However, if you stick to standard editing phrases while dictating, Windows Speech recognition does a good job. Speech recognition has come a long way since the 80s, but it still has some trouble with accents, and as Apple Siri's mistakes show, natural speech can sometimes be a problem. The factory owner says 'No, you have to use the mouse.' So Scottie picks up the mouse and says 'Computer' to it, and then finally gives up and uses the keyboard.

When directed to a computer, he addresses it as 'Computer' and when it fails to respond, he looks confused. Scottie offers a formula for transparent aluminium in exchange for some plexiglass to create a whale cage.

There's a short scene in Star Trek IV when the original crew are sent back to San Francisco in the 1980s. (Credit: Tony McSherry/TechRepublic) Speech recognition Like the Maths Input Panel in the Windows accessories, it works with my finger, but it can be awkward writing that way. Windows RT also provides a standard tablet-style keyboard, a thumb keyboard, and handwriting recognition, which I'm looking forward to trying out with a capacitive pen. Given that the Surface has a keyboard cover as well, it's almost redundant, unless you're familiar with the Windows 7 keyboard and want to use it when in touch mode. However, the keys are closer together, although the width and height can be altered. The Ease of Use keyboard is like the standard Windows 7 on-screen keyboard and provides full access to numbers and characters, unlike the normal Windows RT keyboards, which require you to switch. Another very useful app for those with vision disabilities. It might also be useful for people who have a better understanding of spoken English rather than written text to improve their reading. It will also narrate your actions - either gestures or keyboard keys, and tell you how to activate an item with either double or triple taps. It will describe UI elements, what you have selected, touched, or moused over, and does a reasonable job of translating text to speech in a pleasant female voice. It's also helpful for some of the apps that don't have the normal pinch-to-zoom available on parts of their UI. Those of us with ageing eyes who often lose their cheap magnifying spectacles will appreciate the Magnifier for those occasions, but for those with other visual disabilities, it's a necessary component of the UI.

Windows 7 ease of access