Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 Standard [OLD VERSION]

by Nuance Communications, Inc.

Product Features

• Offers unprecedented speech recognition with unrivaled accuracy levels
• Dictate and edit in virtually any Windows application, including Microsoft Word, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and AOL
• Compose emails and instant messages or surf the Web just by speaking
• Quick Voice Formatting commands allow users to issue a single voice command to make deleting and formatting text faster than ever
• Everything you need to get started, including a high-quality headset

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 2.9 x 7.8 x 5.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B001B5J7T8
• Item model number: A309A-G01-10.0
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 16, 2008
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (337 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #630 in Software (See Top 100 in Software)
  • #6 in Software > Business & Office > Communication > Voice Recognition

Product Description

Amazon.com

With Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 Standard, a user can talk to the computer and watch the spoken words instantly appear in documents, email and instant messages. Users can even surf the Web just by speaking. Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 turns voice into text three times faster than typing, and it delivers up to 99% accuracy. It learns to recognize the user's voice instantly, and continually improves the more it's used.

Talk to the computer and watch the spoken words instantly appear in documents, email and instant messages. Click to enlarge.

Quick Voice Formatting makes deleting and formatting text faster than ever. Click to enlarge.

New on-screen help and tutorials help users become experts in no time. Click to enlarge.

Speech recognition software products like Dragon use the human voice as the main interface between the user and the computer. Millions of users turn to Dragon each day to make PC interaction easier, faster and more fun. Users can dictate and edit in virtually any Windows application, including Microsoft Word, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and AOL. This revolutionary and easy-to-use product gives users everything they need to get started, including a high-quality headset.

Turn Talk Into Text

Accurate Speech Recognition for PC Applications
Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 Standard offers unprecedented speech recognition with unrivaled accuracy levels: it's up to 20% more accurate than Version 9, with up to 50% more accurate results than the product delivered just five years ago. Users gain the added benefit of avoiding spelling errors and typing mistakes. In fact, the product actually learns from corrections over time.

Works With the Applications Users Already Have
Dictate directly into Microsoft Word and most other Microsoft Office applications running on Microsoft Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows Vista. Dragon also supports popular programs such as Corel WordPerfect, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and AOL. Navigate the desktop by voice: launch or switch applications, save or print documents, and more--even control menus and dialog boxes.

Create and Edit Documents and Messages
Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 introduces new graphical icons to enhance the DragonBar user interface, making the product even easier to use.

Users can quickly add custom words, such as proper names, to the system's vocabulary.

Quick Voice Formatting commands allow users to issue a single voice command, such as "Bold Quick Voice Formatting" to make deleting and formatting text faster than ever. In addition, unique Natural Language Commands mean users don't have to memorize complex instructions. In Word, for example, a user can say, "make that bigger," and the font size increases instantly.

With the automatic punctuation option, users can omit spoken periods and commas during dictation--Dragon NaturallySpeaking enters them automatically.

Send Email, Instant Messages and Surf the Web--All by Voice
Users can browse the Internet with ease: search the Web, access information and navigate Web pages, simply by speaking URLs and links.

User Benefits

Faster than Typing
Most people speak more than 120 per minute but type less than 40 words a minute. That means users can create documents and email messages more than three times faster using Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 Standard. The software never makes a spelling mistake, and it actually gets smarter the more it's used.

Fun and Easy to Use--Get Started Right Away
Dragon NaturallySpeaking installs quickly and requires no special script reading. New on-screen help and tutorials help users become experts in no time. Users can dictate letters and emails instantly! A comfortable, high-quality headset is included.

Avoid Repetitive Strain Injuries
By using voice to control the PC and create documents, users reduce their risk of developing repetitive strain injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome.

Key Feature Differences Between Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 Standard and Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 Preferred	Dragon 10 Preferred	Dragon 10 Standard
More accurate than Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9	•	•
Faster than Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9	•	•
New on-screen help and tutorials--be an expert user right away	•	•
Create documents, email and instant messages--simply by speaking	•	•
Surf the Web by voice	•	•
No enrollment required--get started instantly	•	•
New on-screen help and tutorials--be an expert user right away	•	•
Dictate directly into virtually any Microsoft Windows application	•	•
Control menus and dialog boxes by voice in virtually any Microsoft Windows application	•	•
Natural commands for Microsoft Outlook Express and Microsoft Excel	•
Dragon Voice Shortcuts to speed Web and desktop search	•
Automatically transcribe recordings from Nuance-approved handheld recorders or Pocket PCs	•
Wireless microphone support, including Bluetooth	•
Includes Nuance RealSpeak for turning text into human-sounding synthesized speech	•
Play back your dictation for easier correction and proofing	•
Insert your signature, logo or boilerplate text in any file with a simple voice command	•
Import/export your user files to use on any PC with Dragon NaturallySpeaking	•

Product Description

Turn talk into text with speech recognition software!Product InformationWith Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 Standard you can talk to your computer and watch your spoken words instantly appear in documents email and instant messages. You can even surf the Web just by speaking! Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 turns your voice into text three times faster than most people type - with up to 99% accuracy. It learns to recognize your voice instantly and continually improves the more you use it! Just use your voice to dictate and edit in virtually any Windows application including Microsoft Word Internet Explorer Mozilla Firefox and AOL. This revolutionary and easy-to-use product gives you everything you need to get started including a high-quality headset. Faster and more accurate than typingE-mail IM and and surf the Web - all by voicePerfect for use at homePerfect for the whole family from busy parents to kids just learning to type.Product FeaturesAccurate speech recognition for PC applications - Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 Standard offers unprecedented speech recognition with unrivaled accuracy levels: it's up to 20% more accurate than Version 9 with up to 50% more accurate results than the product delivered just five years ago. Users gain the added benefit of avoiding spelling errors and typing mistakes. In fact the product actually learns from corrections over time.Works with the applications users already have - Dictate directly into Microsoft Word and most other Microsoft Office applications running on Microsoft Windows XP Windows 2000 and Windows Vista. Dragon also supports popular programs such as Corel WordPerfect Microsoft Internet Explorer Mozilla Firefox and AOL. Navigate the desktop by voice: launch or switch applications save or print documents and more – even control menus and dialog boxes.With the automatic punctuation option users can omit spoken periods and commas during dictation – Dragon Naturally

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1,007 of 1,018 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing piece of software, January 25, 2009

By 

Jon Hurtado "Retired Senior Chief Petty Officer" (Southern Arizona) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 Standard [OLD VERSION] (Software)

I am an instructor for Dragon NaturallySpeaking, but I do not work for Nuance.com. I work for a healthcare software company. I primarily deal with the medical editions used by Pathologists in clinical laboratories.

Here are some pointers for those who have not used Dragon, but are thinking of purchasing.

1. Don't skimp on a headset. Visit Nuance.com. Click on Support > Hardware Compatibility List > Dragon NaturallySpeaking > Headset Microphones Current. While it is possible to use a wireless microphone, if you are just starting out, go with a wired, such as a Plantronics DSP-400 (Amazon has this headset for $[...]. It seems cheap, but it is a very good headset). If you can hook the headset up via USB instead of mic in, you will get better recognition accuracy. Additionally, you don't need an internal sound card if you are connecting via USB as the headset comes with its own external sound card.

A good wireless headset will be expensive, and they do not have as good of recognition accuracy as a wired headset.

2. Once you have your headset, connect it to the PC, and install Dragon. It is a straightforward install.

3. You will have to go through an audio and quality check, and then go into General Training. I recommend doing one of the easier readings. You can always go back through and do additional general training. My BIGGEST piece of advice here is speak with your normal voice. Some of my students seem to want to over enunciate, or speak with a different voice during general training. That is only going to set you up for a difficult time when you begin dictating.

4. After your general training, I highly recommend going through the Tutorials. You should be given an option to do this after your general training. If not, you can get to them through the Help Menu on the Dragon bar.

Note: At some point, you will be given the option of having Dragon scan your email and documents. Nuance recommends this, but I don't. You can always have it scan your documents later via the accuracy center. Additionally, I never recommend letting Dragon scan your email. What it is going to do with these actions, is to learn your writing style. Rather than letting DNS do this at setup, move a bunch of documents you have written to one folder, go to the Accuracy Center, and let DNS scan the entire folder.

4. Dragon has some shortcut keys. The number keypad + key is used to turn your mic on and off. The number keypad / key is used to put your mic to sleep, and wake it up. You can go to Tools > Options to change shortcut keys.

5. Remember that while you can do a lot with Dragon, you will find that your best usage comes with using Dragon, the keyboard and the mouse.

6. Set up some Custom Commands. Visit [...] to learn how to set up Custom Commands. There is a book by Larry V. Allen called Scripting for Dragon NaturallySpeaking that will help you out with Advanced Scripts.

7. When you begin dictating, Dragon WILL make some mistakes. It does not help if you yell at your microphone. You will have to continue to train your profile as time goes. If Dragon makes a mistake, resist the urge to delete the mistake and start over. I use this analogy with my students. Think of it as a new puppy. If a puppy makes a mistake, you don't get rid of it (at least you shouldn't), you should correct its mistake. The same goes for Dragon NaturallySpeaking. Use the command "Select That" to have DNS highlight the word, and bring up a menu of possible alternate choices. If the correct word is not there, use the command "Spell That" and then spell the word such as: a m a z o n

8. My last tip concerns the Acoustic and Language Model Optimizer. You can get to it through the Accuracy Center, or the Start Menu. Run that after about two weeks of use, and again on a monthly basis. This will fine tune your profile with all corrections and training.

Enjoy Dragon NaturallySpeaking. It is a great piece of software.

171 of 176 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars WARNING Expect to pay to make it work!!! Ripoff, April 3, 2009

By 

M. E. Nelson "SirElliott" (Central Washington) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 Standard [OLD VERSION] (Software)

The real cost of this software is much higher than what you originally pay. Nuance customer support is a disaster. This software will not work on Windows Vista 64 bit without the upgrade and it may cost you more than $30.00 to get the upgrade. You can not contact the company without having your credit card charged.

Speech recognition would be very helpful since I am disabled and typing is painful. I originally purchased Naturally speaking 9 before the warnings were posted that it didn't support all versions of Vista. Lost money. Since that didn't work, I had wait to buy version 10 and get the update.

I ordered and received Dragon Naturally speaking 10. The software box was unopened and the box seal was intact. I opened the box to get the serial number so that I could download the 64-bit update that I need for Windows Vista. I registered on the Nuance site but it would not let me download the update because the serial number was already registered to a different email address. The software envelope is sealed.

I can not contact Nuance to find out who registered the software because Nuance charges your credit card $9.99 every time you contact their support by email. If you call them its $19.99 You can not send them an email or talk with someone without registering a credit card and agreeing to have it charged. The software will not work on a 64 bit version of Windows Vista without the update.

Nuance has already created problems by not supporting Vista until recently. Version 10 does not support Vista. You must download a 1.2 GB file after registering. This is a huge file. If you have problems it will cost you to contact them, $19.99 for phone, $9.99 to email them, then they will charge you another $9.99 to ship you a CD of the update.

This is shameful but that's normal for this company.

156 of 162 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Remarkable software, September 7, 2008

By 

Todd Neff (Denver, Colo., USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 Standard [OLD VERSION] (Software)

I'm a freelance journalist who was interested in voice recognition for transcription. I figured it was time to give Nuance a shot. I took the product out of the box yesterday, loaded it, trained the software for about 10 minutes (read a bit of a Dilbert book excerpt, which was entertaining in itself), then loaded up a voice file.

Because the software recognizes one voice only, I played the file in Sony Digital Voice Editor, listened, and repeated/summarized what I was hearing in my own voice via the included headset. The software can't hear what the sound card plays in this case, so this sort of cacophony isn't a problem to NaturallySpeaking 10 Standard. I know this because it worked nearly perfectly once I trained it to write NCAR rather than "and car," which took maybe 30 seconds.

Rough transcription (just getting the info down, spelling and punctuation be damned) usually takes 2-2.5x the actual spoken-word recording time, in my experience; this product is going to pay for itself in a couple of long interviews.