Computer - Computer - History of computing: A computer might be described with deceptive simplicity as “an apparatus that performs routine calculations automatically.” Such a definition would owe its deceptiveness to a naive and narrow view of calculation as a strictly mathematical process. In fact, calculation underlies many activities that are not normally thought of as mathematical.

If you have mobility or motor impairments, repetitive stress injuries, or you find typing on a keyboard difficult in any way, there's an alternative. Dictation lets you talk instead of type, and voice-to-text transcribes what you say into words on the screen. It's among the Mac's many accessibility features. All you have to do is set it up and get going.

How to enable and use Dictation

Basic dictation is essentially always enabled by default — you just need to activate it.

  1. Click into a text area like a document or the address bar of your web browser.
  2. Double-press the Fn key. A microphone will appear on your screen and if it's receiving audio, you'll see activity inside of it.

  3. Speak the text you want to type. You can speak various punctuation and symbols, including brackets, percent signs, and more. You can also say phrases like 'caps on' to turn on capital letters.

  4. Click Done under the microphone icon or press the Fn key once when you're finished dictating.

The more you use Dictation, the more it learns how you speak — like your accent and cadence. It may seem finicky at first, but as you use it more, it'll get better and better. Apple has a great starter guide on how to dictate punctuation and formatting, as well.

How to change your Dictation language

Did you know that you can dictate your text in multiple languages? Here's how.

  1. Open System Preferences from your Dock or Applications folder.

  2. Click Keyboard.

  3. Click Dictation.

  4. Click the drop-down next to Language.

  5. Click Add Language…

  6. Click the checkboxes next to languages that you wish to add.

  7. Click OK.

To use those languages, you can switch to the default dictation option at any time by going to System Preferences > Keyboard > Dictation Language and selecting your current language from the dropdown menu.

How to enable and use Enhanced Dictation

Enhanced Dictation enables you to dictate without an internet connection, and dictate continuously; this means that your words will convert to text more quickly since they're being processed locally on your device.

  1. Open System Preferences from your Dock or Applications folder.

  2. Click Keyboard.

  3. Click Dictation.

  4. Click the checkbox next to Use Enhanced Dictation. Enhanced Dictation will take several minutes to download if you haven't done so already.

Once enabled, you can use Enhanced Dictation the same way you would regular dictation. Press the Fn key twice when your cursor is in a text field. If the microphone shows up, speak what you want to be typed and click Done or press the Fn key once.

How to change the Dictation keyboard shortcut

While the Fn key on your Mac's keyboard is the default trigger for dictation, you can change that in the Dictation section of the keyboard preference pane

  1. Open System Preferences from your Dock or Applications folder.

  2. Click Keyboard.

  3. Click Dictation.

  4. Click the drop-down menu next to Shortcut.

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  5. Click an option in the list or click Customize to create your own (seems like only the arrow keys work).

How to enable/disable Dictation Commands

Dictation Commands allow you to do things with your text just by speaking. For example, you can select a whole paragraph, go back to the beginning, or replace a phrase with another phrase.

You can only use Dictation Commands with Enhanced Dictation enabled.

  1. Click the Apple menu button on the top left of your screen.
  2. Click System Preferences.

  3. Click Accessibility.

  4. Click Dictation in the menu on the left. You'll have to scroll down a bit to find it.

  5. Click Dictation Commands…

  6. Click the checkbox next to each dictation command you'd like to disable. They're all enabled by default.

  7. Click Done in the bottom right corner of the window.

Reading through the Dictation Commands list is a great way to learn all the things you can do with text just by speaking to your Mac. You can also click the checkbox next to Enable advanced commands, which will enable system commands.

How to enable the dictation keyword phrase

Want to feel like you're in a sci-fi movie? Enable the dictation keyword phrase and you'll be able to use dictation commands even when you're not dictating. So you can be all 'computer, replace 'boots' with 'cats',' and the phrase will be replaced in your text. It's a bit finicky, but when it works, it's so cool!

You have to have Enhanced Dictation enabled for this to work.

  1. Click the Apple menu button on the top left of your screen.
  2. Click System Preferences.

  3. Click Accessibility.

  4. Click Dictation in the menu on the left. You'll have to scroll down a bit to find it.
  5. Click the checkbox next to Enable the dictation keyword phrase.

  6. Enter a keyword phrase if you want to change it from 'Computer'. (But if you leave it as 'Computer', you sound like the captain of a spaceship!)

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Now when your cursor is in a text field, you can just say the keyword phrase and your dictation command and it'll do it.

How to enable a sound when a command is recognized

You have to have Enhanced Dictation enabled for this to work.

  1. Click the Apple menu button on the top left of your screen.
  2. Click System Preferences.

  3. Click Accessibility.

  4. Click Dictation in the menu on the left. You'll have to scroll down a bit to find it.

  5. Click the checkbox next to Play sound when command is recognized.

How to enable/disable output mute during dictation

If you accidentally open a website with an autoplay video or you're listening to music but want to dictate something quickly, you can mute audio output during dictation so that you don't have to manually fiddle around with volume.

You must have Enhanced Dictation enabled to use this feature.

  1. Click the Apple menu button on the top left of your screen.
  2. Click System Preferences.

  3. Click Accessibility.

  4. Click Dictation in the menu on the left. You'll have to scroll down a bit to find it.

  5. Click the checkbox next to Mute audio output while dictating.

Dictation accessibility in macOS Catalina

In macOS Catalina, Apple has opted to change things up a bit regarding dictation and accessibility. While there was previously a section for accessibility options for dictation in System Preferences, those capabilities have been folded into the new Voice Control accessibility feature. Voice Control is a greatly expanded set of capabilities that allow you to control every aspect of your Mac, including text entry, with your voice.

Great accessories for your Mac

Apple AirPods 2(From $159 at Apple)

The best Apple accessory has gotten betting with AirPods 2. Now offering a wireless charger case, the popular earbuds feature the new Apple H1 headphone chip that delivers a faster wireless connection to your devices, as well as support for 'Hey Siri.'

Bose Companion 20($250 at Amazon)

These beautiful speakers offer a balanced sound in a stylish package. With no knobs on the front, a small pod attached to the right speaker controls volume, which also holds the ports for your headphones or other audio devices.

Questions?

Dictation questions? Let us know in the comments below!

Updated July 2019: Updated instructions for macOS Mojave and added a section about what's happening with dictation accessibility in macOS Catalina.

macOS Catalina

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In computing circles, “PC vs. Mac” has long been a topic of debate—advocates on both sides felt so intense that it was better to steer clear of the subject unless you were up for a furious debate. While Macs and PCs still both have passionate followings, the differences between the two types of computers have dramatically lessened over the years. The result is your decision comes down to subtle preferences—but you really can’t go wrong with either choice. It has become less a matter of hardware and software than of style and personal taste.The Ecosystem: Do You Think Less Is More or More Is More?When you buy a Mac, you’re buying a philosophy as much as a piece of computer technology.

The same company produces the hardware and software, and the computers share an aesthetic sensibility with Apple. phones and tablets. Mac offers just six computer styles with a limited choice of configurations—a “best of the best approach” that eliminates the need to wade through an excessive amount of options. If you don’t like deliberating over RAM, disk space, and other hardware components, Mac does much of the work for you.With PCs, roughly a dozen major manufacturers produce the hardware, and most run the Windows operating system.

You can have hundreds of choices of style and configurations, allowing you to find exactly what you want, though it may take more time and deliberation. Whether more is more or less is often in the eye of the beholder.Price: Look Beyond the Price TagMacs have long carried a reputation for premium pricing compared to PCs, though advocates would say that was simply the cost of higher-end components that provide better performance and reliability.Making an apples-to-apples comparison on price for PC vs.

Mac has always been difficult, though, because PCs and Macs typically have different pre-installed software and components, such as graphics cards, ports, and processor speed. The standard model Macs tend to offer less memory and hard drive space, so you need to take the specs into consideration.Because of their lower cost, PCs have often been the choice for people who needed basic computing functions, like word processing and web surfing, while creative professionals who perform tasks such as design or video editing have been willing to shell out extra money for the apple of their eye. That said, the premium for the Apple know-how has shrunk to a couple of hundred bucks, making price a smaller consideration.Maintenance: Are You a Troubleshooter?Just as Macs offer a narrow number of choices, the systems tend to stay as they are – typically only the hard drive and RAM can be upgraded. PCs, coming in so many models from so many vendors, usually allow any of the individual hardware components to be switched out, from the central processing unit (CPU) to the displays. Whether that matters may depend on how you use the computer, how long you plan to keep it, and whether you are adept at handling some of your own maintenance.Because Apple makes both the hardware and software, you have one primary place to turn when you have an issue, and issues can usually be resolved quickly. With PCs, different vendors make the hardware and software, and problem solving can be more complicated.

Partly for this season, Apple has always received high marks from Mac owners for customer service. Software: Your Choice May Be Up in the CloudsIn the past, it was easy to pick a Mac or PC based on the type of software you needed. Business productivity tools were domain of the Windows operating system, while editing, photo and other creativity apps were clearly a Mac world.And though the PC tends to dominate in the workplace, many software programs for professional use—including Microsoft. Office and the Adobe. Creative Suite—have versions for both operating systems. The software has also become a smaller issue as many people no longer load software on their computer but maintain subscriptions for software they can access via the cloud.

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Recent versions of the Windows operating system have embraced touch and speech, such as the new feature Cortana. in Windows. 10, which enables voice commands to schedule appointments. Apple has integrated its voice recognition software, Siri, into its desktop models but has been resistent to introduce a touch feature into its operating system, OS. X.So if you prefer speaking to your computer, or moving your finger across the screen, to a keyboard and mouse, PCs offer a clear advantage.Security: Mac Still Gets the NodAt one time, PCs were known for frequent crashes, but the Windows operating system has become significantly more reliable. While Mac hardware and software is denoted by its stability, the difference here has lessened.The odds of getting a virus or malware with a PC remain higher than with a Mac, but this is more about the numbers game than technology.

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Either way, you can’t really go wrong. It truly is the golden age of computers.