444. This is my shortest post, and it is about my phenomenal $12-a-month dictation service.

It is reputed to be as good as Dragon Dictate, which cost $800 and was the gold standard for medical dictation for many years. I always wanted one, but could never afford it.

To justify my enthusiasm, I am going to show you what I have been doing with it. I got the following email from the company today.

I seldom do any typing now, and I could never begin to type this fast. I think “5,700 sessions” is how many times I pushed the dictate button last month. You simply position the cursor wherever you want on your computer screen, and then push the button and dictate. Its accuracy improves as it adapts to your style. And yes, as you can see, I work every day.

I have a microphone on a boom, as you will see in a photograph below. This is helpful, but not required.

Look, I’m sorry to subject you to a commercial message. However, my enthusiasm for this thing is off the charts, and I have to share it. It has saved me enormous amounts of time already, and my typing skills are waning a bit because of Parkinson’s.

Welcome to my world

I call it the “Skunk Works” after Lockheed Martin's Advanced Development Programs, the company's tactical research and development arm.

That table goes up and down. The microphone is the respected, now inexpensive Audio-Technica ATR2100X (sometimes only $50 if you can find one), and the boom arm is made by Rode. There are many alternatives, and this link also includes foam covers that help reduce popping sounds when you speak into the microphone. The headphones are inexpensive and a legendary brand. The screen supports were only $59 and are hefty. They have a lot of hardware for the price and are easy to install.

Wispr Flow saves me over half my editing time and is my most useful and cost-effective app

I was struggling with one of its competitors, but when I started Wispr, I liked it so much that I bought a year’s membership for $144.

The backstory is that these programs, with their modest monthly charges, work as well as DragonDictate, the former gold standard, which cost about $800.

I have an affiliate link HERE for you to use when you buy—and if you do much writing, you have to get it. Your price is the same as if you searched for the website and bought without using it. You are going to love this thing. If you hate affiliate sales, just search for Wispr Flow, but it’s the same price.

Parting shot

Unbekoming is a source of inspiration to me now. Here is the entry to his world.