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CNET Editors' review
Of the handful of voice-transcription iPhone apps to search the Web or place a call, Vlingo's is the best. Thanks to a redesign, it's also attractive and easy to use. Speaking into the phone searches the Web using Google, Yahoo, or Bing, dials contacts, maps a location, and updates your status on Twitter and Facebook. You only need to touch the keypad to edit, which sometimes happens in noisy areas, when you mumble, and when you speak too quickly for Vlingo's rather sensitive electronic ears.
Team Vlingo has added an in-app browser that previous builds lacked, and tops it off by keeping the voice recorder just a finger-tap away for triggering subsequent searches. Vlingo lacks the terrific, but iPhone SDK-violating, feature to raise the handset to your head to begin a search, but makes up for it by creating a voice recognition profile for your phone book.
As with Vlingo on other mobile platforms, you can upgrade to the premium version to launch e-mails and prep text messages with the power of your voice. E-mailing address book contacts is the better feature, since it will send your e-mail right after you preview it. The SMS feature makes you take additional steps to paste the transcribed message into the text field before it can send. We can't commend a feature that charges for the privilege of memorizing additional steps. The e-mail and SMS feature cost $6.99 singly, or $9.99 for the bundle.
Even sticking to the free version, Vlingo's voice app gives a big productivity boost, especially during moments when typing is inconvenient, impractical, or slow. The app could still use more voice-powered features, like the ability to approve a message for sending or posting vocally, not just by tapping the screen. And though fans of the additional e-mail feature, the SMS tool is a work in progress attached to an inflated price tag.
Publisher's Description
From Vlingo Corporation:
Vlingo gives iPhone users the ability to speak into their device to manage the most commonly used features, including initiate calls to anyone in your address book, search for anything through Yahoo! or Google, look up and map local listings, update your Facebook and Twitter status updates without typing.
What's new in this version: Version 2.0.7 include bug fixes.
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All versions:
2.0 starsout of 3 votes
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"Very nice program! works seamlessly on my android."
Version: Vlingo Voice App for iPhone 2.0.1
Pros
I'm an android user. Love the in car feature. Voice reads incoming texts to me. I can reply by voice. Can launch Google navigation by voice and set destination by voice. Fairly accurate voice recognition.
Cons
When using "in car" feature, the software keeps the phone on (naturally), which means battery life suffers.
Summary
I really like that I Vlingo interfaces nearly seamlessly with Google search, Goole maps, and Google Navigation especially when I use the 'in car' function. I have Sprint Navigation on my phone, but I don't ever use it now. Texting is much easier and faster speaking it into Vlingo than typing. The search functionality is great too.
The battery does drain when it is used with the 'in car' function, since the phone has to stay awake. It stays awake, listening for me to speak "hey, Vlingo". After it hears this, it asks me what I want it to do - send text, call, navigate etc.. I use my car charger anyway when I use my phone to navigate. So, it's not a problem.
When I'm not in my car, it's just easier to speak into the phone, than type texts, commands, or searches. The app pretty accurately hears my voice prompts, but for some reason it has a problem understanding my g/f's commands.
I really have no complaints. Very happy I decided to go with an android phone instead of an iPhone... -
"Vlingo shortens your phone's battery life."
Version: Vlingo Voice App for iPhone 2.0.1
Pros
Seemed to understand what was said and perform the functions quickly.
Cons
When I installed my battery life dropped from charging every 3 days to every day, and once I uninstalled it, I was back to charging every 3 days.
Summary
Why pay 9.95 for a shorter battery life.
Forget it. -
"creates more mistakes than texting with iphone"
Version: Vlingo Voice App for iPhone 2.0.1
Pros
There are no Pros
Cons
Creates more errors than texting alone. A lot more errors. If google voice works so well why does this program lack so much.
Summary
Honestly, I very rarely submit reviews. I purchaced this app for $9.99 because I find texting with the iphone screen generates more errors than a keyboard. Vlingo is much worse. Forget texting while driving with Vlingo. Horrible product! If you want pain just pay someone to poke you in the eye. Sorry. Needs so much work, forget about background noise when driving.
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