Voice Processing: Dragon Systems Introduces Enterprise Strategy With Network Software, Hardware, and Volume Discounts - Product Announcement

Edge: Work-Group Computing Report, May 3, 1999

Dragon Systems, Inc., a leading developer of speech and language solutions, Tuesday unveiled a series of new products and programs that make it easier for enterprises to purchase and manage speech recognition technology. Dragon NaturallySpeaking Enterprise editions, Dragon NaturallyClear USB speech input solutions, and the Dragon Systems Volume Licensing Program, which were all announced Tuesday, make up Dragon Systems' strategy to better serve the needs of larger organizations by offering convenient access to speech recognition technology.

"Enterprise customers told us that they need to make Dragon NaturallySpeaking available across multiple PCs in a seamless environment. We are meeting that need with software that can be centrally managed, with hardware that accommodates a broad range of PCs, and a pricing program that makes it easy to buy. This offering is a direct result of listening to our customers," said Dragon Systems President John Shagoury

Dragon NaturallySpeaking Enterprise products enable network administrators to manage and implement speech recognition software easily and effectively across the enterprise. Features include the ability to manage Dragon NaturallySpeaking software from an administrator's workstation and to store speech files on a network server. Dragon NaturallyClear USB solutions are the first in the industry to use USB to provide microphone input to a PC. The model H100 bypasses the system sound card using optimized sound circuitry designed to deliver higher accuracy rates. The H100 can be used on a wide variety of PCs so that enterprise customers do not need to replace systems in order to use speech. The Dragon Systems Volume Licensing Program is based on standard industry licensing models and enables enterprises to easily make volume purchases of speech recognition technology and related services.

Easy-to-use and highly accurate speech recognition software can improve productivity and speed in a variety of applications, including email packages, forms entry and natural language search programs, medical and legal record systems, and corporate groupware applications.

Dragon Systems, Inc.,(http://www.dragonsys.com) is a worldwide leader in PC speech recognition. Dragon Systems develops and markets high-performance, cost-effective speech and language technology that, in multiple world languages (including American English, British English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Swedish), enable users to create text, issue commands, enter and access data simply by speaking. The company also licenses technology worldwide through developers, distributors, resellers, OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) and ISVs (Integrated Software Vendors). Dragon Systems ports its technology across multiple operating systems and hardware platforms -- from hand-held devices and PCs to workstations, and is pursuing leading-edge research and development projects for computer and telecommunications applications. Since introducing Dragon NaturallySpeaking, the first large vocabulary continuous speech recognition system able to create general purpose text, in 1997, the Company has received over 80 major industry awards worldwide.

Founded in 1982, Dragon Systems has its headquarters in Newton, Massachusetts. It has European subsidiaries in Munich, Paris and in Marlow near London, and additional research laboratories in Cheltenham, England (Dragon Systems GmbH, Dragon Systems SA, Dragon Systems UK Ltd, and Dragon Systems UK Research & Development Ltd, respectively).