I think it would be a good idea for me to learn to use software to dictate emails, text documents etc. Dragon Dictate for Mac (v.4 just out) seems to be a reasonable choice. I'd be grateful for any advice about this and any other software - and anything else related!
Thanks.
I've given it a try and was amazed how well it recognised most of my words. My problem is how to find out how to do 'formatting'. I can do a few things such as simple punctuation but not such as change font size or colour, nor how to delete mistakes etc. I've tried to find Help but can't find any thing yet. Meanwhile, thanks for the suggestion.
I've found the free version of Dragon for mobile devices to work better than the version supplied with the Mac even though it wouldn't surprise me to learn that that too is Dragon.
I used to use Dragon Dictate on the Mac before these free versions were available. At the time, it was useful to be able to teach it things like WAMUG or that you prefer to see OK typed as two upper case letters rather than okay. Not sure if you're able to teach the free version. The free version does understand punctuation though - "new paragraph", "exclamation mark" etc.
There are now fewer people using the paid-for version (version 4 to run on Mavericks I think) but one chap I know says it is nowhere near as good as version 3 was and was an expensive upgrade. My advice would be to see what you can manage with the free version.
But Mick, where are these free versions? I've searched for them and always end up with a Nuance Website urging me to buy Version 4! Incidentally, I did put a question about Version 4 on Amazon's page selling this and got two very positive answers saying it works just fine with Mavericks.
However, I have at last found the Apple Help page on Dictation and that lists many formatting abbreviations. I'll have a go with this and then with your free versions if still available and if they will take stuff from the iMac's in-house microphone (but is a noise cancelling microphone - whatever that is - very much better?).
I see that Amazon still has some V.3 Dragon Dictates and they are a fair bit cheaper.
All very depressing. I may have to take the plunge and see what I can make of it - or can't. Surely there are competitors out there?
And, Mick, I think you are right (as always). Somewhere I read that Mac's dictation facility is Nuance based. And, for those only slightly interested, Nuance is the outfit that produces Dragon Dictate and its sundry siblings.
Alan Cox 