Text to Speech

[Brenda M.]

I have to say I am loving the Text to Speech option! As said by others, there's no way it comes near a real audio book version that's produced etc., but I still really like it. Before this I was getting audio books from the library and listening to one while reading another. I don't buy audio books as they are just too expensive (IMHO).

But, with the new K2, I can read my book, then listen to it in the car on the way to work right where I left off reading. Then on my lunch hour, pick the Kindle back up and continue reading where the speech left off. Then back in the car, and listen to it again. 

I am going thru books so much faster now! And, buying more books, so the publishers should take note of that.

True, it's a little mundane to listen to and you do have to let things go (like mispronunciations etc.), but it's so worth it to me. It is a little frustrating when the chapter changes and it just goes on like it's the next sentence, but I keep Klarence next to me while driving so I can glance over and see if it's changed chapters.

[Britt]

Thanks for the review! While I've played around with TTS before just to see how it sounded, I never really used it before. Then yesterday, I decided to try it out in the car while I was driving. However, I ended up going back and rereading the part that TTS had read to me. I feel like I missed a lot of things with TTS, but maybe that's just me. It is definitely a handy feature, but I just feel like I don't get as great of an understanding as if I read it myself.

[pomlover2586]

I like the idea of TTS....however the words and pronunciation and speed all make it difficult to understand at times.

[tylerdurden51]

i like to buy the book then download the audio book online

[CegAbq]

i like to buy the book then download the audio book online

I have an elderly mother who has enjoyed reading in the past but says it's getting too hard (it's not the font size, it seems to be more of a double-vision problem).
I am thinking of getting her a K2 for both audible.com and possibly TTS features (I've got a KK and get audiobooks from my library for my mp3 player).
I know that through audible.com, one has to set up an account with a monthly subscription charge.
Can one buy audible.com books through a Kindle account individually without having to have an audible.com membership?

I'm thinking of the K2 because somehow I think she would be better able to manage a K2 than say an ipod touch.

[kindlelindsay]

Yesterday I discovered a handy use for the Text to Speech feature.  I went to the gym to work out, and I'm not steady enough to keep track in my book to just read while on an aerobics machine.  But I turned on the text to speech and read along with the voice, following even when I lost my place, and having the handy feature of it turning the page for me!  It made the workout go by quicker too, as I was absorbed in the book!

[pidgeon92]

I know that through audible.com, one has to set up an account with a monthly subscription charge.
Can one buy audible.com books through a Kindle account individually without having to have an audible.com membership?

I'm thinking of the K2 because somehow I think she would be better able to manage a K2 than say an ipod touch.

You can buy from Audible without having a subscription, however the books do cost a few dollars more. If you would like to try a subscription, you can get a 2-credit trial at audible.com/twit2.

Get your first 14 days of the AudibleListener® Platinum membership plan free, which includes two audiobook credits. After your 14 day trial, your membership will renew each month for just $22.95 per month so you can continue to receive two audiobook credits per month plus members-only discounts on all audio purchases. A very small number of titles are more than one credit. Cancel your membership before your free trial period is up and you will not be charged. Thereafter, cancel anytime, effective the next billing cycle. Any unused audiobook credits will be lost at cancellation.

I just signed up for the trial yesterday, and also purchased an additional book.... I did this for my husband, who travels extensively and can't always keep his eyes open on the plane to actually read on his Kindle.

One of the books I bought was The Excorcist, read by William Peter Blatty..... I turned it on last night after I was reading, put in the earbuds, and promptly fell asleep.... When I woke up two hours later, he was still reading to me....

[Rasputina]

Is the voice generated dependant on hardware or is there a possibility of software upgrades improving it? I'm wondering because I've watched to the video and the voice leaves much to be desired. I choose to listen to audio books on my ipod, it's so much smaller than kindle.

[pidgeon92]

Is the voice generated dependant on hardware or is there a possibility of software upgrades improving it? I'm wondering because I've watched to the video and the voice leaves much to be desired. I choose to listen to audio books on my ipod, it's so much smaller than kindle.

It's software, and you have a choice between a male and a female voice. However, they both have that stilted choppiness you will find with any text to speech application.

[Jeff]

However, they both have that stilted choppiness you will find with any text to speech application.

State-of-art text-to-speech is like an audio ransom note where prerecorded sounds are pasted into a data stream. Inflection is limited to visible punctuation so it simply cannot sound natural.

[Susan in VA]

text-to-speech is like an audio ransom note

What a great description!   

[kevindorsey]

My friend has this set up on his K2, and I played around with it and walked away very unimpressed.  Pronunciation is very annoying and leaves a lot to be desired.