TextAloud Outperforms Traditional Screen Readers for Blind Welsh Educator

Author: TextAloud
Published: 2009/06/11 - Updated: 2011/03/18
Topic: Disability Visual Aids - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: TextAloud is the leading Text to Speech software that allows any PC user to translate reading from screen to sound.

Introduction

Focus

Blindness poses few hurdles for college professional, with Text to Speech to do the reading

As a director for learning and information services at a major Welsh University, Tony Rucinski experiences daily the pressures and rewards of a career in education, as well as those posed every day by his legal blindness. To help him meet the demands of his workload as a busy professional also dealing with a visual disability, Tony turned to TextAloud software, from NextUp Technologies (www.nextup.com).

TextAloud is the leading Text to Speech software that allows any PC user to translate reading from screen to sound, all in one easy, user-friendly PC program. Priced from just $29.95, TextAloud exports almost any reading material - from documents and PDFs, to e-mails, websites, and more - into natural-sounding, computer-generated speech. The resulting sound files can then be played on any iPod, iPhone, CD, or other portable device or MP3 player - turning a typically sedentary task like visual reading into an enjoyable listening experience that can be performed anywhere - even on the go.

Like many other visually impaired users of TextAloud, Tony chose the software despite having a wealth of specially targeted screen readers from which to choose out on the market. He uses TextAloud to export the written text from a multitude of sources into speech - and exceedingly human-sounding speech, to boot. From reading material, books, and websites to documents of all kinds - even e-mails, TextAloud handles it all for Tony with surprising ease. "As a visually impaired user," Tony comments, "I find fully blown screen readers just too heavy, but TextAloud, on the other hand, feels light and easy to use. And it's also so simple to 'pack things up' for listening on the go as I'm traveling or running on the treadmill."

Tony does most of his TextAloud listening via his iPhone, for maximum portability wherever he goes. "It's a fantastic combination," he adds. "Just drop your long text documents onto the iPhone and listen while you're traveling, or running, or just doing some 'no-brainer' stuff in your day - it's a great way to double up on your time!" The ability to quickly and easily turn long text documents into easy-to-listen-to items on his iPhone while he's traveling or exercising not only assists Tony in circumventing his blindness, but it also effectively gives him more hours in the day to get things done.

Like many with visual impairments, Tony has listened to many bad or robotic voices in his listening experiences, which makes TextAloud's excellent, natural-sounding Premium Voices that much more refreshing by comparison. "A great, high-quality voice is fundamental," he adds. He also likes the way the program allows him to easily increase the speed of the readings or recordings to match his own listening ability, as needed.

TextAloud has ultimately enabled Tony to live, work and enjoy his reading without being hampered by his visual disability in any way - so that the program is not just circumventing his blindness, but is actually helping him to save time on a hectic academic schedule with little room for it, as well. "TextAloud has effectively given me more hours in the day - it's as good as that," he comments. "I can now process more things with minimum effort, whether I'm traveling, or on the treadmill - and that's basically one to two extra hours of extra opportunity I'm given, every single day, thanks to TextAloud."

About TextAloud:

Highly useful for students, scientists, writers, business people, students and people from all walks of life - TextAloud has been featured in The New York Times, PC Magazine, Writer's Digest, on CNN, and more. Hailed by critics and users alike, TextAloud is priced from $29.95, and is compatible with systems using Windows 98, NT, 2000, XP and Vista. TextAloud also works seamlessly with iTunes, for easy synching with iPod , iPhone , or other iTunes-compatible portable audio players. The program is available for fast, safe and secure purchase via www.NextUp.com

NextUp.com also offers TextAloud with optional premium voices from AT&T Natural Voices , Nuance , Acapela and Cepstral for the most natural-sounding computer speech anywhere. Available languages include U.S. English, U.K. English, Indian-Accent English, Scottish-Accent English, Arabic, Cantonese Chinese, Mandarin Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Belgian Dutch, Faroese, Finnish, French, Canadian French, German, Greek, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, European Portuguese, Russian, Castilian (European) Spanish, Latin American Spanish, Mexican Spanish, Swedish, and Turkish.

About NextUp.com:

NextUp.com, a division of NextUp Technologies, LLC, provides award-winning Text to Speech software for consumers, professionals, businesses, educators, and those with visual or vocal impairment, or learning disabilities.

In addition to TextAloud, NextUp.com markets other innovative Windows software designed to save time and deliver vital information. NextUp Talker is an easy and affordable program that allows people who have lost their voices to use the latest in high-quality computer voices to communicate with others.

Evaluation copies of TextAloud are available upon request. For more information on NextUp.com or TextAloud, or for other case studies involving users ranging from writers, editors, and teachers, to actors, students, entrepreneurs, firefighters, doctors, lawyers, truck drivers, musicians, and more, please contact publicist Angela Mitchell at (904) 982-8043.

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