eReader devices are mainly designed for reading ebooks immersively with less eyestrain. Besides reading ebooks, now you can turn your eReader into a storyteller with the text-to-speech (TTS) feature. For readers who struggle with reading or with visual impairments, you can discover new possibilities of eReader devices, read and listen to your favorite books with no limits! And here are the top 3 eReader devices that allow you to turn any ebooks into audio.
1. What is Text to Speech?
Text-to-speech (TTS) is a type of assistive technology that reads digital text aloud. It’s sometimes called “read aloud” technology. Now the TTS technology is widely used on computers, smartphones, and tablets, however, there are some wonderful eReader devices that also come with TTS features, such as Kindle Paperwhite. Such useful technology is super helpful for people with reading disabilities. Normally, the quality of a speech synthesizer is judged by its similarity to the human voice and by its ability to be understood clearly. If you want to know more about reading text aloud on PC and Mac, here are the top 4 reading apps with the TTS features that you can check out.
2. Top 3 eReader Devices that can Read Your eBooks Aloud
Text-to-speech is one of the features that sets Kindle eReader apart from other competitors, like Kobo and Nook e-ink Reader. But not all Kindle devices support text-to-speech. In fact, most eReaders don’t support TTS. As it is always more convenient to listen to a book than to read it, and here are the best 3 eReaders with the TTS feature that you can have a try.
1. Kindle
Kindles(Kindle 7th generation and later) have an accessibility feature called VoiceView that effectively works like text-to-speech once you enable it. The VoiceView Screen Reader is designed to help make Kindles usable for people with vision problems. It reads everything onscreen aloud and even automatically turns pages as it reads aloud. Besides, I found the VoiceView screen reader extremely responsive, and the voice quality is excellent.
If you want to use the VoiceView option function, you need a Kindle eReader that works with VoiceView and a compatible Bluetooth audio device. Here’s the video that shows how the text-to-speech feature works on Kindles using the VoiceView accessibility feature.
2. Pocketbook eReader
Pocketbook has just released a new firmware update for the Inkpad Pro. The biggest change about this new update is that there is a new TTS engine, which allows you to read your ebooks out and introduces new natural-sounding voices in more than 30 languages. This new update will soon be available on all devices with audio support: PocketBook Touch HD 3, PocketBook InkPad 3, PocketBook InkPad X, PocketBook Color, and PocketBook InkPad Color. According to PocketBook, the new voices are far more lifelike, which makes TTS as close as possible to a usual audiobook.
For Pocketbook eReader owners, you can watch this new video about text to speech and discover a useful feature that all reading lovers will appreciate.
3. Onyx Boox Reader
ONYX BOOX e-book reader is another popular device for reading electronic books. It has become the flagship of the eReader market over the past few years. The features “portable, compatible, and easy-to-use” were labeled on Onyx Boox eReaders. BOOX believes that all users have the right to enjoy books by reading, listening, and whatever means. So they’ve been working hard to offer practical features on all BOOX E Ink devices to help people with special needs or different preferences to read books effortlessly, such as text to speech, speech to text, etc.
With Text-to-Speech (TTS) function, it’s beneficial for users who tend to listen to rather than read books. Based on powerful firmware and open Android system, BOOX devices can make content easier to read or listen to. First of all, you shall download the TTS engine, such as Google TTS from Google Play Store on Boox device. Secondly, you could download the specific language package for your use and further customize the TTS settings as you like.
TipsYou can get almost any books from major ebook online stores, such as Amazon, Kobo, Google Play books… If you have the above eReader and prefer to listen to your ebooks, you can use Epubor Ultimate to remove DRM from your purchased ebooks and convert them to epub or azw3 files. Then transfer the converted files to your eReader. Next, you can turn all your books into audio for listening.
Amy Lopez crafts informative articles on eBooks and eReaders, uncovering optimal methods to enhance your eBook reading experience, and eagerly shares her findings with you.
