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Olympus has just released a major update v2.0.0 for the Olympus Dictation App available for iOS iPhone and Android.
What has changed?
The update will be a major disruptor for users who have been using the app to simply record and then email dictations, i.e. without an ODDS subscription licence. The audio recorded was in .m4a format and was designed for evaluation purposes only. The open audio format .m4a should not be used for confidential client or patient audio recordings. From v2.0.0 all users of the app will be required to send their audio through ODDSÂ and .m4a will no longer be an option for the audio format.
If you have been using the Olympus Dictation App to simply record and email your audio you will now see these:
Note: “Please register for an ODDS trial. During the trial period, you will be able to test the full functionality of the service. After your 60-day trial, you will be required to purchase an annual licence in order to continue using the ODDS“.
This means you will need to register for an Olympus Dictation Portal (dictation-portal.com) account from which you can configure and manage your trial licences. We recommend that either:
a) You get us to set up your account and configure your trial licences for you. This is free and we will help anyone in any country – sales@dictate.com.au
or
b) You do this via the Olympus Dictation Portal website rather than in the Olympus Dictation App, it’s easier. See further below, How do I get trial ODDS licences to see if this is for me or my business?
What is Olympus ODDS?
ODDS, short for Olympus Dictation Delivery Service, is essentially a cloud platform which facilitates the delivery of recorded audio from your smartphone using the Olympus Dictation App. There are essentially two parts to this:
- Conversion of the recorded audio to a user-specified audio format, options being .dss or .ds2 (DSS Pro), no more .m4a
- Delivery of the audio file to a user-specified destination, either via email to email address(es) or via secure FTP to a company server
Why is audio now only delivered in .dss or .ds2 format?
Primarily the Olympus Dictation App is used by professionals often recording confidential client or patient information. Although all audio is transferred over the internet via HTTPS, a protocol which encrypts data from end to end, the .ds2 format adds an additional layer of security by encrypting individual files. Should a file be maliciously sent to an unauthorised user, with .ds2 files they will not be able to listen to the audio without a decryption password. This security is also built into the Olympus software for Windows and macOS ie. transcription and dictation software.
How do I get trial ODDS licences to see if this is for me or my business?
At Dictate Australia we have been offering the setup and configuration of trial ODDS licences since the Olympus Dictation App was first released back in 2013. We continue to do this so if you prefer us to setup your licences for you just contact us ( sales@dictate.com.au ). This is a free service.
Or you can take the plunge and set up and Olympus Dictation Portal account yourself and Olympus will automatically issue you with 100 trial licences lasting for 60 days. This can be done by clicking the New User Registration link on the Olympus Dictation Portal webpage:
