Multiple Match Text Editing & Formatting - New In Dragon Naturally Speaking 11

Dragon NaturallySpeaking 11 which is due to hit Australia in late August, early September 2010 is bristling with new features, enhancements and tweaks here and there to make us even more warm and fuzzy than we are already. Personally, I still quite can't believe that I am talking to a computer and it knows every word I am saying and I have been doing this for a few years.

One really neat feature in Dragon NaturallySpeaking 11 is the multi match text. In this version when you select a word for editing or formatting, if multiple words match your selection they are each given a number. You can then select the text you want to edit or format by its number. Single entries can be changed this way or all entries. This is a much quicker way of selecting text for editing and formatting than older versions of Dragon NaturallySpeaking.

Follow the main link for a screen shoot of the multiple text numbering from Dragon NaturallySpeaking 11 and a video demo from Nuance.

Olympus To Discontinue Analogue Microcassette Recorders In Australia

In an announcement from Olympus Australia today the old style analogue microcassette recorders are being given the flick and have been declared end of life and will be discontinued when all remaining stock has gone. Also scrapped from the product lists are the packs of 60 minute microcassettes themselves. So those rare people still using analogue dictaphones will soon have to hunt high and low for replacement tapes or they can just do the right thing and move to a digital voice recorder.

How To: Convert .ds2 .dss Files Using DSS Player Pro Version 7 Plus To AIF For MacSpeech Scribe

Now that MacSpeech Scribe is available, a select few will have the luxury of owning a Professional digital dictaphone like the Olympus DS-3400 or DS-5000. Both these digital voice recorders are certified to be used with MacSpeech Scribe. Both recorders are supplied with DSS Player Version 7 Plus for Mac.

The software can be used to convert audio recorded in .ds2 (DSS Pro) audio format to AIFF ready to load into MacSpeech Scribe. Click here for our main blog site explaining how to do the file conversion.

MacSpeech Dictate Medical Version - Australian Pricing And Bundles

With the announcement last week of a new medical version of MacSpeech Dictate we have been waiting for pricing, availability and bundle details for us here in Australia. Those details have just been released by the Australian distributor.

We can expect to get two bundles of MacSpeech Dictate Medical with a choice of either the Parrott VXI TalkPro USB headset and mic or the Revolabs xTag wireless mic.

Stock of MacSpeech Dictate Medical is expected in Australia next week so will be shipping nationally in early July. We at Dictate Australia have sold the very first copy of MacSpeech Dictate Medical which will head off to a doctor in Victoria very shortly.

For a run down on the Australian pricing and upgrade pricing for people with standard MacSpeech Dictate (both version 1.3 and 1.5) click on this entries heading above or head direct to idictate.com.au

Olympus DS30 & DS-40 Discontinued in Australia

Some news out of Olympus Australia this week is that the popular large meeting and focus group digital voice recorder the DS-30 has been discontinued. The next model up the DS-40 will also suffer the same fate in the next week or two.

My suspicion is that both these models will be replaced by a single new recorder, the Olympus DS-55 which is yet to be seen in Australia and as yet no pricing is available for this model.

As the DS-50 was recently dumped and replaced by the DS-65 it looks to me that it is not likely that we will see the DS-75 model available across Europe. This make sense, the three model choice of the DS-30, DS-40 and DS-50 was a bit of overkill where two models would do.

As soon as we receive news on the DS-55, its availability and Australian pricing we will update the blog with the info. In the mean time, feast your eyes on this stunning silver model and wipe a tear for the legendary DS-30.

Philips Dictation Australia Price Rise For The Popular DVT Digiital Voice Tracers

We have heard that a price rise is on the way for the Philips range Digital Voice Tracers (DVT). It will be effective from 1st June, 2009.

Philips blames the increase on the state of the Australian dollar against the Euro, the dictation arm of Philips is run out of Vienna. To be fair, they have held off as long as they could, Olympus jumped back in February with an across the board price rise.

On average the DVTs will go up by around 25% on their current pricing. Even with the increase these voice recorders are still excellent value. The are rich in features (and a couple of gimicks), easy to use, look great and record very well.

LiveScribe Pulse SmartPen - Digital Voice Recorder In A 2Gb Pen

Here at Dictate Australia our attention was recently drawn, thanks to Twitter, to the LiveScribe Pulse SmartPen. This incredible gadget which is both Mac and Windows compatible is basically a computer in a pen.

Using the LiveScribe Dot Paper you hand write your notes while recording the audio from around you, being a lecture, conference or meeting. The audio is linked to the words you are writing so by simply touching on a word in your notes the audio is instantly replayed.

We have just received our first SmartPen in the office and will be working on video demos on both Mac and Windows in the coming weeks.

Review of the Philips 880 Digital Voice Tracer

Philips Australia have recently re-vamped their Digital Voice Tracer range of cheap digital note takers. The top of the line DVT is the 880 which boasts PCM recording to .wav files and high quality recording to MP3. With a wealth of goodies in the box and a lean Australian price tag we take a look as this new recorder from Philips in our review.

New Olympus DS-5000 DS2 Audio Format Not Express Scribe Compatible

The Olympus DS-4000 replacement, the DS-5000 and DS-5000iD record in a newer format of the DSS (Digital Speech Standard) audio format known as .DS2 or DSS Pro. Initial testing with the popular Express Scribe transcription software used by many transcription businesses including our own, The Transcription People shows that the new .DS2 format is not compatible with Scribe, this we believe is due to tighter licencing controls of the DSS audio standard.

There is the option on the DS-5000 and DS-5000iD to record in "Classic DSS" however selecting this reduces not only the audio quality of the recording, QP record mode can not be selected only SP, but also limits some of the additional functionality of the unit. Verbal comments can not be recorded and index marks are limited to 16 for each file.

As soon as we receive our test unit we will test if "Classic DSS" will produce the older style .DSS files which can be loaded into Express Scribe.

Finally - DS-5000 & AS-5000 Pricing Announced In Australia

The much anticipated replacement for the Olympus DS-4000 digital dictation kit and the Olympus AS-4000 transcription kit, the DS-5000 and AS-5000 were officially released in Australia today, 1st September 2008.

Today we finally received the pricing for these new models, they have come in at the same price as the DS-4000 / AS-4000. A smart move from Olympus, not only are these much more advanced recorders and transcription kits but they have been held at this price for some years now. Olympus could have easily released them for a marked up price but by doing this they will continue to keep a dominant grip on the digital voice recorder market here in Australia.

Surprisingly though, the DS-5000iD, the DS-5000 with the finger print reader for added security, we still do not have the official RRP for. As soon as we get it it will be posted on our website.

R.I.P. DS-4000, a legend of a digital dictatphone

DS-5000 & AS-5000 Set To Launch August 2008 In Australia

We reported back in March that the sunset for the amazing DS-4000 digital dictaphone and the AS-4000 digital transcription kit was fast approaching.




The next generation of top of the line digital dictaphones from Olympus will soon make their debut in Australia. The DS-5000 and DS-5000iD professional digital dictaphones along with their very own transcription kit the AS-5000 look to be coming the middle of August.

As reported in the Olympus press release the DS-5000 will replace the DS-4000 and the AS-5000 will replace the AS-4000. Interestingly the DS-5000 will not be compatible with the older AS-4000 transcription kits, users looking to move to the DS-5000 will need to replace all their kit.

Its Here And Boy Is It Good ! MacSpeech Dictate

Voice recognition for Mac OS X users has finally arrived, it didn't just fly in on a chartered flight this software arrived in a stretched limo it is that special.

For a few years now Mac users have lagged behind the Windites with their Dragon Naturally Speaking but not anymore. MacSpeech Dictate which is powered by the Dragon engine from the people at Nuance is really something special.

It is version 1.0 so yes not every single feature you would expect of a mature voice recognition software package is there ... yet ! Regular updates are promised and will happen quite soon.

In the meantime there are quite a few YouTube videos floating around including some made by us showing Dictate in action.

Here are just a couple ....