Nuance Brings Dragon Notes to Windows 8 Tablets and PCs

Nuance, makers of Dragon Naturally Speaking and Dragon Dictate (among other great voice recognition software), announced their newest piece of software: Dragon Notes. Dragon Notes lets users organize notes, to-do lists, reminders and email using voice instead of typing or inking. The app adds the ability to post status updates to popular social media sites as well as web searches.

Dragon Notes works with Windows 8 tablets and PCs, working with the operating system’s new touch-centric focus. People still using Windows 7 can also take advantage of the app. The company optimized Dragon Notes to work with touch screens, but traditional mousing works also.

The interface resembles sticky notes with squares in a grid organization like the Windows 8 Metro UI style tiles. Users will tap on the app screen and start talking.

Here’s a list of some of the things Nuance says a user can do with Dragon Notes:

• take notes of ideas at meetings or anywhere
• track to-do lists in multiple categories using different notes
• speak an update or post on Facebook or Twitter
• send out an email to co-workers or fellow meeting attendees
• search the Internet

Nuance creates a nice collection of voice dictation software and apps. Dragon Naturally Speaking for Windows and Dragon Dictate for Mac each help people stay productive on their computers despite injuries, physical limitations or when they just don’t type well. In our tests their voice engine works efficiently and accurately used in Nuance’s other mobile apps.

The company already offers apps for Android and iOS devices, but this marks their first push into the Windows 8 specific arena. Their other PC apps still will run on the PC versions of Windows 8, but Dragon Notes works on all Windows 8 devices, even those that use ARM processors and don’t run Naturally Speaking.

Get the software for $19.99 directly from Nuance. Nuance offers the app in English, but Spanish or French-speaking users can get add-on language packs for $9.99 each. We recommend a good microphone and headset. Nuance will sell the model they bundle with their desktop software for only $19.99, $15 off the regular price.