Using Speech to Text Apps on your iPad

There are a number of apps that are available that let you record your voice in order to convert it to text. I find this helpful when I need to transcribe longer pieces or even if I need to transcribe multiple entries. This technology is not yet perfect but it has improved considerably since these apps first came on the market. The first time I tried these app I got about 30% of the words correct, that figure is now more like 85% and with some effort on your part can be as high as 95%. Even with the minor inconsistencies it is still a quicker way for me to do larger pieces of text. I find these good when I want to just get the text down for a piece that I will spend some time formatting later. These are great for students as well, especially those kids who display great verbal intelligence but struggle with the written word.

Voice to Text Apps

Dragon Dictation: FREE
Dragon Dictation is an easy-to-use voice recognition that allows you to easily speak and instantly see your text or email messages. In fact, it’s up to five (5) times faster than typing on the keyboard. Dragon Dictation will also utilize the data in spoken messages collected over time to continuously improve and provide high speech recognition accuracy. This app is getting better all the time.
http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/dragon-dictation/id341446764?mt=8
QuickVoice2Text Email: $ 2.99 AU
QuickVoice for the iPhone is ideal for capturing ideas, voice memos, dictation, classes, meetings, even entire lectures and seminars! Ideal for professional, educational, and personal use. Powered by SpinVox it is ideal for sending TEXT EMAILS using just voice and a few touches – No Typing Required. Very easy to use tap and record. Free version – recordings for up to 30 seconds. I like this.
http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/quickvoice2text-email-pro/id285877935?mt=8
Speech Notes: FREE
“Speech Notes is a note taking app that can convert speech with the help of internet connection. Just tap on mic button and once done hit again to start converting voice to text.” Collect all your dictated and written notes in one place. More to that with just one button click you may easily transform your speech into human readable text.
http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/speech-notes/id442486961?mt=8
TalkBox Voice Messenger: FREE
What if we are to tell you that you have not “activated” your voice yet? Experience the fastest messaging on iPhone, iPad & iPod Touch! TalkBox is sending messages with your voice and now with text input support!. It’s an application dedicated to getting your messages across FAST with no boundary! Try out the app during this time-limited free offer!
http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/talkbox-voice-messenger/id412710421?mt=8
Siri like Voice Instruction Apps
For those people who do not have an iPhone 4S but would like some of the Siri features – here are a couple of alternatives.
Vlingo – Voice App: FREE
Looking for Siri-like functionality on your iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4? Look no further. Vlingo even goes beyond the new Siri Assistant by integrating with your Facebook and Twitter accounts. Plus all functionality, including sms and email, is now completely free. Vlingo is your very own Virtual Assistant. Simply speak to Vlingo and it will help you get more done, faster and easier than before
http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/vlingo-voice-app/id297214191?mt=8
Voice Actions: $ 5.49 AU
Control your phone through speech commands. Voice Actions allows a multitude of simple actions to be performed by voice command. These include, sending emails by voice, setting alarms and reminders, searching by voice, listen to specific music, voicedial your contacts or get instant translations. You can even search news, images, videos, and places and much more just by using your voice!
http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/voice-actions/id422037126?mt=8
Other Voice Options
Google Search: FREE
The new Google Search app for iPhone and iPad. Search the web faster and easier with the latest Search app from Google. Completely redesigned for the iPad. Voice Search: Search by voice and skip the typing.  Look for the microphone icon. Quick access to other Google apps like Gmail, Calendar, Docs. This is lots of fun – kids will love this!
http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/google-search/id284815942?mt=8

10 Great Apps for Making Music on your iPad

One of the classroom tasks that has been transformed the most with the introduction of the iPad is making music. The intuitive interface of many of the apps developed for music means that even a determined amateur can easily produce music of professional quality. Expensive as these apps may seem they allow you to create professional quality music for a fraction of the price of actual recording equipment.

Korg iMS-20: $ 34.99 AU
iMS-20 is a complete music production app for iPad. It consists of a complete recreation of the legendary Korg MS-20 analog synth with the patching capability, plus a 16-step analog sequencer based on the Korg SQ-10, a six-part drum machine which can create drum parts by simply tapping the buttons, and a seven-channel mixer with 14 types of effects.

http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/korg-ims-20/id401142966?mt=8

GarageBand: $ 4.99 AU
GarageBand turns your iPad into a collection of Touch Instruments and a full-featured recording studio — so you can make music anywhere you go. Use Multi-Touch gestures to play pianos, organs, guitars, drums, and basses. They sound and play like their counterparts, but let you do things you could never do on a real instrument. Enjoy a full range of Smart Instruments that make you sound like a pro

http://itunes.apple.com/app/id408709785?mt=8&ls=1

Looptastic HD: $ 15.99 AU
Create your own remixes and compositions in an intuitive way. Simply drag and drop loops, mix it up with a DJ-style mixer and add effects with Touch Pad control. Record your moves and export the performance as CD-ready audio files. Contains over 900 loops across major dance styles (Trance, Hip Hop, Dubstep, Ambient, Breakbeat, Minimal, Progressive House, and Reggaeton, etc).

http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/looptastic-hd/id363971496?mt=8

Korg iElectribe: $ 20.99 AU
With the iELECTRIBE, sound creation is easy, fun and intuitive – just as on a vintage analog synthesizer. Simply choose a part (or sound) and touch the 16-step sequencer to quickly build a groove. This easy-to-use interface combines forces with the iPad’s 9.7” multi touch display to offer an intuitive “hardware” feel, sure to inspire and captivate the imagination of any user.

http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/korg-ielectribe/id363714043?mt=8

miniSynth Pro: $ 5.49 AU
miniSynth PRO offers many features to render music making easier. They include a dedicated arpeggiator module, dual individually adjustable keyboards, user control matrix with configurable assignments, and 82 presets designed by actual musicians. Users are able to record their own performances, as well as save and recall any number of their own presets in our brand-new patch design format?

http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/minisynth-pro/id364751154?mt=8

Pianist Pro: $ 5.49 AU
Pianist Pro is a virtual piano designed specifically for the iPad. It features full MIDI import and export capability, allowing you to record song ideas while on the road and export them via MIDI to your Digital Audio Workstation back at the studio. You can also use Pianist Pro as a great master MIDI keyboard, either with USB, the Line 6 MIDI Mobilizer interface, or via Wi-Fi.

http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/pianist-pro/id358857758?mt=8

AmpliTude 2: $ 20.99 AU
With AmpliTube for iPad, you have an entire guitar and bass rig at your fingertips. You get 4 stompbox effects running into an amplifier head with effects, plus cabinet and a microphone. Choose from 11 built-in stompbox effects (delay, fuzz, overdrive, wah, envelope filter, flanger, phaser, noise filter + distortion once registered), 5 amps with full controls, 5 speaker cabinets and 2 microphones.

http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/amplitube-for-ipad/id373750924?mt=8

MorphWiz: $ 10.49 AU
Their goal was to create an instrument that would allow the seamless morphing of the audio and visual domain while delivering a seamless musical experience. I believe the iPhone/iPad multitouch platform opens up a whole new world of creation of electronic musical instruments and we’re proud MorphWiz is our first major offering.

http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/morphwiz/id377345348?mt=8

touchAble: $ 25.99 AU
touchAble allows live users to perform live from anywhere within Wi-Fi range. Play your favorite synths with the unique double keyboard or record your rhythms with the 16 drum pads. Extend your creativity with the multi dots XY Pad and record, play and morph your movements. Tweak the same set with two iPads with the unique Dual-User-Mode.

http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/touchable/id385949475?mt=8

iSequence HD: $ 10.49 AU
Sequence is a music creation studio designed for iPad. It has a 8-track sequencer, tons of instruments, flexible mixer with DSP effects you can easily program and record profesional loops, beats and melodies. Record tracks and control movement in real-time, edit them using step sequencer and automation editor, switch between instruments, tracks and views without stopping playback. http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/isequence-hd/id369873168?mt=8