01-25-2013, 07:26 PM | #16 |
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Finally. I expected this sooner. Hopefully it gets implemented sometime in the next six months.
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01-25-2013, 09:00 PM | #17 | |
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I prefer TTS to audiobooks because I find narration/actors impressions distracting, I like to highlight & save important passages, and I like to be able to read the text myself whenever I can. |
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01-25-2013, 09:23 PM | #18 |
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As others have mentioned, the primary use of TTS on Android is for navigation, but it can be used for speech output for anything. Google Now uses it for answering your questions (similar to Siri on the iPhone):
Me: "Google, what is the answer to life, the universe, and everything?" Google (using TTS): "The answer to life, the universe, and everything is 42." Also, as others have mentioned, the TTS Google included with Gingerbread and earlier sounded like a robotic imitation of speech. SVOX was pretty much the leader on Android and was a "required" purchase if you were going to use Google Navigation (more natural sounding). Ivona came out with a free beta on Android about a year and a half ago, and the voices are as good, and in many cases, better than SVOX. The built in TTS included with Ice Cream Sandwich and above is much more natural and I've not felt the need to load a third party TTS, but I'm still a fan of Ivona. |
01-25-2013, 11:03 PM | #19 | |
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Too bad there goes another great product off the market. I was a big fan of ivona voice one of the more natural voices on the market.
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Hm I don't know the TTS on my note is pretty bad. I still prefer Ivona and even SVox over Google... Don't get me started on Samsung's. Last edited by =X=; 01-26-2013 at 02:52 AM. |
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01-25-2013, 11:51 PM | #20 |
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It's hard to know if a vendor may have "customized" it. I first noticed the marked improvement (over Gingerbread's) on Jellybean (4.1) on my Nexus 7, but my Atrix HD also sounded decent on ICS and I think I've tried it a time or two on my Sony Tablet S. Admittedly the third party TTS's have much more customization (different voices, ability to change pitch/speed, correcting mispronunciation, etc.). There've been a couple of times I've debated reloading Ivona, though.
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01-27-2013, 06:26 AM | #21 |
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01-27-2013, 12:11 PM | #22 |
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Plus if they intend to use it, they can do so free of charge. They can also prevent licensing to competitors if Amazon so chooses. Smart business decision. Just like using their own DRM instead of making Adobe richer.
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01-27-2013, 12:16 PM | #23 |
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Well, that's probably not a terribly good example, because Amazon did buy Mobi and then close them down, but they own numerous companies where that's not been the case.
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01-27-2013, 03:02 PM | #24 |
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That demo is impressive. I would pay extra for a eink kindle with Ivona. Alas, amazon seems hellbent on making me buy a tablet.
As for why TTS, you'd know if you're ever too sick or tired to read by eyes. |
01-27-2013, 04:39 PM | #25 | |
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A better example would be their purchase of Zappos or KIVA Systems. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-0...-takeover.html Me, I'm still waiting for them to merge with UPS. |
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01-27-2013, 08:55 PM | #26 |
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I would pay extra for a PW with Ivona TTS as well. I don't like reading on tablets, but if the Kindle phone has Ivona TTS, I'll get one.
Last edited by xendula; 01-27-2013 at 08:58 PM. |
01-28-2013, 11:44 PM | #27 | |
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From their track record, Amazon has taken to be more cut throat like Apple than open like Google. Also from the fact they that they do an extremely poor job supporting Android. But more than anything I don't see this as a play for stand alone product I'm guessing Amazon is making a play at a voice assistance as well as better TTS for their fire. |
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01-29-2013, 01:24 AM | #28 | |
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I do think they need to be warned, though. Just in case someone there is foolish enough to think doing that wouldn't be a blight on their image and customer loyalty. |
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01-29-2013, 05:04 PM | #29 |
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I know of one company that amazon bought and snuffed: lexcycle, maker of stanza, still my favorite ereader app for the iPad, way better than the kindle app or anything else. It's dead.
That won't happen to Ivona, of course, since it will be augmenting, not competing against, amazon's products. |
01-29-2013, 05:23 PM | #30 |
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Unless they want to make it an kindle-only exclusive feature.
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