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Dictation Machines
ETHW (IEEE History Center), 2019
Read the originalRead on October 16, 2026
- What it is
- An encyclopedia entry from the IEEE History Center on dictation machines. It covers Edison's expectations for the phonograph in business and the office workflow of voice letters typed by a secretary.
- How much weight it carries
- A reference encyclopedia compiled from historical sources, not a primary document. Good for the overall story and the office workflow; check specific dates against a primary archive before quoting them as exact.
Facts taken from this source
- Throughout most of the twentieth century, business people recorded voice letters, and a secretary typed them up from the recordings.
“The records were sent to a secretary, who transferred them to paper with a typewriter.”
- Thomas Edison believed the phonograph's primary use would be in business as a dictation machine, not entertainment.
“he believed its primary use would be in business as a dictation machine.”
Pages that rest on this source
- Dictation and Voice Typing: How to Talk Instead of TypeTopic
- Dictation Machines: What They Do and Who Still Uses ThemGuide
- Dictation for Journalists and Content CreatorsGuide
- History of Dictation: From Shorthand to Speech RecognitionGuide
- Can you use a voice recorder for dictation?Question
- How do you dictate a letter?Question
- What does it mean to take dictation?Question
- What is a Dictaphone?Question