[NicholasV]

The text to speech is a gimmick at this point, you really cannot use that feature for long. It is just too clumsy and inhuman to be able to stand for long. I used it for a little while eating my cereal which doesn't take long and I was annoyed even for that short duration. There is a Project Gutenberg equivalent for audiobooks called Librivox that freely makes available public domain books. There are also tons of great sources for educational Podcasts, my favorites are the program Unwelcome Guests, and the Gary Null Show.

Also losing your eyesight has more to do with straining to see, stress and such factors not genetics or a natural feature of aging. Have her try the Bates Method by the dissident ophthalmologist William Horatio Bates. Also alot of times old retirees tend to sit idly by in their twilight years and not stimulate themselves. My grandma acts like a vegetable that constantly watches Greek tv 24/7 and she complains also that she can never see anything to read. If you don't use your abilities they tend to atrophy.