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
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Best speech recognition software for Mac
- Best product for Mac users
- Based on Dragon NaturallySpeaking
- About 98 percent accuracy
- Comes with headset
- Installation and compatibility issues
- Expensive
MacSpeech Dictate 1.5 is based on the Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 engine, and reviews indicate it's the best choice for Mac users. Tests say it's as accurate as Dragon NaturallySpeaking (about 98 percent in expert tests), but you can't edit by spoken command, and reviewers indicate that it has a larger learning curve than NaturallySpeaking. It is also more expensive. User reviews are average, but we've seen numerous complaints about installation and compatibility problems and poor customer service; a free upgrade, version 1.5.2, appears to resolve many of the software issues.
MacSpeech is continually updating Dictate, and most professional reviews deal with older versions. The most recent coverage is at TopTenReviews.com, of version 1.3, which is similar. Macworld is more skeptical of voice recognition, but pens a largely favorable review, finding Dictate 1.2 to be a good option for slow typists or those with mobility concerns. The New York Times covers Dictate 1.0 in an article that offers comparison to Dragon NaturallySpeaking. Amazon.com contributors weigh in on the current version.
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Our Sources
TopTenReviews.com covers MacSpeech Dictate 1.3. Dictate ranks second on the site's list of top voice recognition programs, and is named best for Macs.
Review: MacSpeech Dictate 1.3, Lecia Monsen, Not Dated
Macworld's Kirk McElhearn reviews MacSpeech Dictate version 1.2. McElhearn isn't too enamored of speech recognition overall, but writes a fair and balanced assessment of the program. He ultimately finds it has good accuracy, but is frustrated by the lack of voice editing commands.
Review: Review: MacSpeech Dictate 1.2.1, Kirk McElhearn, Jan. 30, 2009
The second half of this article covers MacSpeech Dictate 1.0, which veteran technology writer David Pogue says is based on Dragon NaturallySpeaking. He is very impressed with MacSpeech Dictate but concedes it isn't quite as good as NaturallySpeaking, one reason being lack of voice correction.
Review: New Tools to Bolster Mac's World, David Pogue, Jan. 24, 2008
4. Amazon.com
Over 125 user reviewers give MacSpeech a rating of just three out of five stars, but it should be noted that Amazon.com has aggregated comments on all Dictate versions into one page. Savvy contributors recognize this and offer pointed commentary on how the newest version has changed; most note that it has improved and recent reviews are generally more positive than those in the past. Some complain about software glitches, but a free patch appears to correct those errors.
Review: MacSpeech Dictate, Contributors to Amazon.com, As of Oct. 2009
