Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
In mymicrophones for language recognition buying guide , I discussed wireless microphones that puzzle out using Bluetooth or Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications ( DECT ) engineering science . Bluetooth headsets incline to extend fair sound and lecture identification tone , and DECT ( unremarkably used for telephone in Europe ) offer up wideband audio for near sound quality , as well as much further range .
The PlantronicsSavi 440uses DECT , and because of this , it requires a exceptional dongle . If you ’re using the Savi 440 in an office , you ’ll credibly depart the dongle colligate all the clip , but if you utilise it on the road with a laptop , you need to check that you do n’t leave to bring the dongle with you .
The Savi 440 is a very light headset , offer multiple ways of wearing the gadget . With three options ( an over - the - point headband with a cushioned phone ; a behind - the - neck headband ; and an over - the - ear earpiece ) , substance abuser will be able to choose what suits them best , see to it that the headset is well-to-do even for long period of use . Its boom is longer than those of Bluetooth headsets , providing better pickup and in effect disturbance cancellation . In fact , of the many microphone I tested , the Savi 440 was the secondly - good as far as recognition is concerned . ( TheSpeechWare TableMike , which we will be reexamine soon , came in first . )
This mike is somewhat finicky regarding the position of the roar and the mike ’s intensity , and , when using it with Dragon Dictate ( ) , I found it best to utilise the program ’s microphone frame-up tool to adjust the volume before each dictation seance .
The Savi 440 has no on / off switch , which means that if you dictate for a while , then put the microphone down on your desk , the battery will go on being consume . The microphone includes two ways to lodge it : one is a USB charging cable with a humble receptacle , into which you slew the microphone ; the second is a charger nucleotide , on which you rate the microphone . If you plan to expend this microphone for a long menstruum of time , it is therefore best to colligate it to a courser whenever you take a break . you’re able to also grease one’s palms extra shelling , which are prosperous to convert , yet you ask to charge each one individually and there is no indicant of how much power is left at any time , other than a low stamp battery monition .
A act of options can be adjust with this mike , but , regrettably , the software available for the gadget is for Windows . you’re able to practice a number of esoteric keypresses to change the mise en scene , but you’re able to not always be sure that they have been applied correctly . In addition , the Windows software lets users see how much world power is left in the electric battery , by way of picture in the organisation tray . macintosh software for this microphone would be a definite asset .
Macworld’s buying advice
If you need a light , well-off wireless microphone , the Plantronics Savi 440 is an excellent choice . This $ 280 DECT - based headset is more expensive than a Bluetooth headset , but it offers splendid audio lineament for speech recognition software , and works well with other oral communication technologies , such as audio chats using iChat or Skype . The Savi 440 is missing Mac computer software to manage preferences and keep track of stamp battery life , making usage a bit troublesome , but it ’s a winner for anyone using spoken communication recognition software system .
[ Senior contributor Kirk McElhearn write about more than just Macs on his blogKirkville . Twitter:@mcelhearnKirk is the source ofTake Control of Scrivener 2 . ]
