MacSpeech Dictate has been available for nearly two years now and over that time the developers have delivered on their promises to improve the software since its version 1.0 launch at MacWorld 2008 where it won “Best in Show”. The MacSpeech Dictate family recently added a medical and a legal version targeting a market heavily dominated by the very expensive Dragon NaturallySpeaking Professional for Windows users who want to go Mac. Also recently launched is a foreign language version, known as MacSpeech Dictate International allowing native French, German and Italian speakers to chat away to their Mac, rumour has it Spanish speakers will be next on the list.
For us Aussie’s there is the Australian English language pack. So our, some would say perfect use of the English language, is catered for. For the average user who just wants to dump out what is being said the standard MacSpeech Dictate 
will do the trick.
The software comes with a good quality mic and there is a choice of either a Plantronics DSP-400 or Parrot VXI TalkPro headset and mic combo. For those who think its a bit sissy to wear a headset you can buy the FlexMic package and those with lots of spare cash and the need to walk around the office while dictating there is a wireless mic option with the Revolabs xTag mic.
If you are a writter, blogger, journalist or student and typing vast amounts of notes is not your thing then kick back and chat away to your Mac and let it do the work for you. You will need to spend some time training the software to your voice, initial training takes less than five minutes and the software gets more accurate the more you use it as it learns from the way you speak. You can only transcribe a trained voice, you can’t get your mates around and all shout abuse at your Mac hoping that MacSpeech Dictate will transcribe each speaker, it won’t.
We will follow up with a more in-depth review of MacSpeech Dictate shortly where we will try and cover some of the many features and functions of the software.
BACKGROUND — having been a happy and proficient user of Dragon Naturally Speaking on my PC, I have just purchased a new iMac together with your product MacSpeech Dictate, as I use voice recognition constantly.
Can any reader should light on the following two questions please:
1. I created a profile (which I have named “Charles”) and spent an entire week “training” it. But being used to a cordless microphone, I was unhappy with the corded microphone that was supplied, so I installed a WIRELESS Plantronics hands-free headset CS60-USB. At the advice of Apple, I have now commenced the frustrating task of retraining a NEW profile (which I have named “Charles CS60″). Was there a way of changing the microphone within my original profile named “Charles” without having to create a new profile?
2. If I do need to create a new profile for the new microphone, is there a way to import the training that I’ve need for the old (“Charles”) profile into the new profile, without all the retraining required for a new profile?
3. Having now spent an entire day training my new profile “Charles CS60″, I have discovered to my horror that the new profile is in US spending, with an American accent. However, I would like it to be changed over to UK spending with an Australian accent.
Can I change the spelling and accent in my new profile, ” Charles CS60″, without having to delete that profile and start a third time?
Thanks and regards to all Charles
When I purchased my new MacSpeech Dictate from the Apple shop in Chatswood, I found that they were pretty useless, with totally no knowledge of the product. I have had a few questions that I needed answered, so I have e-mailed the support helpline, with no replies so far though to be fair it is the week between Christmas and new year. Has anyone found an Australian phone number where I can get Prompt and accurate verbal answers to my questions?
Hey Charles
That is one of the problems with buying from the Apple store for specialist products like MacSpeech. A few companies have been selling MacSpeech in Australia since version 1 and therefore there are a few of us with some inside knowledge of the product. You are doing the right thing by raising a support request with MacSpeech (they recently opened a .com.au website for Australia which I believe just feeds back into their support base in the US). I will email you directly with a couple of other un-official options.
Thanks
Dave