Nuance has just announced the next major version of its Mac dictation software, Dragon Dictate 4. The new version improves recognition accuracy as well as several new features, including the ability to machine transcribe from a pre-recorded audio file. You no longer have to be recording a voice live to get transcription.
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We’ve had a quick play with the software and the accuracy is almost scary good compared to older versions of the software. Speaking in a normal voice gives you almost 100% accuracy and even mumbling seems to work. While Mavericks uses the same Nuance speech engine, Dictate 4 has a better interface for transcription and tons of extra features as outlined in the videos above and below.
Dragon Dictate software has also been updated for modern system architectures — it is a 64-bit app now. This results in better performance and better memory management over its predecessors. The company says it has drastically reduced latency when interpreting speech.
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There is also tight integration with Gmail in Safari and Firefox. Through voice commands, you can navigate inboxes, select messages, and open links in emails without needing a mouse. You can mix talking and edit commands seamlessly. Similar support is available for Pages 4.3 (Pages ’09).
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In a press release, the company says it has invested more than ever in Dragon Dictate 4.
Dragon Dictate costs $199.99 and is available from Nuance’s website as a digital download starting today. Boxed versions will be on sale starting March 18th.
“We’ve invested even more into the latest version of Dragon Dictate for Mac to make it the fastest and most accurate voice recognition experience for Mac yet – including customization and personalization capabilities that adapt to any customer’s unique way of working,” said Peter Mahoney, Chief Marketing Officer, Nuance. “Combined with powerful transcription features, Dragon Dictate now offers the most complete voice experience on the Mac today.”
