Time to look for a macOS 15.2 Sequoia Mail.app email client replacement application

[MacInWin]

@pm-r Patrick, are you by chance not logged into an Admin account when you make the voice changes? I just did some experimentation and the voice stays at what I set and does not seem to be tied to any given message. So, if I select a male voice, then have it read an email to me, it does so. If I then change the voice to female and have it read the same email, it reads it in female. I even closed and restarted Mail and the voice stayed with whatever the settings had been. What i don't know is if being an admin account somehow has any impact. Maybe if you are not in an admin account and make a voice change it's only changed until you log out and then reverts to the system settings when you log back in? Clutching at straws...

 

[pm-r]

@pm-r Patrick, are you by chance not logged into an Admin account when you make the voice changes?

Yes, thanks, Jake.

I am always logged in as an admin user when using my Mac/




- Patrick
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[pm-r]

Well, here's the problem I can't find the solution to fix it.

When the problem first arose, pretty well from the beginning when I started using dictation in macOS 15.2 I thought it was just me and my most problem, but it seems that is not the case.

Here's the problem:
When dictating using Apple's Dictation in the window such as this one, I am writing in at this time, if I make a mistake and want to make a correction as soon as I mouse click to get the insertion point where I want to make the correction, as soon as I click, the dictation adds the last spoken phrase to the end of the phrase I just typed. Also, when using the command + Z to undo the text it was just last entered. That's not remove it..

I'll see if I can demonstrate a sample:

So I will make a test here and see if this works works works by adding works works works three times and then go back to make any corrections, this is typically the result I would end up with below, using this sentence as an example, but just using the first part of the sentence that ends with the works three times.

So I will make a test here and see if this worksSo I will make a test here and see if this works works works works works

This is what I end up with, with a single clerk, to get the insertion point at the end of the first works word.

I hope this isn't too confusing, but it's basically adding what I last spoke to the end when I try to insert or place the insertion mark to make a correction. I hope this isn't too confusing.

So far, I haven't been able to find where any preferences or settings are for Apple's dictation and maybe I triggered something somewhere somehow with my arthritic hands, and hitting a mouse button in the wrong place.


- Patrick
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[MacInWin]

Well, here's the problem I can't find the solution to fix it.

When the problem first arose, pretty well from the beginning when I started using dictation in macOS 15.2 I thought it was just me and my most problem, but it seems that is not the case.

Here's the problem:
When dictating using Apple's Dictation in the window such as this one, I am writing in at this time, if I make a mistake and want to make a correction as soon as I mouse click to get the insertion point where I want to make the correction, as soon as I click, the dictation adds the last spoken phrase to the end of the phrase I just typed. Also, when using the command + Z to undo the text it was just last entered. That's not remove it..

I'll see if I can demonstrate a sample:

So I will make a test here and see if this works works works by adding works works works three times and then go back to make any corrections, this is typically the result I would end up with below, using this sentence as an example, but just using the first part of the sentence that ends with the works three times.

So I will make a test here and see if this worksSo I will make a test here and see if this works works works works works

This is what I end up with, with a single clerk, to get the insertion point at the end of the first works word.

I hope this isn't too confusing, but it's basically adding what I last spoke to the end when I try to insert or place the insertion mark to make a correction. I hope this isn't too confusing.

So far, I haven't been able to find where any preferences or settings are for Apple's dictation and maybe I triggered something somewhere somehow with my arthritic hands, and hitting a mouse button in the wrong place.


- Patrick
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OK,sorry, I got it backwards. It's not text-to-speech, but dictation that seems to be the issue.

As far as I can tell from looking at Settings>Accessibility>Keyboard, there aren't many settings for Dictation.

Again, sorry, but I couldn't follow what you had done to get the stranger sentences in that post with the work works showing up three times. About all I can think of is that there is some interplay between Dictation and other keyboard or Accessibility settings to do with voice. You might also look at the settings in the Keyboard section that is labelled "Keyboard Shortcuts." Clicking there opens a whole new window with dozens of options for all sorts of things.

 

[pm-r]

might also look at the settings in the Keyboard section

Thanks for your feedback, Drake, and I am going to take a look at keyboard shortcuts and any plug-in extensions. I might have missed checking out that might be causing the problem..

Basically, the problem is with Apple Dictation whenever I have dictated a length of dictation, and want to make a change or correction to any of the text that is appearing on my display, whenever I click my mouse to set the insertion point where I want to make the changes it instantly adds the last spoken words to the end of one has already been shown end. It only will do. It once happens once when one clicks with the mouse and ads the insertion indicator as one would expect if that makes it clearer as to what is actually happening when I dictate and make a correction into the dictated text.

Sure is a strange one and very frustrating and I have very few if any extensions are plug-ins associated with text or a dictation that may be causing the problem.

I have no problem if I use Google Chrome Voice In dictating voice-to-text extension. It also works 100 times better and faster than Apple's latest dictation software but unfortunately only works with Google browser or other Google software.



- Patrick
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[pm-r]

This is a

Sure is a strange one and very frustrating and I have very few if any extensions are plug-ins associated with text or a dictation that may be causing the problem.

Well, a bit more sleuthing and problem-solving and I have discovered the snows click additional text insertion problem only occurs in Google chrome, and even with the three extensions I had installed disabled and restarting Google Chrome on my iMac, and the problem persists.

Everything works normally when using TextEdit, it seems somethings goofed up in Google Chrome when using apples Dictation nothing I can find in keyboard shortcuts that could produce spoken dictation words into a text area with a single clerk, and only one quick. It will not repeat.

So far, I am stynied in finding a solution, so I will just not use apples dictation when using Google Chrome and continue using Google Chrome voice in extension that works just fine.

But I would be curious to know why Apple's dictation is working this way when using Google Chrome.




- Patrick
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[MacInWin]

So far, I am stynied in finding a solution, so I will just not use apples dictation when using Google Chrome and continue using Google Chrome voice in extension that works just fine.

But I would be curious to know why Apple's dictation is working this way when using Google Chrome.

Sounds like an issue with the interaction of Google Chrome and Dictation. I suspect Google Chrome is keeping the text after the insertion point, then adding it back when you stop dictating, creating duplicates. Dictation may be considering the "insert point" differently, leading to the issue.

But it's good you found it and have a work around, well done!

 

[pm-r]

But it's good you found it and have a work around, well done!

Thanks for your positive comments Jake but here's some more details on the problem and I'll call this case closed for now.

In order to do a double check of the problem I logged in as a virgin admin user an exactly the same problem when using Apple's dictation in Google Chrome.

At least I have the work around using the Google Chrome voice and extension for dictation use with any Google application but I wish it worked globally with apple applications as well as it works very well and very fast and much more reliable than Apple's Dictation. Actually I'm a bit disappointed with Apple's versio.




- Patrick
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[Jji]

I understand, Patrick. The grey on grey is not a favorite of mine, either, but I've learned to live with it. Fiddling with brightness helps a bit. One other thing you might look at is screen resolution. It's in Settings>Displays, and there are even settings for the internal screen. You might be able to find a display resolution that makes the menu items large enough without overwhelming you everywhere else or being fuzzy. Also, under Settings>Accessibility>Display is an option to Increase Contrast, which makes the font darker on my MBP. There is also a slider bar labelled "Display contrast" which, strangely, seems to actually decrease contrast from normal to totally washed out, at least on my system. And the Menu bar has a toggle for "default" or "large," which I presume you have found and tried already.

I think Apple needs an "elder advisory" group to test what the young'uns in design come up with. But then again, Apple doesn't consider us as the target audience, along with just about every other company in the Universe.

"elder advisory group" 100%. I'm freaking out because my new computer is running sequoia and my mail app is pretty much 90% of my workflow. So I'm effectively crippled. Gmail is no alternative when you have three accounts running simultaneously. I'm going to try the risky business of downgrading to Sonoma.

 

[pm-r]

I'm going to try the risky business of downgrading to Sonoma.

I'm still tempted to do something similar but don't forget to have several different backups before attempting the task and maybe use Carbon Copy Cloner and/or SuperDuper! in case some things go backwards or sideways that you don't want to lose.

Good luck and let us know how you made out and what method and process you used.


- Patrick
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[MacInWin]

I'm not sure going back will change anything. Mail's presentation didn't change much from Sonoma to Sequoia. Apple did add functions, but the GUI is pretty much the same. Frankly, when I upgraded to Sequoia, there was little change and what there was (Categories, for example) could be turned off.

 

[Jji]

Patrick, you may already know that I use Spark (not a fan of Apple Mail UI) but I don't think that accommodates POP3, I suggest you have a look at some of the others I have tried that do eg. AirMail, BlueMail, Canary Mail, Thunderbird and although I hate to say it worth checking MS Outlook.
Randy's suggestion, GyazMail may well be a good option, I haven't tried it personally.

understand, Patrick. The grey on grey is not a favorite of mine, either, but I've learned to live with it. Fiddling with brightness helps a bit. One other thing you might look at is screen resolution. It's in Settings>Displays, and there are even settings for the internal screen. You might be able to find a display resolution that makes the menu items large enough without overwhelming you everywhere else or being fuzzy. Also, under Settings>Accessibility>Display is an option to Increase Contrast, which makes the font darker on my MBP. There is also a slider bar labelled "Display contrast" which, strangely, seems to actually decrease contrast from normal to totally washed out, at least on my system. And the Menu bar has a toggle for "default" or "large," which I presume you have found and tried already.

I think Apple needs an "elder advisory" group to test what the young'uns in design come up with. But then again, Apple doesn't consider us as the target audience, along with just about every other company in the Universe.

"elder advisory group" 100%. I'm freaking out because my new computer is running sequoia and my mail app is pretty much 90% of my workflow. So I'm effectively crippled. Gmail is no alternative when you have three accounts running simultaneously. I'm going to try the risky business of downgrading to Sonoma.

 

[Jji]

Patrick, you may already know that I use Spark (not a fan of Apple Mail UI) but I don't think that accommodates POP3, I suggest you have a look at some of the others I have tried that do eg. AirMail, BlueMail, Canary Mail, Thunderbird and although I hate to say it worth checking MS Outlook.
Randy's suggestion, GyazMail may well be a good option, I haven't tried it personally.

OK today for work reasons I HAD to find a solution to the failure of Mail on my new laptop w sequoia. For those who just need to solve the problem, Mimestream is probably your best bet if you use GMail. It took me three minutes to install three email accounts and they all appear in the same screen. I don't love the layout but it is nearly identical to Mail so if you just absolutely have to be able to keep working in a familiar interface, this will work for you. Two weeks free, then $5 a month after that. Unless and until Mac solves this problem with Mail and Sequoia, this is probably the easiest solution for Gmail accounts, esp if you need to use multiple accounts simultaneously.

 

[Rod]

I understand, Patrick. The grey on grey is not a favorite of mine, either, but I've learned to live with it.

That really annoys me too on my wifes MBA but I've overcome the problem for myself on my MBP by using Dark Mode. I'm a recently returned user of Apple Mail and this is how it looks to me in Dark Mode;


As you can see, it's much more legible than in light mode which I no longer use at all.

 

[pm-r]

I'm a recently returned user of Apple Mail and this is how it looks to me in Dark Mode;

My eyes and I still prefer light mode or as close to black text as I can get on a contrasting colored light or off white background, not blazing White. It's too harsh.

Unfortunately, Apple doesn't provide an easy-to-set colour balance.

I've managed to get close to my ideal for viewing mail messages and many other application windows by keeping the display monitor brightness set towards the lower end of the brightness scale.



- Patrick
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[Rod]

Well, whatever works for you, I know Dark Mode was really designed for dark conditions with the Auto setting set to turn it on at night but before I had my catacts done I found the glare of the white screen way to difficult to stand. That was when I shifted to Dark mode full time and post cataract removal I stiil find it easier on the eyes with brightness at about 80% even in bright conditions, I have my iPhone set the same way. Either way it defineitely makes the Mail app much easier to see, white on dark grey is a lot clearer that grey on white.

 

[Rod]

I'm going to try the risky business of downgrading to Sonoma.

I think I would try anything as an alternative to downgrading first. The older versions ie. Sonoma were just as difficult to read on my wife's MacBook to me.
What about increasing the font size here



as I have and, at least try Dark mode before you dismiss it

It's here;



You can also for the loss of a little clarity increase the system resolution here;

 

[ferrarr]

I'm going to try the risky business of downgrading to Sonoma.

Are you sure your "new computer" will run Sonoma? It may not, depending on different things.

 

[pm-r]

Are you sure your "new computer" will run Sonoma? It may not, depending on different things.

I was just assuming, a bad thing to do, that they would have checked their Mac's compatibility and possibly installing an older macOS version.

They can always check here for possible bootable systems for their particular Mac model:

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- Patrick
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