Frequently Asked Questions

• What computer equipment do I need to use Dragon NaturallySpeaking?
• Can I use a slower or older computer that doesn't meet minimum requirements?
• What computer equipment do I need to use VoicePower?
• Can I buy Dragon NaturallySpeaking from Dell, CompUSA or another company?
• Is voice recognition difficult to learn?
• I'm a computer power user, I've never needed someone to teach me how to use a program.
• Do I need training or can I learn on my own?
• How much time does it take to learn Dragon NaturallySpeaking using VoicePower?

Desktop & laptop computers work well with voice recognition. It is very important to have the right computer components for Dragon NaturallySpeaking to run efficiently. To ensure fast response times, we recommend:

• Pentium IV 2.6 GHz or faster, an AMD equivalent, or a Centrino 1.8 GHz or faster.
• 7200 rpm hard drive or faster (5200 rpm hard drive is okay for a laptop, but try to upgrade to a 7200 rpm drive)
• 1 GB of memory or more
• Windows 2000 or Windows XP
• Storage device -CD Burner for backing up voice files
• An available USB port for sound pod
• A high quality microphone and USB sound pod. Both of these products are available through the products page

* Dragon NaturallySpeaking is not available for Macintosh operating systems.

You can get started with Dragon NaturallySpeaking with a 1 Ghz Pentium III computer but you will receive slower response times from the program which will hurt your productivity.

VoicePower requires no additional hardware. You need to have either Dragon Professional version or Preferred version installed for VoicePower to work.

Yes, but their prices may not be as good as they seem. For example, Dell sells Dragon NaturallySpeaking Professional. However, they sell the Professional version with a poor quality microphone and no USB sound pod. We also sell an equivalent package for a better price. However, you will receive mediocre accuracy, waste your time, and eventually you will buy a good sound card and microphone. We sell and highly recommend Dragon Professional or Dragon Preferred bundled with an excellent high quality VXI microphone and a USB sound pod so you will receive great voice recognition.

If you're just getting started with voice recognition, you should know that other computer programs may be more difficult to master than voice recognition. But no other program is as challenging to start with because you need to know what to say and when to say it. Once you turn on the microphone, the speech recognition program will do exactly what you tell it to. If you don't know what to say, you're in trouble. Our VoicePower will get you started and help you master the program. A single voice command anywhere, anytime, gives you the information you want, right alongside your applications, without losing your place or covering up your work. Learning voice recognition couldn't be easier!

Even if you are a computer expert, you still need help. Other programs are more difficult to master than speech recognition, but no program is as tricky to get started with as speech recognition. We have seen dozens of computer programmers, network engineers, and computer techs waste dozens of hours trying to learn voice recognition by themselves and still fail to master it until they spent a few hours with our program. If you're a computer expert, you don't need to waste thousands of dollars on training, but you do need expert advice. VoicePower will give you that.

FACT: Over 50% of voice recognition users who get no training give up on the product within one month of purchase.

You have three alternatives:

1. You can spend thousands of dollars on one-to-one training, however will you remember everything or even half of what they taught you? And, where will the teacher be when you run into a problem? (BTW, we provide excellent one-to-one training for those who need it, but we always provide VoicePower as a 24/7 teaching guide and help system for our students.)
2. You can spend hours reading a book or viewing a video. Will you remember half of what was taught? Is it easy to find the help you want or more of a nuisance than it's worth? Simply, you won't bother or learn how to use voice recognition productively.
3. The best solution is using VoicePower to learn voice recognition software. This unique interactive program allows you to learn voice recognition as you work. With VoicePower, when you want help, you ask for it. You get the information you need when you need it. VoicePower includes more than fifty lessons, twelve demonstrations, dozens of at-a-glance guides, a comprehensive index, and command list cheat sheets.

Even if you are a computer expert, you still need help. We have seen dozens of computer programmers, network engineers, and computer techs waste dozens of hours trying to learn voice recognition by themselves and still fail to master it. If you're a computer expert, you don't need to waste thousands of dollars on training, but you need expert advice. VoicePower will give you that.

"I wasted $4,000.00 on voice recognition training and I didn't learn it very well. Then I spent $300.00 on VoicePower and mastered the program."

Using Quick Start Demonstration and Lesson section, you will be up and running in two or three hours. In approximately 7 more hours, you will be a knowledgeable speech recognition user, knowing how to dictate, correct errors, delete text, edit your text, control menus, navigate your documents, open, save, print and close your documents by voice. You should allow for 20 hours of use before you'll be able to achieve full productivity. Allow yourself a bit more time if you are also learning a new software application in addition to Dragon.

VoicePower gives you all the information you need to succeed - and makes it uniquely accessible. Some of our clients master speech recognition with only VoicePower. Others need to supplement VoicePower with a few hours of one-to-one training (or online training) and support. Still others need a full training package with VoicePower, regularly scheduled training sessions, support and customization for use with proprietary software. If you need additional training and/or support, please check out our training page, our products page, and/or contact us.