iPad 3's New Voice Dictation Could Make Lawyers' Lives Easier
A new high-tech feature may convince attorneys to take a bite of Apple's new, improved iPad: Voice dictation is now built-in.
The new iPad -- which some are dubbing "iPad 3" -- will be preinstalled with Siri, Apple's voice-activated personal assistant that debuted with the iPhone 4S last fall, the company announced Wednesday, according to the website TechCrunch.
Though the new iPad's version of Siri "won't be the full-featured personal assistant iPhone users have become familiar with," TechCrunch reports it will include support for a new language -- Japanese.
That means the new "iPad 3" (though Apple isn't using that term) will support four languages -- English, French, German, and Japanese. That should be a boon for lawyers whose practices cater to international clients.
Perhaps even more helpful: The voice dictation feature can interface with third-party apps, according to TechCrunch. That means users will be able to dictate their LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter updates into their iPads -- making it potentially easier and more convenient for attorneys to take advantage of social media.
And it's not just the new iPads that will showcase the new voice-dictation and Japanese-language abilities. The improved features are part of Apple's updated iOS 5.1 operating system, and can also be downloaded onto iPhones, iPods and existing iPads, TechCrunch reports.
There are a few physical differences with Apple's new iPad as well. It's a tad thicker -- 9.44mm, compared to 8.8mm for previous models -- and it boasts a new screen that offers much sharper resolution, Wired reports.
The new iPad, or "iPad 3" with voice dictation, is set to hit stores March 16 in the United States and Canada, The Huffington Post reports. The base price will stay the same as previous models: $499.
Related Resources:
- iOS 5.1 Update: Siri Speaks Japanese; Voice Dictation Comes To New iPad (TechCrunch)
- Getting in Touch: We Go Hands-On With the New Apple iPad (Wired)
- Could iPhone's Siri Speech Recognition Make a Good Assistant? (FindLaw's Technologist)
- iPhone's Siri Speaks, But Not Legalese (FindLaw's Greedy Associates)