E-ink device with TTS/audiobook integration

verona · 04-23-2013, 10:02 AM

Hi,

First of all, I want to apologize for my English. I am not a native speaker and mostly read / listen to English books and articles. Hope you guys can help me to choose! Being a geek I don't mind to jailbreak the device to achieve the needed functionality

I am looking for an E-ink reader for reading books and other texts from the internet (articles, mailing lists discussions etc). Currently I am using iPhone for this but it's not doing any good to my eyes

. I also find audiobooks very convenient, have audible.com account and recently discovered Voice Dreamer app for iPhone which is great for reading texts that are not available in audiobook format. Being stay-at-home mom with running around toddler, I don't have much time for reading and want to use it the most efficient way. Sometimes (like when doing chores or in the car) audio is more convenient, sometimes I can read few pages.

My ideal setup for gathering material:
- no manual syncing, everything is cloud-based
- browsing on Mac and iPhone, sending links to articles to the cloud
- buying / downloading books on Mac, converting them with Calibre to the needed format, sending them to the cloud

My ideal setup for the reading:
- seamless switching between audio version and text, device remembers the reading position
- tts for multiple languages (English, Russian, Dutch)
- listen to audio on iPhone (and not on the reader) because of AirPlay and bluetooth car integration
- backlight for reading in the dark
- touch interface

My candidates so far:
1) Kindle Touch.
Pros: good "send to kindle" functionality
Cons: no backlight, no tts in iPhone Kindle app - have to use Kindle for audio.
Questions: Is Kindle TTS quality any good? Can it read in different languages?

2) Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight
Pros: backlight, tts in iPhone Nook app (with VoiceOver)
Cons: VoiceOver is not the best TTS, have to switch languages in the iOS to have VoiceOver read in different languages, no "send to Nook" functionality
Questions: is there any "send to Nook" functionality? Jailbreak setup with other cloud service?

Thanks for any tips!

susan_cassidy · 04-23-2013, 11:56 AM

Kindle Touch cannot read TTS in anything other than English. No Kindle can.

verona · 04-23-2013, 12:14 PM

I think I hear Kindle reading in Polish in this video:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=129250

danicca · 04-23-2013, 12:55 PM

You might want to check Onyx Firefly, they have frontlight and tts ability.

susan_cassidy · 04-23-2013, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by verona

I think I hear Kindle reading in Polish in this video:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=129250

It would have to have had a hack of some kind installed.

Shopaholic · 04-23-2013, 05:03 PM

I think for audiobooks you're far better off getting a small MP3 player and not an ereader. Think about the size of the thing you'd be carrying as you run around and do your chores. It's much easier to stick a little MP3 player in your pocket than a 6" screen device.

verona · 04-24-2013, 05:35 AM

Yes, that's why I prefer to use iPhone for audio, but to be able to switch between audio and text version of the same book, the current reading position has to be synced across devices. I only know that Amazon and B&N cloud services can do it.
Are there any other services, perhaps open source apps that can do it?

verona · 04-24-2013, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danicca

You might want to check Onyx Firefly, they have frontlight and tts ability.

The specs look really good, I wonder how TTS sounds. Couldn't find any examples...

danicca · 04-24-2013, 06:33 AM

You can proably find more information on onyx boox forum here. This is where I heard samples:
https://www.onyx-boox.com/store/onyx...-hd-angel-glow

and this is on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cn4mk5aC53I

Dr. Drib · 04-24-2013, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danicca

You might want to check Onyx Firefly, they have frontlight and tts ability.

I think they're going through new editions on this unit, so be wary of any changes.

Don

verona · 04-24-2013, 08:39 AM

Wow, those samples!! Can't believe it's a mechanical voice…
Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by danicca

You can proably find more information on onyx boox forum here. This is where I heard samples:
https://www.onyx-boox.com/store/onyx...-hd-angel-glow

and this is on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cn4mk5aC53I

Feher · 04-24-2013, 12:46 PM

Couple of points regarding onyx firefly.

Even i wanted to buy it with ivona TTS.
Warranty, support and price are excellent if we buy it through Booxtor(ereader-store.de) but we don't get ivona TTS which as per my research is the best TTS in the market. The default TTS which i have on onyx m92 isn't good.

Also booxtor's model has 256 mb RAM while artatech offers 128 mb.

Recently Ivona TTS was acquired by Amazon.

As Dr. Drib mentioned, onyx is trying to launch android based eink reader. I will wait for some more time and then buy as i don't need TTS at the moment

Zetmolm · 04-24-2013, 02:28 PM

PocketBook has good TTS. You may want to look at the PocketBook Touch 2 which was announced today and will be availalbe in a few weeks' time.

rkomar · 04-24-2013, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zetmolm

PocketBook has good TTS. You may want to look at the PocketBook Touch 2 which was announced today and will be availalbe in a few weeks' time.

I have the older 902 model, and although the TTS voice is fine, there is an annoying pause between sentences while the screen updates the highlighted region that is being read. Is this still a problem on the Touch? Perhaps the quicker screen refresh makes the Touch better than the 9XX models for this.

Zetmolm · 04-24-2013, 05:44 PM

I don''t use the TTS a lot on my PocketBook Touch, but I've never noticed an annoying pause as far as I can remember.

04-23-2013, 10:02 AM	#1
verona Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2013 Device: none	E-ink device with TTS/audiobook integration Hi, First of all, I want to apologize for my English. I am not a native speaker and mostly read / listen to English books and articles. Hope you guys can help me to choose! Being a geek I don't mind to jailbreak the device to achieve the needed functionality I am looking for an E-ink reader for reading books and other texts from the internet (articles, mailing lists discussions etc). Currently I am using iPhone for this but it's not doing any good to my eyes . I also find audiobooks very convenient, have audible.com account and recently discovered Voice Dreamer app for iPhone which is great for reading texts that are not available in audiobook format. Being stay-at-home mom with running around toddler, I don't have much time for reading and want to use it the most efficient way. Sometimes (like when doing chores or in the car) audio is more convenient, sometimes I can read few pages. My ideal setup for gathering material: - no manual syncing, everything is cloud-based - browsing on Mac and iPhone, sending links to articles to the cloud - buying / downloading books on Mac, converting them with Calibre to the needed format, sending them to the cloud My ideal setup for the reading: - seamless switching between audio version and text, device remembers the reading position - tts for multiple languages (English, Russian, Dutch) - listen to audio on iPhone (and not on the reader) because of AirPlay and bluetooth car integration - backlight for reading in the dark - touch interface My candidates so far: 1) Kindle Touch. Pros: good "send to kindle" functionality Cons: no backlight, no tts in iPhone Kindle app - have to use Kindle for audio. Questions: Is Kindle TTS quality any good? Can it read in different languages? 2) Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight Pros: backlight, tts in iPhone Nook app (with VoiceOver) Cons: VoiceOver is not the best TTS, have to switch languages in the iOS to have VoiceOver read in different languages, no "send to Nook" functionality Questions: is there any "send to Nook" functionality? Jailbreak setup with other cloud service? Thanks for any tips!

04-24-2013, 05:35 AM	#7
verona Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2013 Device: none	Yes, that's why I prefer to use iPhone for audio, but to be able to switch between audio and text version of the same book, the current reading position has to be synced across devices. I only know that Amazon and B&N cloud services can do it. Are there any other services, perhaps open source apps that can do it? Last edited by verona; 04-24-2013 at 05:37 AM.

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04-23-2013, 11:56 AM	#2
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	Kindle Touch cannot read TTS in anything other than English. No Kindle can.

04-23-2013, 12:14 PM	#3
verona Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2013 Device: none	I think I hear Kindle reading in Polish in this video: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=129250

04-23-2013, 12:55 PM	#4
danicca Addict Posts: 268 Karma: 517736 Join Date: Oct 2012 Device: kindle	You might want to check Onyx Firefly, they have frontlight and tts ability.

04-23-2013, 05:03 PM	#6
Shopaholic Cockatoo Mom! Posts: 1,509 Karma: 1812695 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Ontario, Canada Device: PW4, Kobo: A1, Clara, Libra 2, iPad Pro 11, iPad Mini	I think for audiobooks you're far better off getting a small MP3 player and not an ereader. Think about the size of the thing you'd be carrying as you run around and do your chores. It's much easier to stick a little MP3 player in your pocket than a 6" screen device.

04-24-2013, 06:33 AM	#9
danicca Addict Posts: 268 Karma: 517736 Join Date: Oct 2012 Device: kindle	You can proably find more information on onyx boox forum here. This is where I heard samples: https://www.onyx-boox.com/store/onyx...-hd-angel-glow and this is on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cn4mk5aC53I

04-24-2013, 12:46 PM	#12
Feher Addict Posts: 248 Karma: 1502286 Join Date: Jan 2013 Device: Onyx Boox M92; Onyx Boox i86ML; Kobo Aura H2O; Dasung Paperlike	Couple of points regarding onyx firefly. Even i wanted to buy it with ivona TTS. Warranty, support and price are excellent if we buy it through Booxtor(ereader-store.de) but we don't get ivona TTS which as per my research is the best TTS in the market. The default TTS which i have on onyx m92 isn't good. Also booxtor's model has 256 mb RAM while artatech offers 128 mb. Recently Ivona TTS was acquired by Amazon. As Dr. Drib mentioned, onyx is trying to launch android based eink reader. I will wait for some more time and then buy as i don't need TTS at the moment

04-24-2013, 02:28 PM	#13
Zetmolm Guru Posts: 612 Karma: 2031728 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: PocketBook Touch (622), PocketBook Touch Lux 2, Pocketbook Touch HD 3	PocketBook has good TTS. You may want to look at the PocketBook Touch 2 which was announced today and will be availalbe in a few weeks' time.

04-24-2013, 05:44 PM	#15
Zetmolm Guru Posts: 612 Karma: 2031728 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: PocketBook Touch (622), PocketBook Touch Lux 2, Pocketbook Touch HD 3	I don''t use the TTS a lot on my PocketBook Touch, but I've never noticed an annoying pause as far as I can remember.

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