Voice Recognition Software on Mac OSX

[target2019]

Is anyone using voice recognition software on a Mac?
If so, would you recommend to someone else.
F-I-L has an all in one Mac--with built in mic. It works fine with Google voice.
He is having difficulty with keyboard and mouse, as his hands shake.
He did use Dragon a few years ago on a PC...

 

[photoguy]

Has he tried the built in support for voice?

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT5449

I haven't used it so can't comment on its effectiveness.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[mpeirce]

Has he tried the built in support for voice?

Definitely try the built-in dictation. Over the last couple of years it's gotten very good.

Make sure he turns on "enhanced dictation" which gives immediate feedback as you talk.

[Of course I dictated the above text. You do have to learn to speak punctuation such as comma, period, new line, and so on as well as editing commands. There are a bunch:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203085

I use this on my iPhone a lot too - it's easier for me than typing on the phone.

 

[bizlady]

I do not have a Mac, but had similar problems on my PC. Once I got a good quality microphone-it works really well. For what it is worth, I bought a "yeti blue" microphone on Amazon for around a hundred dollars. I find dictating rather than typing has really relieved much of the pain in my hands.

 

[target2019]

Definitely try the built-in dictation. Over the last couple of years it's gotten very good.

Make sure he turns on "enhanced dictation" which gives immediate feedback as you talk.

[Of course I dictated the above text. You do have to learn to speak punctuation such as comma, period, new line, and so on as well as editing commands. There are a bunch:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203085

I use this on my iPhone a lot too - it's easier for me than typing on the phone.

I'm going to give the built-in solution a try first. Meanwhile I'll look at updating the OS from 10.8--I think it is that. Should also look at some kind of remote support option...

What I've read (guess I should read, then post) tells me that the dictation works better with the later system updates, and a noise-cancelling microphone.

The reviews for Dragon Mac are pretty dismal, so I'll try to avoid it.

I do not have a Mac, but had similar problems on my PC. Once I got a good quality microphone-it works really well. For what it is worth, I bought a "yeti blue" microphone on Amazon for around a hundred dollars. I find dictating rather than typing has really relieved much of the pain in my hands.

I am going to look into that as part of the solution. Thanks for suggesting

 

[mpeirce]

Should also look at some kind of remote support option...

Assuming you are using a Mac too, there are a number of ways to initiate screen sharing with your Dad.

Probably the simplest way is to use Messages. Start up a text conversation with him, then click the Details button for that person, it'll show you an icon for inviting that person to share screens with you (the icon looks like two rectangles (or screens) stacked up) among other options.

I screen share with DF at least every week or so to help him with something or another...

Here's an article stepping you thought it: Screen sharing using Messages on OS X Yosemite - Apple Toolbox

 

[audreyh1]

Is anyone using voice recognition software on a Mac?
If so, would you recommend to someone else.
F-I-L has an all in one Mac--with built in mic. It works fine with Google voice.
He is having difficulty with keyboard and mouse, as his hands shake.
He did use Dragon a few years ago on a PC...

DH tells me that dictation is built into MacOS. You can set it up under preferences - dictation and speech. And check enhanced dictation which which allows offline usage. DH thinks it's quite good, he uses it all the time.

On any text entry box hitting function key twice will bring up the mike. Then hit it once to dismiss the mike.