Wednesday, October 13, 2010

To Droid, Or Not To Droid?

Update: Express Dictate for Android is now available. You can Get Express Dictate for Android from Google Play or Amazon


Whether or not to make any of our programs for Android phones and if so which ones has been a big question floating around NCH for a while now, and one that we have been going back forth on. And after the release of WavePad for the iPhone the question is at the forefront again. As the debate rages in the company I want to know what you think about having NCH applications for your Android phone.

No matter how you look at it, it is a significant commitment to begin development for a new platform. We do have a strong desire to have a full range of products, especially in areas like our dictation software where we are already offering a breadth of so users can choose what works best for them, which makes Android development seems like a natural addition. But on the other side of the coin there is concern that there won't be enough demand to justify the development expense.

Some projections estimate that Android will be the market leader by 2012, but the growth has been so fast it is hard to know if it will really have the lasting power. Is it possible that Android will fall out of favor given time and become only a minor player like Palm is now? Or is Android really here to stay?

I would love to see a developer begin work on Express Dictate for the Android, but I do have to admit it is hard to know if there is enough demand for that, or other NCH Android applications, to make it worthwhile. And with early evidence suggesting that Android users are even less willing to pay for applications than iPhone users, it is sadly just that much harder to justify the development commitment with potential returns such a question mark.

So I want to know. Would you use or even pay a small fee for a new version of Express Dictate for your Android phone? Would having WavePad on your Droid make your world more complete? Since demand is one is one of our biggest concerns I can't help but ask, who out there is just itching to have dictation software for their Android phone?

7 comments:

  1. yes! I use the Windows version, and would love a version of Pocket Dictate for my Droid X. I used it when I had Palm phones, and loved it.
    Rick Georges
    P.S. I have to use Recordoid now, and it isn't half as good as Pocket Dictate. However, Android is my platform of choice for the forseeable future.

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  2. I agree. I have used the versions on every platform but the Droid. My law-partners have the I-phone App and like that as well. I would pay for a droid app that is as good as express dictate.

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  3. Yes! I've used the pocket pc version for years but now it's time to switch. By the end of this month, I'm switching to an android system and desperately need an alternative dictation software.
    And don't question the staying power of android for too long lest you're swamped by the tidal wave!

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  4. Please make an android version. It will make my world so much better. I loved palmdictate. I use your other dictation products at my office now.

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  5. Can you please update your progress on an android version of the iPad dictation app. Thank you

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  6. I make use of Express Dictate and Express Scribe for my business which is being utilised by not only myself but several of my staff. I have recently purchased Samsung Galaxy Tablets running Android for all my staff, and couldnt be more impressed if the NCH products were available on Android.
    Working in the legal profession where ive actually stopped counting the number of collegues who "dont" make use of tablets as the vast majority do, its shocking that software such as this is not yet available.

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  7. Certainly some demand here. Used the old WinMo app for a long-time and more recently the Apple app. Was very surprised that there is no Android equivalent. It's is the only app I have been unable to replicate when moving from iPhone to Android.

    Any suggestions what third-party apps work?

    Might well ditch NCH completely as the current desktop apps all need upgrading for Windows 7 and also our SpeechMikes have no Win 7 drivers. So we'll be facing a wholesale dictation upgrade soon in any case. About a third of our smartphone and dictation users are now on Android and dictation is a feature they're asking for...

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