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| Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9 Preferred [OLD VERSION] | ![Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9 Preferred [OLD VERSION]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51PrcsbemaL._SL160_.jpg)
 enlarge | From: Nuance Communications, Inc.
Category: Software
List Price: $199.99
Buy New: $151.25
You Save: $48.74 (24%)
New (5) Used (3) from $79.49
Avg. Customer Rating:  244 reviews
Sales Rank: 108
Format: Cd-rom
Platforms: Windows Vista, Windows Xp Home Edition, Windows Xp Professional
Media: CD-ROM
Edition: Preferred
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Batteries Included: No
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.1 x 2.8
Legal Disclaimer: Warranty does not cover misuse of product.
MPN: A109A-G00-9.0
Model: A109A-G01-9.0
UPC: 780420115095
EAN: 0780420115095
ASIN: B000H2049I
Release Date: July 25, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Has turned out to be a time-saver September 25, 2006
15 out of 17 found this review helpful
Years ago, I had version 4 of this program and faithfully did all the training exercises---however, I discovered they were mostly exercises in frustration and eventually gave up. I too had heard that advancements in speech recognition had been made for this version, and warily bought it from Amazon. With just a little training, it was up to about 75% accuracy---much better than the 30% of version 4, but still room for improvement. The microphone that comes with the program produces a horrible clamping sensation on the side of your head, so I bought the Plantronics DSP 400 recommended in the hardward compatibility listings on Nuance's website. After using this new (much more comfortable) headset, the accuracy increased to about 90% by my estimation. I am in the process of dictating a novel from a longhand manuscript, and the time saved by using this program is well worth it.
 Good product but poor customer support September 14, 2006
23 out of 24 found this review helpful
this is a very good product, and I am dictating using the product right now using the microphones that came with the product. Keep in mind two important points: first, if you are in a hideaways environment than it is not going to work as well as if you dictate in the quiet office. The second, you will need a fast processor on your computer.
New ones really needs to work one providing better customer support.
As you can see, that Dick Tatian will not be 100% accurate. I have been training the software now for about two weeks.
 Timesaver... September 12, 2006
24 out of 27 found this review helpful
I am currently writing this review using the Dragon NaturallySpeaking software. It has taken less than half an hour to learn the initial process. What is most fascinating is the rate at which you can type with your voice. It is truly as if you have a secretary typing for you.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking was incredibly easy to install. During the installation process, you'll be asked to plug in the microphone and participate in a training session. This allows you to track your audio settings. When you are prompted to check your microphone volume and sound quality, you may want to do this twice if you do not receive a positive result. You soon learn the value of speaking more professionally.
This program requires full attention and a focused intention. You not only have to think about what you're saying, you also need to format what you are saying as you are speaking. Once you learn all the formatting commands, you can insert them as you talk and format quickly and efficiently.
While you are speaking a DragonPad appears and this is where you type all your text with your voice. At the top of your screen, you will see a DragonBar. This includes a small microphone that you turn on or off. The microphone will not turn on unless you click on the icon. The microphone may be turned off with your voice by saying microphone off with a pause after you speak. You can also tell the program to "go to sleep" and then to "wake up."
I found the "auto format on" does not give you as much control as simply stating which punctuation marks you require. While you are talking you may decide that the last sentence you said is not what you really wanted to say. In order to erase your last sentence, all you do is say: "scratch that."
The initial installation and training went very smoothly. You simply read the words on the screen and the computer learns to recognize how you speak. There is definitely a learning curve to this program and patience is needed at the start. The small training manual includes an introduction, installation and training, starting to dictate, working on your desktop, correcting and editing, formatting, dictating names, numbers, punctuation and special characters.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking frees you from your keyboard and allows you to communicate effectively with your computer through your voice. This will allow you to compose memos and letters. The Professional Edition also allows you to enter data into forms or spreadsheets. Since most people can dictate faster than they can type this will give you great freedom. Simply typing your thoughts is only the beginning of a huge adventure which will lead you to even more exciting options like working on the Web searching for websites and navigating website pages (say a link and it goes to the next page, say a word and it finds all those words on the page).
If you enjoy using a hand-held recorder to dictate while you are away from the computer, this program can transcribe what you said. Although you may wish to use you voice most of the time, there are still some things are easier to do with your mouse and keyboard. If you say "select all," then it selects the entire text. So, this might not work when you are trying to change the word "all" to "I'll." Also if you try to say command words within your sentences, this can present a challenge.
Proofreading your text will be essential because now and then when you pause in a sentence, it will add a period automatically. You can add in quotation marks with your voice. I find it easier to do this when you visualize the sentence. If I misspell a word, I simply select the word and then choose a new word from a list or spell the word for the computer. Instead of using your mouse to move around the page there are page up and page down commands. All you say is "go to top" or "go to bottom."
The true beauty of Dragon NaturallySpeaking is the speed at which you can now type with your voice. This not only allows greater freedom and imagination, you can close your eyes sit back, be in complete control of your mind, all while accessing your computer and working without back and neck strain, not to mention avoiding carpal tunnel syndrome.
This program is easy as 1, 2, 3. First you learn how to enunciate your words correctly, then you will learn special commands, and finally you continue to build upon the skills learned. For the writer and poet this program could become invaluable as many times you can think up ideas quicker than you can type them. It would seem that the next step in this program's evolution would be to allow the user access to a thesaurus directly instead of having to save the document in Word first. When I loaded up the program the second time today, there was a "tip of the day" at the start. I also found a dictation box that automatically transferred extra text into a Word document. You can also type directly into the Amazon review text box, speak a search word or speak a URL to get to any website.
I'm listening to my secretary (the one IN the program) read this back to me...how fun! All you do is highlight the entire text and select "sound" in the DragonBar and "read this." This program has interesting possibilities for business executives and for writers, not to mention anyone in publicity. If you want to "hear" reviews instead of just reading them...well, wait until you see what this program can do! All you do is copy/paste a review into the DragonPad and highlight the text. Then, select "sound" and "read this." You can finally listen to reviews. In the future, I imagine we will be able to record reviews and listen to recorded reviews, but until then...
More than highly recommended! Dragon NaturallySpeaking is the ultimate in Speech Recognition Software.
~The Rebecca Review
Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9 Speech Recognition software September 2, 2006
15 out of 17 found this review helpful
By far the best of the Dragon series. Don't waste money on the older version--go for this one. Only kink has been in Adobe Acrobat--it sometimes freezes up in Adobe. Well worth the money, especially for anyone with mobility impairments.
Rough Edges August 31, 2006
65 out of 68 found this review helpful
I read a very enthusiastic review of DNS and decided to give it a try. I am not unfamiliar with speech recognition having used products from IBM and L&H in the past. Didn't hurt that Amazon was offering a great deal: a $70 rebate off the $179 sticker price, bringing the Preferred package down to near-Standard pricing.
It arrived, I installed it, and the trouble began.
In the two decades I have been installing software, Dragon NaturallySpeaking takes a prize for misbehavior. I started by trying to install it on the F:\ drive because I really don't like the OS and the Apps sharing a room. No go. DNS could not find dnstk10.dll even though it was plainly visible in its Program folder. The requested reinstall produced the same result.
I scrubbed the Registry of all reference to Nuance, repartitioned the C:\ drive, and let DNS go where it wanted. This time, the error message was that sapidll.dll had not registered and could I please reinstall.
A search revealed a patch: spchapi.exe. It took dropping into Nuance's site via Google to find it because Nuance's own search engine had never heard of it. Seems sapidll.dll was not part of my XP Pro SP2 install. Who knew?
Downloaded and applied the patch and, finally, the program began to work. And it's pretty decent. Unfortunately, the program refuses to quit asking me to register. And, when I've gone through the registration process, the EREG.EXE hangs and must be killed manually. Have renamed the EREG.EXE in hopes of putting it out of my misery.
While DNS is the best speech recognition program I've ever used, the problems of getting it installed have taken a bit of the shine off it.
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