Not long ago, a person contacted me so that advise you on readers with TTS (Text To Speech) functionBecause you have a vision problem, you find this feature extremely useful, allowing you to strain your eyes as little as possible while still enjoying the pleasure of reading. Logically, he affirms that it is not the same, but that way he does not have to give up one of his great hobbies or, of course, continue to strain his eyes. As I promised, I have started to research on the subject.
Until then I have used the TTS function which includes one of my electronic readers for reading books in English, as it is very useful for me to check the correct pronunciation of a word or phrase. Apart from that, I have to confess that on occasion I have used it with books in Spanish to laugh for a while (one of those moments of return to childhood that we all have from time to time) since the default reader reads in English the result is more or less funny (depending on how silly the day is).
But since it is not exactly a configurable function, I it is of little use except for reading in English. I have tried to fiddle with the gadget to see what changes could be made (include voices in Spanish, choose languages based on the language the book is in, etc.) but, although I think I already know where the voices are, I don't know I dare to fiddle a lot lest the invention explode and I am left without a voice in English and without a voice in Spanish and without a reader.
It depends on the license that each brand has acquired, we can find the voices of Ivona (which are the ones they like the most), Lingo, SVox ... In most cases, the voice is usually quite "robotic" but here is an example of a Kindle 3, to give you an idea.
If any of you are looking for readers with TTS function, I leave you one little list so you can start choosing. I include the discontinued ones in case you have the opportunity to acquire them second-hand at a good price. They are not the only readers with TTS, but it is a starting point:
- Amazon Kindle 2 launched in 2009 and discontinued in 2010 with a 6 ”e-ink screen and 16 gray levels.
- Amazon Kindle 3 (also known as Kindle Keyboard, released in 2010 and discontinued in 2011, with 6 ”e-ink screen (both 3G and non-3G models).
- Amazon Kindle DX launched in 2009 and discontinued in 2011 with a 9,7 ”e-ink screen and 16 gray levels.
- Amazon Kindle DX Graphite, released in 2010 and discontinued in 2012, with a 9,7 ”e-ink display and 16 gray levels.
- Amazon Kindle Touch, launched in 2011 and discontinued in 2012, with a 6 ”electronic ink screen and 16 gray levels (both the model without 3G and the one that had it).
- Asus EEE Reader DR-900, released and discontinued in 2010, with SiPix screen and 16 gray levels.
- Ectaco JetBook Color launched in 2012, featuring a 9,7 ”Triton color e-ink display.
- Icarus Reader Excel, launched in 2012, with a 9,7 ”e-ink Pearl display and 16 gray levels.
- JinKe Hanlin V5, launched in 2009, with 5 ”electronic ink screen and 8 gray levels.
- Kyobo Inc. Kyobo Mirasol E-reader, launched in 2011, with 5,7 ”Mirasol display (a small fiasco).
- EnTourage eDGe, launched in 2010 and discontinued in 2011 (although still available in Russia), with a 9,7 ”e-ink screen with 8 gray levels (along with an LCD screen).
- EnTourage Pocket eDGe launched in 2010 and discontinued in 2011 (although still distributed in Russia), with 6 ”e-ink screen with 16 gray levels (along with an LCD screen).
- FnacBook, launched in 2010 and discontinued in 2011, with a 6 ″ electronic ink display and 16 gray levels.
- Onyx Boox M92, launched in 2011, with a 9,7 ″ e-ink Pearl display and 16 gray levels.
- Onyx Boox X61S, launched in 2011, with a 6 ″ e-ink Pearl display and 16 gray levels.
- Onyx Boox i62, released in 2011, with a 6 ″ e-ink Pearl display and 16 gray levels.
- Onyx Boox X60, launched in 2010, with 6 ″ electronic ink display and 8 gray levels.
- PocketBook 360 Plus, launched in 2011, with a 5 ″ electronic ink display and 16 gray levels.
- PocketBook Pro 903, released in 2010, with a 9,7 ″ e-ink display and 16 gray levels.
- PocketBook Pro 902, released in 2010, with a 9,7 ″ e-ink display and 16 gray levels.
- PocketBook Pro 603, released in 2010, with a 6 ″ e-ink display and 16 gray levels.
- PocketBook Pro 602, released in 2010, with a 6 ″ e-ink display and 16 gray levels.
- Samsung E6, launched in 2010, with 6 ″ electronic ink screen and 8 gray levels.
- Samsung Papyrus, launched in 2009, with 5 ″ electronic ink screen and 8 levels of gray.
The truth is that, although it is a useful function, most readers do not include it or, if they do, do not allow many configuration options. However, it seems to me a tool, I will not say fundamental, but almost, in language teaching. Being able to have a reinforcement for pronunciation at all times, which is so difficult for many Spanish speakers, would be an important contribution in the teaching of a foreign language in schools and institutes.
More information - Onyx Boox M92 review
Source - Wikipedia
Possibly for TTS an androiod tablet is more interesting, since additional software can be easily installed, including TTS
Man, for people who have vision problems and that is why they are interested in complementing reading with this function, a tablet does not seem the most appropriate to me. And, personally, I would never read on a tablet (of the current ones at least) being able to do it on a reader.
The pity is that electronic readers no longer take care of these aspects and do not allow them to be easily configured.
I explainned wrong. I am referring to the case of someone with so many vision problems that he is barely able to read. In that case, he would exclusively use the TTS and the reader's screen will only interest him to locate the book and press play.
In that case without a doubt a tablet, if total it will not read. Maybe i misunderstood
Of course, in that case a tablet would be useful and much more configurable. Obviously a person who is barely able to read would do much better with audiobooks than with TTS, although this feature allows you to "read" any book and not just those that have been published as audiobooks.
That is what I meant. And the TTS that I have on my Samsung Android phone is much better than the one that comes in my Onyx Boox ereader. Although the TTS is not the panacea.
The advantage is that as you say, any book you can put TTS, from for example the Coolreader or FBreader you call the TTS and that's it, it gives you igaul is in EPUB, MOBI, FB2, TXT ...