WhiteSmoke Grammar Checker Software Review

Grammar Check Helps You See Through the Smoke

WhiteSmoke, Incorporated is a publicly-traded company (TASE: WMSK), which was founded in 2002 by Hilla and Liran Brenner. The couple established WhiteSmoke in hopes of improving communication skills among native and non-native English speakers alike.

The couple saw the immense value in creating a new kind of software, to facilitate the growing need for professional and high quality English writing. This need stemmed from the fact that in all walks of life, and certainly in many industries, it has become vital and imperative to communicate through a common language. That language is English – an international language which is valued by private individuals, companies, employers, and institutions worldwide. This is true in the world of business, education, entertainment, social media, and in many others.

The couple had plans for the company to go public in 2011, but due to financial issues was forced to put those plans on hold. The couple resigned their positions in 2011, and the role of CEO was taken over by Itay Meroz in January 2012. Meroz was formerly WhiteSmoke’s CFO.

These days, the company’s management team is headed by:

Itay Meroz, CEO – along with his duties as CEO, Meroz also acts as board member for Kibo Mobile Tech Ltd., WhiteSmoke’s affiliate company. He has served as a financial consultant and controller on several boards, and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Guy Harel, CFO – Harel took over Itay’s CFO duties in January 2013. Before that, he served as a controller for WhiteSmoke, as well as Microsoft Israel. He is a Certified Public Accountant and an Attorney at Law.

Amit Greener, COO – with over 13 years of experience in online marketing, sales, and business management, Mr. Greener is an expert in executing global marketing campaigns. He has been with WhiteSmoke since July 2013.

Today, WhiteSmoke continues to walk the path which was paved. The company’s management and workers alike seek to realize the vision of its founders. Even in a market that is teeming with fierce competition, WhiteSmoke proves that it can stay innovative and ahead of the game.

The management team at whitesmoke. From left to right, Itay Meroz CEO, Guy Harel CFO, and Amit Greener COO.

The management team at WhiteSmoke. From left to right, Itay Meroz CEO, Guy Harel CFO, and Amit Greener COO.

WhiteSmoke, Inc.’s offices are located in Wilmington, DE, as well as in Tel Aviv, Israel.

WhiteSmoke Writer

The Writer is WhiteSmoke’s most popular product. Its goal is to improve writing through detection of errors in spelling, grammar, and style. Essentially, it does the most thorough grammar check possible.

What your WhiteSmoke Writer experience may look like.

What your WhiteSmoke Writer experience may look like.

Even against other popular spelling and grammar checking software, WhiteSmoke stands out as a very professional and easy tool to work with. Unlike Microsoft Word, which checks spelling on a word-by-word basis and does not provide any further insight into the process, WhiteSmoke is able to take a contextual overview of the piece in question, and suggest relevant spelling and style suggestions.

WhiteSmoke offers two different versions of its software. The first is the standard WhiteSmoke Writer, which is installed on your computer and is integrated into your system. It includes grammar, spelling, punctuation, and writing style checking. The algorithms which the writer uses are extremely advanced, and are based on grammatical rules and statistics. It is literally a kind of artificial intelligence, which makes WhiteSmoke online checker one of the most advanced writing-enhancement programs to ever be created. The Writer is compatible with Microsoft Word and Outlook, as well as Notepad.

WhiteSmoke is an all-encompassing correction software, but it doesn’t stop there. It also includes a plagiarism checker and a translator, which gives the option of changing any text into one of over forty-five languages. The dictionary does have its limitations, but it is great tool for those who need a quick and easy translation of their words.

WhiteSmoke Anywhere

The second version of the writer is WhiteSmoke Anywhere, which allows the user access to WhiteSmoke’s features via the web. Regardless of the user’s location, he or she can utilize WhiteSmoke’s power to their advantage, and get the job done. No installation is required, and no valuable drive space is taken. It lacks the dictionary, and is only available online, which is why it is somewhat inferior to the standard Writer.

KIBO

More and more people are using smartphones for business and academia. Many of them seem to think of the smartphone as an excuse for embarrassing grammatical errors and glaring typos. Now, this may hold up when you are texting your parents or friends, but it may not come across too well when responding to a business email, for instance.

KIBO is a grammar-checking keyboard designed for the Android operating systems. Autocorrect has made life either very easy or very difficult, depends on who you ask. The fact is that in this day and age, no one can afford mistakes, and it is time to stop making mistakes.

Payment Plans for WhiteSmoke Writer

WhiteSmoke offers a 3-day free trial of its WhiteSmoke Writer software, after which it requests that you sign up for the full version.

When it comes to purchasing the software, there are several different plans to choose from. The web-based WhiteSmoke Anywhere is available in the following packages:

  • Monthly –    $9.95
  • Quarterly – $24.95
  • Yearly –      $99.95
    $79.95
  • Lifetime –   $199.95
    $159.95

The yearly and lifetime subscriptions of WhiteSmoke Anywhere are currently marked down, at 20% off.

The premium plan includes the web-based WhiteSmoke Anywhere, as well as the integrated WhiteSmoke Writer. It is offered in the following packages:

  • Monthly –   $14.95
  • Quarterly – $39.95
  • Yearly –     $159.95
    $119.95
  • Lifetime – $399.95
    $299.95

The yearly and lifetime subscriptions of WhiteSmoke Writer are currently marked down, at 25% off.

Android and iOS subscriptions are also available, at $10 for a yearly subscription and $30 for a lifetime subscription. These versions are compatible with smartphones and tablets alike.

WhiteSmoke also offers special multiple-subscription solutions, aimed at educational institutions and/or businesses. Details and pricing plans vary, and are available by request through the website.

Review

This review pertains to the standard WhiteSmoke Writer.

Using Another Word Processor With WhiteSmoke

When typing in Microsoft Word, or any other word processor / text box, a small blue icon will appear. Clicking on it – or, alternatively, pressing F2 – will whisk you away to the WhiteSmoke interface, where you will be able to review your text, make the necessary changes, and (if you are so inclined) take WhiteSmoke’s style advice into account. Then it is just another click to apply the changes to the text and return to the program in which you were writing.

Ease of Use

The main WhiteSmoke screen houses the text which is being evaluated. Grammar errors are underlined in blue, spelling mistakes are underlined in red, and words which pose a problematic style are underlined in gray. Above any underlined words, there are suggestions for remedying the text. Above any gray-underlined words, the style matter is presented. It could be a redundancy, or any other kind of styling error.

Right clicking any word – whether underlined or not – will bring about a menu which allows the user to view examples of usage for the word, its synonyms, its definition, and a thesaurus, plus it brings up the option of opening up a browser and performing an internet search on the selected word.

WhiteSmokes Writing Review

The right pane of the interface includes a collapsible writing review. This review shows the amount of spelling, grammar, and styling errors. The review also gives the text an overall score, on a scale of 1 to 10, based on the aforementioned errors, as well as sentence length, sentence structure, redundancies, use of active or passive voice, informal expressions, and choice of words. Under the score appears the phrase “how to improve?”. Moving the mouse cursor over the phrase will bring about a small text window. Based on your various errors and overall score, WhiteSmoke will advise you on the correct way to go about revising your text in that small window.

Below that are the word counter, sentence counter, and character counter. Under the counters there is a link, which displays a WhiteSmoke activity report in an external browser. This report will show the overall use of WhiteSmoke, as well as a summary of errors that were made since the recent activity report.

Plenty of Templates to Choose From

WhiteSmoke’s graphic user interface is friendly and inviting. The main text window has 4 tabs. The first one is the Writer itself, and next to it are the translator, the dictionary, and WhiteSmoke’s vast collection of built-in templates.

These templates are one feature which certainly helps WhiteSmoke shine. It sets it apart from other writing-enhancement software, and puts it ahead of the pack. This unique feature holds dozens and dozens of documents, designed to guide the user in the right direction when approaching the task of writing something of a more official nature. WhiteSmoke’s templates are elaborate and sophisticated, catering to many different literary needs, and pertaining to a wide selection of common texts – from legal and medical letters, through personal greetings and occasions, to business and administrative documents.

See through the smoke with WhiteSmoke's grammar check.

See through the smoke with WhiteSmoke’s grammar check.

Fast Integration Makes for Fast Editing

Since it is integrated in your system, there is no lag or fail whatsoever in this program. It is ever-present and always responsive. The settings allow you to customize a one-touch option for reaching the interface, and another one-touch option for arriving at the dictionary. Clicking the “help” button, located on the upper right corner of the interface, will allow you to get help online via WhiteSmoke’s Frequently Asked Questions. Alternatively, you may want to consult with the integrated user guide, which is also available through use of the “help” button. This extensive guide gives an overview of WhiteSmoke’s different features, and allows the user to view an online demonstration video. It is also possible to report an error or make a suggestion to the WhiteSmoke team, using the “send us feedback” button. This valuable user feedback is part of what continues to keep WhiteSmoke at the forefront of the writing-enhancement market, and makes it a product which is able to provide excellent results, every time.

Practice is The Only Way to Make Perfect

This last part is true to any grammar- or spell-checking software: it isn’t perfect. WhiteSmoke may not catch 100% of the errors with which it is confronted. It is not possible for a computer-generated program to replace the human eye. WhiteSmoke is a great way to double-check your work, no matter what field you are in. Furthermore, it is clear from its interface that even though it could be used by native speakers and non-native speakers alike, it is geared more towards those who already write English, more than those who are new to the language. Though there can always be room for improvement (remember the “feedback” button?), WhiteSmoke is a grade A product.

Bottom line: WhiteSmoke is a great way to ensure your work is not sent out into the world unchecked. There are many other pieces of writing-enhancement software out there, but only a handful of them are worth mentioning. Like I said, WhiteSmoke sets itself apart by providing the user with everything he or she needs. It is the most comprehensive software out there, which could help you not only communicate properly and confidently, but also actively learn from your mistakes and improve your skills.

Writing is an extension of self-expression. It is, and always has been, a skill worth having. Being able to convey a refined message with finesse is something anyone can appreciate. WhiteSmoke can help get you there, and help make you into a better, more seasoned writer from the get go.

WhiteSmoke is simple, and this is one of its greatest advantages. It certainly lived up to my expectations and justified its slogan: just write.

My Score: 9/10

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