Product Review: Windows Speech Recognition Tool

In trying to improve the speed with which I'm able to create a new document, I'm giving the preinstalled Windows Speech Recognition tool (free, with Vista Home Premium edition of Windows) a whirl.

So far, it's working quite well. The learning curve is not that steep and the speech recognition capabilities are really quite good. The trouble now that I have, is trying to word things before I speak them. I also have to remember to say things like "period" at the end of each sentence. Other things that are a little bothersome include recalling where a comma goes as I'm trying to say things. And then there's also trying to figure out how to get around speaking the key words that are already programmed into the program. For instance if I want to save the words, "Go to the end of document," in an actual document that I intend for others to read, first I need to say, "open quote," then start speaking the key words the program recognizes, one at a time, making sure there is enough silence between the words so the program doesn't perform the action I'm trying to say for someone to simply read.

To start using the Windows Speech Recognition tool that comes with Vista, first you need to have a good microphone. In my tests, I've discovered that the best kind of microphone is the one that goes over the ear and holds the microphone about an inch from your mouth, off to the side, so you don't breathe directly on the microphone. Just head over to your nearest Staples or Best Buy and select one. They're about $20, which is really pretty cheap considering the value you gain, mostly in time. It's a great ROI!

Once you have your chosen microphone plugged into your computer, you'll have to use the old fashioned mouse and keyboard to get the voice recognition set up. Mouse over to the start button, select through Programs, then Accessories, Ease of Access, then choose Windows Speech Recognition. This starts the process and the tutorial so you can train your computer to recognize your voice.