Comments on: Kindle a godsend for cancer patient: Wants text-to-speech for those too weak to hold e-readers http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/kindle-a-godsend-for-cancer-patient-wants-text-to-speech-for-those-too-weak-to-hold-e-readers/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:28:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Raymond http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/kindle-a-godsend-for-cancer-patient-wants-text-to-speech-for-those-too-weak-to-hold-e-readers/comment-page-1/#comment-1150358 Raymond Sat, 05 Dec 2009 14:31:49 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/10/28/kindle-a-godsend-for-cancer-patient-wants-text-to-speech-for-those-too-weak-to-hold-e-readers/#comment-1150358 I use TextAloud, a fantastic program that lets you convert any text on your computer into speech. Now my computer can READ ALOUD all my ebooks, websites, and documents (like Word and PDF) to me! I can turn any of my ebooks into MP3 audiobooks. The exception to this is DRM-protected ebooks, but I have figured out a way around that. You need to strip their DRM protection first. Get TextAloud here: http://www.nextup.com/ TextAloud also can convert text into MP3 files that you can put onto an iPod or MP3 player, so you can listen to books/documents in your bed/car/gym/train! I use TextAloud, a fantastic program that lets you convert any text on your computer into speech. Now my computer can READ ALOUD all my ebooks, websites, and documents (like Word and PDF) to me! I can turn any of my ebooks into MP3 audiobooks. The exception to this is DRM-protected ebooks, but I have figured out a way around that. You need to strip their DRM protection first.

Get TextAloud here:
http://www.nextup.com/

TextAloud also can convert text into MP3 files that you can put onto an iPod or MP3 player, so you can listen to books/documents in your bed/car/gym/train!

]]> By: Raymond http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/kindle-a-godsend-for-cancer-patient-wants-text-to-speech-for-those-too-weak-to-hold-e-readers/comment-page-1/#comment-1150347 Raymond Sat, 05 Dec 2009 13:04:22 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/10/28/kindle-a-godsend-for-cancer-patient-wants-text-to-speech-for-those-too-weak-to-hold-e-readers/#comment-1150347 Instead of waiting for Amazon to implement Text-to-Speech, do it yourself! I use TextAloud, a fantastic program that lets you convert any text on your computer into speech. Now my computer can READ ALOUD all my ebooks, websites, and documents (like Word and PDF) to me! I can turn any of my ebooks into MP3 audiobooks. The exception to this is DRM-protected ebooks, but I have figured out a way around that. You need to strip their DRM protection first. http://www.nextup.com/ TextAloud also can convert text into MP3 files that you can put onto an iPod or MP3 player, so you can listen to books/documents in your bed/car/gym/train! Since basic computer voices are horribly robotic, I installed 3 AT&T Natural Voices, which take up about 500 MB each, but give you more naturally sounding voices. The best AT&T voices are Mike, Crystal, and Audrey (all 16 kHz). The best basic voice is Anna. Another good voice is Emily (by ScanSoft). Different companies sell voices that read aloud in up to 21 languages (Chinese, French, Spanish, German, etc)! Test the AT&T voices yourself on this "text-to-speech" demo site: http://www2.research.att.com/~ttsweb/tts/demo.php Please tell your ebook friends about TextAloud! No need to wait for the Text-to-Speech feature on the Kindle. Convert your ebooks on your PC and put them on an MP3 player. Instead of waiting for Amazon to implement Text-to-Speech, do it yourself!

I use TextAloud, a fantastic program that lets you convert any text on your computer into speech. Now my computer can READ ALOUD all my ebooks, websites, and documents (like Word and PDF) to me! I can turn any of my ebooks into MP3 audiobooks. The exception to this is DRM-protected ebooks, but I have figured out a way around that. You need to strip their DRM protection first.

http://www.nextup.com/

TextAloud also can convert text into MP3 files that you can put onto an iPod or MP3 player, so you can listen to books/documents in your bed/car/gym/train!

Since basic computer voices are horribly robotic, I installed 3 AT&T Natural Voices, which take up about 500 MB each, but give you more naturally sounding voices.

The best AT&T voices are Mike, Crystal, and Audrey (all 16 kHz). The best basic voice is Anna. Another good voice is Emily (by ScanSoft). Different companies sell voices that read aloud in up to 21 languages (Chinese, French, Spanish, German, etc)! Test the AT&T voices yourself on this “text-to-speech” demo site:
http://www2.research.att.com/~ttsweb/tts/demo.php

Please tell your ebook friends about TextAloud! No need to wait for the Text-to-Speech feature on the Kindle. Convert your ebooks on your PC and put them on an MP3 player.

]]> By: Brad Vertrees http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/kindle-a-godsend-for-cancer-patient-wants-text-to-speech-for-those-too-weak-to-hold-e-readers/comment-page-1/#comment-1148036 Brad Vertrees Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:47:37 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/10/28/kindle-a-godsend-for-cancer-patient-wants-text-to-speech-for-those-too-weak-to-hold-e-readers/#comment-1148036 Thank you Jim for your guest post. It is very moving, and at the same time, you make an excellent case for Text-to-Speech technology. I use the Sony Reader Pocket Edition myself, so I can understand how the Kindle can give you a lot of joy, entertainment and intellectual stimulation as you fight your disease. I hope those publishers who are against TTS functionality on the Kindle read this post. Thank you Jim for your guest post. It is very moving, and at the same time, you make an excellent case for Text-to-Speech technology. I use the Sony Reader Pocket Edition myself, so I can understand how the Kindle can give you a lot of joy, entertainment and intellectual stimulation as you fight your disease.

I hope those publishers who are against TTS functionality on the Kindle read this post.

]]> By: Jim http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/kindle-a-godsend-for-cancer-patient-wants-text-to-speech-for-those-too-weak-to-hold-e-readers/comment-page-1/#comment-1148033 Jim Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:06:32 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/10/28/kindle-a-godsend-for-cancer-patient-wants-text-to-speech-for-those-too-weak-to-hold-e-readers/#comment-1148033 That Jim that commented on Alex Sanchez's essay was me. I did not include my last name in my post as I prefer the anonymity that the Internet affords, especially as it relates to private health information. And I'm glad that Alex and Jim Mackrell agree with me. The Kindle has been the best $259 that I've spent in a long time. That Jim that commented on Alex Sanchez’s essay was me. I did not include my last name in my post as I prefer the anonymity that the Internet affords, especially as it relates to private health information. And I’m glad that Alex and Jim Mackrell agree with me. The Kindle has been the best $259 that I’ve spent in a long time.

]]> By: Jim Mackrell http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/kindle-a-godsend-for-cancer-patient-wants-text-to-speech-for-those-too-weak-to-hold-e-readers/comment-page-1/#comment-1148026 Jim Mackrell Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:18:50 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/10/28/kindle-a-godsend-for-cancer-patient-wants-text-to-speech-for-those-too-weak-to-hold-e-readers/#comment-1148026 Speaking as a patient of MD Anderson Cancer Ctr in Houston I totally agree with the text to speech option for kindle. For my wife, a Breast Cancer Patient, the ability to listen to a favorite book while hooked up to the chemo tree would be outstanding... Speaking as a patient of MD Anderson Cancer Ctr in Houston I totally agree with the text to speech option for kindle. For my wife, a Breast Cancer Patient, the ability to listen to a favorite book while hooked up to the chemo tree would be outstanding…

]]> By: Alex S. http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/kindle-a-godsend-for-cancer-patient-wants-text-to-speech-for-those-too-weak-to-hold-e-readers/comment-page-1/#comment-1148021 Alex S. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:01:25 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/10/28/kindle-a-godsend-for-cancer-patient-wants-text-to-speech-for-those-too-weak-to-hold-e-readers/#comment-1148021 I am honored to hear from someone as brave as Jim. Our society should do more to help those of us facing tough times. Over the years I have been easily angered by people who put their own objectives over the general well being of others. I am not climbing up on the proverbial soap box and calling for radical social changes but merely saying that there are things that we all can do. Often times simply bringing a issue to the forefront can spur action. Because today it may be the neighbor's house thats burning but tommorow it may be our very own. I am honored to hear from someone as brave as Jim. Our society should do more to help those of us facing tough times. Over the years I have been easily angered by people who put their own objectives over the general well being of others. I am not climbing up on the proverbial soap box and calling for radical social changes but merely saying that there are things that we all can do. Often times simply bringing a issue to the forefront can spur action. Because today it may be the neighbor’s house thats burning but tommorow it may be our very own.

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