Dictamus – iPad App Allows You to Send Your Dictation Out Automatically
I wish I had known about the Dictamus (Dictate+ Connect) app prior to the seminar I taught this past week on iPad apps. I would have been quite happy to share it. Currently, Dictamus is only available for iPad, but I am told an Android version will be available soon.
Dictamus allows you to record your dictation, and then share that dictation easily to anyone you like via email or an app. In addition, Dictamus allows for direct and automatic sharing with a list of companies. The listed companies provide professional transcription services. At this point, there are a number of companies listed in the USA as well as other countries.
Share Your Dictation – Automatically
I tested the free app (Dictate+ Connect free) with a company called LegalTypist. LegalTypist provides virtual administrative services, including transcription. The free app only allows for 30 seconds of recording. Enough for me to test it out and send the dictation to my colleague. If you are interested in this app, try the free version, see what you think, and then consider the full version. The cost is $16.99. Well worth it if you have need of a dictation program.
Using The App
If you just want to record something, the app is pretty simple. Hit the big, red record button. Once you complete your recording, it is accessible in a list of all of your dictations. From there you can play your recording, share it with someone or delete it. The resulting recording was very high quality. I didn’t use any kind of headset, but when I received the transcript back from LegalTypist, it was perfect.
Setting Up Automatic Sharing
As mentioned, if you want, you can turn on automatic sharing. Here is the process:
1. Click the gear on the upper left of the Dictations Page
2. Settings
3. Sharing
- To work with a specific company, click Add Sharing Destination, the country of the company, and the company’s name. Then you would need to enter an ID provided by the company. In my case, I went to USA and LegalTypist.
- To have your recording emailed to someone, click on iOS Mail and enter the appropriate information.
- To export pick Export.
- To open in a specific app, pick Open in App
4. Once you have completed the steps for whatever one of the options you want, you need to set up automatic sharing. To do that, look for WorkFlow. It is right under “Add Sharing Destination.”
5. Quickshare.
6. Pick the option you set up. (The company name, iOS Mail, etc.)
Once these six steps are completed, your recordings will be automatically shared with whoever or whatever you chose.
Working with LegalTypist
I actually know the owner of LegalTypist, Andrea Cannavina, personally. I met her through the American Bar Association. I have always been impressed with the concept of her company and was pleased to have a chance to try the transcription service out. I have to say, working with Dictamus and Andrea made transcription incredibly easy.
This is what happened.
1. Andrea created an account for me on her website, so I could download my transcript once it was completed.
2. I received a number of documents, including directions on how to use Dictamus
3. I set up LegalTypist as my automatic share on Dictamus
4. Recorded a short statement.
5. Waited a short while.
6. Received an email informing me my transcript was done
7. Clicked the link and downloaded my transcript
Pretty straight forward. As I mentioned, Andrea clearly had no trouble hearing the recording, since the transcript was perfect.
Conclusion
I like Dictamus. I like how easy it is to use, and that you can automatically send your recording to a specific company or person. I’d like to thank Andrea from LegalTypist for helping me test it out.
Of course, if you turn on automatic sharing, you need to make certain you don’t actually record anything by accident. (I am sure the companies have a way of dealing with unintentional recordings.) Given I had at least two incidents of pocket dialing in the past two days, I don’t believe I am the person to offer advice on how to fix that particular problem.