Windows Phone 8.1 Speech-to-Text

[mho1988]

After more than a decade using a flip-phone, I recently purchased an HTC One (M8) for Windows, excited at the prospect of a Windows Phone that had the ability to extensively utilize speech-to-text. To my dismay, I find that the speech-to-text function is available app-by-app, rather than universally across every app. Even an app like Skype lacks the ability to make use of Windows Phone's speech-to-text function. This seems like a bizarre oversight. When texting or using OneNote in Windows Phone the speech-to-text function is not only convenient, but its accuracy is great (in English and Chinese, at least). I was wondering if anyone has a workaround for this or if there is any hope of having this issue resolved in a future update for 8.1 or perhaps later in Windows 10?

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I wish more apps used voice input and responses. MS does a fantastic job with that. But unless they own an app, I guess they can't really force developers to do that.

One thing that MIGHT help is Cortana integration. I was surprised that my alarm/reminder app (Realarm) uses Cortana for voice commands instead of implementing it the app itself. If I want to add an alarm or mute alarms for some time period, I invoke Cortana and say "OK Realarm xxxxxx" where xxxxxx is a command to the app such as "mute alarms for 2 hours". Interestingly, Cortana first repeats the command saying "she" will relay to the app and then, Cortana will say back what the app tells her it did.

I'm not sure if the Realarm developer did this because it was easier to program voice this way or because going thru Cortana gets around some of the restrictions that exist in Windows for security/integrity reasons or if its for future useability. For one thing, apps using Cortana for voice can be used hands free when "Oh, Cortana" is rolled out. Either way, it probably means more developers will start using voice in their apps.

 

[jrdatrackstar1223]

I still wish for this. The only alternative is an app called "Copy This", which offers system-wide speech to text, and it can all be used by voice, but it shouldn't take all this work. Just put a stupid microphone in the keyboard Microsoft..seriously....:eck:

 

[mho1988]

Thanks for the heads-up on 'Copy This.' Too bad it only works for English (I tried it with the Chinese voice recognition for both the Mainland and Taiwan and neither can handle the "copy this" command that launches the app).

A good temporary fix, but you're absolutely right; there should just be a microphone on the keyboard

Edit: For anyone that is interested/cares, even after getting the phone to recognize "copy this" when Speech is set to Chinese for the Mainland or Taiwan, Copy This immediately reports an error and will not copy any text to the clipboard. I suspect it's the same for other non-English languages.

 

[mho1988]

Yet again, not sure how many people this applies to, but this question has not been answered anywhere on the internet, either in English- or Chinese-language websites.

As of the moment there is one tool I have found that will replicate, somewhat, the functions of 'Copy This' for Chinese. The app is called 语音输入 (as a new user I can't post links, but Googling "Windows Phone 語音輸入" [without quotes] is the surest way to find it). The app requires a launch before every use. To launch the app using voice and then dictate a note, the speech language must be set to Chinese (Mainland) (中文（中国）). Users must say 「开启」, followed by the name of the app, 「语音输入」. Users then need to press the microphone button at the bottom of the app and record their message, after which it will be copied to the clipboard. Windows Phone 8.1 apparently sees Simplified and Traditional Chinese as mutually exclusive, meaning that rendering 「语音输入」 as 「語音輸入」 results in an internet search rather than the launching of the app. Setting the speech language to Chinese (Taiwan) (中文（台灣）) or Cantonese (Hong Kong SAR) (廣東話（香港特別行政區）) is therefore not possible with this app, in spite of the fact that all three use Chinese characters.

If users do not care about opening the app using speech, the phone can be set to either Cantonese or Taiwanese Chinese. The app does a good job of recognizing both and will obediently copy the Traditional Chinese text to the clipboard. You are then free to paste the text into any app you wish.

However, a simple microphone on every keyboard would make life a lot easier. If users want to put English into Chinese messages (or vice-versa), they need to go to Settings -> Speech -> Speech Language, and change it every single time. Very, very annoying :eck:

 

[CGA111]

At least you are one of the lucky ones who's language is supported at all. I highly doubt that my language (Swedish) along with many other small languages ever will be supported.

 

[mho1988]

I don't think any of the mobile OS's are this open, but I would love to see an indication that people are working on this stuff (and other stuff as well). I do not speak, read, or write Swedish, but it should definitely be supported. Looking at the list of languages supported by Android and iOS, one cannot help but be impressed and jealous. I don't want an iPhone or Android phone, but the language support they offer is tantalizing. I've never played with an Android keyboard long enough to learn if they have universal speech-to-text, but I'm pretty sure that iOS does

 

[CGA111]

I don't think any of the mobile OS's are this open, but I would love to see an indication that people are working on this stuff (and other stuff as well). I do not speak, read, or write Swedish, but it should definitely be supported. Looking at the list of languages supported by Android and iOS, one cannot help but be impressed and jealous. I don't want an iPhone or Android phone, but the language support they offer is tantalizing. I've never played with an Android keyboard long enough to learn if they have universal speech-to-text, but I'm pretty sure that iOS does

Coming from Android I can confirm that they support a plethora of languages, Swedish being one of them. I was quite surprised when I got my 920 a year ago and looked at the list of supported languages.