I've been using iListen for a couple of years at home, and Dragon NS at the office, and even being something of an Apple fanboy, I have to admit that Dragon has it all over iListen in accuracy, ease of correction, interface, and ease of training. I've been hoping for years that MacSpeech would license the Nuance core technology for a. Mac-only product. This is great news for the Mac market, as the Mac platform desperately needs a first-class speech recognition and transcription solution. Shame it's only for Intel, but it's another reason to sell my Powerbook on eBay...
I actually use Dragon on my mac (sort of) inside of VMware Fusion to dictate text to word, then I just copy/paste or drag it off windows onto the mac desktop.
I love this software. It's not practical in an office environment all the time. But I've written a lot more freely when I'm alone. It's nice to be able to have your thoughts written out.
I bought iListen in Version 1.6 and it just did not work as advertised. When I heard they were integrating Dragon's engine, I was excited. Really excited. Apparently it now works very well.
However, I am very disappointed with the company MacSpeech. After offering the $79 Upgrade for loyal customers, it turns out they wanted to charge another 70 or 79 USD for shipping. I have ordered a lot of things from the US, but for a box of a DVD and a microphone, that is silly money.
-> Email to their support 1
Then I got the information that they are working on the UK store. Great.
They send out another marketing mail, with no link to the UK store. I still "find it", try and order my software. Warning that upgrade code can only be used once. Error on their cart page.
-> Email to their support 2
I then receive an email stating they've fixed it and re-issued my upgrade code.
Again, I log in to upgrade. Seems to work now, but instead they have upped the price to GBP 69.95. Let me translate that for you: That currently equates to $140 USD!!
I don't need any BS from them regarding "transfer pricing" etc., the UK Sales Tax stands at 17.5%, Import Duty (it is low for software and computers, if applicable at all!), and shipping can't bring it to this silly price point.
-> Email to their support 3
At the end of the day, as much as I'd like to use it, I have now wasted time again and again for them to get it right, only to be hit with a ridiculous price for an upgrade. At this price, I might as well have ordered it two weeks ago from the States with the ridiculous shipping cost. Anyway, if I ever get tempted again, I'll just buy it used from Amazon.com and have it shipped here for 29 USD, not a problem at all.
"Higher costs of selling in the UK" would be a BS answer as well, as I am already, cash in hand so to speak, willing to do the final round of financing to get iListen into a working state. BNo need to spend marketing GBP on me, I am already won over.
However, I am not stupid to pay double the price for a silly update. I'd rather type.
If they don't care to attend to their loyal client base, then that is their prerogative. And it is mine to discuss this with other potential clients.
Best thing perhaps would be for Apple to buy the company and replaced the operations and sales teams, and sell it at a sensible price point. Worked great in Shake, Color and other apps.
After getting some emails back from Macspeech to try some changes (none of which worked). I am back at square one with software that does not work and out $200 dollars.
No word out of Macspeech but, with the website taking down it's help section can only imagine this is a very wide spread issue. Lots of references to this app crashing exactly as mine does.
Maybe AppleInsider might get a better answer than I am getting from Macspeech.
Not too impressed with taking down the help section of your site when you appear to have a significant issue. Would like to see them say something like "We know there is an issue and we are working on it". Problem for them is that they finally get out the product for shipping and it appears they will be needing to recall product on the shelf or at the very least need an update. Worse yet might require redistribution of discs to people that already have the product. Get picked best of show might go down as the Sports illustrated cover jinx of the IT industry.
Comments
I love this software. It's not practical in an office environment all the time. But I've written a lot more freely when I'm alone. It's nice to be able to have your thoughts written out.
However, I am very disappointed with the company MacSpeech. After offering the $79 Upgrade for loyal customers, it turns out they wanted to charge another 70 or 79 USD for shipping. I have ordered a lot of things from the US, but for a box of a DVD and a microphone, that is silly money.
-> Email to their support 1
Then I got the information that they are working on the UK store. Great.
They send out another marketing mail, with no link to the UK store. I still "find it", try and order my software. Warning that upgrade code can only be used once. Error on their cart page.
-> Email to their support 2
I then receive an email stating they've fixed it and re-issued my upgrade code.
Again, I log in to upgrade. Seems to work now, but instead they have upped the price to GBP 69.95. Let me translate that for you: That currently equates to $140 USD!!
I don't need any BS from them regarding "transfer pricing" etc., the UK Sales Tax stands at 17.5%, Import Duty (it is low for software and computers, if applicable at all!), and shipping can't bring it to this silly price point.
-> Email to their support 3
At the end of the day, as much as I'd like to use it, I have now wasted time again and again for them to get it right, only to be hit with a ridiculous price for an upgrade. At this price, I might as well have ordered it two weeks ago from the States with the ridiculous shipping cost. Anyway, if I ever get tempted again, I'll just buy it used from Amazon.com and have it shipped here for 29 USD, not a problem at all.
"Higher costs of selling in the UK" would be a BS answer as well, as I am already, cash in hand so to speak, willing to do the final round of financing to get iListen into a working state. BNo need to spend marketing GBP on me, I am already won over.
However, I am not stupid to pay double the price for a silly update. I'd rather type.
If they don't care to attend to their loyal client base, then that is their prerogative. And it is mine to discuss this with other potential clients.
Best thing perhaps would be for Apple to buy the company and replaced the operations and sales teams, and sell it at a sensible price point. Worked great in Shake, Color and other apps.
A former, disappointed MacSpeech customer.
Go to the macspeech website...the support part of the site is down...arghhhh
No word out of Macspeech but, with the website taking down it's help section can only imagine this is a very wide spread issue. Lots of references to this app crashing exactly as mine does.
Maybe AppleInsider might get a better answer than I am getting from Macspeech.
Not too impressed with taking down the help section of your site when you appear to have a significant issue. Would like to see them say something like "We know there is an issue and we are working on it". Problem for them is that they finally get out the product for shipping and it appears they will be needing to recall product on the shelf or at the very least need an update. Worse yet might require redistribution of discs to people that already have the product. Get picked best of show might go down as the Sports illustrated cover jinx of the IT industry.
Have requested my replacement disks and hope to get a response soon.