Editorial Review
With Dragon NaturallySpeaking Standard you can talk to your computer and watch words quickly appear in documents, e-mails, instant messages and even surf the web simply by speaking. It's amazingly accurate - up to 99% and really easy to use. There's no script reading or "voice training" required, so you can get started dictating right away. Perfect for the whole family - busy parents, kids just learning to type, and even grandparents.
Main Features
Manufacturer: Nuance Communications, IncManufacturer Part Number: A309A-GG4-9.0Software Sub Type: Voice RecognitionSoftware Name: Dragon NaturallySpeaking v.9.0 StandardFeatures & Benefits: Unprecedented Speech Recognition Accuracy No Training Required Expanded Support for New Applications New Tutorials Support for Non-standard Edit Controls Dragon NaturallySpeaking Command Browser Add Terms and Contact Names Dictate into Favorite Programs Navigate Desktop by Voice Eliminate "Ums" and "Ahs" from Dictation Control Mouse by Voice Work on the Web by Voice Multiple Correction Methods Edit by Voice Natural PunctuationLanguage Support: EnglishPlatform Support: PCCompatibility: Microsoft Word Corel WordPerfectCached date: AWS Called=true
Customer Reviews
Pretty good so far 
2008-06-26
I have only been using it for one day so I can't speak to much other than it was easy to install, easy to train, fairly easy to use, and had a surprising amount of preinstalled names. I am looking forward to getting used to it to make corrections as it doesn't always hear me correctly but so far so good. I have never used another product like this so I am unfamiliar with anything else to make a comparison but I am sure it is far superior to previous versions.
Obvoiusly not ready for the real marketplace 
2008-06-26
I recently purchased this product, and while it was a fun novelty for the first few minutes, the unpredictability and instablity of the product soon revealed that it was not really something that I could really use to do actual work.
The interface unpredictabily decided to stop taking any dictation while in MS word, so the only way to get anything into Word is to use a special window. If you speak at a normal pace as the instructions continually stress, the product gets so far behind that you have no idea what it has understood or missed.
Without a doubt the future of computing will revolve around natural human speech commands, and at times this product offers glimpses of that, but the current state of this product is as far from that future as the Wright brothers were from a spaceship. The only reason that I gave it 1 star is that you cannot rate it lower.
Terrible and Unreliable Product 2008-06-14
In my very humble opinion I strongly suggest no one purchase Dragon Naturally Speaking Standard version 9. It is highly unreliable; there is no customer support, unless if you're willing to pay for it and it is a complete waste of money.
I purchased this version because I was satisfied with their version 4. At first it seemed to work quite well - but notice I say at first. I went through the various training sessions to improve the accuracy and thought things were going along quite well until I made the mistake of shutting down the computer before closing Dragon Naturally Speaking. The next time I've booted up and tried to open this program I got the message, "The vocabulary you have chosen ..... is incompatible for invalid". What a shock! I tried a couple of times and got the same message. The only option left was to create a new user or remove and then reinstall the program, essentially starting all over again.
Well, I did remove and reinstall the program and did the training again. What a pain! A month later I again happen to shut down the computer before closing out Dragon Naturally Speaking. You guessed it, I had to go through the whole process again which was remove and reinstall the program. Oh, and let's not forget the training.
Everything went along fairly well, though the recognition wasn't all that great anymore, until I was working away and lost the power to my house. Yep, to use the program I would have to remove it and reinstall it. That was the final straw.
I'm now using the speech recognition program that comes with the Microsoft operating system and it is doing as well as Dragon Naturally Speaking. The Microsoft program doesn't seem to have all the bells and whistles as the other but it works and I didn't have to pay for it.
What a shame 2008-06-05
This product types words that aren't even close to what you're saying. It really was a waste of time and money. I purchased the headset microphone to go along with the software and it was even worse. I'm not a hard person to please, and I never write reviews, but this product is ridiculous, buyers please don't waste your money.
Don't Buy This Product! 2008-06-01
It's a shame that you have to buy a product and get it home to know that it doesn't work. Then when you return it you have to pay for shipping and only get 50% back because you opened it. This product is awful.
I went through all the voice recognition training and it still made so many mistakes. Then it started to repeat what I said. Plus to add insult to injury the headphones are uncomfortable. If you have VISTA the speech recognition program works better than this - and that's free. I know there are many here who gave rave reviews. That's why I bought this software. But it sure didn't work for me. Two thumbs WAY DOWN!
Windows Vista and/or Laptop Users, Be Forewarned... 2008-07-17
According to the product specifications both on this page and the product box, this edition is compatible with the Windows Vista operating system. Actually, it's not. I learned, much to my chagrin, that it would be necessary for me to download an update from the Dragon website in order for the product to work. The download took almost two hours on a high-speed internet connection, as it's a huge file...essentially an updated version of the entire program.
I attempted to install this product on my brand new Dell laptop, which -- again, according to both this page and the product box -- had more than enough processing speed to do so. I kept receiving an error message, telling me that it was not adequate, and therefore the installation was aborted. I went to the Dragon website, only to find out that any kind of support -- even via email -- costs money. What a nice surprise!
Searching on Google, I found the source of my problem: I had to reconfigure my laptop's energy saving features so that the program would understand that there was enough processing speed in order to be installed. Once I did this, the program finally installed.
From start to finish, the entire installation took around 10 hours, and that included a trip to a local computer store to check out the laptop, to make sure that my processor was working properly. I still haven't gotten the program to work, as there are problems with the microphone that I haven't figured out yet.
It stands to reason that a very complex program such as this one is going to have a few bugs and problems. However, I've never had this many problems with any other software I've purchased, nor discovered to my chagrin that there is so little free support available for them. For those reasons, I cannot recommend this program for purchase.
quick to start using 2008-07-07
I have been using this software for couple of weeks now, and I only use it occasionally. I have found that it is very easy to set up and start using and seems to recognize most all words. The software is far superior to other voice recognition software that I've used in the past. If you're not used to dictating it does take some getting used to. This software works best when you speak in sentences rather than word by word. I think after using this software for a little longer it will recognize all the words that I say. And I will be used to working with it to. I am using it right now to dictate this review directly into the Amazon website. I found it will work everywhere that you can type into a page. The only reason I am giving this product. Four stars instead of five is because the earphone piece on the mic headset. I find very uncomfortable and I have not found a comfortable way to use it.
Very good for carpal tunnel patients 2008-07-07
I got this product for my wife to use at work until she has her carpal tunnel surgery. She reports it is relatively easy to learn to use, and a great saver of hand action, but it IS slower than typing. Nonetheless, it has enabled her to continue to work productively without pain, and she gives it four stars. (She isn't writing this because it is on her work computer, and this is from home!)
Pretty darn natural 
2008-06-30
A mature product that does very well what it is supposed to. The more I use it, the better both it and I learn, and the better it gets. Goodbye to the threat of carpal tunnel syndrome!
I want nobody to be cheated from this seller 2008-06-28
I bought standard edition from this seller.
When it is delivered, the box was already opened, and the seal for the first CD was also broken.
At first, I thought that somebody returned this, and this seller try to sell this again without sealing it.
But, when I tried to install it, I found that something is wrong because CD-KEY was invalid.
I realized that I was cheated when I take out the CD from my CD-ROM.
The first CD was prefered edition whereas the second CD was standard edition.
Of course anything else including CD-KEY is standard edition. I cannot even try to use it.
I don't care if this is a mistake of seller.
I am totally disappointed I am on the returning progress, now.
