Ask Tii - Text to Speech app for reading websites.

Hi Rob,

I think one of your podcasts talked about an App that could read a web site to you. So it would basically turn the text on a web page into audio. I'm taking a class where I'm assigned lots of reading of long articles online. It would be oh so great if I could listen to these while I run or drive instead of having to sit still and read them.

Yours truly, multitasker at heart

Jennifier

 

 

Hi Jennifer,

 

I believe we were just talking about the Voice Over features built into to iOS 4.  That said there are a few different apps in the app store for doing Text to Speech for Websites:

 

Knowtilus Pro 

 

SpeakText

 

Voice Reader Text to Speech

 

TextToSpeech

 

I only put up the link to the Knowtilus Pro app as that is one I own and have used.  So maybe I mentioned it on the show in the past.

 

It works really well reading out a website from Text to Speech.  The voice is a little on the mechanical side - but it does a good job taking most any webpage and reading the text - including working for the Tii website.  

 

One thing that separates it from many of the text to speech apps - is this one does not require copying and pasting the content of the site.  You just go to the URL and tap on "Say".  You can also have an option for a small video window showing a computer animated females head reading the text - Yes that is a little bit of fluff.  

 

I really like that it works in the background - so you can find a long article on the web and start it reading and then put the app into the background and then go and do some other tasks.  

 

It is not the cheapest App as it is $9.99 - but it works.  

 

Regards,

Rob W