“Olympus has teamed with the world’s leading speech recognition provider to help people get more done in their busy day with Dragon NaturallySpeaking Version 10 Recorder Edition,” said Amy Leslie, manager, Product Marketing, Olympus Imaging America Inc. “The combination of the WS-400S and the ME-12 noise cancelling microphone received an impressive top score of five dragons from Nuance, so you know this kit will be highly accurate at turning your unique voice into text.”

WS-400S
The WS-400S has a sleek portable body that easily transports essential files directly to and from a computer just like a USB flash memory drive, no USB cable required. It offers 1GB of internal flash memory to capture up to 272 hours of Windows Media Audio files on its built-in stereo microphone. Two new higher-quality recording modes, stereo standard play (SSP), and stereo high quality (SHQ), now deliver even better sound quality. Its higher quality audio allows users to work more efficiently because their recordings of interviews and lectures will play back clearly. Clad in a glossy white finish, it’s easy to find even at the dark bottom of a briefcase, handbag or backpack.

A new larger backlit LCD is easily viewable and useful when navigating the menu screen because it quickly reveals file information, recording time and events. A stereo microphone on the top, and a speaker for audio playback on the front of the device, are placed for optimum performance.

Nuance Dragon NaturallySpeaking
With Dragon NaturallySpeaking Recorder Edition bundled with the WS-400S digital audio recorder, people can easily capture dictations on the go, connect the recorder to a PC, and see their words transcribed as text for use with today’s favorite applications.  Dragon’s Dictation Playback feature makes it possible to play back the original recorded voice during document review.  Dragon filters out most “ums” and “ahs” and can even automatically insert commas and periods into the text, and its built-in optimization tools increase accuracy over time.  Finally, with its AutoTranscribe Folder Agent, Dragon can be set to automatically transcribe digital voice recordings. The text and original audio files can be routed to specific folders on a network, streamlining the process for third-party review and correction.

Beyond its abilities with a digital recorder, the full version of Dragon NaturallySpeaking allows people to write documents and emails, search the Web, and even control their PC entirely by voice, saving time and boosting productivity. Because most people speak at least three times faster than they type, Dragon makes it possible to get things done more quickly by voice than by relying on keyboards and mice alone. Dragon 10 is nearly twice as fast as the previous release and can deliver accuracy up to 99 percent.

Dragon NaturallySpeaking software from Nuance is used by millions of people — in the office, at home, at school, on the road, even in the operating room — to get more done faster by voice. Dragon delivers what matters most in speech recognition – superior levels of accuracy, seamless integration with the most popular PC applications, and unrivalled ease of use — and the latest version introduces new features that promise to help anyone get more done, faster. 

Users of the WS-400S Dragon NaturallySpeaking Kit can visit Nuance.com and pay a fee to upgrade to the full version of Dragon NaturallySpeaking Version 10. 

Availability
The WS-400S Dragon NaturallySpeaking Kit will be available in September 2009. It includes WS-400S, ME-12 (Noise Cancelling Microphone), Dragon NaturallySpeaking version 10 Recorder Edition, a carrying case and one AAA Alkaline battery. 

U.S. Pricing
WS-400S Dragon NaturallySpeaking Kit Estimated Street Price: $149.99

Journalists interested in more information, review units and high-resolution images of the WS-400S should contact Jeff Hluchyj, Mullen Public Relations, 617-226-9939 or jeff.hluchyj@mullen.com, or Jennifer Lyons, senior manager, public relations, Olympus Imaging America Inc., 3500 Corporate Parkway, Center Valley, PA 18034, ph: (484) 896-5350 / (800) 622-6372 or jennifer.lyons@olympus.com, or visit the Olympus website: http://www.getolympus.com.

ABOUT NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Nuance (NASDAQ: NUAN) is a leading provider of speech and imaging solutions for businesses and consumers around the world. Its technologies, applications and services make the user experience more compelling by transforming the way people interact with information and how they create, share and use documents. Every day, millions of users and thousands of businesses experience Nuance’s proven applications and professional services. For more information, please visit www.nuance.com.

ABOUT OLYMPUS IMAGING AMERICA INC.
Olympus Imaging America Inc. is a precision technology leader, designing and delivering award-winning products for consumer and professional markets.

Olympus Imaging America Inc. works collaboratively with its customers and its ultimate parent company, Olympus Corporation, to develop breakthrough technologies with revolutionary product design and functionality that enhances people’s lives every day. These include:

• Digital Cameras
• Professional and Consumer Digital SLR Imaging Systems
• Related Underwater Products and Accessories
• Digital and Microcassette Recorders
• Digital Media
• Binoculars

Olympus Imaging America Inc. is responsible for sales in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. For more information, visit: www.getolympus.com.

*Specifications and design are subject to change without any notice or obligation on the part of the manufacturer. All trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective holder.
©2009 Olympus Imaging America Inc.