14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is permitting Windows Vista users to take the speech recognition capabilities of the operating system to the next level via a free download. In this context, the Redmond giant is offering the Windows Speech Recognition Macros designed to allow an advanced interaction with the Windows client via voice commands. On September 28, an updated version of the Macros went live on the Download Center and is up for grabs for all Vista users with genuine copies of the product.
“The Windows Speech Recognition Macros tool - or WSR Macros for short - extends the usefulness of the speech recognition capabilities in Windows Vista. Users can create powerful macros that are triggered by spoken commands which can perform a series of tasks from as simple as inserting your mailing address to as complex as providing a completely different speech interaction with applications,” Microsoft revealed in the overview of the macros.
With Windows Vista and Windows 7, Microsoft has indicated a strong commitment to the evolution of the input models past the traditional interaction facilitated by the mouse and keyboard. Ahead of Microsoft Surface, the company introduced to consumers the speech recognition technology as a natural user interface for the operating system. The first Technical Preview of the solution was delivered at the end of April 2008. As of September 28, Microsoft is offering the second Technical Preview of the Windows Speech Recognition Macros.
“This release of WSR Macros fixes two issues that were discovered after the first Technical Preview release was made available. The fixes are: fixed a problem where macros created with the New Speech Macro wizard would insert Control-Enter to separate multiple lines. This would result in lines being spread across multiple pages. [And] Fixed a problem where only the English (United States) speech recognition engine could be used. This prevented people in other countries and languages from being able to use WSR Macros,” Microsoft added.
The Windows Speech Recognition Macros Technical Preview 2 is available for download here.