Back in the early days of home computers, when dial-up modems were the norm, I decided to try out voice recognition software. I didn’t really need it since I could type quickly and accurately, but the idea of a computer responding to voice commands felt very high-tech and excited my inner nerd. I was quite let down by it. I spent hours reading long lists of words into the microphone, which they called “training” the software, and the awkward user interface was frustrating to deal with. Eventually, I completely lost interest and thought of it as money wasted. So, when I was asked to review Dragon Naturally Speaking Version 11.5, I didn’t expect much. I assumed it was just a necessary tool for those with typing issues, like people with carpal tunnel syndrome, and a hassle for everyone else. I was wrong. Folks, the future is finally here.
First of all, gone are the days of training the software to understand your voice. Right out of the box, Dragon Naturally Speaking understood most of what I said. The company claims that it’s 90% accurate from the onset, but I think it performed even better than that for me. The software also “learns” from its user, so I expect that that percentage will be rising steadily as I use it more. For me, this aspect of the software really shone because I was actually being a bit tricky when I tested it. I intentionally spoke as fast as I could and even used words that I’ve noticed other voice recognition software has had problems discerning between. It passed the test.
I was also pleased with the user interface. It didn’t resemble the clunky version that I owned years ago at all. Instead, the software opens a dialog box next to the document or program that you are using. It seems to anticipate questions that the user might have and is ready with tips and suggestions. This had the added benefit of allowing me to learn on the go without having to read through the manual. For example, if I asked the software to do something and it didn’t understand what I was asking, the dialog box would quickly assess what I was trying to do and teach me the correct way.
Furthermore, as I was just hitting on, the functionality in this version of Dragon Naturally Speaking is a big win. The program functions intuitively. I’ve often seen it billed as a great program for children and older people who might just be learning the ropes of computing, and I can see why. The designers seem to really have had a keen understanding of how people want this kind of software to function and it make it easy to use. But I think its applications are broad. Writers, bloggers, and people who write a lot of emails could really save a lot of time by utilizing Dragon Naturally Speaking. I could also see it being great in an office setting because it works with so many different kinds of business software. Also the mobility that it affords its users is perfect for anyone who really needs to multitask or just doesn’t like being tied down in an office chair.
Perhaps the only element of the software that let me down a little bit was when I was trying to edit or correct errors. The process can take what feels like a long time. Instead, I just resorted to retyping words that were misspelled or commas that didn’t go in the right place. I didn’t mind it too much, since it gave me a chance to proofread what I’d just written, but there’s definitely some room for improvement there.
Overall, Dragon Naturally Speaking Version 11.5 is a product that I’d recommend for anyone looking to save time when working on the computer.
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