Replacing kindle 3: need to have TTS, physical buttons

Neikius · 09-04-2016, 02:56 PM

Since I have been scolded for posting in another thread I am opening a new thread here, sorry for that.

My Kindle 3 keyboard is slowly dying for years, it will certainly die soon.

Must have:
* e-ink
* text-to-speech (+headphone jack)

Very important:
* physical page turn buttons (And no, I never had problems with accidental button presses on my k3)
* size like kindle 3 or smaller

Nice to have:
* a lock button to disable touch (if present)
* physical volume slider or button

I have already checked out a few possible avenues.@HarryT mentioned in the other thread, that you can have an usb adapter for newer kindles and it adds TTS functionality. That is an option, but I do not really like carrying a dongle with me

So far it seems chinese have some options (Boyue T62 or T63). Also any Android reader with audio jack should be fine if I can install my own ebook reader app (provided that menus are readable), so if someone has experience doing this please share.

Problem with the chinese stuff is, you never know exactly what you get & almost no warranty... so I'd also like to avoid that. Living in EU (in a small country that nobody knows exists) also makes life harder...

--- will probably never find what I want eh? Anyway, I will be grateful for any recommendation(s) and or pointers on where to look.

Poppaea · 09-04-2016, 03:30 PM

Pocketbook Ultra has TTS, buttons on the back of the device, frontlight, weighs 175 gr, reads about every format and is beautiful.

ETA It has a headphone jack, too. Pocketbook is a wonderful company.

Here is a link to their German website. You can change the language/country at the bottom of the site.

Zetmolm · 09-04-2016, 03:50 PM

If you want a PocketBook reader forget about the Ultra but go for the brand new Touch HD instead. It has a better screen and it has all the important features you ask for.

No reader has a button to disable touch, but on PocketBook readers you can install brucelee's fork of CoolReader (see the PocketBook forum) and configure all touch zones to do nothing.

JSWolf · 09-04-2016, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zetmolm

If you want a PocketBook reader forget about the Ultra but go for the brand new Touch HD instead. It has a better screen and it has all the important features you ask for.

No reader has a button to disable touch, but on PocketBook readers you can install brucelee's fork of CoolReader (see the PocketBook forum) and configure all touch zones to do nothing.

CoolReader is not all that good. So why bother with it? It tends to ignore some of the CSS and doesn't do that good a job of rendering ePub.

Zetmolm · 09-05-2016, 04:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

CoolReader is not all that good. So why bother with it? It tends to ignore some of the CSS and doesn't do that good a job of rendering ePub.

Sometimes it's a good thing to ignore the CSS. The choices that some creators of ePubs make are completely off.
And CoolReader allows you to render ePubs in exactly the way you want. You can customize practically everything. You may not like that but I do!

JSWolf · 09-05-2016, 05:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zetmolm

Sometimes it's a good thing to ignore the CSS. The choices that some creators of ePubs make are completely off.
And CoolReader allows you to render ePubs in exactly the way you want. You can customize practically everything. You may not like that but I do!

I just edit the CSS as needed and that works well.

Neikius · 09-05-2016, 06:01 AM

I kinda understand german, just not all that well

Both ultra and touch hd seem interesting, will it TTS english and german, do you guys know; also in the product details I cannot seem to find any mention of that feature... maybe I am just blind.

Touch HD though, it is probably not even sold yet, but this is the best lead I've found so far. Have noticed this company but did not know they had TTS. Also great since it seems to be from EU so no additional import taxes. Thanks!

edit: Hm, their store seems only to have the inkpad 2, which is also an interesting device.

LucyOne · 09-05-2016, 06:14 AM

The Touch HD just came out, it will be available soon for 149 EUR. You can install TTS voices for different languages, definitely English and German.

shalym · 09-05-2016, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I just edit the CSS as needed and that works well.

Good for you. Not everyone wants to have to edit their books. For those people, it sounds like CoolReader may be a good choice.

Shari

Tarana · 09-13-2016, 06:52 PM

Neikius, there is no reason to upgrade if you like what you have. Amazon continues to support the Kindle Keyboard. There are lots of them on Ebay. I still have a KK-3G although it is starting to fail. When it fails, I'll buy a replacement, put it in the cover and be good to go again. The KK has an advantage over newer models in that they did not change the collections. I have had a terrible time figure that out on more recent models and I'm still struggling because my account is linked to multiple kindle users and they all want to organize differently!

I only bought a Voyage because of a buyout special on some older kindles that cut the cost to $100.

09-04-2016, 02:56 PM	#1
Neikius Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2016 Device: Kindle 3	Replacing kindle 3: need to have TTS, physical buttons Since I have been scolded for posting in another thread I am opening a new thread here, sorry for that. My Kindle 3 keyboard is slowly dying for years, it will certainly die soon. Must have: * e-ink * text-to-speech (+headphone jack) Very important: * physical page turn buttons (And no, I never had problems with accidental button presses on my k3) * size like kindle 3 or smaller Nice to have: * a lock button to disable touch (if present) * physical volume slider or button I have already checked out a few possible avenues.@HarryT mentioned in the other thread, that you can have an usb adapter for newer kindles and it adds TTS functionality. That is an option, but I do not really like carrying a dongle with me So far it seems chinese have some options (Boyue T62 or T63). Also any Android reader with audio jack should be fine if I can install my own ebook reader app (provided that menus are readable), so if someone has experience doing this please share. Problem with the chinese stuff is, you never know exactly what you get & almost no warranty... so I'd also like to avoid that. Living in EU (in a small country that nobody knows exists) also makes life harder... --- will probably never find what I want eh? Anyway, I will be grateful for any recommendation(s) and or pointers on where to look.

09-04-2016, 03:30 PM	#2
Poppaea Lucifer's Bat Posts: 2,577 Karma: 20638583 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Earth/Berlin Device: Kobo Libra Colour	Pocketbook Ultra has TTS, buttons on the back of the device, frontlight, weighs 175 gr, reads about every format and is beautiful. ETA It has a headphone jack, too. Pocketbook is a wonderful company. Here is a link to their German website. You can change the language/country at the bottom of the site. Last edited by Poppaea; 09-04-2016 at 03:45 PM.

09-05-2016, 06:01 AM	#7
Neikius Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2016 Device: Kindle 3	I kinda understand german, just not all that well Both ultra and touch hd seem interesting, will it TTS english and german, do you guys know; also in the product details I cannot seem to find any mention of that feature... maybe I am just blind. Touch HD though, it is probably not even sold yet, but this is the best lead I've found so far. Have noticed this company but did not know they had TTS. Also great since it seems to be from EU so no additional import taxes. Thanks! edit: Hm, their store seems only to have the inkpad 2, which is also an interesting device. Last edited by Neikius; 09-05-2016 at 06:06 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
New Paperwhite this year with physical page turn buttons?	apastuszak	Amazon Kindle	19	01-23-2014 03:58 PM
Need e-reader - physical buttons + light	gmvasco	Which one should I buy?	6	10-04-2013 08:04 AM
Touch Do the page next physical buttons work on browser?	ST889	Barnes & Noble NOOK	2	05-06-2013 08:36 AM
Kindle and Physical buttons	ewandeep	Sony Reader Dev Corner	4	07-09-2012 10:12 AM
New Ks physical page turn buttons?	lunixer	Amazon Kindle	6	09-28-2011 06:54 PM

09-04-2016, 03:50 PM	#3
Zetmolm Guru Posts: 615 Karma: 2362786 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: PocketBook Verse Pro Colour	If you want a PocketBook reader forget about the Ultra but go for the brand new Touch HD instead. It has a better screen and it has all the important features you ask for. No reader has a button to disable touch, but on PocketBook readers you can install brucelee's fork of CoolReader (see the PocketBook forum) and configure all touch zones to do nothing.

09-05-2016, 06:14 AM	#8
LucyOne Librocubicularist Posts: 617 Karma: 11908623 Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Germany Device: PocketBook InkPad 3 & Touch HD 3, Kobo Clara HD, Kindle Paperwhite 5	The Touch HD just came out, it will be available soon for 149 EUR. You can install TTS voices for different languages, definitely English and German.

09-13-2016, 06:52 PM	#10
Tarana Wizard Posts: 4,038 Karma: 38840460 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Minneapolis Device: PWSE, Voyage, K3, HDX, KBasic 7 & 8, Nook Glo3, Echos, Nanos	Neikius, there is no reason to upgrade if you like what you have. Amazon continues to support the Kindle Keyboard. There are lots of them on Ebay. I still have a KK-3G although it is starting to fail. When it fails, I'll buy a replacement, put it in the cover and be good to go again. The KK has an advantage over newer models in that they did not change the collections. I have had a terrible time figure that out on more recent models and I'm still struggling because my account is linked to multiple kindle users and they all want to organize differently! I only bought a Voyage because of a buyout special on some older kindles that cut the cost to $100.

Advert

Advert