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Voice Dictation Guides & Tips

Guides, tutorials, and insights on voice dictation, speech to text, and AI transcription for Mac.

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Speech to Text Chrome Extensions vs Native Mac Apps: What Actually Works

Chrome speech-to-text extensions only work inside Chrome tabs. Here's how they compare to native Mac dictation apps — and why the scope difference matters.

Feb 1, 20269 min read

Sotto vs Hearsy: Local Mac Dictation Compared

Sotto and Hearsy are both local Mac dictation apps with Parakeet and Whisper. Here's an honest look at where they differ on pricing, AI cleanup, and features.

Jan 30, 20267 min read

Siri Dictation on Mac: What It Can (and Can't) Do

A clear-eyed look at what Apple's Siri Dictation does well, where it falls short, and when to switch to a dedicated dictation tool like Hearsy.

Jan 29, 20268 min read

How to Run Whisper Locally on Mac (Without the Command Line)

Whisper is a Python library, not a desktop app. Here's how to run it locally on your Mac without touching the terminal — including model sizes, RAM, and app options.

Jan 28, 20268 min read

Otter AI Alternative: 5 Better Options for 2026

Looking for an Otter AI alternative? These 5 tools offer local processing, no subscription, and better privacy — whether you need meeting transcription or daily Mac dictation.

Jan 26, 202611 min read

What Is OpenAI Whisper? A Complete Guide to Local AI Transcription

Whisper is OpenAI's open-source speech model — 680,000 hours of training, 99 languages, MIT license. How it works, model sizes, and how to use it on Mac.

Jan 25, 202614 min read

On-Device AI Speech Recognition: How Apple Silicon Changed the Equation

On-device speech recognition now matches cloud accuracy on Apple Silicon. How the Neural Engine makes local AI transcription fast, private, and offline-capable.

Jan 23, 202611 min read

Offline Dictation Software: How to Dictate Without an Internet Connection

Offline dictation software processes speech on-device with no internet required. Here's how on-device AI works, which Mac apps support it, and when you need it.

Jan 22, 202610 min read

Notta AI vs Hearsy: Meeting Transcription vs Real-Time Dictation

Notta AI is a cloud meeting transcription tool starting at $8.17/month. Hearsy is a local macOS dictation app with a one-time price. This comparison covers use cases, privacy, AI training data policy, and pricing.

Jan 21, 20269 min read

Notta AI Alternative: 5 Better Options for Mac in 2026

Looking for a Notta AI alternative? These 5 tools offer local processing, no subscription, or better meeting features — for Mac users who need more than cloud transcription.

Jan 19, 202612 min read