# iOS 5 speech to text



## tecwritr (Oct 28, 2008)

I've heard that iOS 5 for the iPad will have speech to text capabilities in it's apps.  I use dragon speaking right now but this would be even better.


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## VictoriaP (Mar 1, 2009)

Don't get too excited just yet. It hasn't been available in any of the betas, which from the past indicates they'll tie it to new hardware. In other words, you'll probably need a new iPad (or iPhone) to take advantage of it--for the phone, the presumption is it'll take whatever phone they're releasing, 4S or 5.  For the iPad, it *might* work with the iPad 2, but more likely it will be the iPad 3...whenever they get around to releasing that, perhaps next spring.

In addition, I think it kind of depends on what you're using Dragon for currently, and on what device. Right now, it appears from what little we can tell that the voice capabilities will be for commands and the like, and voice to text for things like messaging. If you're used to using the full hardcore Dragon Naturally software for dictation on the Mac or PC, this is likely far more limited.  I have no real need to tell my iPad to do something--with the phone, it might be a bit more useful as there are plenty of times I'd like to be hands free with the phone; voice control from across the room (or across the car) would be a plus. (It's across the room at the moment in a speaker dock, I'd love to be able to tell it "Next Song" without having to get up, cross the room, hold down the Home button first, etc.) With the iPad, on the other hand, I'm rarely more than arm's length from it when it's in use.

Now a full version of Dragon Naturally for the iPad? I'd definitely be all over that idea. So would my aching wrists...


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