App has good dictation results, lacks buffer alert

MacNN has reviewed Dragon Dictation, an app designed for the iPad and iPhone. Users can convert their speech to text, though an Internet connection is required to perform the actual conversion. Speech is recorded to a buffer, and once a person presses "Done," the audio is uploaded, returning a written transcription in around 20 seconds.

Transcriptions are found to be fairly accurate, provided a person speaks clearly. The text can be exported in a number of ways, such as through SMS or e-mail, or by copying to the clipboard. It cannot be saved as a text document on an iPhone, although it can be saved as a note on an iPad. Another potential problem is that the buffer has no "full" warning, forcing users to do brief dictations. Recordings can be lost altogether on an iPhone if an incoming call arrives during the process.

The app is free, requiring iPhone 3.1 or later, and available at the iTunes App Store. It runs natively on an iPad, doing away with the need to zoom in.

by MacNN Staff