Sound Advice: Laptop has no mic button but still can be set up for voice-to-text

Q: I read your recent column about voice-to-text on my iPhone. I've been doing that regularly with good results. I want to use voice-to-text on my MacBook Air, but there is no similar microphone button. Do you have a suggestion for my laptop that gives as good results in understanding me as my iPhone does?

A: Voice-to-text, called "Dictation" on a Mac computer, is supported by the operating system, and you may even be able to use it without an internet connection.

First, the feature must be enabled in System Preferences under Dictation and Speech. If you select Enhanced Dictation, the computer will download a dictionary. Once the dictionary is downloaded, you will not need an internet connection to use Dictation.

After everything is set up, push the Fn key twice to use Dictation, just like using your microphone button. You will now see text appear as you speak.

Some versions of macOS can enable Dictation simply by telling Siri, "Turn on Dictation." If you have a Mac, research your OS version and you will find the best way to enable it on your computer.

Rest easy

The LectroFan micro Wireless Bluetooth speaker can also serve as a sleep sound machine. The $35 device with hands-free call capability comes from industry leader Adaptive Sound Technologies.

It's about the size and shape of a small jar of cold cream, has a rechargeable battery and can play ocean soundscapes, fans and other sounds optimized for sleep support. No phone is necessary to use the sleep sound function, and the speaker head rotates and tilts to make it travel-friendly and to allow optimum sound distribution.

Sleep sound machines are used by many people to help them sleep better. Sometimes it is hard for me to fall asleep, or I wake up in the middle of the night and struggle to get back to sleep, so I was interested to see if this machine made a difference.

I selected the ocean soundscape (my favorite, along with the fan sounds), put the LectroFan speaker (soundofsleep.com) a few feet away and adjusted the speaker angle and volume until it seemed correct for me and my room. I turned off the light, put down my head and concentrated on the soothing sounds as they lulled me to sleep.

Five hours later I awoke, but I found myself craving the ocean sounds and the peace they brought, and I fell back asleep easily. At times I felt like I was back in Cancun, reliving a vacation when I slept peacefully at a seaside resort as waves lapped on the shore. I am sure it is different for everyone, but in my case it was definitely effective.

One caveat: The speaker's claims of "ultra high-fidelity audio" for music playback seem to be a bit of a stretch. Given that it has only one speaker, the sound is not stereo and maximum volume is limited.

My appraisal is that it sounds much better and gets much louder than a phone's built-in speaker, and to me, that is enough given the product's intended purpose, small size and low price. Think of it as a tiny, travel-friendly and extremely affordable sleep sound machine that also can play music and make phone calls, and you will understand the essence of this product and its very high value equation.

Send questions to Don Lindich at donlindich@gmail.com. Get recommendations and read past columns at soundadvicenews.com.