Dear Listener, This is a recording of the Amazon Kindle's text to speech function. I am making Kindle read something that I wrote to be sure that no copyright infringement can be claimed, even if I think its a stupid complaint. I mean, get real. Does this sound anything like an audiobook to you? Its not bad for what it is, but its not going to take the place of audiobooks. Just my two cents. Peace, Kindle Junkie PS The hiss in the recording is my fault, not Kindle's. Sorry.
Previous post: Wondering Where To Buy A Kindle?
Next post: Amazon Kindle 3 ebook reader review
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
@Pfannenwender
I know. Sorry. The hiss is annoying, especially at loud volume. I used a cheap audio cable, and I think it picked up interference from my power cord.
i think your pot of tea is done.
Thanks you saved me from buying one of these things!
Thanks for posting this! I have been looking for a good demo of the text- to-speech on the Kindle, I’m dyslexic so this would REALLY help me read easily. Yay for assistive technology!
There are ways to get around that.. If you download a ebook in PDF format you can use certain Text to speech programs like textaloud and convert them into mp3 files to play on your mp3 player..
As an Assistive technology coordinator working with print disabled individuals I was very excited about Kindles text to Speech and bought some. HMMM once again those who are disabled are to suffer. The really sad thing is that amazon DOES NOT tell you which ones block the function and noting ticks me off more then downloading a childrens book like the Magic Tree house series and finding text to speech blocked!!!! OUTRAGEOUS!!!!
It isn’t a deal breaker for me also. It is nice to have the feature for long car trips.
I think that the Author’s Guild is far more noisy than representative. So far, I’ve not been denied audio access to any of my Kindle books that I’ve tried (granted, I’ve not tried all of them – I’ve bought nearly 300 since I purchased my first Kindle in December, 2007).
TTS isn’t a deal-breaker for me. But the issue is terribly annoying.
that is so stupid!!! that’s not even what it actually sounds like! seriously i have one and it is NOT that robotic!!!
btw you obviously wrote that or got it off of some machine thingmy!!
Stupid move by the Author’s guild.
Now they have just created better conditions for piracy to flourish. Content and features could have been controlled/regulated via products like the KINDLE, but now some user segments are going to say “screw it”, download pirated PDF versions of the book and use their own “text to speech” software to read the books on their PCs.
Duh!
You think they would have learned the lessons that the MPAA has already learned (quite painfully).
TTS is useful for people who aren’t blind, too. Some people with learning disabilities are better able to comprehend if they read text while listening to it. There are lots of ways that TTS can help people.
When I was a kid, I had a books for the blind player. It was so ugly and huge, that I was embarrassed to use it outside of the house. I hated feeling like I was getting special treatment, and that bulky box screamed “special”. Kindle 2 is something anybody could use, so I wouldn’t feel self-conscious about it at all. I responded well to treatment, and now I see well enough with glasses that audio isn’t necessary, but I surely understand where you’re coming from.
I have to side with Phalos. I mean anyone that would holdout on a TTS feature when there is a real need for it are just hardcore jerks! Honestly, I really think if publishers, being as creative as they are, could spin this into a bananza service! No one is going to stop buying the high quality audiobooks that they love, but for the “junk food” books..?? …the corny mass market paperbacks we all love but won’t admit to buying… “come on!?” Bravo, Junkie, Bravo!
Thank you for sharing this. I’m a nearly blind college student, and I just ordered a Kindle2 this morning.
If anyone has used JAWS or NVDA day-in day-out for years, then they know that anything with TTS is great news.
I think these voices are Tom and Smantha from Realspeak Solo.
Amazon has caved (I’m so disappointed). Text-to-speech will now be opt-in for publishers. There are rumblings in the Twitterverse (and elsewhere) to boycott books that cripple the TTS feature.
Reminds me of Microsoft Sam
The Guild admits (grudgingly, perhaps) that reading bedtime stories aloud is OK. So, if humans have the right to read a book aloud, then it seems silly that a synthesized voice cannot legally be used to duplicate the experience.
Thanks for the post. It isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. If Amazon would only do an international launch… someday… XD
My other video, “Kindle 2 Text to Speech Demo With Pictures”, is a little better. It at least quits when the sound quits.
Glad to help.
Thanks for posting this, I’ve been looking for a good sample.