has anyone tried the audio reader functionality?

Want2BKindle2usr · 02-25-2009, 06:43 PM

It says that it can read ANY book. Wondering if anyone has tried it out and has any feedback on it. I noticed that they classify this feature as 'experimental'.

Can't wait to hear it!

kirwoodd · 02-25-2009, 07:07 PM

Its no audio book, but it sounds better than I thought that it would. After about 15 seconds I had listened to about 10 seconds more than I care to in my entire life. I feel likes its pretty useless.

But that's just one guys opinion.

geekaren · 02-25-2009, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kirwoodd

Its no audio book, but it sounds better than I thought that it would.

That describes my reaction, as well. It's not bad for text to speech, and I can see using it when I have eye fatigue after long days at work.

sorahl · 02-25-2009, 07:40 PM

it's a feature i will use less than infrequently. as I suspected it's like the electronic voices you can produce on your computer and how often do you use those?? it is NOT an audiobook killer, contrary to the Authors Guilds doom and gloom pronouncement

Ervserver · 02-25-2009, 08:20 PM

I hear it does make a few mistakes for example, instead of Heimlich maneuver it says Heineken remover, or instead of chest of drawers it will say Chester's drawers

stymiest · 02-25-2009, 10:03 PM

Overall I think it's pretty good considering that it's being synthesized by a handheld eBook reader. I would suggest that you switch to the female voice, IMO I think it's a little easier to understand and the pronunciation seems better.

susan_cassidy · 02-26-2009, 12:37 PM

I can't imagine what it would make of some of the made-up words and names, even languages in a lot of the science fiction I read. :-)

Gideon · 02-26-2009, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kirwoodd

Its no audio book, but it sounds better than I thought that it would. After about 15 seconds I had listened to about 10 seconds more than I care to in my entire life. I feel likes its pretty useless.

But that's just one guys opinion.

That.

TallMomof2 · 02-27-2009, 06:56 PM

For Obama instead of saying "oh-bah-ma" (rhymes with Bahama) the voice says "oh-ba-ma" (rhymes with Alabama).

bobotter · 02-28-2009, 01:54 PM

It's not perfect, but it works better than I expected. If I was ever in a situation where my hands were not free I could see using it.

scotty1024 · 02-28-2009, 07:22 PM

The text-to-speech feature has been getting my dyslexic co-workers/friends to "out" themselves. They've heard I have the unit and have been coming round to get a listen.

I've personally fed it a wide range of texts from the Bible ESV to Use of Weapons to SOA for the Next Millennium and it's chewed through it all with equal aplomb.

I've also fed it Bluebeard's Wife but found it doesn't really put in the right "breathless quality" in all the right places so some genres do work better than others.

And there is indeed no magic dust inserted by Amazon into the titles. It quite happily reads titles from Fictionwise.

And no, I don't think the male voice sounds like Tom Cruise. And yes, I do think it would be cool if it could flip between male and female voices based on cues in the text.

Argent009 · 03-03-2009, 06:39 AM

Frankly I think the feature is utterly worthless. There are so many much better text to speech engines out there that they could have used that it boggles the mind why they'd wind up with something that makes Microsoft Sam sound advanced by comparison. I would not have minded if this feature had not been available and maybe they lowered the price a bit or instead, given us a useful feature like folders, or MP3 player controls or something.

kuniko · 03-03-2009, 06:44 AM

It is definitely not a substitute for a good audio book...it reads much too fast and in a complete monotone, and that's even if you can get past the robotic voice (which isn't as bad in it's tone as others I've heard even if the delivery is still robotic).

It didn't transport me into the book at all, not like a good audio vocalist can. I would delete the application if I could so as to have more room for books.

KindleKat · 03-03-2009, 01:17 PM

I played around with it for a few minutes, but it's pretty much just a novelty

pshrynk · 03-03-2009, 05:44 PM

I can see how it might come in handy on a long drive, but I wouldn't put "Mouse On a Motorcycle" on it and sit it next to my grandson for his bedtime story...

02-25-2009, 06:43 PM	#1
Want2BKindle2usr Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kindle 2	has anyone tried the audio reader functionality? It says that it can read ANY book. Wondering if anyone has tried it out and has any feedback on it. I noticed that they classify this feature as 'experimental'. Can't wait to hear it!

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02-25-2009, 07:07 PM	#2
kirwoodd Member Posts: 12 Karma: 100 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: kindle 2	Its no audio book, but it sounds better than I thought that it would. After about 15 seconds I had listened to about 10 seconds more than I care to in my entire life. I feel likes its pretty useless. But that's just one guys opinion.

02-25-2009, 07:40 PM	#4
sorahl Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kindle	it's a feature i will use less than infrequently. as I suspected it's like the electronic voices you can produce on your computer and how often do you use those?? it is NOT an audiobook killer, contrary to the Authors Guilds doom and gloom pronouncement

02-25-2009, 08:20 PM	#5
Ervserver Wizard Posts: 2,624 Karma: 1008294 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Iowa, USA Device: Nook Simple Touch	I hear it does make a few mistakes for example, instead of Heimlich maneuver it says Heineken remover, or instead of chest of drawers it will say Chester's drawers

02-25-2009, 10:03 PM	#6
stymiest Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Boston, MA Device: Kindle 2	Overall I think it's pretty good considering that it's being synthesized by a handheld eBook reader. I would suggest that you switch to the female voice, IMO I think it's a little easier to understand and the pronunciation seems better.

02-26-2009, 12:37 PM	#7
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	I can't imagine what it would make of some of the made-up words and names, even languages in a lot of the science fiction I read. :-)

02-27-2009, 06:56 PM	#9
TallMomof2 Kindlephilia Posts: 2,017 Karma: 1139255 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Snowpacolypse 2010 Device: Too many to count	For Obama instead of saying "oh-bah-ma" (rhymes with Bahama) the voice says "oh-ba-ma" (rhymes with Alabama).

02-28-2009, 01:54 PM	#10
bobotter Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kindle 2	It's not perfect, but it works better than I expected. If I was ever in a situation where my hands were not free I could see using it.

02-28-2009, 07:22 PM	#11
scotty1024 Banned Posts: 1,300 Karma: 1479 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Peoples Republic of Washington Device: Reader / iPhone / Librie / Kindle	The text-to-speech feature has been getting my dyslexic co-workers/friends to "out" themselves. They've heard I have the unit and have been coming round to get a listen. I've personally fed it a wide range of texts from the Bible ESV to Use of Weapons to SOA for the Next Millennium and it's chewed through it all with equal aplomb. I've also fed it Bluebeard's Wife but found it doesn't really put in the right "breathless quality" in all the right places so some genres do work better than others. And there is indeed no magic dust inserted by Amazon into the titles. It quite happily reads titles from Fictionwise. And no, I don't think the male voice sounds like Tom Cruise. And yes, I do think it would be cool if it could flip between male and female voices based on cues in the text.

03-03-2009, 06:39 AM	#12
Argent009 www.kindle2hacks.com Posts: 18 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Philadelphia, PA. Device: Sony PRS-501/Kindle 2	Frankly I think the feature is utterly worthless. There are so many much better text to speech engines out there that they could have used that it boggles the mind why they'd wind up with something that makes Microsoft Sam sound advanced by comparison. I would not have minded if this feature had not been available and maybe they lowered the price a bit or instead, given us a useful feature like folders, or MP3 player controls or something.

03-03-2009, 06:44 AM	#13
kuniko Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle 2.0	It is definitely not a substitute for a good audio book...it reads much too fast and in a complete monotone, and that's even if you can get past the robotic voice (which isn't as bad in it's tone as others I've heard even if the delivery is still robotic). It didn't transport me into the book at all, not like a good audio vocalist can. I would delete the application if I could so as to have more room for books.

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03-03-2009, 01:17 PM	#14
KindleKat Connoisseur Posts: 99 Karma: 29 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kindle	I played around with it for a few minutes, but it's pretty much just a novelty

03-03-2009, 05:44 PM	#15
pshrynk Beepbeep n beebeep, yeah! Posts: 11,726 Karma: 8255450 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin, aka America's IceBox Device: iThingie, KmkII, I miss Zelda!	I can see how it might come in handy on a long drive, but I wouldn't put "Mouse On a Motorcycle" on it and sit it next to my grandson for his bedtime story...