17 May 2012
There is no doubt that dictation saves countless hours of valuable time, but as with most technology, the future of dictation is digital.
Rather than recording onto physical tape, recordings are processed as digital audio files which can be distributed via any existing networks. Digital dictation provides complete workflow transparency, better utilisation of resources and optimum cost efficiency.
In 1969 the world’s first microcassette recorder, the Zuiko Pearlcorder, was produced by Olympus. It revolutionised the way lawyers worked. This was followed, in 1997, by the first professional digital recorder. Some 15 years later many lawyers are still relying on tapes, despite the fact that prices are getting steeper and tape machines and replacement parts are becoming harder to find as manufacturers stop producing analogue machines they are simply becoming rarer.
Why go digital?
Security is crucial today, especially in the legal profession. While tapes are almost impossible to protect against theft or unauthorised access, digital dictations can be encrypted and password protected. There are no lost tapes, and added features such as a biometric fingerprint scanner
