Written on November 21st, 2009 at 12:11 am by Darren Rowse
Speech Recognition for Bloggers – The Ultimate Guide
Speech recognition technology has come a long way in the last few years – in this in depth, informative and inspiring video which Jon Morrow (Associate Editor of Copyblogger and Co-founder of Partnering Profits) shares his first hand insights into speech recognition for bloggers.
Jon does all of his blogging via speech recognition so he seemed like the logical guy to ask to cover the topic – in the video (I’m glad he agreed). In the video Jon makes recommendations of software, hardware (the hardware is key) and even demonstrates how he uses them in his everyday blogging.
The video itself is also a great illustration of using video to communicate.
Speech Recognition for Bloggers — The Ultimate Guide from Jon Morrow on Vimeo.
Recommended in the video by Jon are a number of technologies including:
- Dragon Naturally Speaking (PC) – currently $69.99 at Amazon
- Mac Speech Dictate (Mac) – currently $159.99 at Amazon
- VXI TalkPro Xpress Headset
- VXI Full Duplex USB Sound Pod
Bookmark this video today as it’ll be something you want to come back to again.
Jon Morrow is Associate Editor of Copyblogger and Cofounder of Partnering Profits. Get more from Jon on twitter.
95 Responses to “Speech Recognition for Bloggers – The Ultimate Guide” - Add Yours
Shane Hudson - Be Motivational
November 21st, 2009 1:12 am
My mum uses Dragon for her essays. I having been thinking about using it for blogging for over 2 years. My problem is that I am not comfortable to talk to computers (or phones for that matter!) but that needs to change.
Heather Allard
November 21st, 2009 1:20 am
Jon,
No doubt this is amazing technology – but what’s more amazing is your story. You are an absolute inspiration – in blogging and LIFE.
My father was handicapped and went on to achieve great things before dying way too young at 36 – I wrote about him here http://www.themogulmom.com/2009/03/3-life-lessons-i-learned-from-my-parents/.
It is dark and rainy here in Rhode Island today but your vlog just brightened my day to all the possibilities that lie ahead and made me realize once again what my father taught me through his life – never let real or perceived handicaps stop you from achieving your dreams.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing your story.
Heather
Dan
November 21st, 2009 1:38 am
So what is the difference between using a mic + sound pod vs. a USB headset? I had a mic + pod setup years ago, but have used USB mics exclusively for the past 5-6 years since I switched to an iMac from Windows and the quality sounds excellent to me. Is there really an advantage to using a mic and sound pod? I didn’t think those sound pods were even needed anymore with the number of quality USB mics available.
Shane Hudson - Be Motivational
November 21st, 2009 1:39 am
One quest I do have for Jon is:
How does dragon know whether you mean to press a button (ie. publish) or type the word publish?
Jamaipanese
November 21st, 2009 1:43 am
really awesome video blog post and tutorial. I will definitely be looking into incorporating speech recognition into my blogging.
Basant Singh
November 21st, 2009 1:44 am
One more tool in blogger’s arsenal. Thanks for introduction.
Gabe | freebloghelp.com
November 21st, 2009 1:54 am
Jon is an inspiration! Technology has helped provide a means for many people to overcome obstacles but will power and determination are still vital to success.
Justine EtsySelling.com
November 21st, 2009 2:09 am
Wow, I thought about this technology the other day and wondered why I hadn’t heard more about it in the recent years. Thanks for sharing, very inspirational and exciting post.
brian from nodebtworldtravel.com
November 21st, 2009 2:13 am
Great video. I’ve been on the fence about Dragon but this video convinced me to take the plunge.
I’m happy that you didn’t let your disability hold you back from doing what you love. That is the ultimate in living life on your own terms, regardless of what has happened to you.
Jon
November 21st, 2009 2:20 am
@Heather: Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
@Dan: From what I understand, some of the higher-end USB headsets have built-in sound pods, but I’ve never used any of them. What’s important is to make sure you’re getting as much accuracy as possible. Most of the microphones you would buy in Best Buy or RadioShack are not meant for serious speech recognition users. That’s why you should always go to a resource like knowbrainer to check on the accuracy ratings of a microphone before buying it.
Drew McManus
November 21st, 2009 2:25 am
If Dragon and Speech Dictate don’t pick Jon up as a spokesperson then they are missing out on the greatest opportunity to advance their market share.
Brent
November 21st, 2009 2:56 am
Don’t forget the built-in speech recognition technology in Windows Vista and 7. It’s worth a try before you buy other speech recognition software.
I’ve written a series of guides on Using Windows Speech Recognition in Windows Vista (this should work in Windows 7 also).
Sandra
November 21st, 2009 2:58 am
Great information that I would never have paid attention to without the great video.
Seriously, if this had been text, I would have just gone by it because I wouldn’t have thought it information I need. And I usually can’t sit through a video because I get bored.
This video? Brilliant – it is completely captivating. I admit, I started to watch because I was more interested in Jon’s personal story, having read a lot of his stuff on CopyBlogger, but I stayed because I was totally engaged with sight and sound.
So there are two lessons here – the benefits and how to use speech recognition tools in blogging and how to produce an effective video.
Bravo Jon and keep up the good work!
Vishal Sanjay
November 21st, 2009 3:39 am
Great technology I know it is very useful, but you see currently I’m struggling to run an adwords campaign, pay for my host and my internet bills. Maybe I’ll buy these as soon as i get as rich as Warren Buffet, then i guess it means never, maybe i’ll buy it when i get as rich as Darren.
emumbert1
November 21st, 2009 3:39 am
We had the privilege of raising a disabled daughter for 34 years. I wish this voice recognition rechnology had come along sooner. We used Dragon Dictate back in those days, and it had a hard time with her voice tremors.
“A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kickboxing!” Emo Philips
A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing.
Emo Philips
Keep the great articles flowing!
steve
November 21st, 2009 4:42 am
I got my DragonNaturallySpeaking at TigerDirect.com for $50, with a $20 rebate!! And I have to admit I love it!! I even use it in chat rooms.
Nick Thacker
November 21st, 2009 4:58 am
Good idea–I used MacSpeechDictate to finish a Constitution for an organization I’m part of.
I can’t speak on the PC side much, but I HIGHLY recommend MacSpeechDictate–it ACTUALLY works well! You’ll need an IntelCore processor (one of the newer MacBooks or MacBook Pros; my PowerPC Powerbook won’t run it), and the built-in mic actually does a fine job if you can get to a relatively consistently quiet spot.
Sonia Simone
November 21st, 2009 6:15 am
I’m thinking some of the commenters haven’t actually watched the post, which addresses some of the questions. :)
This is so killer, Jon, I’m going to add it to my email autoresponder immediately, as I’m always being asked about how to create content if people just hate writing. I’ve recommended DNS before, but the way you’ve dug into it and shown people exactly how it works is so much more helpful.
I can’t believe a penny pincher like you is considering going to Mac, though. :)
Bill Watkins
November 21st, 2009 6:18 am
Jon,
Thank you so much for sharing! You are an amazing guy & very encouraging to many of us.
I have the same question about a USB-Mic. Mine seems to work very well. Is there some kind of technology in the Pod that gives an advantage?
Thanks!
Charlie Gilkey
November 21st, 2009 6:36 am
Thank you so much for posting this, Jon – I’ve had MacSpeech Dictate for a while now because I thought it would help me write more, but I haven’t quite grokked it yet.
Time for me to implement some of your suggestions, and when they work, I’ll have you to thank all over again. Not just for being an inspiring, informative writer, but for helping me to become more of one, myself.
Amal
November 21st, 2009 6:52 am
Hey Jon,
thanks for a great video! I’m an RSI sufferer, who went to DNS once my disability began. At that point, I was already a Mac user, and did NOT want to switch back to PC. I didn’t want to use MacSpeech dictate though, as it does dictate well, but has serious limitations when it comes to navigating, which is much of what I do. So, I wanted to share my solution with you. I decked out my MacBook with a good sized hard drive and some extra RAM, and Installed VMWare Fusion. It allows me to run a “virtual PC” on my Mac, and install PC programs, like Dragon Naturally Speaking, with no problems. You just need to purchase VMWare Fusion (about $40 i think with an academic license) and a copy of Windows (I use XP). Of course I also make sure I run anti-virus software. It runs like a charm, and I can keep my lovely Mac! Hope this helps! :)
Jon
November 21st, 2009 7:02 am
@Sonia: You know me well. Perhaps too well. :-)
Farnoosh Brock
November 21st, 2009 8:07 am
Speech Recognition saves and keeps my little brother going because he is visually handicapped. He is brilliant, that goes without saying (PhD, engineering, knows everything about technology) but without Speech Recognition software, he would not have the opportunities to make an impact in the world around him and he knows without a doubt it works, and you are also another proof that it does. Excellent video, and I am very glad you decided to do the video :)!
Farnoosh Brock
November 21st, 2009 8:09 am
And I forgot to mention, I just bought Dragon a few days ago and waiting for it to arrive, mainly to save my poor arms from typing so much. I bought the Platronics for the microphone!!!
Candy
November 21st, 2009 8:34 am
Fascinating vlog, Jon. I used Dragon Naturally speaking years ago. My mentor was blind and I was her go-to gal for all things computer. I barely recognized what you showed us as the same program. Thanks!
Peter Mahoney
November 21st, 2009 8:51 am
Hi Jon,
I just wanted to send you a quick note to tell you that I really enjoyed your video. I’m glad to see that Dragon helps you get your voice out there in the blogosphere. Keep up the good work!
Peter Mahoney
Senior Vice President and General Manager, Dragon
Nuance Communications Inc.
Sonia Simone
November 21st, 2009 8:58 am
Farnoosh makes a good point, I’ve been seriously thinking about speech recognition to save my wrists, which always seem to be on the verge of major carpal tunnel problems.
Jannie Funster
November 21st, 2009 9:01 am
I think a Mac will save you in the long run, so they say. I’d like to get one too.
I like to include at least one photo in every blog post, usually ones I took myself. But if I wanted to use one (with legal permission of course,) from say, Google Images, can I just voice in all the steps to download it to My Pictures, then up to a post? In Wordpress can I tell it what size to make it too? This software can pretty-much replicate a keyboard? Be pretty time-saving I bet.
You are a real hoot, Jon. I enjoyed your funny commentary.
Jon
November 21st, 2009 9:49 am
@Shane Hudson: Dragon first looks to see if there are any buttons named “Publish” on the page. If there aren’t, then it types it in for you. Also, you have to say “Publish” all by itself. If you were to say “I will publish my post soon,” for example, it wouldn’t click the button. It would type the text. Overall, the software does an excellent job of doing exactly what you want it to do though.
@Amal: That’s a great suggestion. Thanks for the contribution!
@Jannie: Yep, downloading and uploading a picture with speech recognition software is easy. You can do almost anything with it. The only thing that you can’t really do is play video games. Call of Duty with Dragon NaturallySpeaking is… umm… suicide. :-)
@Peter: Great to hear from you! I’ve been a big fan of your product for a long, long time.
Jeff H.
November 21st, 2009 9:58 am
Hi Jon,
Great video! I am one of those individuals who has used Dragon in the past, I think about maybe 8 years ago and boy did it suck. After watching your video guide, I think I am going to seriously give it some consideration to use in 2010. Thanks once again for the video and you are indeed an inspiration to us all.
Technology Slice
November 21st, 2009 11:47 am
I’ve heard good things about Dragon Naturally Speaking.
Beniaminus
November 21st, 2009 12:11 pm
Great video, really shows the potential of speech recognition. I tried DNS a while ago, but was frustrated by poor recognition quality. But now I’m thinking I might need a new mic and external sound pod.
The most interesting feature of speech recognition is how your writing style adopts your natural human voice.
Dave Beck
November 21st, 2009 12:11 pm
hi Jon,
You’ve put together a great video and really touched on the most important aspect of using voice recognition software — good quality hardware!
Unfortunately I busted my neck in 1995 and started using voice recognition the following year. I can 100% confer that the advancements over the past few years nothing short of remarkable.
I have been using the professional version of NaturallySpeaking for a little while and it has made a fair difference to my workflow. As a quick, simple example, I wrote a custom command for “view source” which opens up the source code of any webpage I’m looking at.
I recently upgraded to Windows 7 (64-bit) and it is working pretty well. There are a few bugs that I’m sure will be sorted out with a patch release at some stage.
Anyway mate, keep up the good work. Really enjoyed the video.
By the way, all of this comment was completely dictated with only one mistake.
Charlie Gilkey
November 21st, 2009 1:22 pm
Jon,
One thing that I didn’t say last time is how good this video is as a video presentation. I knew it was good and forgot to say something about it, but after seeing a really bad presentation a few minutes ago, I was reminded that this video is the way to do it.
I’m currently dictating this comment with MacSpeech Dictate, and I’m not quite sure that it’s as robust as Dragon NaturallySpeaking – but it’s still good enough that leaving this comment using the software is not just an exercise in frustration. That alone is a testament to the power of speech recognition software.
I just want to come back and weigh in about the quality of the video. Thanks again!
Mike Stenger
November 21st, 2009 2:33 pm
This is pretty amazing! I had no idea how accurate current speech recognition actually is, well some of it anyway. Thanks for sharing Jon, we appreciate it :-)
xmas presents
November 21st, 2009 4:27 pm
I’ve never really got on with speech recognition technology.
Whether it is my accent (I don’t have a very strong one) or it is poor programming I seem to get quite frustrated with voice recognition.Worse still seems to be the “I’m sorry I didn’t catch that” or the “Did you say Coventry?” loops that you seem to be caught in.It seems more sensible to ask a question and if there is not a high confidence level to connect you to an agent.
Brian
November 21st, 2009 5:34 pm
This is good stuff. Inspiring indeed. Thanks for sharing.
David Walker
November 21st, 2009 7:33 pm
@Brent. I have Windows Vista and 7, and it was quite an experience. Setting it up to recognize my voice and going thought the tutorials was a piece of cake, but it was when I got down to real work that it got frustrating. Now, it didn’t recognize most words I said, couldn’t hear, went to sleep..I had been looking forward to sitting back and having someone/thing else do all the typing for a change, but gave up after repeated attempts. I think I’ll try Dragon now because all the reviews I’ve hear or read about say it’s a great software.
@ Jon. Thanks for the great tips and your inspirational story.
Tinh
November 21st, 2009 8:01 pm
I have not tried this but do hope to conduct this type of communication soon. Thanks
Charles H. Green
November 21st, 2009 11:58 pm
Jon,
Wonderful video, and so helpful. Thank you very much.
One of the things I am still figuring out is how to do get all my thoughts out in a coherent manner. Somehow I have learned to do this on keyboard; there is some re-organizing after my first drafts, but not much. I can type an organized blog.
But speaking–that’s another thing. Maybe it’s that I’m still intimidated by the technology, somehow feeling that I have to get it right on the first take, I’m not sure. In any case: I find I’m a long way from speaking in a way that results in coherent text.
You clearly have mastered that skill, along with the technological aspects of it. So–how do you do that? How do you speak in coherent sentences, in a logically flowing manner, in such an effortlessly appearing manner? I’d be most curious to hear how you trained yourself to think in such a manner that you can speak as if you were reading a book.
Many thanks,
Charlie Green
Dean Saliba
November 22nd, 2009 12:15 am
That is a fantastic video, I only got half way through it before I became overwhelmed to get stuck into some more work. Cheers Jon!
work at home
November 22nd, 2009 12:35 am
Well I do not try such type of software before, well thank you for this information.
sjay
November 22nd, 2009 1:00 am
thats pretty cool jon. Really Great!!
GolfGurl
November 22nd, 2009 2:41 am
Thanks for such great information. I am going to pass it on. I have a family member who was recently diagnosed with ALS. should be a great help.
Adele
November 22nd, 2009 2:51 am
Thanks so much for this article/report. I have a huge project of 98 volumes of handwritten material I want to put into text to edit. I gather buying the MAC software would save me hours and hours of work.
Jonathon
November 22nd, 2009 3:30 am
Great Video Jon
I use Dragon daily and love it. It becomes second nature and I have been using it for software programming. As a one finger typer I am slower but I can program as fast as anyone with Dragon and my Logitech headset. I have found the more you use it is gets so accurate you can use cheaper mics and it still understands clearly. I have been testing Bluetooth options that may be accurate enough but haven’t found one I love yet.
Great post
Dr. Michael Beck | Chiropractic Marketing
November 22nd, 2009 8:01 am
I’ve used Dragon on and off over the years, but found it takes quite a lot of time to get it programmed to your voice. Yet in cases like this, I’m glad that software is available.
Rebecca Leaman
November 22nd, 2009 3:59 pm
A common condition for fulltime bloggers, RSI, has moved me to working with Dragon NaturallySpeaking for about one-third of my work. Sadly, it’s not efficient for editing books… but for drafting blog posts it is quite amazing. I’ve found the largest challenge is not in training the software to work with my voice, but in training my brain to work with the software! Learning to speak a post is a whole new skill, for sure, and my admiration for Jon Morrow’s accomplishments has increased a hundredfold through using voice recognition software in my own blogging work.
Reza Winandar@Blogging Guide
November 22nd, 2009 6:04 pm
Hi Darren,
The video is not loaded up in my browser. What is the factors that makes the video doesn’t loaded up? Is my country? Or my IP, or the connection?
ZK @ Web Marketing Blog
November 22nd, 2009 6:57 pm
Wow its initial investment but can save your time as well. To get it done smoothly I think we will have to invest our time first.
Let me include this one in my future project list.
Danny Ethridge
November 23rd, 2009 12:45 am
Jon, thanks! Awesome and informative video. It is great to know there are associates in this business who are so willing to share their knowledge. Tip of the hat to you my good man!
Now, which software would you recommend for video editing? Eagerly awaiting your answer, Jon.
God bless you!
Danny Ethridge
Internet Marketing Toolman
Paul
November 23rd, 2009 7:41 am
I’ve been reading Jon on Copyblogger and learning from him inside Teaching Sells and had absolutely no idea he was doing it all by speech software. Amazing.
John
November 23rd, 2009 1:43 pm
Jon thank you so much, I bought this software for my wife last Christmas, she is a teacher and a writer, she is not only a one finger typer, but she is deaf in one ear and blind in one eye, with no depth perception… she struggles on the computer, and I thought this software could help… well she opened it thought it was a great idea, and it sat on the shelf… I watch your video, went to best buy and bought a external sound card, and fooled around for 30 minutes… the program is amazing… I have shown her what it can do and she is excited to get started….
She loves to write and hates to type so because of you she will be able to do both…. thank you for an excellent video my God bless your life richly for being so genouros with your time and knowledge….
PS I tried the software before and thought it sucked… it wasnt the software but my hardware that was the issue…. again thank you thank you thank you….
thank you from a happy husband….
adam computes
November 23rd, 2009 8:25 pm
Don’t forget about tazti speech recognition. It’s a FREE download from http://www.tazti.com. It’s remarkable.
Annabel Candy, Get In the Hot Spot
November 23rd, 2009 11:29 pm
This sounds great. Love your video and informative, practical advice. Now I just need a sound-proofed room so I don’t drive my husband nuts:)
Mike
November 24th, 2009 2:03 am
Hi Jon,
I thought you did a wonderful job showing how much more dragon naturally speaking can offer others. I really like the part about how emicrophone and knowbrainer web sites can improve the way dragon behaves.
I am still pretty new at dragon so I am always learning something new. I hope you make another video like this for the future, so others can learn and experience dragon naturally speaking the way it should be.
Well thanks for all your help and info….you take care now.
mindflex
November 24th, 2009 3:46 am
I just can’t see it ever getting that big, its a shame really
Jannie Funster
November 24th, 2009 8:27 am
Jon, Well, that’s great because I have no time for video games anyway, with all this blogging I do!
Thanks all.
Joshua Black
November 25th, 2009 4:47 am
I knew about these programs, but never really thought about how useful they would be for blogging. Great post. I’m going to look into this for article marketing too.
Carlos
November 25th, 2009 11:15 am
Man It’s crazy how technology advances everyday.. I just hope man grabs a hold of it before anything goes absolutely wrong.
jasmine
November 25th, 2009 11:29 pm
Great information . I think that after some day this technology make blogging more interesting.
Galvahaha
November 26th, 2009 8:56 pm
So what is the difference between using a mic + sound pod vs. a USB headset? I had a mic + pod setup years ago, but have used USB mics exclusively for the past 5-6 years since I switched to an iMac from Windows and the quality sounds excellent to me. Is there really an advantage to using a mic and sound pod? I didn’t think those sound pods were even needed anymore with the number of quality USB mics available.
Blanca Stella Mejia
November 28th, 2009 8:01 am
Thanks so much for sharing, Jon. I actually have an old version of Naturally Speaking. I heard so many bad things that it didn’t work, that I didn’t even bother with it.
Besides, this is so inspiring. I am so happy for you.:)
I’ll get back to you with questions once I find the software lying in some dust bin!
Mark S A Smith
November 28th, 2009 8:54 am
Excellent! I’ve used Dragon 9 in the past but abandoned it because I had challenges with accuracy. Thanks, Jon for kicking me in the pants to get Dragon 10. And I’ll thank you again as I attack those four books on my 2010 to-do list.
Jim Clark
November 28th, 2009 9:33 am
Jon-
Thanks for the intro to the topic. It is very well done.
I quit using voice activated dialing on my telephone because of so many errors. I also seem to have a slight lisp that I attribute many of those errors to.
I have looked for alternatives to a mouse for a long time. I just hate them, mainly because of hand, arm and shoulder pain.
In your demo, your speaking was quite finished; you knew what you were going to say before you said it.
Often when I’m writing, I just start out, get some stuff on the page and then develop the concept through editing. There is a lot of reworking that I do in the process. I would have many replaced words, sections of text moving forward or back. The cut and paste functions are extensions of my finger tips. I also use the writing process to gain order to my thinking.
To prepare this comment, I started in the box provided and then went to Word to finish before cutting and pasting back into the comment box. That’s how bad it is.
It’s one of the reasons I can no longer write on real paper (I’m old enough that I had to use real paper for writing in the days before PCs). The editing job would just be too redundant. On paper it is so messy that I really can’t effectively get the job done.
I still write the same way on my laptop so I am left wondering how this personal writing approach would work with dns. Can you shed some light on the efficiency of using dns when the writing process itself is not effecient?
Renee
November 28th, 2009 9:35 am
I’ve tried Dragon numerous times and have found it really inaccurate. It’s also been really hard to get it to recognize the way I talk. After several times of using it, I have had to start all over because something goes wrong with the software and I have to set it up again. I have virtually given up and am writing the old fashioned way!
Teresa Rothove
November 28th, 2009 6:09 pm
Thank you so very much for your post. I thought about speech software years ago, but either it was to expensive or I just blew it off. I can see where the application can be invaluable and I am glad I’m apart of copyblogger so that I had this opportunity to see what is available and where to go.
Thanks again.
Teresa Rothove
Les
November 29th, 2009 12:55 am
I watched the video and I am really impressed but I have one big question: can it record my speech (to a sound file) at the same time as converting it to text? That would be really valuable for me in the field of esl where I want to give the recording to my visitors and have it available in text too… it would save me lots of time.
Tom McKay
November 29th, 2009 3:11 am
Jon,
One thing you didn’t cover is how different the process of writing is when using speech recognition software. Most of us are used to composing on the keyboard. I’m a copywriter, and making the transition is still something of a struggle. Thinking and writing out loud is a very different process, at least in my experience.
Different headset make a profound difference in accuracy, as you mentioned. Another factor to consider is comfort. Personally, I find a lot of traditional headsets and in-ear versions to be fairly uncomfortable, and a little distracting when I’m trying to write.
Finally, make sure the headset cord is long enough. I don’t know how many times I’ve leaned across my desk and ripped the earpiece out of my ear. Ouch!
Jon
November 29th, 2009 4:13 am
@xmas presents: The latest version of Dragon NaturallySpeaking supports both non-native and regional dialects. If you haven’t used it in a while, give it a try. I think you’ll be amazed at how accurate it is.
@Charlie: Ahh, I was wondering whether anyone would pick up on that. Yes, learning to write by talking is an adjustment. In the video, I was actually reading a portion of a post I’d already written, so it was probably a little bit more coherent than normal. Still, your brain gets used to it with practice.
@Dr. Michael Beck: The latest version of Dragon NaturallySpeaking requires no training whatsoever. You can install it and start talking, and it will understand you fairly well. Granted, doing about 10 minutes of voice training before you get started does increase the accuracy a little bit, but it’s by no means required.
@Rebecca: I wrote and edited a book with Dragon NaturallySpeaking, and it seemed to work just fine. What difficulties did you have?
@Danny: I used Camtasia to make this video. It’s awesome software.
@Galvahaha: From what I understand, some of the high-end USB mics ($100+) have their own integrated soundpod, but I’ve never used any of them. I have tried some of the cheap USB mics ($30-), and none of them were nearly as accurate as the microphones I pointed out in the video.
@Jim: I don’t think there’s anything abnormal about needing to edit what you write. I do the same thing, and Dragon NaturallySpeaking deals with it very well. You can select any text with a single command and replace it. You can also delete words or entire sentences or paragraphs with a single command. In my opinion, editing with Dragon NaturallySpeaking is easier than doing it by hand.
@Renee: You must be using the wrong hardware and/or an older version of Dragon NaturallySpeaking. Try the setup I outlined in the video, and I think you’ll be impressed with how accurate it is.
@Tom: Yes, it’s an adjustment. Writing by hand has a sort of kinetic rhythm, and it can be disconcerting to start doing everything by voice. But you can definitely get used to it. It just takes a little time.
Gary
November 29th, 2009 6:48 am
Jon:
Great video. I have one question. I know that Dragon will also transcribe voice from some digital recorders. Can you recommend a moderately priced digital recorder that works well with Dragon 10?
Gary
Tea Silvestre
November 29th, 2009 6:50 am
Great vlog post, Jon. I’ve been reading your stuff for quite awhile now and had no idea you were doing it all this way. Inspiring!
Question: Is there a way to use DNS on stuff that’s already been recorded? Like podcasts? I have a whole library of podcasts I’d like to get transcribed, but like you, I’m a tight wad and don’t really want to invest in hiring someone to do the work, if there is software somewhere that will let me do it cheaper.
Your advice would be MOST welcome! Thanks!
Penny
November 29th, 2009 7:50 am
Hi
Love your presentation – thank you.
I am (oh dear!) a Mac user. Two questions. Have you done any research on Mac Speech Dictate yet? Secondly, I will be interviewing several different people in the next two months – do you know of any software (even for PCs!) that can cope with more than one voice?
Cheers, Penny
Ken Stewart | ChangeForge
November 30th, 2009 3:13 am
Jon, wonderful video! I’m so very glad that Darren highlighted you so many years ago. I’ve have caught your posts across a few different sites, and I thoroughly enjoyed them. Now I enjoy putting a name to “voice” behind the words (and you have been doing that with voice recognition software too!).
I admit, I have had a terrible misperception about this – and even being in an technology centric role for 13 years now (or was that because of). ;-)
We are currently piloting this with a team member of mine who is in advanced application sales – and travels a lot. It would help him maximize his time if he could dictate while on the road, so he is trialing a voice recorder with uploads into Dragon (which we’ll see how that goes).
Needless to say, we have high hopes, and given this video, it looks even more promising.
Andre
November 30th, 2009 2:27 pm
What can I say…”I’m speechless” lol…ok, joking aside, this was a great video/article and he really provides a lot of inspiration with the actual live example he was doing on screen. Very well done and enough to give a person a promising outlook. For myself, I code all day long making themes but when it comes to the blog, writing demo content, and more, I am really giving some serious thought to this concept. Great video demo Jon.
Terry
December 1st, 2009 1:42 am
Really appreciate the information on Dragon Speak.
I’ve been using voice recognition for about five years now (1st version 9, now 10). I’m a neuropsychologist and I dictate a lot of testing reports.
Wasn’t real impressed with Dragon 10 after I got it.
Am now considering that my hardware is the problem. Maybe my $20 microphone/headset is why I get some of system misperceptions ( they are frequently amusing, but become frustrating rapidly after about four hours of dictating).
My order for the vx-1 is in and I’m eagerly anticipating improved accuracy.
Thanks again for this very useful information. Look forward to more.
Rebecca
December 1st, 2009 8:37 am
Wow, Jon, I was just thinking about getting the MacSpeech Dictate and wondering if it would really be worthwhile or just a way to get myself thoroughly confused, and here you are.
I so appreciate your very clear demo and explanation. And now I’m off to buy the stuff!
Oh, one question: Do you know if I need the pod if I’m using a MacBook Pro?
Thanks again. I appreciate this video and I appreciate YOU!
Kevin
December 2nd, 2009 9:31 am
Nice video Jon. I had no idea that speech recognition was that accurate. I’m now considering getting Mac Speech Dictate.
Penny
December 2nd, 2009 9:51 pm
Hi Jon
Do you know if the software can be “taught” and English or New Zealand accent, not just “American”?
Andre Johns - Hobby2Wealth
December 3rd, 2009 6:48 am
Awesome software! I can’t wait to get my hands on it.
Yvonne
December 7th, 2009 12:20 pm
Wow, I’m having terrible RSI problems (I’ve actually had to hire someone temporarily to be my hands for computer work because things like cutting and pasting to update my website to a new template and CSS is killing me). This technology would be a lifesaver.
I’m a photographer too: would this work with Lightroom and Photoshop? I suspect it would, but I would love to have some feedback on that in particular. Having seen your byline many a time, I had no idea that you wrote this way. Thanks for a wonderful and inspiring video, Jon.
Penny
December 7th, 2009 12:59 pm
I have Mac OS 10.4.11 (Tiger) which won’t take the latest version of MacSpeech Dictate (1.5), but it will take Speech Dictate 1.3. Trouble is I want to try a trial online download before I buy (and that version is hard to find anyway) – does anyone have any ideas?
Daniel Johnston
December 11th, 2009 1:34 pm
That is an excellent video. I have long been skeptical of speech recognition software, mainly because once, as you said, I spent hours training it and it didn’t work at all. Your video, though, inspired me to get Version 10. I got it and Version 9 in a package with a lot of other programs. I tried to install Version 10, but it simply won’t work. The person who handles my computer problems doesn’t know why. I’ve installed 9, though, and it seems to be installing well. I guess I’ll now in a few minutes and I’ll let you know tomorrow how it’s doing.
Daniel Johnston
December 12th, 2009 7:53 am
I installed Dragon 9, but for some reason it won’t recognize my VXI Headset (the one that you recommend). It also says that it’s too low for it to hear. Any suggestions?
Seshaya
December 13th, 2009 8:00 am
Of course, what a great site and informative posts. Rapidshare
Penny
December 13th, 2009 8:23 am
Hi there
I have written three times (now four!) on this site with comments and questions – but there have been no replies – can anyone help please?
Adam Computes
December 16th, 2009 12:41 pm
Great for dictation. For speech recognition internet navigation there is an application named Tazti Speech recognition. It’s a free download at http://www.tazti.com.
Also lets me control iTunes by speech recognition and well as make voice searches of many search engines including Google, yahoo, bing, Amazon, Wikipedia, ebay etc… It is very cool fee software.
Build Family Website
December 18th, 2009 12:34 pm
great video. i have been thinking of getting dragon naturally speaking for some time.
now it’s time for me to take the plunge. thanks for putting this together.
Patrick Kallie
December 27th, 2009 6:50 am
This is a must for bloggers, you will cut down on your tasks dramatically. I am happy that I purchased Dragon.
Junior Deal
January 8th, 2010 11:41 am
Hi I was very impressed with your presentation, have one question how do you play back your dictation
Allan Jackson
January 11th, 2010 10:43 am
Hi Jon. An inspirational video. I had used the Dragon V9.5 recorder edition with great success and, for Christmas, decided to take advantage of a seasonal special on V10 Standard. I downloaded and installed the package and discovered a “BIG” gotcha with that version.
It cannot import existing voice files so that, if you ever have to redo the installation, because you have a hard drive crash or buy a new computer, you have to to redo all your training. It sounded insane to me but I confirmed it with customer service in Edinburgh. I know you’ve got to have product differentiation, but I think Nuance’s way of doing it is really extreme.
I made my displeasure known, and they eventually offered me a refund and a slight discount on the Preferred version, seeing that my Recorder version was now uninstalled. I ended up paying double what I what I wanted to but, at least, I won’t have to retrain it. It works great, by the way.
Daniel Johnston
January 19th, 2010 3:26 pm
Finally, I have finally gotten Dragon to work;I am using it to make this comment. Lisa Irby’s video on the bad diseases you can get by typing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMlkrJfXglw) scared me into looking at more, and I was able to use it on my laptop.I have still decided, though, but I type on the computer, because the chances of getting injured on a n ergonomically correct computer are very low. Again, thanks so much!
Gregory Kriner
January 30th, 2010 4:12 am
Froom this moment this man is my new guru. He just know how to do it!
Theron Nissan
January 31st, 2010 6:10 pm
Strange this post is totaly unrelated to what I was searching google for, but it was listed on the first page. I guess your doing something right if Google likes you enough to put you on the first page of a non related search. :)
Barbrine
February 6th, 2010 11:11 pm
This video? Brilliant – it is completely captivating. I admit, I started to watch because I was more interested in Jon’s personal story, having read a lot of his stuff on CopyBlogger, but I stayed because I was totally engaged with sight and sound.
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