Alexa, read my book

[issybird]

I tried this last night and I was very pleasantly surprised. She reads with a lot more expression than I anticipated; frankly, I thought she was better than Kindle TTS, although it’s been a while since I’ve used that.

Yes, I do feel as if I hear too much of that voice already. And Wanda McCaddon, Juliet Stevenson and Kate Reading have nothing to worry about. I also wouldn’t try it with a book of high anticipation or one with a lot of nuance. But for something mindless as background entertainment? Or to keep a story going while you’re engaged in a reading-unfriendly activity? Alexa just got a lot less annoying for me. I’ll have to try it with her masculine voice on a book more suited to it, too.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by issybird

I tried this last night and I was very pleasantly surprised. She reads with a lot more expression than I anticipated; frankly, I thought she was better than Kindle TTS, although it’s been a while since I’ve used that.

Yes, I do feel as if I hear too much of that voice already. And Wanda McCaddon, Juliet Stevenson and Kate Reading have nothing to worry about. I also wouldn’t try it with a book of high anticipation or one with a lot of nuance. But for something mindless as background entertainment? Or to keep a story going while you’re engaged in a reading-unfriendly activity? Alexa just got a lot less annoying for me. I’ll have to try it with her masculine voice on a book more suited to it, too.

Try some of her foreign accents for a bit of international flavor.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Try some of her foreign accents for a bit of international flavor.

Hah! I can’t imagine going beyond a British accent for the appropriate book, but that’s a good idea.

[JSWolf]

How do you change Alexa's accent?

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by issybird

I tried this last night and I was very pleasantly surprised. She reads with a lot more expression than I anticipated; frankly, I thought she was better than Kindle TTS, although it’s been a while since I’ve used that.

Yes, I do feel as if I hear too much of that voice already. And Wanda McCaddon, Juliet Stevenson and Kate Reading have nothing to worry about. I also wouldn’t try it with a book of high anticipation or one with a lot of nuance. But for something mindless as background entertainment? Or to keep a story going while you’re engaged in a reading-unfriendly activity? Alexa just got a lot less annoying for me. I’ll have to try it with her masculine voice on a book more suited to it, too.

So this is for just any old Kindle book you own? Who knew? Not me!

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Catlady

So this is for just any old Kindle book you own? Who knew? Not me!

Yup! “Alexa, read [name of book].” And she picks up where you left off reading it, or starts it if you haven’t. Kind of like the poor woman’s Audible.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

How do you change Alexa's accent?

The Alexa app; it’s device-specific. Look under the settings for the Echo device you want to change.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by issybird

The Alexa app; it’s device-specific. Look under the settings for the Echo device you want to change.

Thanks.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by issybird

Yup! “Alexa, read [name of book].” And she picks up where you left off reading it, or starts it if you haven’t. Kind of like the poor woman’s Audible.

Huh. How about that. TIL.

She doesn't sound terrible. Better than some Libravox recordings I've heard.
Not terribly emotive, but it might be a great way to listen to nonfiction to go to sleep.

ApK

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Try some of her foreign accents for a bit of international flavor.

OK, I can see how to enable a male voice v. the default female voice, but I'm not seeing a setting for accent. I'd actually prefer a British accent for at least one of my Echos, but not seeing that option. What am I missing?

ETA: Nevermind! Found it.