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Mac Mini M1 arrived


miden

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And I'd really like to do a "setting up and review" on the reviews forum but my typing is so shite that I get REALLY frustrated with going back and respelling every sentence...or adding punctuation

 

Unless someone can recommend a REALLY good voice to text app?

 

Anyhoo, I will try and post something up at https://forums.musicplayer.com/forum/53-new-mpn-gearlab-reviews/

 

Haven't unboxed it as yet so early days :)

There is no luck - luck is simply the confluence of circumstance and co-incidence...

 

Time is the final arbiter for all things

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I've found the Mac's onboard dictation function to be pretty good actually. Sure, you have to do editing, but imo it's worth a shot before getting the wallet out.

 

Ha, just tried it with the above sentence! Here's the exact output, no edits other than my italicizing:

 

I found the max onboard dictation function to be pretty good actually. Sure, you have to do editing, but IMO it's worth a shot before getting the wallet out.

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8 minutes ago, Reezekeys said:

I've found the Mac's onboard dictation function to be pretty good actually. Sure, you have to do editing, but imo it's worth a shot before getting the wallet out.

 

Ha, just tried it with the above sentence! Here's the exact output, no edits other than my italicizing:

 

I found the max onboard dictation function to be pretty good actually. Sure, you have to do editing, but IMO it's worth a shot before getting the wallet out.

 

Wow, that's pretty cool! I had Dragon Naturally Speaking  while back, but it was really hit and miss...I might unwrap the box and get it set up and have a go at that...

 

Thanks!

There is no luck - luck is simply the confluence of circumstance and co-incidence...

 

Time is the final arbiter for all things

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My MacOS version is old (10.14, Mojave) and I have "enhanced dictation" turned off, so you need an internet connection. I believe I tried it with enhanced "on" and it wasn't any faster, which was a surprise. I'm not sure where you'll find the settings in Monterey, but in Mojave they're in the keyboard pane of System Preferences.

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Hey Reeze, just had a look at that dictation software on the MAC, goodness they send everything you write back to apple, copy your contacts list, wow, that's a bit of an invasion of privacy!

 

Thanks for the heads up, I appreciated it, but I think I might have to pass on it

There is no luck - luck is simply the confluence of circumstance and co-incidence...

 

Time is the final arbiter for all things

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22 minutes ago, miden said:

goodness they send everything you write back to apple, copy your contacts list, wow, that's a bit of an invasion of privacy!

 

Thanks for the heads up, I appreciated it, but I think I might have to pass on it

 

That's if you don't opt for the "enhanced" dictation. If you do, you give up some disk space but the dictation software lives fully on your local disk and doesn't phone in to Apple.

 

I may be wrong in my attitude, but I'm already very tied into the Apple ecosystem with iCloud – using it for photos storage, iCloud Drive,  device backups, Maildrop, etc. I find it very convenient and useful, and if someone at Apple wants to take time out of their day to hear me say my inanities regarding synth sofware, that's fine by me; I'm not dictating bank account or credit card numbers. But as I said, if you're OK with downloading a file you can dictate without a net connection.

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1 hour ago, Reezekeys said:

 

That's if you don't opt for the "enhanced" dictation. If you do, you give up some disk space but the dictation software lives fully on your local disk and doesn't phone in to Apple.

 

I may be wrong in my attitude, but I'm already very tied into the Apple ecosystem with iCloud – using it for photos storage, iCloud Drive,  device backups, Maildrop, etc. I find it very convenient and useful, and if someone at Apple wants to take time out of their day to hear me say my inanities regarding synth sofware, that's fine by me; I'm not dictating bank account or credit card numbers. But as I said, if you're OK with downloading a file you can dictate without a net connection.

 

Yeah, fair!  I'll try that mode - might suit a little better :)

There is no luck - luck is simply the confluence of circumstance and co-incidence...

 

Time is the final arbiter for all things

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 3/2/2022 at 12:14 PM, Reezekeys said:

 

That's if you don't opt for the "enhanced" dictation. If you do, you give up some disk space but the dictation software lives fully on your local disk and doesn't phone in to Apple.

 

I may be wrong in my attitude, but I'm already very tied into the Apple ecosystem with iCloud – using it for photos storage, iCloud Drive,  device backups, Maildrop, etc. I find it very convenient and useful, and if someone at Apple wants to take time out of their day to hear me say my inanities regarding synth sofware, that's fine by me; I'm not dictating bank account or credit card numbers. But as I said, if you're OK with downloading a file you can dictate without a net connection.

 

 

Hey Reese, sorry to resurrect this, but I just went to start doing a review for the Mac mini system I am about to use, and would't you know it, Apple have removed Enhanced from Catalina and up (mine is Monterey) . Of course if you speak Swahili you can do it offline, but if it's English? Nope it ALL goes via Apple's servers and SIRI centre...

 

So I'm now looking for plan B hahaha!

There is no luck - luck is simply the confluence of circumstance and co-incidence...

 

Time is the final arbiter for all things

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25 minutes ago, miden said:

Hey Reese, sorry to resurrect this, but I just went to start doing a review for the Mac mini system I am about to use, and would't you know it, Apple have removed Enhanced from Catalina and up (mine is Monterey) . Of course if you speak Swahili you can do it offline, but if it's English? Nope it ALL goes via Apple's servers and SIRI centre...

 

Are you sure about this? I googled and found a page saying that the enhanced dictation checkbox was indeed removed, but you could still enable E.D. by going to the Accessibility preference pane, clicking Voice Control, then ticking "enable." A file downloads to your disk, and a microphone appears on the bottom right of your screen. To start using it, put the cursor inside a Text Edit or other text/word processor document and say "wake up" (if the microphone is not already active). I disconnected from the internet and dictation continued to work  - but this is USA English, not UK, so it may not be the same for you. I found the accuracy to be 100% in my short test. It seemed to pause a little more than my older system with the "older style" enhanced dictation, but then the entire sentence I dictated would appear quickly. This is on an old MacBook Air running Monterey - one of the the oldest Mac models deemed compatible with this new system, and never a speed demon even in its heyday.

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Are you guys talking about the difference between:

 

a) System Preferences: Keyboard: Dictation, vs.

b) System Preferences: Accessibilty: Voice Control

 

I don't use either, but it appears to me that a) is the networked, phone-home and deliver everything up to Apple, while b) is the native Enhanced function?

..
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6 minutes ago, timwat said:

I don't use either, but it appears to me that a) is the networked, phone-home and deliver everything up to Apple, while b) is the native Enhanced function?

 

Looks like Apple merged the functions. "a)" used to offer a choice beween phoning everything you say to Apple or downloading a >1GB file so you could do it offline. That choice seems to have been removed, however enabling "b" now downloads a file which allows the same apparent functionality - voice dictation while being offline, in addition to whatever other functions "voice control" allows for using your Mac without touching a keyboard or mouse/trackpad.

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1 hour ago, Reezekeys said:

 

Are you sure about this? I googled and found a page saying that the enhanced dictation checkbox was indeed removed, but you could still enable E.D. by going to the Accessibility preference pane, clicking Voice Control, then ticking "enable." A file downloads to your disk, and a microphone appears on the bottom right of your screen. To start using it, put the cursor inside a Text Edit or other text/word processor document and say "wake up" (if the microphone is not already active). I disconnected from the internet and dictation continued to work  - but this is USA English, not UK, so it may not be the same for you. I found the accuracy to be 100% in my short test. It seemed to pause a little more than my older system with the "older style" enhanced dictation, but then the entire sentence I dictated would appear quickly. This is on an old MacBook Air running Monterey - one of the the oldest Mac models deemed compatible with this new system, and never a speed demon even in its heyday.

 

 

Thanks Reeze...pretty much everything I read indicated it...and that "work-around" indeed only affected system stuff and not dictation...but I am happy to go and check following what you have written...

There is no luck - luck is simply the confluence of circumstance and co-incidence...

 

Time is the final arbiter for all things

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