I've tried it and it works *almost* as well as on my computer with a headset.
>If you have trouble reading this e-mail, go to: ><http://www.nytimes.com/indexes/2009/12/10/technology/circuitsemail/index.html?8cir&emc=cir>http://www.nytimes.com/indexes/2009/12/10/technology/circuitsemail/index.html ><http://www.nytimes.com> >The New York Times > > > >December 10, 2009 > > > > > >Personal Tech > > > > >From the Desk of David Pogue > > ><http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/10/technology/personaltech/10pogue-email.html?8cir&emc=cira1>Free > Speech (Recognition) > >By DAVID POGUE > >In 1998, I got to speak at a Palm developers' conference. I'm no programmer, >so I thought I'd entertain the audience with some dazzling new apps for the >PalmPilot. One of them was Dragon NaturallySpeaking for the Palm. > >I leaned over to the palmtop and said, "You are witnessing an alpha copy of >Dragon NaturallySpeaking for Palm (period). Now (comma), for the first time >(comma), I can type as fast as I can speak (comma), while my trusty hand-held >secretary takes it all down (period)." > >Continue reading... >ADVERTISEMENT >[] > > >The crowd of programmers was flabbergasted. Remember, this was 1998. The Palm >had a black-and-white screen, no microphone and about as much computing power >as a pocket calculator--and it could transcribe spoken text? > >Well, no, actually. The whole thing was a hoax. I'd had a friend create what >was actually a simple animation showing words appearing on the screen as >though being transcribed in real time. Then I rehearsed my speech until the >timing of my words was perfect. >dictation dragon > > >I couldn't help remembering that moment this week as I tried out Dragon >Dictation, a new, free, very real app for the iPhone from Nuance. You tap a >big central Record button--and you talk. (You still have to speak the >punctuation and say "new paragraph" when you want a line break.) When you tap >Done, the typed transcription of what you said appears on the screen. > >Behind the scenes, your audio is being sent to Nuance's computers, recognized >and converted, then flung back to your screen as text. If you have Wi-Fi >connection, conversion is almost instantaneous; on a cellular connection, it >may take a couple of seconds. > >Sometimes there's a misrecognized word (but surprisingly few, considering that >you haven't trained the system to recognize your voice and you're using a >cellphone). You can make the keyboard pop up for corrections. > >Sadly, you can't dictate directly into an e-mail message, a text message, the >Notes app or whatever. You have to dictate into the Dragon app. From there, a >button offers you the chance to slap the transcribed text into an e-mail or >text message, or just to copy it to the clipboard, ready for pasting into >another app. > >That's a real bummer, an awkward workaround, but it's not Nuance's fault. It's >a fact of life as long as the iPhone doesn't let apps run in the background. > >Even with that extra step, though, I'm finding Dragon to be a much faster, >more efficient way to spit out e-mail messages, notes, text messages and >Twitter updates. It's really, really cool. > >If you look at the reviews for this app on the iTunes store, though, you'll be >astonished--there are over 1,000 one-star reviews! What's going on? They're >not judging the app on its design or effectiveness, that's for sure. > >Instead, people are freaked out by that "your audio is converted by Nuance's >servers" part. They think this is a privacy violation. They fear that someone >at Nuance might listen in to the audio. (Nuance says nope, it's just a bunch >of computers, maintained in a secure facility, and the audio and >transcriptions are not saved.) > >They're also alarmed by the welcome screen's note that the names in your >address book are uploaded to Nuance, too. Eeks! Nuance will know the names of >the people we know! > >OK, first of all, this business of your audio being sent to Nuance for >transcription rings a very familiar bell. Remember the Gmail brouhaha? When >Gmail debuted, it offered a fantastic e-mail account, paid for by small text >ads on the side whose subjects are matched to the e-mail contents. > >At the time, everyone was hysterical about the supposed privacy violation: >Google will be reading my e-mail! Of course, no humans were looking at your >e-mail. It was just a bunch of servers analyzing keywords. Today, everybody's >forgotten all about it. But now the issue rises again with Dragon Dictation. > >As for the names in your Contacts: they're sent to Nuance so that the app will >recognize the names when you dictate them. No other information (phone >numbers, e-mail, addresses, etc.) is transmitted. > >What I don't understand is: Why don't these same people worry that Verizon or >AT&T is listening in to their cellphone calls every single day? Why don't they >worry that MasterCard is peeking into their buying habits? How do they know >Microsoft and Apple aren't slurping down private documents off the hard drive >and laughing their heads off? > >I mean, if you're gonna be paranoid, at least be rational about it. > >Other one-star reviews come from people pointing out that Dragon Dictation >doesn't work on the iPod Touch. True, although Nuance never made any claim >that it does, and the app is free, so I'm not sure why the anger. > >Overall, this is an amazingly fast, impressively accurate 1.0 effort. It has >plenty of room to grow; right now, it's bare-bones and simple. (For starters, >the company says that it will be adding a checkbox to opt out of the >Contacts-uploading thing. Good idea; if privacy nuts want to type out every >last name by hand, let them.) Also, at the moment, the app stops listening and >presents the text you've dictated so far after every 30 seconds. You can just >tap Record again and keep going, but it'd be nice if that 30-second-stopping >thing went away. > >On the other hand, what do you want for free? (The company says the program >won't always be.) > >So if you'd like to see a little real magic on your phone, and you're not >privacy-paranoid, now's the time to try it. This time, it's not a hoax. > ><http://www.DavidPogue.com?8cir&emc=cir>Visit David Pogue on the Web at >DavidPogue.com » ><http://www.nytimes.com/ads/circuitscirc.html?8cir&emc=cir>Get home delivery >of The New York Times for as low as $3.15 a week. > > >Personal Tech > > > ><http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/10/technology/personaltech/10basics.html?8cir&emc=cirb1> >[] > ><http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/10/technology/personaltech/10basics.html?8cir&emc=cirb1>Cable > Freedom Is a Click Away > >By NICK BILTON > >A computer, with software upgrades and a wireless keyboard and mouse, can >replace cable service. > * > <http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/12/10/technology/personaltech/20091210-basics-slideshow_index.html> > Photographs > > <http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/12/10/technology/personaltech/20091210-basics-slideshow_index.html> > Slide Show: Creating a Cableless Living Room > * > <http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/09/viewers-of-the-world-unite-you-have-nothing-to-lose-but-your-cable-bills/>Send > Your Own Cable-Free Solutions to Gadgetwise » > > >State of the Art > > > ><http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/10/technology/personaltech/10pogue.html?8cir&emc=cirb1> >[] > ><http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/10/technology/personaltech/10pogue.html?8cir&emc=cirb1>Not > Yet the Season for a Nook > >By DAVID POGUE > >Every one of the Nooks vaunted distinctions from Amazons Kindle comes >fraught with disappointing footnotes. > * > <http://community.nytimes.com/comments/www.nytimes.com/2009/12/10/technology/personaltech/10pogue.html#postComment> > Comment > > <http://community.nytimes.com/comments/www.nytimes.com/2009/12/10/technology/personaltech/10pogue.html#postComment> > Post a Comment > > >Q & A > > > ><http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/10/technology/personaltech/10askk.html?8cir&emc=cirb1>Safe > and Secure Keeping Windows 7 Safe and Secure > >By J. D BIERSDORFER > >Microsofts free security programs provide basic protection, but third-party >software suites offer features like spam filtering and customizable firewalls. ><http://www.nytimes.com/pages/technology/personaltech/index.html?8cir&emc=cir>Go > to Personal Tech » > > >Special Holiday Gift Guide > > > ><http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/technology/personaltech/03EBOOK.html?8cir&emc=cirb1> >[] > ><http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/technology/personaltech/03EBOOK.html?8cir&emc=cirb1>Something > to Read > >By DANIELLE BELOPOTOSKY > >For anyone considering an e-reader purchase this holiday season, heres a >roundup of current and soon-to-be-available devices. > * > <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/technology/personaltech/03AUTHORS.html>E-Reading, > in 2 Authors' Eyes | > <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/technology/personaltech/03APPS.html>Apps > That Turn Pages, and Save Money > * > <http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2009/12/03/technology/personaltech/03ebook-chart1.html> > Graphic > > <http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2009/12/03/technology/personaltech/03ebook-chart1.html> > E-Book Reader Comparison Chart: A Growing Market ><http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/technology/personaltech/03MUSIC.html?8cir&emc=cirb1> >[] > ><http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/technology/personaltech/03MUSIC.html?8cir&emc=cirb1>Sounds > to Fill a Music Lovers Life > >By ERIC A. TAUB > >These products are worth considering for an innovative gift this year. ><http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/technology/personaltech/03CAMERA.html?8cir&emc=cirb1> >[] > ><http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/technology/personaltech/03CAMERA.html?8cir&emc=cirb1>A > Just-Right Camera for Casual Users > >By RIK FAIRLIE > >The sensor size is larger in Micro Four Thirds, the camera body is smaller and >they tend to be easier to use. ><http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/technology/personaltech/03CAMCORDER.html?8cir&emc=cirb1> >[] > ><http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/technology/personaltech/03CAMCORDER.html?8cir&emc=cirb1>Now, > Pocket-Sized Video in Motion > >By RIK FAIRLIE > >Mini-camcorders now come in small, on-the-go sizes, theyre easy to use and >not terribly expensive. ><http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/technology/personaltech/03CRAFTS.html?8cir&emc=cirb1> >[] > ><http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/technology/personaltech/03CRAFTS.html?8cir&emc=cirb1>For > Crafters, the Gift of Automation > >By PETER WAYNER > >Craft makers can use patterns from cartridges, software and the Web to make >scissors nearly obsolete. ><http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/technology/personaltech/03PLATFORM.html?8cir&emc=cirb1> >[] > ><http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/technology/personaltech/03PLATFORM.html?8cir&emc=cirb1>A > Wealth of Platforms Where You Can Play > >By AZADEH ENSHA > >Options from Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony and others offer plenty of opportunity >for video gaming fun, no matter whos behind the controller. > * > <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/technology/personaltech/03GAMES.html>Stay > Inside With These 10 Games > > >On the Blogs > > > ><http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/> >[] > ><http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/>Pogues Posts > >The latest in technology from David Pogue. ><http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/>Go to Blog » > > >Technology Product Search > > > >Enter Product <http://tech.nytimes.com/pages/technology/index.html>Go to >Technology » ><http://www.nytimes.com/adx/bin/adx_click.html?type=goto&opzn&page=email.nytimes.com/circuits/html&pos=Position5&sn2=4c7d61b0/e1953080&sn1=1a0d92e4/8cb5674a&camp=NYT2009-Mktg-SelfService-EMAIL-190&ad=original_190x280&goto=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Enytimes%2Ecom%2Fmarketing%2Fselfservice%2Findex%2Ehtml%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dself%2Dservice%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dhouse%26utm%5Fterm%3Doriginal%26utm%5Fcontent%3D190x280%26utm%5Fcampaign%3Dmay09%252Bmktg> >[] > > > >About This E-Mail > > > >You received this message because you signed up for NYTimes.com's Personal >Tech newsletter. As a member of the BBBOnline Privacy Program and the TRUSTe >privacy program, we are committed to protecting your privacy. > > * <http://www.nytimes.com/email?8cir&emc=cir>Manage Subscriptions | > * > <http://www.nytimes.com/gst/unsub.html?email=...@sockets.com&id=33626040&group=nl&product=CT>Unsubscribe > | > * <http://www.nytimes.com/profile.html?8cir&emc=cir>Change Your E-Mail | > * > <http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/privacy.html?8cir&emc=cir>Privacy > Policy | > * <mailto:feedb...@nytimes.com>Contact | > * <http://www.nytimes.com/adinfo?8cir&emc=cir>Advertise | > * <http://nytimes.com/personaltech?8cir&emc=cir>nytimes.com/personaltech ><http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/copyright.html?8cir&emc=cir>Copyright > 2009 | <http://www.nytco.com?8cir&emc=cir>The New York Times Company | ><http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/privacy.html?8cir&emc=cir>Privacy > Policy | <http://www.nytimes.com/?8cir&emc=cir>NYTimes.com 620 Eighth Avenue >New York, NY 10018 >[] >
