Dragon Naturally Speaking

Before reading this review, please refer to our feature article on Speech Recognition software and check out Microsoft Windows offering which is free.

Dragon Naturally Speaking is an amazing piece of software! It uses cutting edge voice recognition technology to provide word processing features and control of Windows functions.

Dragon Naturally Speaking allows you to use your voice to browse web pages, type documents and even move the mouse around the screen. It is a great piece of software for anyone who has limited use of their hands and fingers. Dragon is easy to install and setup, and is the perfect choice for anybody who finds it hard to type or use a mouse. It is incrediblyaccurate and includes multiple user settings.

Key benefits

Just say words and watch them appear on your computer screen - three times faster than typing - with up to 99% accuracy right out of the box. Dragon can learn the words you say every day, including acronyms and proper names. It even gets to know your voice better over time for increased recognition accuracy.

Dragon eliminates the need to navigate menu options or type in keywords so you get more done faster. Just tell Dragon what to do and it does it. Control applications or edit and format text using simple voice commands like "Open Microsoft Word", "Show my photos", "Bold that", "Bracket that" or "Center the row".

Dragon Voice Shortcuts make it faster and easier than ever to create email or search the Web or desktop for specific information or resources.

Send an email to multiple friends by saying, "Send email to John Smith and Caroline Sanchez". Dragon automatically opens Microsoft® Outlook®, creates a new email and enters the correct email addresses for you.

Say commands like "Search the Web for low-fat lasagna recipe" or "Search maps for Trinity College, Oxford, UK" and Dragon returns the results.

Quickly post to Twitter or Facebook with a simple voice command.

With Dragon, typing, spelling or fear of the blank page won't slow you down. Dragon keeps up with your mind, instantly transforming ideas into text - with no spelling mistakes. Just say what you mean instead of struggling with the keyboard or worrying about spelling. Now you can focus more on the content of your writing and less on the mechanics of typing.

Simple installation gets you up and running in minutes

The Dragon Sidebar puts important voice commands and tips in one desktop location for at-a-glance convenience

On-screen help and tutorials make it faster and easier to complete tasks by voice

Works with most Windows-based applications

Comfortable hands-free interaction lets you control your PC without being constrained by the keyboard.