MacSpeech Dictate Released Today!

[icoffee]

The MacSpeech crossgrade to iListen incorporating Dragon's speech-recognition technology is supposed to be released today. Has anyone crossgraded or plan to yet?

Gotta love MacSpeech. I go to the Apple Store today, spend $150 on iListen 1.8 hoping to be able to crossgrade for $29 additional and get Dictate. No go. It appears that Dictate will be shipped, not available as a download or update to iListen. Guess I'll be waiting a few more weeks.

Wow! Impressed with MacSpeech customer service. While trying to order the upgrade to Dictate, the upgrade price was wrong. Submitted a ticket and resolved, rather responded to, in less than 30 minutes time. Wow, now that's customer service. Just wish I had an upgrade for Dictate so I could put my Dragon (VmWare XP) to sleep (permanently).

Yikes! Perhaps I spoke too soon. On the 15th, I was assured by MacSpeech support that they would correct the upgrade price on my account as the system was going to bill me $79 instead of $29 for the crossgrade. I'd like to order it or pre-order it. Still no official word on the release. Have I heard from MacSpeech support since the 15th? Nope. Early today, I sent them another support request to follow-up on the last. No word yet.

What should I do?

As of today, no reply, no news from MacSpeech. If I don't hear from them by the end of the week, I will be filling out a complaint to the Better Business Bureau. What looked promising from the start has turned into a nightmare. Just a word of caution: DO NOT BUY iListen to upgrade to Dictate until it is actually released and in someone's physical hands (even if their website states a release date).

Well, I guess I'm the only person who cares a flip about Dictate. I'll post back here when I finally get it. In the meantime here's a nice demo vid of the beta http://www.youtube.com/swf/l.swf?video_id=L9RbC6XKKqk&rel=1&eurl=&iurl=http%3A//i.ytimg.com/vi/L9RbC6XKKqk/default.jpg&t=OEgsToPDskL9QJOa8P5VZpoaTmLy7j_z&border=0%22%20type%3D%22application/x-shockwave-flash%22%20wmode%3D%22transparent%22width%3D%22425%22%20height%3D%22355%22%3E%3C/embed%3E%3C/object%3E

 

[aeh2]

same with me

I had the same problem crossgrading on Macspeech's web site. I purchased iListen 1.7 via Apple.com about a week ago; it arrived today. I upgraded via the MacSpeech web site to version 1.8 and registered using my activation code. Next, I tried to buy the cross grade through the web site, but it put the 2007 cross grade in my shopping cart ($79 instead of the $29 for those who bought iListen in 2008). So, I removed that from my cart, deciding to try again. But NOW, it says I've already used my activation code, and I can't buy ANYthing (as if I've used up one chance - and I haven't even purchased the cross grade). I have completed a trouble ticket on MacSpeech web site but given what's been said here, I'm pretty worried this is going to be trouble.

 

[icoffee]

Good news! I received two emails from MacSpeech this week. The first assured me that my previous support ticket had been forwarded and the second corrected the crossgrade price on my account. I was able to order MacSpeech Dictate via fedex for the crossgrade price of $29. Let's see how long it takes to arrive. I'll post as soon as I receive it.

aeh2, did MacSpeech support respond to you and did they correct your account? I'm interested to hear an update. I had the exact same problem with you and MacSpeech support ended up correcting my account after I told them of my shopping cart problem. After their email, I had the crossgrade again in my shopping cart, applied the promo code, and was able to order at the discounted price.

Once again, my order is pending and has not shipped. The MacSpeech website has not been updated as of today except to say that the crossgrades started shipping on Feb 15 with their "deliberate process". What a bunch of baloney. I'd be surprised if ONE person got their upgrade yet. Hopefully I'm wrong. I'll update as soon as I hear something or get my order. 😱

 

[Stormalong]

I got my copy of Dictate and WOW it is AMAZING!!!

I have tested just about every speech recognition program for the Mac over the years. Even the best of them always left me with the feeling that someday the applications would end up being practical and usable. That day has arrived. Fresh out of the box and with probably only 10 minutes of setup time, I started seeing what I was speaking show up on the screen with such speed and accuracy that I felt like Gary Seven in that episode of Star Trek. In fact, I am using it to write this thread and the only correction I had to make was to capitalize the "Seven" in "Gary Seven." it is freaky how Dictate always seems to interpret contexts correctly. A few months ago, I suffered some nerve damage in my right arm. As writing is an integral part of my work, this has been a huge problem. In the last four or five days since Dictate arrived, I've caught up on months worth of backup projects, on which I was behind because I was unable to type the way I used to. I have been a Mac user since 1984, and it has been years since I was awestruck and amazed by a software application. This software is just freaky! I just can't get over how well it works! Dictate leaves every other purported speech recognition program in the dust. None of the others ever were more than a novelty. Dictate is now one of the programs I use every day. I have never recommended a piece of software so enthusiastically. If you know anybody with carpal tunnel syndrome or any other disability that makes it difficult for them to type, please let them know about this program. And if you're wondering, Dictate did spell "carpal tunnel" correctly!

Stormalong

 

[icoffee]

Finally received!

I received my copy of Dictate on Friday via Fedex. It is nothing short of amazing! Well worth the wait and investment. Now I don't have to use Dragon in XP under VMWare! Yay!

 

[bcuzican]

macspeech

I'd like a second opinion,
I have the power mac G5 with a nice apple 17" flat screen monitor. It still works fine-no cmplaints . My problem is that I cant type and Ihave got a ton of typing to do. I have , like many of you been throughly disappointed with Macspeech's iListen, and recently with IBM Via Voice. I was thinking of buying an iMac and seling the G5. But now Im thinking I should just buy a mac mini and use it for the mac speech and a word processor. I could store everthing else on the G5. Any suggestions or comments?
b