Nuance has launched Dragon Dictate 4, a new edition of its dictation and transcription software for the Mac. The app has switched to a fully 64-bit codebase, allowing it to better exploit modern processors and RAM. Nuance says it has also improved the accuracy of voice recognition, optimizing it for newer technology.
Likewise new is the ability to transcribe from recorded sources, instead of having to pull from live audio. Compatible formats include MP3, MP4, M4A, M4V, AIF/AIFF, and WAV. This support extends to memos from smartphones and voice recorders, and users can also mix multiple sources. Another transcription improvement is the ability to keep all of the customization and vocabulary from a profile without having to switch to a different one.
The software can now also control Gmail in Safari or Firefox, interplaying voice commands with editing and dictation functions. Voice can further be used to open links and emails, and mixed talking/typing support has been added for Pages 4.3.
Dragon Dictate 4 costs $200 new, but special upgrade pricing is available for owners of earlier versions or MacSpeech Scribe.
