for him.
Review: ViaVoice 10 Review: Patience Is a Virtue, Gerry Blackwell, March 17, 2003
4. Amazon.com
About a dozen owner reviewers give the Pro version of ViaVoice a combined rating of average, but most aren't very impressed. Complaints say there are numerous conflicts with other software and that you'll need a good microphone to get decent results.
Review: Nuance Communications ViaVoice 10 Pro USB Edition, Contributors to Amazon.com
5. Amazon.com
About a dozen owner reviewers give the Mac version of ViaVoice a below average score. Most say they can't get it to work because of installation and/or compatibility issues.
Review: IBM ViaVoice for Mac OS X USB, Contributors to Amazon.com
6. Amazon.com
A handful of owner reviewers give the advanced version of ViaVoice (for Windows 98/Me) an above average score. Most say it works as promised and is easy to install.
Review: Via Voice for Windows Advanced, Contributors to Amazon.com
