Best and simplest text-to-speech

[BadBilly]

I'd like to find an eInk reader that supports text-to-speech well out of the box. I don't want to have to spend a lot of time hacking or maintaining it.

Background:
I just received and set up and test my new Kobo Libra H2O. Some kind folks on MR answered by questions and I was convinced it will be a good choice for me. I then gave it to my wife to look at and wrap (it'll be my birthday present in a couple of weeks). I saw she was looking at it somewhat wistfully.

She used to have a Sony PRS-T1 but gave that to her father when she was visiting home. She didn't get a new reader because she has serious vision problems now. She liked the look and feel of the Kobo, the lighted screen, etc. However, she noted right away that there is no text-to-speech function. She does use a tablet to "read" sometimes and that involves either reading from the screen and listening to TTS or just reading or just listening, depending on her mood and if she is experiencing any eyestrain.

EInk would be great for reducing eyestrain and a reader would be lighter. If I could get her something that would work well, I think she'd like that.

Desired features:
-eInk
-Good TTS features out-of-the box
-Bluetooth to connect wireless headphones
-Capable of multilingual display and TTS (English and Chinese)
-Mainstream brand, if possible. We live in Canada. If there is a retail seller/distributor here, that would be nice
-prefer ePub, but if Kindle fills the bill best, I'll consider it
-a nice light like Kobo's ComfortGloPro
-Compact form factor (8 inches or smaller)
-Not insanely expensive, but that's relative. I'd actually pay quite a bit for something that met all her needs

If you've made it this far, thank you.

[ottischwenk]

Well, everything together is hardly or not at all.
Likebook P78 (Android 8.1) can do everything technically and has built-in speakers.

[BadBilly]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

Well, everything together is hardly or not at all.
Likebook P78 (Android 8.1) can do everything technically and has built-in speakers.

Thank you. Yes, that looks like it might fit. Do you have an opinion on OnyxBoox Poke3 or Boox Nova 3? I found those while searching and they also look to have much of what is needed.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by BadBilly

Thank you. Yes, that looks like it might fit. Do you have an opinion on OnyxBoox Poke3 or Boox Nova 3? I found those while searching and they also look to have much of what is needed.

I have Poke 3 and had Nova 2 (given away) - I like the Likebook devices better; they are much more flexible in the file system.
I only use the Poke 3 when I'm on foot - because it's so small.

My primary used reader is the Likebook P78, but not with the included reading app (I hardly know it), but with Calibre Companion (library management) and the Alreader.

I'm not sure, but believe that the Nova 3 also already has a built-in speaker.
If you want to know more about the P78, please ask.

I bought it here and am very happy with this store.

[bazz2004]

As your wife has severe visual problems BadBilly consider something designed for the job. Audio books are growing in popularity and there are now some dedicated players to help. Have a look at Solo Personal Audio MP3 USB Player with Bluetooth 4.2 DAP and see what I mean. When I worked doing repetitive boxing jobs I listened to audio books and found it easy to adapt. Continuing to read on an e-reader may well accelerate the deterioration of her eyesight. Android e-readers/tablets are not easy to use and more suited to enthusiasts. There is sure to be support forums for those with serious visual problems where you can get guidance.

[BadBilly]

Originally Posted by bazz2004

As your wife has severe visual problems BadBilly consider something designed for the job. Audio books are growing in popularity and there are now some dedicated players to help. Have a look at Solo Personal Audio MP3 USB Player with Bluetooth 4.2 DAP and see what I mean. When I worked doing repetitive boxing jobs I listened to audio books and found it easy to adapt. Continuing to read on an e-reader may well accelerate the deterioration of her eyesight. Android e-readers/tablets are not easy to use and more suited to enthusiasts. There is sure to be support forums for those with serious visual problems where you can get guidance.

I hear you on this. I have suggested she use audiobooks more. We have an Audible subscription and have bought a good number of books that are of interest. But she still has an interest in "reading" as well. I think she gets bored if she's just listening for too long. She also wants books that may not have been released as audiobooks yet.

[Quoth]

A phone is fine for audio books and may be OK with eBooks. Android or iOS. Kindle, Audible, Borrowbox (ebooks & audio), Overdrive, Findaway, podcasts etc. No need for an expensive slower eInk, many of which don't do audio, or are limited.

A 10" tablet with 2 x SIM slots can be cheaper than a phone or eink and is effective as a 10" phone for my friend with severe macular degeneration. The 6" Kindle, 7" Libra, 7.8" Mars and 9.7" DXG were all useless for him. Later Android (> 6) has Text to Speech and large font accessibility features.