December 2004 NGTVoice

Dragon NaturallySpeaking 8 Upgrades: Best Practices
MagniTalk Version 80.8x
Buddy Gooseneck Microphone
JSay for Dragon NaturallySpeaking 8 and JAWS for Windows 6
Dragon NaturallySpeaking 8 Training CD
Google Launches New Search Tool
Verifying Receipt of E-mail
NGT, Inc. Receives ScanSoft Gold Certified Partner Status
2004 End of Year Procurement

Dragon NaturallySpeaking 8 Upgrades: Best Practices

Upgrading to Dragon NaturallySpeaking Version 8 is termed "a Smart Upgrade." This means that existing Dragon NaturallySpeaking 6,7 and 7.3 voice profiles are automatically upgraded to version 8 profiles. However, we believe that best practice should encourage the user to create a new profile using Dragon NaturallySpeaking 8. (There are several onboard utilities that make this approach more practical. They include the VocTool which is now located on the version 8 tools menu located on the start menu. The VocTool allows the user to create custom language model and modified the 'middle slot' in Dragon NaturallySpeaking.) I recently created a new, version 8 profile on my tablet PC (Motion Computing M1300) and was quite pleased with the improved speed and accuracy compared to my 7.3 profile.

Note to Healthcare Providers Using Dragon NaturallySpeaking

We believe it is particularly helpful for healthcare providers using Dragon NaturallySpeaking Medical 8 to create a new profile since initial throughput accuracy is such a critical element of medical transcription. This allows you to take advantage of the optimized accuracy of version 8, and access the new practice specific language models available in version 8. Coupled with the Vocabulary Builder, you should find that a new enrollment provides improved accuracy, speed of throughput, and ease of use. We've had success moving .dat file information from one version 8 upgrade profile to a new enrollment, which can further benefit the new profile.

Early Discounts

Also, don't forget that there are discounted specials for upgrading Dragon NaturallySpeaking Professional, Medical, and Legal if the product is purchased before December 15, 2004.

MagniTalk Version 80.8x

We would like to report that Michael Bjork, NGT's developer of MagniTalk, has revised his add on technology for Dragon NaturallySpeaking Professional and ZoomText. The latest release works with Dragon NaturallySpeaking 8 Professional and all the 8.x versions of ZoomText Magnifier and Reader. For those individuals interested in supporting users of Dragon NaturallySpeaking in conjunction with ZoomText please contact us to discuss a not for resale copy of this latest product release.

Buddy Gooseneck Microphone

We have recently come across two microphone products for use with speech input technologies that are getting favorable reviews. Both of them are desk mounted. The Buddy Gooseneck has a flexible 75cm base that clamps on to a workstation service and can be used from 2 to 15cm from the microphone element. Its cousin microphone the Buddy Desktop rests on a heavy plate and provides a 38cm flexible base with a similar microphone element. Both microphones are being used successfully by individuals with severe mobility impairment and in the health care professions by doctors not wishing to wear a headset or use a handheld microphone. Both Buddy microphones require a reasonably quiet ambient noise environment in order to operate well with speech recognition software.

JSay Professional 2 for Dragon NaturallySpeaking 8 and JAWS For Windows 6

The good people at T&T Consultancy (Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom) have announced the upcoming release of JSay Professional 2. This new version release is expected just after Christmas for distribution in the US and Canada. It will provide interoperability between Dragon NaturallySpeaking Professional 8 and JAWS for Windows 6. It offers a broad range of upgrades and improvements, as well as expanded utility. Some of these include an improved way to set the options configuration for JSay in Dragon NaturallySpeaking, improvements to the "where am I" command, support for the playback utility in NaturallySpeaking, new calendar functionality, added support for Internet Explorer, and the ability to use the new Jaws for Windows skim reading function. I'm certain that Terry Clasper and Brian Hartgen have put together a terrific product that is going to be well received by the marketplace.

Say I Can Training CD for Dragon NaturallySpeaking Ships January 7

We've had the opportunity to check with Dan Newman at Say I Can, and he indicates that he anticipates the availability of the Dragon NaturallySpeaking training CD-ROM set for NaturallySpeaking 8 to be available starting January 7. Over the last several years many of our clients nationwide have commended Dan on the quality and thoroughness of this training support material for NaturallySpeaking. By providing a modular video training program showing the user, their computer system and other additional information simultaneously, we believe that this offers one of the better ways to learn NaturallySpeaking on your own.

Google's New Search Tool

Note to academic, students, healthcare professionals, and others that need to do scholarly research:

Many people have missed the significant announcement from Google of their new, beta service called Google Scholar. This new tool from Google provides search results primarily from academic libraries, abstracts, citation indexes and other scholarly sources of material. It has no advertisements. The service is free. Wow!

Verifying Receipt of E-mail

It seems that it's becoming harder and harder to assume that an e-mail sent has reached its intended recipient. Next Generation Technologies Inc. has been recommending that e-mail users start acknowledging receipt of important e-mail. Moving forward, we will start requesting e-mail acknowledgment on mail that is critical in order to be sure that people are receiving our important communications. We certainly don't want a burden anyone with additional work, but feel that this is an important step. We also like our clients and colleagues to feel free to request an e-mail receipt whenever communicating with us at the company.

NGT, Inc. Receives ScanSoft Gold Certified Partner Status

Next Generation Technologies Inc. has received the prestigious Gold Certified Partner designation from ScanSoft (Waltham, Massachusetts). This coveted designation has been conveyed to only twelve NaturallySpeaking authorized reseller's nationwide, and is granted in regard to one's quality sales, service, technical support, and ongoing commitment to speech recognition technology. We're pleased to receive this designation in recognition of our eleven years providing top-quality technology and support services to our many clients nationwide.

2004 End of Year Procurement

For those organizations requiring in hand delivery of products prior to the end of this calendar year in order to satisfy 2004 budgetary requirements we are recommending that all purchase orders and purchases be made no later than Thursday, December 16, 2004. For organizations and individuals that require receipt of an invoice, not product, to satisfy budgetary requirements we would recommend all purchase orders and purchases be made no later than Monday, December 27. We intend to be closed on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31. Of course, we will strive to meet your needs regardless of when orders are received.

Next Generation Technologies Inc. and its staff would like to wish everyone a healthy, prosperous, and peaceful holiday season and new year.

Ed. Rosenthal, President and CEO

Page Last Updated: Sunday, June 01, 2008

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