You can also tell the computer to shut down or restart, as well as call up the start menu or a command line box. Once you have a document open, you can dictate text and it will instantly appear there. It can open browsers (including new tabs), apps, as well as Microsoft Office documents. You can tell Windows Speech Recognition to pretty much do anything on your PC. To begin, just say clearly into the microphone “start listening.” The app then beeps and springs into action, waiting for your next command. You’ll use that to switch Speech Recognition on and off. Once everything is set up, a small status box will pop up. You can also access the feature through the Control Panel. Click the option that pops up, and a window will open where you can enable the feature, as well as read a short text to give Windows an idea of what your voice is like. To switch on Windows Speech Recognition, go to your Start menu and in the search box at the bottom, type speech recognition.

Windows Speech Recognition is unobtrusive, free, and already installed. I thought I was going to detest it, but I came away impressed-especially considering it’s free, and you already have it on your Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8 PC. While none was quite able to slay the powerful Dragon, they could still be useful for many tasks.Īlthough Microsoft doesn’t trumpet the fact, newer versions of Windows arrive with the company’s own Windows Speech Recognition software preinstalled. They were tested under pretty rugged conditions, too: my native Scottish brogue, and my German accent honed by 13 years spent in Wuerzburg. We found five Windows-based options worth a test drive. The spoken word also suits some projects better than typing. The more choices, the better, too, given that using voice commands can stave off or reduce repetitive strain injuries. Dragon has long ruled supreme over the landscape of speech recognition-but no more. Simpler or less expensive (if not quite as powerful) options are carving out little fiefdoms.

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