Typing on your keyboard can become like second nature if you do it all day, every day. Your fingers might already be tuned to the placement of every key, and some buttons might even have lost the printing on it over time.
Copywriting this way has never been a problem. But, with advancements in technology, this is not the only way you can write copy these days. Speech to text technology offers an exciting, alternative way to write books, blogs, web pages, reports and documents.
In this blog we discuss speech recognition software, how it works, and the overall pros and cons of using such technology. We also went ahead and tested one particular speech to text application called SpeechTexter. So, if you would like to know how it works, as well as get intel on the different features it offers, keep reading!
Speech Recognition Software
So, how is it possible that words coming from your mouth are able to translate onto copy? The concept of speech to text is made possible by speech recognition software.
Speech recognition software is essentially a computer program that’s been trained and programed to recognize human speech, interpret the meaning of those words and then translate that onto a document as text. It works by breaking down recordings of human speech into different sounds.
It then uses complex algorithms to find the most accurate or probable word for that particular sound, in the language that you’ve selected. Then takes that word and transcribes it as text which you see appear on the screen. How quickly and precisely the words appear on your document depends on how good the algorithm is.
To further enhance its efficiency, most tools use natural language processing programs to assist the tool in analyzing, understanding and deriving true meaning from human speech.
Speech to Text Technology: Pros and Cons
The advantages of speed to text for copywriters is evident. It’s a quicker way to write, which saves you time and effort. The accuracy level of good speech to text apps averages at 90%, but can be higher. It’s also really useful to people with dyslexia and other typing disabilities.
But there are some drawbacks to using speech recognition software, which you should note before investing money into paid speech recognition tools. Correctness and accuracy are two terms that come up often during debates about whether speech recognition tools are worth it. And, many argue that the two words, although used interchangeably, mean two different things.
Correctness can be described as “free from error” while the word accurate means “true in all details”. Accuracy is therefore better than correctness because it is successful in reaching the intended meaning of the word or sentence its used in.
Nevertheless, speech recognition software is given the benefit of the doubt with regards to this. When you use speed recognition to write, your copy may not always be 100% correct. There may be some words that get misinterpreted or even misspelled during the process. But, if the reader understands the broader concept of the text and what it means, then the software has done its job. Its then up to the editor to correct the little mistakes and make the copy “true in all details”.
There are many reasons why the speech to text technology may not be as accurate as expected. Accents, how you annunciate your words, how fast you speak and fluctuations in tone and volume of your voice can determine how accurately words are transcribed.
Fortunately, speech to text technology runs with the help of natural language programs (NLP). So, the more you use the software, the more it learns your voice, the better it transcribes over time.
The SpeechTexter Application
There are many speech to text apps on the internet that you can use. One of the many options available to you is an app called SpeechTexter. The Speechtexter app is free to use and is able to transcribe many types of documents. It also has a dictionary that comes in default and custom modes which you can use to insert information like phone numbers & addresses.
The default dictionary also has frequently used punctuation marks already programmed like commas, full stops and colons. You can further customize the dictionary with other frequently used phrases and/or symbols.
SpeechTexter is supported by Chrome browser and is only available on desktop and Android. Other web browsers have not implemented speech recognition yet, and neither has Chrome for mobile.
How to Use the App
Using SpeechTexter is really simple. You don’t have to download the app to your device. To open it, you simply paste the URL in your web browser and it will take you to the right page.
- You begin by selecting the language that you will be dictating in. The language button is placed on the far right of the screen, and flag of the respective country where that particular language is spoken will be displayed there as well.
- Then, you click on the tab that says “Start Dictating” placed right in the center. A white screen will pop with a cursor.
- On the top bar you’ll see a start button that goes red when you hover over it. Click on it to start the recording.
SpeechTexter features
The app has simple features, but every feature is necessary for the tool to do its job. The different features are in clear view, and if you’ve worked on Word before you must have seen them before.
While dictating, SpeechTexter allows you to:
- Clear the page if you would like to start over.
- Copy and paste text as you please
- Undo and Re-do actions via clicking the corresponding button or by pressing CTRL + Z/ CTR + Y.
Bold, italicize and underline text
- Justify text to the right, left or center
- Enable Grammarly
- Use different font designs and sizes
- Highlight certain text, or change the mode from dark to light.
- Number and bullet
- Print or download the document to Word or as a simple text file.
- Share the document to social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
Speech to Text Overview
Speech to text technology is indeed great technology, and I’m happy it exists. It may not be a permanent solution, but it certainly comes in handy on days when you just cannot type another word. We hope this blog helped you understand its inner workings better. Feel free to try SpeechTexter too.