According to a post on Ars Technica earlier today, Recite uses voice pattern matching, which is different from speech recognition because it doesn't convert spoken words to text; instead, it analyzes patterns in speech to find matches. Microsoft points out that the longer the search, the more accurate the result.

Microsoft has been working on voice technology for over a decade so you would expect the app to function reasonably well. While speech recognition was a feature of XP, Microsoft widened it for Vista, and but for a few hiccups at the beginning it has been receiving decent reviews. Having established its capabilities on the operating system, it will be interesting to watch whether Microsoft can successfully transfer its voice technology to mobile devices.

If you are using Windows Mobile 6 or higher, you can download the app here, or watch the video below for an overview.

On a similar note and if you're particularly keen, tune in to the live broadcast of Steve Ballmer's press conference, which is scheduled for Monday February 16 at 3 p.m. CET (GMT +1) on LiveSide.