Question: Audiobook voice control on Android?

haertig · 07-27-2019, 04:21 PM

Is anyone aware of an Android audiobook player app that accepts voice control?

I am currently using SmartAudioBook Player. If I turn on the "Android Auto" app, I can use a voice command to have it make SmartAudioBook Player start playing my audiobook. But I can't pause or stop it via voice, or ask it to rewind a few seconds to play back something that I missed. I don't know if that is because what I want to do is not supported, or because I am not speaking my voice commands correctly. I haven't found any documentation on what words to say, so I'm just guessing - not a very accurate way to stumble into the correct voice commands, I'll admit. "Hey Google, stop", "Hey Google, pause", "Hey Google, rewind 10 seconds" ... none of these work for me.

Has anyone had better luck with voice-controlled audiobook playback on an Android device? (I'm running Android 9, Pie)

CRussel · 08-02-2019, 02:58 PM

FWIW, the Audible app can be controlled by Alexa. Which will happily run on your Android device. However, I suspect this is not your preferred ecosystem.

haertig · 08-03-2019, 10:08 AM

Thanks for the reply.

I have several Alexa devices in my home, I have no problem using them. Funny, in the past I said I'd never use one of those privacy-killing devices. But here I am with a whole bunch of them now. Go figure. Our house is a jumble of no-privacy these days. You walk through and you'll hear someone saying "Alexa" into the air, knowing that an Echo Dot is surely within range. Then someone saying "Hey Siri" to their phone, and someone else saying "OK Google" to their phone.

I would have no problem with Audible either, if it would allow me to play sideloaded mp3 audiobooks that I purchased elsewhere than Amazon. But as far as I know, Audible is capable of playing only Amazon acquired content. So that takes it out of the running for me. I'm an equal opportunity buyer (or renter, in the case of Audible) - if an app limits me to one ecosystem only, that's not the app for me.

DaleDe · 08-03-2019, 07:48 PM

I think that Alexa is not upto uploading anything and in particular full audio eBooks. I suspect it reads from a copy that it already has in its database which is why it works for them but not your local copies.

Dale

07-27-2019, 04:21 PM	#1
haertig Wizard Posts: 1,738 Karma: 26006874 Join Date: Sep 2017 Device: PW3, Fire HD8 Gen7, Moto G7, Sansa Clip v2, Ruizu X26	Question: Audiobook voice control on Android? Is anyone aware of an Android audiobook player app that accepts voice control? I am currently using SmartAudioBook Player. If I turn on the "Android Auto" app, I can use a voice command to have it make SmartAudioBook Player start playing my audiobook. But I can't pause or stop it via voice, or ask it to rewind a few seconds to play back something that I missed. I don't know if that is because what I want to do is not supported, or because I am not speaking my voice commands correctly. I haven't found any documentation on what words to say, so I'm just guessing - not a very accurate way to stumble into the correct voice commands, I'll admit. "Hey Google, stop", "Hey Google, pause", "Hey Google, rewind 10 seconds" ... none of these work for me. Has anyone had better luck with voice-controlled audiobook playback on an Android device? (I'm running Android 9, Pie)

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08-02-2019, 02:58 PM	#2
CRussel (he/him/his) Posts: 12,159 Karma: 79742714 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast, BC Device: Oasis (Gen3),Paperwhite (Gen10), Voyage, Paperwhite(orig), Fire HD 8	FWIW, the Audible app can be controlled by Alexa. Which will happily run on your Android device. However, I suspect this is not your preferred ecosystem.

08-03-2019, 10:08 AM	#3
haertig Wizard Posts: 1,738 Karma: 26006874 Join Date: Sep 2017 Device: PW3, Fire HD8 Gen7, Moto G7, Sansa Clip v2, Ruizu X26	Thanks for the reply. I have several Alexa devices in my home, I have no problem using them. Funny, in the past I said I'd never use one of those privacy-killing devices. But here I am with a whole bunch of them now. Go figure. Our house is a jumble of no-privacy these days. You walk through and you'll hear someone saying "Alexa" into the air, knowing that an Echo Dot is surely within range. Then someone saying "Hey Siri" to their phone, and someone else saying "OK Google" to their phone. I would have no problem with Audible either, if it would allow me to play sideloaded mp3 audiobooks that I purchased elsewhere than Amazon. But as far as I know, Audible is capable of playing only Amazon acquired content. So that takes it out of the running for me. I'm an equal opportunity buyer (or renter, in the case of Audible) - if an app limits me to one ecosystem only, that's not the app for me.

08-03-2019, 07:48 PM	#4
DaleDe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,470 Karma: 13095790 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Grass Valley, CA Device: EB 1150, EZ Reader, Literati, iPad 2 & Air 2, iPhone 7	I think that Alexa is not upto uploading anything and in particular full audio eBooks. I suspect it reads from a copy that it already has in its database which is why it works for them but not your local copies. Dale