Dictation on iOS
Using dictation on iOS is somewhere way better than the speech to text you find using iMessage or other apps. There are three apps that I’ve been using the dictation engine in iOS lately: Just Press Record, Day One, and Drafts. Each on of these apps using the same backend in iOS (I think) and it works fantastic.
If I’m on the go and want to dictate something for later such as a draft for an email or blog post, some items I need to work on later, or an entry into Day One I use Just Press Record. The reason I currently use this as a way to draft something for Day One is because currently you have to choose whether to use dictation or record just the audio on the Day One watch app. I wish they would allow you to pick each time that you use it but for now I have it set on recording audio.
If I’m adding something to Day One I will use dictation quite a bit if I am sitting at my desk. Unlike the the watch up when I am using the app on iOS I can quickly choose the dictation function.
I use Drafts for all my notes so if I am sitting at a desk or the couch I will commonly dictate to Drafts. This app does have an Apple Watch app that I will also use to dictate something quickly. I use Just Press Record if I am doing a longer note.
Below is a transcript using Just Press Record on the Apple Watch (unedited) while I was driving. As you can see it does an amazing job. One thing I like about Day One and Just Press Record is that it also saves the audio file along with the transcript.
I want to write a little post on the use of dictation and iOS. Right now I am using the Just Press Record app from my Apple Watch while I’m driving to go get some groceries. I wanna people have said wow, Siri doesn’t work that well when I try to dictate a text. I agree I do not understand what is the difference between their dictation function and their speech to text iMessage or something. I found that their dictation which abs like just press record the day one app or drafts it works really well using the dictation engine that iOS has built it. So I want to do a quick example if you want to you can read the audio or listen to the audio of this and I will just post the exact transcription with no edits on the blog. Just press record is a great app and I can’t recommend it enough if you want to take some notes and then share it with other places because it records the audio file and transcribes it all from your Apple Watch or your iPad or your iPhone.
Here is the audio file of the above transcript: 15-52-53.m4a