Well it depends on what you are looking for as they all effectively do the primary thing that is needed and that’s make recordings, it just depends on what else you want it to do.
Possibly the first consideration is handheld or an app on your smartphone.
The main things to consider before deciding are:
Using a mobile app isn’t a secure way to dictate and share documents to your audio typing company unless you’re using an encrypted paid for service. Free recording apps, Siri and so on don’t protect your data. However, a handheld device means (99% of certified devices) are encrypted or PIN protected or both – super safe.
If you rely on your Smartphone to take and receive calls, compose and check emails, take photos for work purposes as well as dictate reports to your audio typist – you might find your phone is needing constant re-charging. Using a dedicated device means your phone can take a break between all of its other tasks. A dedicated device also has a superior battery life in comparison to a smartphone.
With an app-based system, you also have the benefit of being able to send your files immediately either to your secretary or outsource typing facility to enable your dictation to be transcribed immediately rather than needing to wait to ‘dock’ back in the office. Some hand-held devices also now have Wi-Fi capabilities so this is no longer the domain only of the smartphone app.
There is of course benefits to using an app – including but not limited to:
Only needing to carry one device as opposed to multiple.
A dedicated device may be slight overkill for someone who doesn’t dictate very often.
Equally, if you are dictating very long files you would need to keep an eye on the battery life.
If you’ve made the decision to opt for a handheld device now you face the task of trying to figure out which of the dozens of machines is the right one for you so check out our article 'Which dictation machine is the best?'
BackupTyping provides a fast, accurate and experienced transcription service for property professionals - saving you time and money. Call us on 020 7096 1663 to find out how we can help you.
