Why no hands-free feature?

arturg · 06-29-2016, 02:36 AM

I love the fact that I can place my reader on a table and read a book while eating, but I would love to see a hands-free page turning feature either as a gesture or a voice command. Any rumours of such feature coming up in any reader makes and models?

Ricky D'Angelo · 06-29-2016, 02:40 AM

With my kindle fire, I use the TTS feature (volume off) to have the pages turn by itself sometimes.

JoHunt · 06-29-2016, 03:36 AM

Alexa integration would be fabulous! Turn page!

MikeB1972 · 06-29-2016, 05:35 AM

Train a small animal.
Most dogs are fairly easy to train, parrots are meant to be quite bright.

On the other hand, I'd be surprised if an app didn't already exist if you are willing to read on a tablet.

crossi · 06-29-2016, 07:08 AM

Unfortunately no app. Not even kindle for PC. Windows Speech Recognition, ans I assume Dragon, work after a fashion. If a book has been opened you can use "next page" to turn the pages and use "open kindle for pc" to launch the program or to close it, but you cannot select and open a book in the program. I have requested this feature for kindle for pc and mac to benefit patients unable due to disability or injury so they would be able to read without assistance but other than a generic thank you for your input I got no response. It is frustrating. These existing programs almost work,they just need a slight enhancement.

silverraven · 06-29-2016, 06:11 PM

As crazy as it sounds, I'd love to have a remote control to use with an ereader. I could prop it up, hold the remote in my hand someplace comfy and change the page without moving. And, I wouldn't need buttons on my reader!
S

tomsem · 06-29-2016, 08:40 PM

Most Android and Windows reading apps can be paged using keyboard/cursor keys. Some iOS reading apps (iBooks, Marvin), but mostly not.

PeterT · 06-29-2016, 09:23 PM

I seem to recall someone in these forums who wanted a remote to allow then to easily turn sheet music displayed on an eReader.

tubemonkey · 06-29-2016, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricky D'Angelo

With my kindle fire, I use the TTS feature (volume off) to have the pages turn by itself sometimes.

Very clever

tubemonkey · 06-29-2016, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeB1972

Train a small animal.
Most dogs are fairly easy to train, parrots are meant to be quite bright.

How about a cockatoo?

"Turn the page, Max" (@ 1:23)

Spoiler:

meeera · 06-30-2016, 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomsem

Most Android and Windows reading apps can be paged using keyboard/cursor keys. Some iOS reading apps (iBooks, Marvin), but mostly not.

I'm hoping this feature may happen with the next iOS, when Siri becomes available to third-party apps.

Stiletto · 07-24-2016, 12:30 PM

I had this function on the MobiPocket software I had installed on my HP iPAQ around the turn of the century. It wasn't perfect, because I'd read some paragraphs faster than others and had to pause sometimes, but it was usable and very useful in certain circs.

I'm amazed that this isn't a feature found in any of the modern readers / apps.

DiapDealer · 07-24-2016, 12:51 PM

I use a remote (bluetooth) shutter/media device to turn the pages in my reading apps on my tablet. It seems to work for any app that allows the device's volume buttons to be assigned to turn pages. I got it specifically for reading while on the treadmill. Works great for the Kindle app and the Mantano/Bookari app on Android. It's not exactly "hands-free," but it beats reaching out to touch/swipe the screen all the time.

I don't really think I'd like a voice-activated solution. Saying a word or phrase out loud all the time would bug me worse than reaching to touch the screen would.

JSWolf · 07-24-2016, 02:51 PM

Keeping the camera on all the time whole reading waiting for a gesture would kill the battery so that's out. Having to tell the device to change the page would be annoying so that's out.

Does anyone have an idea that won't drain the battery or be annoying?

Tarana · 07-24-2016, 04:46 PM

I use Moonreader Plus for that, but that is android specific. It just scrolls pages. Worked great when I was laid up in bed for 3 weeks after surgery.

06-29-2016, 02:36 AM	#1
arturg Zealot Posts: 148 Karma: 483146 Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Helsinki, Finland Device: Kindle PaperWhite 5 (10th gen)	Why no hands-free feature? I love the fact that I can place my reader on a table and read a book while eating, but I would love to see a hands-free page turning feature either as a gesture or a voice command. Any rumours of such feature coming up in any reader makes and models?

06-29-2016, 07:08 AM	#5
crossi Guru Posts: 997 Karma: 12000001 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Seattle Wahington U.S. Device: kindle	Unfortunately no app. Not even kindle for PC. Windows Speech Recognition, ans I assume Dragon, work after a fashion. If a book has been opened you can use "next page" to turn the pages and use "open kindle for pc" to launch the program or to close it, but you cannot select and open a book in the program. I have requested this feature for kindle for pc and mac to benefit patients unable due to disability or injury so they would be able to read without assistance but other than a generic thank you for your input I got no response. It is frustrating. These existing programs almost work,they just need a slight enhancement. Last edited by crossi; 06-29-2016 at 07:13 AM.

07-24-2016, 12:51 PM	#13
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,891 Karma: 207182180 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I use a remote (bluetooth) shutter/media device to turn the pages in my reading apps on my tablet. It seems to work for any app that allows the device's volume buttons to be assigned to turn pages. I got it specifically for reading while on the treadmill. Works great for the Kindle app and the Mantano/Bookari app on Android. It's not exactly "hands-free," but it beats reaching out to touch/swipe the screen all the time. I don't really think I'd like a voice-activated solution. Saying a word or phrase out loud all the time would bug me worse than reaching to touch the screen would. Last edited by DiapDealer; 07-24-2016 at 12:58 PM.

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tomsem Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,008 Karma: 27060353 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	Most Android and Windows reading apps can be paged using keyboard/cursor keys. Some iOS reading apps (iBooks, Marvin), but mostly not.

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PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,698 Karma: 79983758 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	I seem to recall someone in these forums who wanted a remote to allow then to easily turn sheet music displayed on an eReader.

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Stiletto Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Southern Europe Device: Kindle Oasis	I had this function on the MobiPocket software I had installed on my HP iPAQ around the turn of the century. It wasn't perfect, because I'd read some paragraphs faster than others and had to pause sometimes, but it was usable and very useful in certain circs. I'm amazed that this isn't a feature found in any of the modern readers / apps.

07-24-2016, 02:51 PM	#14
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 80,782 Karma: 150249619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Keeping the camera on all the time whole reading waiting for a gesture would kill the battery so that's out. Having to tell the device to change the page would be annoying so that's out. Does anyone have an idea that won't drain the battery or be annoying?

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