Although speech recognition software has improved significantly in a
short time, lengthy enrollment and poor initial accuracy are two elements
that continue to frustrate users. L&H Voice Xpress Professional 4.0, Lernout & Hauspie's flagship product, breaks down
these barriers. Usability and interface enhancements, along with tight
integration with Microsoft Office 2000, lead to a smoother speech
experience that will appeal to new and seasoned users alike.
Pro 4.0 has a new XpressStart feature that gets new users up and
running in about 5 minutes--a far cry from the 45-plus minutes required by
previous versions. We installed the software, enrolled, and began
dictating in less than 15 minutes on our Pentium II/300 test machine.
Initial accuracy was a decent 92 percent, but rose to 97 percent after
only 2 hours of use and after running Vocabulary Extender, which learns
the words and phrases that you typically use.
The enhanced accuracy and performance are results of an improved
language model and a larger vocabulary (over 230,000 words). A new
Recognition Advisor provides tips for positioning and tuning the
microphone, extending the vocabulary, and creating dictation
shortcuts.
We found the bundled Telex microphone far superior to those included
with previous Voice Xpress versions. Pro 4.0 also works with the new crop
of USB microphones.
Various dictation shortcuts simplify everyday use. You can now dictate
keyboard commands with single words; for example, Enter instead of Enter
key. When spelling Web addresses, you can say "dot com" instead of saying
each character. Dictation macros can still be created, but now you can
also create Personal Commands that can work globally or be categorized by
application.
As with Dragon NaturallySpeaking and IBM's ViaVoice , correcting errors is the key to training Voice Xpress.
Pro 4.0 makes better use of your corrections when it tunes the language
model. With past versions, you could undo any dictation by saying "undo,"
but now you can also undo corrections and commands.
You can control the Windows desktop or any Windows application simply
by saying the menu names and menu choices, such as "file menu" and
"export" to start an export action. Pro 4.0 adds support for Microsoft
Office 2000 features, such as text-label orientation, nested tables, and
the new multilevel Office clipboard.
Bundled with Pro 4.0 is L&H Talking Tools, which includes a
voice-activated WebFinder, calculator, clock, address book, and scheduler.
If you aspire to do most of your daily work by voice, you'll find these
tools quite helpful.
The new XpressRecorder lets you record and edit voice files in WAV
format on any PC with a microphone. You can transcribe these WAV files or
recordings from a hand-held unit into text with XpressPad Mobile. These
tools let mobile users record anywhere and still have the flexibility to
use Pro 4.0 to transcribe the results.
L&H Voice Xpress Professional 4.0's abbreviated enrollment appeals
to users who want to dive into useful dictation without spending hours in
training. The improved accuracy and breadth of its features make Pro 4.0 a
powerful voice recognition contender.
L&H Voice Xpress Professional 4.0. Lernout & Hauspie, Burlington, MA; 800-380-1234; http://www.lhsl.com/.
