Another opinion about K2 text to speech - Page 2

BobLenx · 03-01-2009, 04:53 PM

For the blind or otherwise reading/visually impaired lovers of books - Amazon's text-to -speech opens a new world with a new voice that now may be silenced on a book by book basis.

As for the concerns of author's - books you release in digital format can now be read by those who would not have been able to previously - since many books are not available as audio books. And if your book is available as an audio book, what is the big deal in selling someone a digital copy that costs you and the publisher nothing additional as opposed to a slightly more expensive audio book that you have to produce and physically distribute on some media format? With Amazon's TTS feature on the Kindle-2 you are apt to sell more copies than you would otherwise - not fewer.

Amazon already has their eBooks DRM protected so that only Kindles on the same account (max of six) can read them. Why on earth any petty publisher or author would care that one of those account users is blind and would need to listen to the book rather than read it is it beyond human comprehension. And as for those of us who can read, what do you care if we choose to have that techy voice ready us part of a book while we are making dinner or doing the dishes. We paid you for the book didn't we? Get a life!!!

If I ever go to buy a book from Amazon for my Kindle and see a note that text-to-speech has been disabled on this digital edition at the request of the publisher or author, I will not purchase it but will get a copy from the library or borrow it from a friend who has the hardcopy book. You aren't going to shut out the disabled on my dollar!

Bob

ddiblasi · 03-01-2009, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ervserver

If folks continue to make this a Guild vs disabled issue, where does that argument end. If the Guild can't make money off the disabled why is it ok for Amazon to do so...I'm not aware of Amazon giving Kindles away to the disabled, if the Kindle II is such a miracle for the disabled Amazon should be giving them away, how dare they make a cent! I'm appalled. Where is the outrage

As an author, and an author who has one of her books in Kindle format, I agree. It is not about Authors Guild vs. disabled. It's about copyrights, creative value, and authors getting paid (pennies to the publisher's dollars, and less than pennies to Amazon's dollars) for their labors. I don't intend to disable the audio; but will support Authors Guild as it tries to protect authors against Amazon -- not the visually impaired.

I worked with visually impaired and so am familiar with the National Library Service for the Blind and how important they are as a FREE audio book service for the visually (and other physically) impaired.

stevenmoy · 03-01-2009, 09:07 PM

This issue is really lame. Amazon spent the money to include Text-to-Speech as a feature for its customers and Authors Guild decide to bash on Amazon's head. People who use the K2's Text-to-Speech are not consumers of Audio books to start with. Its a technological solution for eBooks that no one will ever bother to make audio books in the first place. I love Text-to-Speech to read me my New York Times on my commute.

pilotbob · 03-01-2009, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ddiblasi

As an author, and an author who has one of her books in Kindle format, I agree. It is not about Authors Guild vs. disabled. It's about copyrights, creative value, and authors getting paid (pennies to the publisher's dollars, and less than pennies to Amazon's dollars) for their labors. I don't intend to disable the audio; but will support Authors Guild as it tries to protect authors against Amazon -- not the visually impaired.

Let me ask you.. since you are an author. What exactly do you think you are loosing out here?

No one is going to buy an ebook to be read to them via TTS in lieu of a well performed audio book. Perhaps, you will loose out of the ebook sale if person can't use TTS on it. This is not going to be the primary way people consume these books.

TTS is available on pretty much any modern PC already. Why has there not been an outrage up till now?

BOb

ginakra · 03-01-2009, 09:38 PM

I also am very interested in your viewpoint as to what pilotbob asked. I have checked audiobooks from the library a couple of times but never purchased except once, used, on ebay. Though I like audiobooks well enough, in the genre of fiction I read, audiobooks are very rare. I have health problems that keep me from holding up a book for more than a few minutes, sometimes It is more comfortable or only possible for me to read, and sometimes only to listen. I purchased ONE book last year, because it took me 8 months to read it. Healthy, I used to read 8 books a month. With TTS, I could go back to buying 8 books a month. I would possibly buy an audiobook from audible if I thought it was worth it, but I would never buy an ebook *and* an audiobook of the same title and my decision would not be affected by TTS one iota.

So what income is the author losing from me? None as far as I can tell. I'm losing a whole heck of alot. Quality of life, for just one. The authors actually gain another passionate book lover's money with the addition of TTS.

Help me understand.

JSWolf · 03-01-2009, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chanze

Here's a link to one of the stories. Amazon is giving way to the guild already.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-f...0,133240.story

I would think determined people would just strip the DRM and listen to it anyways?

But, the DMCA exceptions says it's legal to strip out the DRM when the read-aloud feature is blocked because of the DRM. So for any of the Kindle eBooks that have the flag set to no, it's legal to strip the DRM.

Boston · 03-01-2009, 10:04 PM

I have a friend who was interested in a Kindle for her mother who has some sort of eye disease and can only read very large fonts. While there are audio books, she still missed reading.

Originally concerned that even the largest font would not be easily read over long periods, the addition of the text-to-speech option on the K2 was the feature that pushed her decision to get one.

Things like removing DRM are not an option as her mother doesn't own a computer.

JSWolf · 03-01-2009, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boston

I have a friend who was interested in a Kindle for her mother who has some sort of eye disease and can only read very large fonts. While there are audio books, she still missed reading.

Originally concerned that even the largest font would not be easily read over long periods, the addition of the text-to-speech option on the K2 was the feature that pushed her decision to get one.

Things like removing DRM are not an option as her mother doesn't own a computer.

The TTS should not be relied upon as of now since we don't know what the publishers will do once the option to opt out is not yet in place.

With the 30-day return, it cannot hurt to give the Kindle a try.

03-01-2009, 04:53 PM	#16
BobLenx Connoisseur Posts: 78 Karma: 308 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Sony505 K2 K3	For the blind or otherwise reading/visually impaired lovers of books - Amazon's text-to -speech opens a new world with a new voice that now may be silenced on a book by book basis. As for the concerns of author's - books you release in digital format can now be read by those who would not have been able to previously - since many books are not available as audio books. And if your book is available as an audio book, what is the big deal in selling someone a digital copy that costs you and the publisher nothing additional as opposed to a slightly more expensive audio book that you have to produce and physically distribute on some media format? With Amazon's TTS feature on the Kindle-2 you are apt to sell more copies than you would otherwise - not fewer. Amazon already has their eBooks DRM protected so that only Kindles on the same account (max of six) can read them. Why on earth any petty publisher or author would care that one of those account users is blind and would need to listen to the book rather than read it is it beyond human comprehension. And as for those of us who can read, what do you care if we choose to have that techy voice ready us part of a book while we are making dinner or doing the dishes. We paid you for the book didn't we? Get a life!!! If I ever go to buy a book from Amazon for my Kindle and see a note that text-to-speech has been disabled on this digital edition at the request of the publisher or author, I will not purchase it but will get a copy from the library or borrow it from a friend who has the hardcopy book. You aren't going to shut out the disabled on my dollar! Bob Last edited by BobLenx; 03-01-2009 at 05:01 PM.

03-01-2009, 09:38 PM	#20
ginakra Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kindle 2	I also am very interested in your viewpoint as to what pilotbob asked. I have checked audiobooks from the library a couple of times but never purchased except once, used, on ebay. Though I like audiobooks well enough, in the genre of fiction I read, audiobooks are very rare. I have health problems that keep me from holding up a book for more than a few minutes, sometimes It is more comfortable or only possible for me to read, and sometimes only to listen. I purchased ONE book last year, because it took me 8 months to read it. Healthy, I used to read 8 books a month. With TTS, I could go back to buying 8 books a month. I would possibly buy an audiobook from audible if I thought it was worth it, but I would never buy an ebook and an audiobook of the same title and my decision would not be affected by TTS one iota. So what income is the author losing from me? None as far as I can tell. I'm losing a whole heck of alot. Quality of life, for just one. The authors actually gain another passionate book lover's money with the addition of TTS. Help me understand. Last edited by ginakra; 03-01-2009 at 09:49 PM.

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03-01-2009, 09:07 PM	#18
stevenmoy Zealot Posts: 133 Karma: 348 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Kindle 2	This issue is really lame. Amazon spent the money to include Text-to-Speech as a feature for its customers and Authors Guild decide to bash on Amazon's head. People who use the K2's Text-to-Speech are not consumers of Audio books to start with. Its a technological solution for eBooks that no one will ever bother to make audio books in the first place. I love Text-to-Speech to read me my New York Times on my commute.

03-01-2009, 10:04 PM	#22
Boston Fanatic Posts: 555 Karma: 40032 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Boston :) Device: Kindle, Kobo Aura H20, Pixel XL	I have a friend who was interested in a Kindle for her mother who has some sort of eye disease and can only read very large fonts. While there are audio books, she still missed reading. Originally concerned that even the largest font would not be easily read over long periods, the addition of the text-to-speech option on the K2 was the feature that pushed her decision to get one. Things like removing DRM are not an option as her mother doesn't own a computer.