In November of 1997, Dragon Systems has released a new feature for Dragon NaturallySpeaking called NaturalWord. NaturalWord allows you to dictate directly into Microsoft Word 97 as if you are dictating into Dragon NaturallySpeaking's own editor.
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| For version 2.0, NaturalWord is an add-on for both the Preferred and Deluxe editions of Dragon NaturallySpeaking. (NaturalWord does not work with the version 2.0 Personal Edition.) |
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| With version 3.0, NaturalWord is included in all editions of Dragon NaturallySpeaking and is installed automatically without having to download the feature from the web. |
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| With NaturalWord, Microsoft Word 97 is speech enabled. NaturalWord adds both a toolbar and a menu to Microsoft Word 97. The toolbar contains many of the icons on the Dragon NaturallySpeaking editor window's own toolbar. And the menu allows you to access all of the features of Dragon NaturallySpeaking. |
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| A menu item allows you to connect Microsoft Word 97 to Dragon NaturallySpeaking. Once you connect Microsoft Word 97 to Dragon NaturallySpeaking, and turn on the microphone, then you can dictate directly into Microsoft Word 97. You can also correct errors in Microsoft Word 97 using the same techniques that you use directly in Dragon NaturallySpeaking's own editor window. You can use the command "Select <text>" or "Correct That" or any of the other editing or correction commands directly in Microsoft Word. You can also playback recorded speech or use text to speech. |
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| In fact, all of the features of Dragon NaturallySpeaking with very few exceptions are available in Microsoft Word 97 using NaturalWord. (I know that there is no yellow arrow pointing to text when you use playback of recorded speech in Microsoft Word 97, and you cannot double-click on a word in Microsoft Word 97 to correct it like you can in Dragon NaturallySpeaking's own editor. But I know of no other missing features.) |
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| As long as you install the Service Release 1, the only downside of using NaturalWord is that you will need at least 16 MB more memory than using Dragon NaturallySpeaking alone. Expect to need at least 48MB to use NaturalWord under Windows 95. |
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| NaturalWord does not currently work with any other version of Microsoft Word other than Microsoft Word 97. And it does not work with WordPerfect or any other editor. |
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