Also Audible. I've been digging VDR for text, since I've got stuff in that format. I like that if you've got multiple files, you can just put them together into one big file, send it to VDR, and hit play on a Bluetooth headset, like most other things, and it will read. I haven't tried Kindle yet, but I should.
I wrote extensively about this in my book. The Kindle app is by far my favourite way of having books available. However, Vd Reader is still the way to go for epub or pdf ebooks. You can use apple Books for these also. That's my backup plan if VD Reader takes a nose dive on me. However, I'll keep using it until that happens. Winston was very good at informing us what he was updating in VD Reader and responded quickly to concerns. I haven't gotten a sense of how well these new owners of the app actually know their audience. Glad I haven't had to pay a subscription since I owned the app long before they switched to that model.
I used to use the Kindle app, but when speak screen broke sometime back I haven't used it as much. Occasionally use Speech Central for PDFs that VD sometimes scramble for some strange reason, and Apple Books is the backup plan.
Voice Dream with the DAISY books on my phone. I have the Kindle app, but not so many books in that format. I use Apple Books for epub and PDF.
I would much, much, much prefer to read books in a web browser with all the browser keyboard commands, like I do over on the OS I use on my desktop for reading DAISY books, even though I have to do a little code finagling to get them to open properly. I'm not sure I could even code finagle on iOS, and Safari seems to not like to open local HTML files.
BARD through the state library offers everything the Library of Congress has, read by real people is the finest option. They allow up to 250 book downloads in a thirty day rolling period. If I can’t find the book I want there Kindle for iOS works with Speak Screen but with synthetic voices. That works okay for older books not available through BARD. But BARD has endless oceans of literature, even bestsellers.
Wow after learning here about using the iOS Alexa app to read ebooks from my Kindle library I gave it a try and it really works well. The reading and voice are amazingly well done. Tell her to read a book from the library and she does it. It also syncs with the library book.
The main benefit of VoiceDream for any text you can get into it is that you can set its navigation to something like 15 or 30 seconds, then use the buttons on your headset, or even back on your apple watch to back up a bit when you get interrupted. NLS Bard won't do that, Kindle and apple books you have to keep the screen turned on, and heaven help you if you get interrupted. Speech Central wasn't bad, I was able to set it to back up with my headphone buttons, so it was usable. The Learning Ally app is awful, you have no headphone control to speak of and I think you even have to keep the app open. I tried the latest app from Bookshare, and It was similar to Learning ally, not useful unless you're sitting at a desk with no distractions. People who design this stuff really need to talk to the people needing accessibility and find out what they really need done. Allowing an app like Kindle, for example to work with Voiceover is fine as far as it goes, but making it self-voicing with someway to control it without having to get a phone out would be a whole lot nicer.
When I’m listening to an ebook from the Kindle library through the Alexa app with my iPad or iPhone the screen can be locked while listening.
Also when listening to BARD Mobile on the iPad or iPhone it is very easy to go backwards 5 seconds, 20 seconds, 1 minute or 5 minutes. There was a new update for the BARD Mobile app where Siri functions have been added and one is go back 20 seconds. They also added a Jump Back shortcut. Now I don’t use a watch so don’t know if this would work for that but everything definitely works well with the iPhone and iPad.
You can also say commands like:
- Rewind or Go Back.
- Fast Forward or Go forward.
- You can add on to the above i.e. Go Back/Forward 5 minutes, 1 hour, to the beginning, to the end, etc.
- You can also add or Go to a bookmark.
- And as mentioned above, you can listen with your device locked. Even better, with bluetooth earbuds you can play/pause and Go Back/Forward with media controls.
First you need to get the Alexa app. Then you simply say, Alexa play kindle book…followed by the title of the book you want in your kindle library and the book narration starts. It does remember the place in the book and even syncs with the ebook in your library.
I have Voice Dream reader too and even purchased a couple extra voices but the Alexa app narration is much more natural sounding.
Comments
NLS BARD, Voice Dream Reader.
Also Audible. I've been digging VDR for text, since I've got stuff in that format. I like that if you've got multiple files, you can just put them together into one big file, send it to VDR, and hit play on a Bluetooth headset, like most other things, and it will read. I haven't tried Kindle yet, but I should.
Apple Books and Kindle
I use Apple Books and Amazons Kindle-App on my iPhone in connection with a Braille display.
Kindle and VD Reader
I wrote extensively about this in my book. The Kindle app is by far my favourite way of having books available. However, Vd Reader is still the way to go for epub or pdf ebooks. You can use apple Books for these also. That's my backup plan if VD Reader takes a nose dive on me. However, I'll keep using it until that happens. Winston was very good at informing us what he was updating in VD Reader and responded quickly to concerns. I haven't gotten a sense of how well these new owners of the app actually know their audience. Glad I haven't had to pay a subscription since I owned the app long before they switched to that model.
VD Reader mostly
I used to use the Kindle app, but when speak screen broke sometime back I haven't used it as much. Occasionally use Speech Central for PDFs that VD sometimes scramble for some strange reason, and Apple Books is the backup plan.
Voice Dream
Voice Dream with the DAISY books on my phone. I have the Kindle app, but not so many books in that format. I use Apple Books for epub and PDF.
I would much, much, much prefer to read books in a web browser with all the browser keyboard commands, like I do over on the OS I use on my desktop for reading DAISY books, even though I have to do a little code finagling to get them to open properly. I'm not sure I could even code finagle on iOS, and Safari seems to not like to open local HTML files.
BARD Mobile
BARD through the state library offers everything the Library of Congress has, read by real people is the finest option. They allow up to 250 book downloads in a thirty day rolling period. If I can’t find the book I want there Kindle for iOS works with Speak Screen but with synthetic voices. That works okay for older books not available through BARD. But BARD has endless oceans of literature, even bestsellers.
Alexa app
Wow after learning here about using the iOS Alexa app to read ebooks from my Kindle library I gave it a try and it really works well. The reading and voice are amazingly well done. Tell her to read a book from the library and she does it. It also syncs with the library book.
Reading.
I'm really liking the Audible app. And when reading NLS books, I read them on my Victor Stream.
I've tried others, but for me VoiceDream beats them all.
The main benefit of VoiceDream for any text you can get into it is that you can set its navigation to something like 15 or 30 seconds, then use the buttons on your headset, or even back on your apple watch to back up a bit when you get interrupted. NLS Bard won't do that, Kindle and apple books you have to keep the screen turned on, and heaven help you if you get interrupted. Speech Central wasn't bad, I was able to set it to back up with my headphone buttons, so it was usable. The Learning Ally app is awful, you have no headphone control to speak of and I think you even have to keep the app open. I tried the latest app from Bookshare, and It was similar to Learning ally, not useful unless you're sitting at a desk with no distractions. People who design this stuff really need to talk to the people needing accessibility and find out what they really need done. Allowing an app like Kindle, for example to work with Voiceover is fine as far as it goes, but making it self-voicing with someway to control it without having to get a phone out would be a whole lot nicer.
When I’m listening to an…
When I’m listening to an ebook from the Kindle library through the Alexa app with my iPad or iPhone the screen can be locked while listening.
Also when listening to BARD Mobile on the iPad or iPhone it is very easy to go backwards 5 seconds, 20 seconds, 1 minute or 5 minutes. There was a new update for the BARD Mobile app where Siri functions have been added and one is go back 20 seconds. They also added a Jump Back shortcut. Now I don’t use a watch so don’t know if this would work for that but everything definitely works well with the iPhone and iPad.
Re: Alexa app
You can also say commands like:
- Rewind or Go Back.
- Fast Forward or Go forward.
- You can add on to the above i.e. Go Back/Forward 5 minutes, 1 hour, to the beginning, to the end, etc.
- You can also add or Go to a bookmark.
- And as mentioned above, you can listen with your device locked. Even better, with bluetooth earbuds you can play/pause and Go Back/Forward with media controls.
Alexa = Win. 😀
Using Alexa to read Kindle books
How is it done? I've had Alexa for ages and never knew about this.
Alexa narrating Kindle ebooks
First you need to get the Alexa app. Then you simply say, Alexa play kindle book…followed by the title of the book you want in your kindle library and the book narration starts. It does remember the place in the book and even syncs with the ebook in your library.
I have Voice Dream reader too and even purchased a couple extra voices but the Alexa app narration is much more natural sounding.