Customer Reviews

iListen with Headset/Microphone (Mac)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I do some pretty arcane dictation with lots of technical vocabulary, and have found the system up to my demands. I have worked at training the system, and it keeps on improving. I do find some of the interfaces a bit awkward to work with compared to the system I use with my PC (Naturally Speaking Standard Edition), but then, I've worked with that system somewhat longer. If the recognition of iListen improves with use as well as Naturally Speaking has, I will change my rating to 5 stars.

I think there should be a way to hear what the "baseline voice" sounds like, because apparently it sounds nothing like me! I went through every single training unit -- Bram Stoker's Dracula, sports stories, recipes, the three-part explanation of the state of voice recognition tech, everything! And then it didn't work! Worse, it just made things up in a really creepy way! I was trying to dictate an email to a friend -- mostly I was saying that I couldn't believe how bad iListen was and instead of transcribing my complaints it started to type-out words like Arabs, airlines and terrorists! I kid you not!!!! Maybe it is programmed to write what most people are talking about these days! But I can assure you those words never came out of my mouth.

I was so so so so very disappointed in this product. I didn't expect perfection but seriously it got almost every word I said wrong. After I "trained it" for 4 hours. And my voice isn't weird...I have friends that think I should be on the radio. I speak in front of audiences even and no one has ever said I was hard to understand! So buy at your own risk.

Oh, and also...It doesn't come with instructions -- if you want to know how to use it you are forced to buy another $20 DVD or tape of a guy teaching you to use it. I figured out alot of it but could never figure out how to go back and correct wrong words. But by then I felt as if there was no point since I would have had to correct 97 percent of the words anyway. So here I am, typing this review with my fingers.

So just as an illustration I have decided to *show* you what this looked like when I used it. I read the review you just read above. I will say that THIS is the BEST it has EVER WORKED! I'm kind of almost impressed, which should tell you how bad it was last time!

"I think fish the should be a way to hear what that "baseline police and "sounds like, because apparently it isn't it sounds and acting like mean! I went through every single training unit - brunch stroke struck you, sports stories, recipes that three part explanation of the state of voice recognition tack, everything! Ant thin it didn't shirt! I was trying to dictate and e-mail to leave friend - mostly higher we say that I couldn't believe how bad iListen once and instead of transcribing my complaints it started to take out would like an above, airlines and terrorists! I did you not!!!! Maybe it is programmed to write what most people are talking about the but I can assure you those where it's never came out of my mouth

I was so so slow very disappointed in this product. I didn't expect perfection but seriously it got almost every word I said wrong. After I "trained it could "to for four hours. And that blows it isn't we headed the... I have friends that think I should be on the the help. They speak in front of audiences event and no one has ever said I was hard to understand! So by your own risk.

0 and hostility... it doesn't come with instructions - if you want to know how to use it you are forced to buy and that their 20 dollar DVD or take up with the IT she knew how to use that I figured out a lot of it that could never figure out how to go back and perfect well aware that by then they felt I think they were No.8 since that we have had to correct 97 percent of the wear anyway. So here I am, tight that this route you with my fingers."

MAYBE THIS IS HOW JAMES JOYCE WROTE FINNEGANS WAKE!?!?!?!?

Finally, I will say that I bought this version and then downloaded the upgrade so I could run it on Tiger...and that I had to buy an iMic adapter so that the USB port could be used for the Microphone since I have an iBook G4 and it doesn't have a Mic port, only the little hole next to the screen. So count on another 40 dollars for that if you have an iBook (But you will save that 40 by buying this version (if you are a masochist or someone with infinite free-time) and upgrading for FREE, rather than buying the more expensive Tiger OSX 10.4.3 - compatible model. I had no trouble installing it...it just didn't work. Like I said, the above experiment was the most successful trial by a mile!

C'est la vie...Live and Learn!

it works really well for me I'm using it right now to enter this I do have to go back and correct things every now on than and it doesn't work good for my Dad. in fact it works horrible! but keeps getting better and bet DidDidme! we did had some problems installing it and we had to download a update because there was a problem with it originally. but for me and my Mom it works great!!!

Just to prove the product works, I am dictating with version 1.6.6 right now. It is about 90 percent accurate for me. I have few complaints except the documentation, and the long list of things you can say often goes back to the beginning when you're further down the list. All in all though, I am happy with the product and I have saved a lot of hand use. It is virtually the only program of its kind for the Mac - you can dictate into any program in which you can type. You might want to consider buying the version without the microphone and purchasing the higher end microphone MacSpeech offers. You cannot go very fast, and you have to say things exactly like it requires, but if you have rsi like I do, it sure helps.

I am really pleased with iListen. I am an investigator and have begun using iListen to dictate my interview summaries. It has lived up to my expectations. The enrolling process of learning your voice has been effective as has the correction process (though the correction process is fairly time consuming). I have also created a profile to use with my Olympus voice recorder, which is working fairly well too. The only draw back is the difficulty that the program has in recognizing last names, but I expect that will improve with usage.

The training manual is worth printing out so that you can use it as a reference while you're dictating.

I also had excellent customer service as the CD Rom that came with the package was defective. The company e-mailed me a downloadable version of the program within a day.

I purchased iListen about three years ago. I found that it might have been useful for verbal commands to control computer functions, but it was useless for dictation. I upgraded to version 1.2.1, patiently went through at least three, new "training" sessions, and still was unable to create useable text via verbal input. When iListen kept sending me e-mail solicitations, I offered to upgrade if they could demonstrate that they had improved accuracy. They replied, "Because there are so many variables, and everyone has a different definition of what is acceptable results, all sales of iListen software are final."

My definition of acceptable dictation was that accuracy was sufficient to permit replication upon proof reading. I would accept errors, but not so different from what I had said that I could not reconstruct my text from its translation. It never even came close. Perhaps my voice is incompatible with iListen, and maybe it will translate your speech accurately. In either case, remember, all sales are final.

Worst software that I have ever purchased! I've re-installed and it still quits 1 second after it launches. I have iListen 1.7 on an Intel based iMac running OS 10.4.7. Even worse is MacSpeech's web site has been down for several days and telephone support is 15 bucks for 15 minutes (and they apparently call you back at their convenience). Maybe I just got a bad copy, but it's hard to tell when you can't even get any customer support.

I got my wife and daughter DRAGON (the PC I-listen equivalent). They have been using it with pleasure since.

My "I-listen" began well -- I read it several of the texts to familiarise it with my voice.

On dictation, it produced fluent gibberish. I re-loaded, taught it again (reading virtually all of the texts. Again, more fluent gibberish. Embarrased husband, pointedly tolerant wife and daughter. An email to the support people produced a detailed form letter of ideas, and an offer that they would phone if I still had trouble.

A time in hospital (just out, and quite well thank you) means I haven't tried their trouble-shooting advice yet. So far, a level of frustration that I do not associate with Mac.

It is tedious to follow the instructions in the manual and teach the program how to recognize your voice, but after you have done that it is amazing how well it can type for you. It is not any more difficult than ViaVoice for the Windows world. If there is more than one person using this program, then each person has to create their own unique voice profile (which means each person has to go through reading the training text). But this is a requirement of using any dictation program.

To use this program (or any dictation program) you need to have a decent microphone. Don't expect to use the built-in mike on any computer. A headset mike works best. If you are the type of person who has the patience to train a program of this type, then you will find it very helpful.

The most current version is 1.6.8 and the company issues regular upgrades as necessary. I started out with the very first version, and am now using it with Panther OS X 10.3.9. There are all sorts of Script Packs available for many programs so you can issue program commands appropriate to each program's needs. And they keep coming out with new ones. The latest In January was a Spanish LanguagePak so iListen users can dictate in Spanish. They also recently released ScriptPaks for TurboTax, Quicken 2006, QuickBooks Pro 2006,iLife 05, iWeb, Pages 2.0, Keynote 3.0, iWork 06 and Microsoft Office 2004. They keep the registered users informed as to new ScriptPacks as they come out.

If it could somehow magically just understand me with no training whatsoever I would issue it 5 stars. But that is not likely to happen in the real world--only in my dreams. Try it. You'll like it.

iListen works fine on Mac OS 10.3.9. If people have problems getting it to work, they should contact MacSpeech customer service, but should not post erroneous information here.