speech to text kindle

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How to Use Text-To-Speech on Amazon Kindle

• The text-to-speech feature on Kindle is called VoiceView Screen Reader.
• You can use VoiceView Screen Reader on Kindle while driving or finishing your tasks.

Enable Text-To-Speech on Kindle

The VoiceView Screen Reader is an accessibility feature that lets you listen to Kindle books over Bluetooth. This feature is available for all Kindle models that support Bluetooth.

Step 1: On your Kindle home screen , tap the three vertical dots at the top-right corner and select Settings .

Step 2: Tap on Accessibility and select VoiceView Screen Reader .

Step 3: Enable the toggle for VoiceView Screen Reader .

Step 4: Keep your Bluetooth device in Pairing Mode while your Kindle device tries to connect with it.

Step 5: After your Kindle detects the Bluetooth device, hold two fingers on your Kindle screen to finish the pairing process.

After pairing your Bluetooth device, you will hear an audio response while navigating your Kindle. You must first select and then double-tap to use the feature or option.

Step 6: Go back and open the book you are reading to use the text-to-speech feature.

After opening your book, the feature will start working automatically.

Adjust Speech Rate on Kindle

Step 3: Tap on Speech Rate . Select the reading speed of your choice.

Step 5: Go back and tap on Volume . Select the text-to-speech volume level of your choice to make your Kindle read aloud.

To disconnect your Bluetooth device or connect to a previously added device, tap on Bluetooth Devices .

You can tap the toggle for VoiceView Screen Reader again and select Turn Off to disable it.

How to Fix Kindle Text-To-Speech Not Working or Keeps Stopping

If you can’t use the VoiceView Screen Reader feature on your Kindle, reconnect your Bluetooth device.

Step 1: On the Kindle home page , tap the three vertical dots in the top-right corner and select Settings .

Step 3: Tap on Bluetooth Devices . Select Bluetooth Wizard to disconnect your Kindle from all Bluetooth devices.

Step 5: Reconnect your Kindle with your Bluetooth device and check if the problem is solved.

Another reason the VoiceView Screen Reader is not working might be the low battery levels on your Kindle. We suggest charging it and checking back later to see if the problem is solved. Refer to our post if your Kindle is not charging .

If the problem continues, you might have to install a new Kindle software update. Here’s how to check for one.

Step 1: Tap the down arrow at the top of the Kindle screen to reveal more options. Then, select All Settings.

Step 2: Tap the three vertical dots in the top-right corner and select Update Your Kindle .

If the option is greyed out, your Kindle is already running on the latest software version.

You can also refer to our post if your Kindle is not allowing you to save your highlights while reading ebooks.

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Last updated on 12 April, 2024

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DID YOU KNOW

Paurush Chaudhary

Paurush dabbles around iOS and Mac while his close encounters with Android and Windows. Before becoming a writer, he produced videos for brands like Mr. Phone and Digit and worked briefly as a copywriter. In his free time, he satiates his curiosity about streaming platforms and devices like Apple TV and Google TV. On weekends, he is a full-time cinephile trying to reduce his never-ending watchlist, often bumping it longer.

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How do I install speech to text on my kindle fire 8?

Hello @mooregretta ​, welcome to the Forums!

Thanks for posting your question!

Most Fire tablets can read eligible books, newspapers, and personal documents out loud with Text-to-Speech.

Text-to-Speech only reads to you in the book's language. For example, a book written in U.S. English will be read in U.S. English; a book written in French will be read in French.

You'll need to have a Text-to-Speech voice in the book's language downloaded to your device. If Text-to-Speech is enabled, you'll be prompted to download the voice in the reading progress bar.

To turn on Text-to-Speech for your device (make sure it is upgraded to the last available software version):

1. Swipe down from the top of the screen, and then tap "Settings."

       2. Tap "Device Options."

       3. Tap "Keyboard & Language," and then tap "Text-to-Speech."

       4. Tap "Download Additional Voices" to download a new voice.

       5. After downloading a new voice, tap the Back button, tap "Default Voice," and then select the voice.

Hope this helps!

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How to Convert Speech to Text on Kindle

Transkriptor 2023-02-12

What are the models of Kindle?

There are currently six models of Kindle offered by Amazon: the Kindle (old version Kindle e-reader), Kindle Kids (2022), Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, Kindle Paperwhite Kids, and Kindle Oasis.

What are the Advantages of a Kindle?

• Convenience. An e-reader is convenient. You can carry five thousand books in your purse.
• So many books to choose from. There are thousands of eBooks to buy on Amazon. Once you buy them, you can keep them in your library and access them anytime you want offline.
• Accessibility feature to libraries’ online collections. Most libraries in the US let you check out eBooks for free.
• Internet, music, and games. You can also surf the web (clumsily, but it works), listen to mp3 recordings (music or podcasts), and play games.
• Dictionary. The dictionary feature is especially nice. Put your cursor in front of a word and you can immediately see that word’s definition: A great way to increase your vocabulary.
• Translations . If you come across a word or sentence in a different language, you can translate it instantly.
• Search function . You can easily search for a certain word in a book.
• Paperless. You save a lot of trees.

How to Install or Update the Desktop Kindle App on Your Computer

Use the Kindle app to start reading from your PC or Mac.

Supported Operating Systems:

• PC: Windows 8, 8.1, 10, or 11.
• Mac: OS x 10.14 or higher

Note: If your operating system isn’t supported, use our Kindle Cloud Reader.

• Go to Download Kindle Apps.
• Select Download for PC & Mac.
• When the download completes, follow the on-screen installation instructions.

How to Install or Update the Kindle App on Android

Use the Kindle App to start reading from your Android phone or tablet.

• In your preferred Android app store, search “Kindle.”
• In the search results, select Kindle.
• Select Install to download and install, or Update to update the Kindle app.

How to Install or Update the Kindle App on iOS

Use the Kindle app to start reading from your Apple devices.

• Select the App Store.
• Search “Kindle.”
• From the search results, select Kindle.
• Select Get to download and install, or Update to update the Kindle app.

How to Download Books to Your Kindle App

After you’ve purchased your book, you can download and read it on the amazon Kindle apps for PC, Mac, iOS, and Android. The Kindle Cloud Reader app allows you to read content online.

• Open the Kindle app.
• Go to your Library.
• If you’re on a computer, double-click on the Kindle book cover. If you’re on a mobile device, select the book cover.
• A progress bar updates as the book downloads.

Your book opens after the download is complete.

What is Speech to Text?

The terms dictation software, speech-to-text, voice recognition, voice-to-text, and speech recognition can all mean a program that converts your voice to text on a screen in real-time.

Kindle are essentially a book and an audiobook/ audible book rolled into one. You can add your notes by speaking on Kindle. To do that, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Update Your Kindle Software

Before you begin, make sure your Kindle device has the latest software update.

• Go to the “Settings” menu
• Select “Device Options.”
• Then select “Device Software Update”
• Check for any available updates.

Step 2: Install a Speech-to-Text App

Install a voice to text app / text-to-speech app on your Kindle device. There are several options available on the Amazon Appstore. You can convert your audio file into a written file via them.

Step 3: Grant Access to the Microphone

Once you have installed a speech-to-text app, open it and grant it access to the device’s microphone. This will allow the app to pick up your voice and transcribe it into text.

• Tap Microphone
• Tap to turn on the microphone

Step 4: Start Speaking

Begin speaking into the microphone. The app will convert your speech to text in real-time and display it on the screen. Speak clearly and at a consistent volume to ensure accurate transcription.

Step 5: Save or Copy the Text

Once you have finished speaking, you can save the text to a file or copy it to the clipboard for use in another app.

Note: Some Kindle devices such as the Kindle Fire tablet / Fire HD series have a built-in text-to-speech feature (tts), it’s called Voiceview, which can read text aloud to you.

How to Get More Accurate Transcription on Kindle?

• Speak clearly and at a consistent volume to ensure accurate transcription.
• Some apps may require an internet connection to work properly.
• You may need to train the app to recognize your voice before it can accurately transcribe your speech.
• Some apps may have limitations on the length of speech that can be transcribed at one time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Kindle, is a portable wireless electronic reading device (e-reader) manufactured by Amazon.com. You can download books (via wifi technology) onto a Kindle and read them on your iPad, iPhone, or android device.

You can take screenshots on Kindles by tapping two opposite corners at the same time on the top of the screen.

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Listen to Content with Text-to-Speech.

Note : Most Kindle content and personal documents are eligible for Text-to-Speech. If Text-to-Speech capability is available for your book, you’ll see Text-to-Speech: Enabled on the product detail page before you purchase your book. While reading, tap the center of the screen, and then tap the menu icon Aa in the upper right corner. Tap More, and then tap the switch next to Text-to-Speech to turn it on. In your Kindle book, tap the screen to show the progress bar, and then tap the Play button next to the progress bar to hear the text read aloud. To increase or decrease the reading speed of the Text-to-Speech voice, tap the Narration Speed icon. You can listen to the Text-to-Speech voice through the external speakers on your device or through your earphones plugged into the headphone jack. Tip: If you’re reading a book in another language, you can download a Text-to-Speech voice for that language without leaving the book. Tap the download prompt at the bottom of the progress bar to install the Text-to-Speech voice.

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How to Activate Voice on Kindle

Last Updated: November 5, 2022

This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff . Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 129,353 times. Learn more...

Kindle’s “Screen Reader” option (formerly Voice Guide) is an accessibility feature that uses voice narration of menu and page selections. The feature can be accessed from the “Accessibility” menu in the settings. In addition Kindle Readers and Fire tablets can use “Text to Speech” on certain titles, wherein the Kindle will read the ebook text out loud. This setting can be accessed from the reading toolbar settings menu while reading an ebook.

Activating Screen Reader

Activating Text-To-Speech

• Amazon will list if Text to Speech is supported in the “Product Details” section of a book’s store page. [1] X Research source

• Sound will play through the Kindle's external speakers or you can use earphones plugged into the headphone jack.

Community Q&A

• You may want to deactivate Screen Reader while using Text to Speech or listening to an Audiobook to avoid interruption. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Activating any of the voice options will cause the Kindle to use battery life more quickly. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1
• Note: the Kindle Paperwhite does not support any audio features without purchasing the Kindle Audio Adapter. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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In On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft , Stephen King said “Books are a uniquely portable magic.” There’s no doubt that reading brings joy to bibliophiles. However, in today’s fast-paced world, finding time to read a book can be hard. That’s where text-to-speech comes in. Amazon’s Kindle text-to-speech feature allows you to listen to your books.

The text-to-speech technology has been around for a long time. Today, it is used in virtual assistants such as Alexa and Siri. With the popularity of audiobooks, companies such as Amazon and Barnes and Noble have incorporated text-to-speech in their ebooks.

In this article, we’ll explore the Kindle’s text-to-speech feature and also explain the steps to use a narrator tool to create audiobooks.

What is Kindle text to speech?

To provide readers with the ability to listen to their ebooks, Amazon introduced text-to-speech technology in their Kindle devices. Kindle text-to-speech is a narrative tool that reads out the written text aloud in a digital female voice or male voice. 

Most ebooks on Kindle support the text-to-speech capability. This means that readers can turn on this feature to listen to ebooks as audio. For example, if a visually impaired reader wants to listen to Stephen Covery’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People , they can turn on the Kindle text-to-speech feature (if applicable) and the book will be read out the text to them.

What is a narrator tool and how to use one?

With AI advancements, narrator tools have become quite popular among creators and listeners alike. These tools allow the option to convert written text into speech. These text talker tools can be downloaded on your desktop or can be used online. Some narrator tools are free, while others offer a paid subscription model. 

Every narrator tool is different – with some offering basic text-to-speech features, and others complex and advanced features. For example, Microsoft Narrator reads out a written text to the listeners. However, the narration feature is quite limited.

On the other hand, narrator tools such as Typecast , Amazon Polly, and Murf AI, offer more advanced and sophisticated text-to-speech features. With these tools, you can convert large amounts of text into speech. Also, you can choose different languages and speech styles as per your preference.

For example, Typecast’s text-to-speech generator offers a library of voices that creators can choose from, such as Biden, anime, rapping characters, snowman, robotic voices, and more.

The application of narrator tools was originally introduced in the assistive text where virtually impaired learners such as blind or dyslexic readers could listen to the written text (online or in a document) out loud. Today, the technology is applied to a vast number of areas including virtual assistants, customer support, navigation tools, and more.

Typecast is a narrator tool that can help you generate audio narrations for your online videos. You can also use many of Typecast’s features to add feelings and emotions to your character, such as anger, sadness, worry, and more. Creators can also play with audio effects such as adding pauses where needed, adjusting the audio’s tempo or pitch, and defining the speech pace.

To add narration to your videos in Typecast:

• Visit the Typecast website .
• If you already have an account, click Sign in to access your account. Otherwise, click Sign Up .
• On the main screen, click View all Characters located on the right side of the screen.
• From the menu on the left, under Content, choose Recitation/Audiobook . 

• Under the Mood section, you can choose the mood for your character e.g., cute, playful, calm, etc.
• Choose a character of your choice. You can listen to each character’s voice by clicking on the play button next to them.
• Click Create a project .
• Choose New Project or New Shorts Project . For an audiobook, we recommend New Project.

• On the Typecast dashboard, add your text in the paragraphs that will be converted into narrative speech.
• To add more characters, add a new paragraph. From the drop-down menu next to your character, select Add characters . You will be taken to the previous screen where you can cast more characters. 

• From the menu on the right, choose variations in your character’s speech to customize it according to that character’s style and persona.
•  When ready, click Download . You can download your file in an mp3 or wax format.

Congratulations! You have created your first text-to-speech narrarion audiobook! You can now add your audiobook to Kindle. Kindle’s text-to-speech feature will allow your audiobook to be read out loud to your listeners.

What is voice over software?

Whether you are a gamer on Twitch, a YouTuber, or an Instagram influencer – voice over software is ideal for videos that need narration. Such software allows you to add an audio clip to your videos as a foreground voice.

For example, you are creating a step-by-step tutorial for building a Lego set. You can add a voice-over script in the background that goes over each step. Alternatively, you can also record the audio with the video – however, audio that’s recorded with the video often has lesser flexibility for edits.

For example, if you want to add 2x speed to your video, your audio won’t be able to keep up with the speed of the video. Hence, adding a voice-over script separately can give you the flexibility to add changes to your video as you see fit.

It is no wonder that voiceover technology is becoming more common day by day and revolutionizing the audiobook creation process. It is only a matter of time until more creators utilize this technology in their creative process. Authors and social media influencers are already creating most of their content using voiceovers. 

Small business owners and AI enthusiasts can also dabble with this technology and apply it to their content.

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You can use text-to-speech in the Kindle app on an iPad using an accessibility feature — here's how to turn it on

• The Kindle iPad app doesn't have text-to-speech built in, but you can use the iPad's own Speak Screen feature as a replacement.
• Once you enable Speak Screen on your iPad, you just need to open a Kindle book and then swipe downward with two fingers to have the book read aloud.
• Visit Business Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories .

The Kindle app for the iPad gives you access to a vast library of free and purchased books which you can read or have read aloud to you with text-to-speech (TTS) technology. 

The Kindle app no longer has TTS built in, but that's okay; you can use a text-to-speech feature built into iPadOS itself. 

This iPadOS feature, called , in any app, including the Kindle app.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Ipad (from $329.99 at apple), how to use text-to-speech on the ipad kindle app with speak screen.

1. Start the iPad's Settings app and then tap "Accessibility." 

2. Tap "Spoken Content."

3. On the Spoken Content page, tap "Speak Screen."

4. Now that Speak Screen is enabled, start the Kindle app and open a book to the page you want to read. 

5. Using two fingers, swipe downward from the top of the screen.  

6. The Speak Screen control should appear, and the Kindle page should start to be read aloud. 

After a moment, the Speak Screen controls will minimize, but you can tap the minimized Speak Screen arrow at any time to change the settings (you can also drag the arrow around the screen if you need to move it). 

You can use the Speak Screen controls to skip ahead to the next page or rewind to the previous page. If you don't like the rate at which the Kindle is reading, you can also change the reading speed from half-speed to double speed. 

The Kindle app will automatically advance to the next page when Speak Screen is done on the current page, so you never need to change pages manually.

Related coverage from  Tech Reference :

5 ways to get free books on your kindle, from classics to new releases, how to buy books on kindle through your computer or mobile device, how to share your kindle books in 2 different ways, how to return a kindle book and receive a full refund in 2 steps, how to sign out of the kindle app on your mobile device.

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Why is Text-to-Speech so Difficult to Use on Kindles?

January 22, 2024 by Nathan 5 Comments

Kindles have a text-to-speech feature that most people probably don’t know about, and the voice actually sounds fairly decent once you figure out how to get it to work, but the process of using text-to-speech is so convoluted and confusing on Kindles I doubt very many people would want to use it.

It makes you wonder if Amazon made using text-to-speech confusing on purpose just so people won’t use it as an alternative to buying audiobooks.

First off, Amazon doesn’t call it text-to-speech, even though that’s exactly what it is. They call it VoiceView , and it’s considered an accessibility feature. It’s not shown in the settings menu when reading a book like when using Amazon’s Fire tablets or with other ereaders that support TTS; it’s hidden in the main settings menu under accessibility.

Before you can turn VoiceView on, you have to turn on Bluetooth on your Kindle and go through the process of connecting a Bluetooth speaker or headphones.

Once they’re paired, the process becomes easier and you can just turn your Bluetooth device on and off to turn VoiceView on and off. In fact, you can use this as a trick to easily navigate your Kindle without VoiceView on and then once you have a book open you can turn it back on and avoid needless confusion.

The problem with VoiceView is the fact that you cannot navigate your Kindle like normal while it’s turned on because it’s an accessibility feature. You have to use certain gestures to select items on the screen while listening to them being read aloud. Just going back to the library and opening a book can be surprisingly difficult if you don’t know how the gesture system works.

The gestures aren’t very intuitive either and there are 18 different gestures to learn if you intend to navigate your Kindle using VoiceView. Yeah, 18. That’s why it’s much easier to just turn off your Bluetooth device and then navigate the Kindle normally and then turn your Bluetooth device back on when you want it to read aloud.

VoiceView will automatically turn pages as needed, and you can even read along while your Kindle reads aloud, unlike when listening to audiobooks on Kindles.

A long time ago Kindles had a regular text-to-speech feature that was easier to use but the voice was more robotic. They did away with that and replaced it with VoiceView, but they still kept the regular text-to-speech feature on Fire tablets. It works really well on them, and there are multiple voices and languages to choose from. It’s kind of odd that Kindles don’t have that option, and VoiceView supports English only so it’s more limited. If you want to use TTS often you’re probably better off using a Fire tablet.

Do you ever use VoiceView on your Kindle to read ebooks aloud?

Reader Interactions

January 22, 2024 at 4:23 pm

I use it frequently. With the last couple of updates they improved the use of it. but I agree that it could be much simpler to use. I don’t know how vision impaired individuals are able to navigate with it. There are some trick to using it. Such as turn off the speaker or headset to pause and then turning them on to restart the reading. One problem I ran into is that randomly it will turn the page but re-read the previous page. If you let it go, it will finish the page and then jump the current page. What I do is pause it by taping the screen, then use the L gesture to start it back up on the current page. I had it crash frequently with this one really large book I had sideloaded. The problem stopped when I sideloaded a different file of the same book. But these are minor problems as I find voiceview to be really convenient overall. I would never even consider a Kobo since they don’t have TTS.

January 22, 2024 at 5:29 pm

I am still trying to learn to us it on my kindle, I wish it worked like the text to speech on my Fire tablet.

January 22, 2024 at 6:50 pm

The voiceover feature is hardly usable. Previously, the Kindle DXG (whether jailbroken or not, I can’t recall) had an excellent text-to-speech capability with its integrated speakers. I truly miss that functionality.

January 23, 2024 at 11:38 pm

I use the text-to-voice on an old Kindle Fire. No 18 steps needed! Its accent in the Spanish language is quite acceptable. Good, even.

January 24, 2024 at 6:27 am

I’m totally blind and use VoiceView every day. I’m a big fa of it but it doesn’t always come up first time when switching on my headphones. I always have to tripple press the power button to get it back up and then I have to dismiss the can’t find Bluetooth device box.

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Best speech-to-text app of 2024

Free, paid and online voice recognition apps and services

Best overall

Best for business, best for mobile, best text service, best speech recognition, best virtual assistant, best for cloud, best for azure, best for batch conversion, best free speech to text apps, best mobile speech to text apps.

• How we test

The best speech-to-text apps make it simple and easy to convert speech into text, for both desktop and mobile devices.

1. Best overall 2. Best for business 3. Best for mobile 4. Best text service 5. Best speech recognition 6. Best virtual assistant 7. Best for cloud 8. Best for Azure 9. Best for batch conversion 10. Best free speech to text apps 11. Best mobile speech to text apps 12. FAQs 13. How we test

Speech-to-text used to be regarded as very niche, specifically serving either people with accessibility needs or for  dictation . However, speech-to-text is moving more and more into the mainstream as office work can now routinely be completed more simply and easily by using voce-recognition software, rather than having to type through members, and speaking aloud for text to be recorded is now quite common.

While the best speech to text software used to be specifically only for desktops, the development of mobile devices and the explosion of easily accessible apps means that transcription can now also be carried out on a  smartphone  or  tablet . 

This has made the best voice to text applications increasingly valuable to users in a range of different environments, from education to business. This is not least because the technology has matured to the level where mistakes in transcriptions are relatively rare, with some services rightly boasting a 99.9% success rate from clear audio.

Even still, this applies mainly to ordinary situations and circumstances, and precludes the use of technical terminology such as required in legal or medical professions. Despite this, digital transcription can still service needs such as basic  note-taking  which can still be easily done using a phone app, simplifying the dictation process.

However, different speech-to-text programs have different levels of ability and complexity, with some using advanced machine learning to constantly correct errors flagged up by users so that they are not repeated. Others are downloadable software which is only as good as its latest update.

Here then are the best in speech-to-text recognition programs, which should be more than capable for most situations and circumstances.

We've also featured the best voice recognition software .

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The best paid for speech to text apps of 2024 in full:

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

1. Dragon Anywhere

Our expert review:

Reasons to buy

Reasons to avoid.

Dragon Anywhere is the Nuance mobile product for Android and iOS devices, however this is no ‘lite’ app, but rather offers fully-formed dictation capabilities powered via the cloud. 

So essentially you get the same excellent speech recognition as seen on the desktop software – the only meaningful difference we noticed was a very slight delay in our spoken words appearing on the screen (doubtless due to processing in the cloud). However, note that the app was still responsive enough overall.

It also boasts support for boilerplate chunks of text which can be set up and inserted into a document with a simple command, and these, along with custom vocabularies, are synced across the mobile app and desktop Dragon software. Furthermore, you can share documents across devices via Evernote or cloud services (such as Dropbox).

This isn’t as flexible as the desktop application, however, as dictation is limited to within Dragon Anywhere – you can’t dictate directly in another app (although you can copy over text from the Dragon Anywhere dictation pad to a third-party app). The other caveats are the need for an internet connection for the app to work (due to its cloud-powered nature), and the fact that it’s a subscription offering with no one-off purchase option, which might not be to everyone’s tastes.

Even bearing in mind these limitations, though, it’s a definite boon to have fully-fledged, powerful voice recognition of the same sterling quality as the desktop software, nestling on your phone or tablet for when you’re away from the office.

Nuance Communications offers a 7-day free trial to give the app a try before you commit to a subscription. 

Read our full Dragon Anywhere review .

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2. Dragon Professional

Should you be looking for a business-grade dictation application, your best bet is Dragon Professional. Aimed at pro users, the software provides you with the tools to dictate and edit documents, create spreadsheets, and browse the web using your voice.   

According to Nuance, the solution is capable of taking dictation at an equivalent typing speed of 160 words per minute, with a 99% accuracy rate – and that’s out-of-the-box, before any training is done (whereby the app adapts to your voice and words you commonly use).

As well as creating documents using your voice, you can also import custom word lists. There’s also an additional mobile app that lets you transcribe audio files and send them back to your computer.   

This is a powerful, flexible, and hugely useful tool that is especially good for individuals, such as professionals and freelancers, allowing for typing and document management to be done much more flexibly and easily.

Overall, the interface is easy to use, and if you get stuck at all, you can access a series of help tutorials. And while the software can seem expensive, it's just a one-time fee and compares very favorably with paid-for subscription transcription services.

Also note that Nuance are currently offering 12-months' access to Dragon Anywhere at no extra cost with any purchase of Dragon Home or Dragon Professional Individual.

Read our full Dragon Professional review .

Otter is a cloud-based speech to text program especially aimed for mobile use, such as on a laptop or smartphone. The app provides real-time transcription, allowing you to search, edit, play, and organize as required.

Otter is marketed as an app specifically for meetings, interviews, and lectures, to make it easier to take rich notes. However, it is also built to work with collaboration between teams, and different speakers are assigned different speaker IDs to make it easier to understand transcriptions.

There are three different payment plans, with the basic one being free to use and aside from the features mentioned above also includes keyword summaries and a wordcloud to make it easier to find specific topic mentions. You can also organize and share, import audio and video for transcription, and provides 600 minutes of free service.

The Premium plan also includes advanced and bulk export options, the ability to sync audio from Dropbox, additional playback speeds including the ability to skip silent pauses. The Premium plan also allows for up to 6,000 minutes of speech to text.

The Teams plan also adds two-factor authentication, user management and centralized billing, as well as user statistics, voiceprints, and live captioning.

Read our full Otter review .

Verbit aims to offer a smarter speech to text service, using AI for transcription and captioning. The service is specifically targeted at enterprise and educational establishments.

Verbit uses a mix of speech models, using neural networks and algorithms to reduce background noise, focus on terms as well as differentiate between speakers regardless of accent, as well as incorporate contextual events such as news and company information into recordings.

Although Verbit does offer a live version for transcription and captioning, aiming for a high degree of accuracy, other plans offer human editors to ensure transcriptions are fully accurate, and advertise a four hour turnaround time.

Altogether, while Verbit does offer a direct speech to text service, it’s possibly better thought of as a transcription service, but the focus on enterprise and education, as well as team use, means it earns a place here as an option to consider.

Read our full Verbit review .

5. Speechmatics

Speechmatics offers a machine learning solution to converting speech to text, with its automatic speech recognition solution available to use on existing audio and video files as well as for live use.

Unlike some automated transcription software which can struggle with accents or charge more for them, Speechmatics advertises itself as being able to support all major British accents, regardless of nationality. That way it aims to cope with not just different American and British English accents, but also South African and Jamaican accents.

Speechmatics offers a wider number of speech to text transcription uses than many other providers. Examples include taking call center phone recordings and converting them into searchable text or Word documents. The software also works with video and other media for captioning as well as using keyword triggers for management.

Overall, Speechmatics aims to offer a more flexible and comprehensive speech to text service than a lot of other providers, and the use of automation should keep them price competitive.

Read our full Speechmatics review .

6. Braina Pro

Braina Pro is speech recognition software which is built not just for dictation, but also as an all-round digital assistant to help you achieve various tasks on your PC. It supports dictation to third-party software in not just English but almost 90 different languages, with impressive voice recognition chops.

Beyond that, it’s a virtual assistant that can be instructed to set alarms, search your PC for a file, or search the internet, play an MP3 file, read an ebook aloud, plus you can implement various custom commands.

The Windows program also has a companion Android app which can remotely control your PC, and use the local Wi-Fi network to deliver commands to your computer, so you can spark up a music playlist, for example, wherever you happen to be in the house. Nifty.

There’s a free version of Braina which comes with limited functionality, but includes all the basic PC commands, along with a 7-day trial of the speech recognition which allows you to test out its powers for yourself before you commit to a subscription. Yes, this is another subscription-only product with no option to purchase for a one-off fee. Also note that you need to be online and have Google ’s Chrome browser installed for speech recognition functionality to work.

Read our full Braina Pro review .

7. Amazon Transcribe

Amazon Transcribe is as big cloud-based automatic speech recognition platform developed specifically to convert audio to text for apps. It especially aims to provide a more accurate and comprehensive service than traditional providers, such as being able to cope with low-fi and noisy recordings, such as you might get in a contact center .

Amazon Transcribe uses a deep learning process that automatically adds punctuation and formatting, as well as process with a secure livestream or otherwise transcribe speech to text with batch processing.

As well as offering time stamping for individual words for easy search, it can also identify different speaks and different channels and annotate documents accordingly to account for this.

There are also some nice features for editing and managing transcribed texts, such as vocabulary filtering and replacement words which can be used to keep product names consistent and therefore any following transcription easier to analyze.

Overall, Amazon Transcribe is one of the most powerful platforms out there, though it’s aimed more for the business and enterprise user rather than the individual.

8. Microsoft Azure Speech to Text

Microsoft 's Azure cloud service offers advanced speech recognition as part of the platform's speech services to deliver the Microsoft Azure Speech to Text functionality. 

This feature allows you to simply and easily create text from a variety of audio sources. There are also customization options available to work better with different speech patterns, registers, and even background sounds. You can also modify settings to handle different specialist vocabularies, such as product names, technical information, and place names.

The Microsoft's Azure Speech to Text feature is powered by deep neural network models and allows for real-time audio transcription that can be set up to handle multiple speakers.

As part of the Azure cloud service, you can run Azure Speech to Text in the cloud, on premises, or in edge computing. In terms of pricing, you can run the feature in a free container with a single concurrent request for up to 5 hours of free audio per month.

Read our full Microsoft Azure Speech to Text review .

9. IBM Watson Speech to Text

IBM's Watson Speech to Text works is the third cloud-native solution on this list, with the feature being powered by AI and machine learning as part of IBM's cloud services.

While there is the option to transcribe speech to text in real-time, there is also the option to batch convert audio files and process them through a range of language, audio frequency, and other output options.

You can also tag transcriptions with speaker labels, smart formatting, and timestamps, as well as apply global editing for technical words or phrases, acronyms, and for number use.

As with other cloud services Watson Speech to Text allows for easy deployment both in the cloud and on-premises behind your own firewall to ensure security is maintained.

Read our full Watson Speech to Text review .

1. Google Gboard

If you already have an Android mobile device, then if it's not already installed then download Google Keyboard from the Google Play store and you'll have an instant text-to-speech app. Although it's primarily designed as a keyboard for physical input, it also has a speech input option which is directly available. And because all the power of Google's hardware is behind it, it's a powerful and responsive tool.

If that's not enough then there are additional features. Aside from physical input ones such as swiping, you can also trigger images in your text using voice commands. Additionally, it can also work with Google Translate, and is advertised as providing support for over 60 languages.

Even though Google Keyboard isn't a dedicated transcription tool, as there are no shortcut commands or text editing directly integrated, it does everything you need from a basic transcription tool. And as it's a keyboard, it means should be able to work with any software you can run on your Android smartphone, so you can text edit, save, and export using that. Even better, it's free and there are no adverts to get in the way of you using it.

2. Just Press Record

If you want a dedicated dictation app, it’s worth checking out Just Press Record. It’s a mobile audio recorder that comes with features such as one tap recording, transcription and iCloud syncing across devices. The great thing is that it’s aimed at pretty much anyone and is extremely easy to use. 

When it comes to recording notes, all you have to do is press one button, and you get unlimited recording time. However, the really great thing about this app is that it also offers a powerful transcription service. 

Through it, you can quickly and easily turn speech into searchable text. Once you’ve transcribed a file, you can then edit it from within the app. There’s support for more than 30 languages as well, making it the perfect app if you’re working abroad or with an international team. Another nice feature is punctuation command recognition, ensuring that your transcriptions are free from typos.   

This app is underpinned by cloud technology, meaning you can access notes from any device (which is online). You’re able to share audio and text files to other iOS apps too, and when it comes to organizing them, you can view recordings in a comprehensive file. 

3. Speechnotes

Speechnotes is yet another easy to use dictation app. A useful touch here is that you don’t need to create an account or anything like that; you just open up the app and press on the microphone icon, and you’re off.   

The app is powered by Google voice recognition tech. When you’re recording a note, you can easily dictate punctuation marks through voice commands, or by using the built-in punctuation keyboard. 

To make things even easier, you can quickly add names, signatures, greetings and other frequently used text by using a set of custom keys on the built-in keyboard. There’s automatic capitalization as well, and every change made to a note is saved to the cloud.

When it comes to customizing notes, you can access a plethora of fonts and text sizes. The app is free to download from the Google Play Store , but you can make in-app purchases to access premium features (there's also a browser version for Chrome).   

Read our full Speechnotes review .

4. Transcribe

Marketed as a personal assistant for turning videos and voice memos into text files, Transcribe is a popular dictation app that’s powered by AI. It lets you make high quality transcriptions by just hitting a button.   

The app can transcribe any video or voice memo automatically, while supporting over 80 languages from across the world. While you can easily create notes with Transcribe, you can also import files from services such as Dropbox.

Once you’ve transcribed a file, you can export the raw text to a word processor to edit. The app is free to download, but you’ll have to make an in-app purchase if you want to make the most of these features in the long-term. There is a trial available, but it’s basically just 15 minutes of free transcription time. Transcribe is only available on iOS, though.   

5. Windows Speech Recognition

If you don’t want to pay for speech recognition software, and you’re running Microsoft’s latest desktop OS, then you might be pleased to hear that speech-to-text is built into Windows.

Windows Speech Recognition, as it’s imaginatively named – and note that this is something different to Cortana, which offers basic commands and assistant capabilities – lets you not only execute commands via voice control, but also offers the ability to dictate into documents.

The sort of accuracy you get isn’t comparable with that offered by the likes of Dragon, but then again, you’re paying nothing to use it. It’s also possible to improve the accuracy by training the system by reading text, and giving it access to your documents to better learn your vocabulary. It’s definitely worth indulging in some training, particularly if you intend to use the voice recognition feature a fair bit.

The company has been busy boasting about its advances in terms of voice recognition powered by deep neural networks, especially since windows 10 and now for Windows 11 , and Microsoft is certainly priming us to expect impressive things in the future. The likely end-goal aim is for Cortana to do everything eventually, from voice commands to taking dictation.

Turn on Windows Speech Recognition by heading to the Control Panel (search for it, or right click the Start button and select it), then click on Ease of Access, and you will see the option to ‘start speech recognition’ (you’ll also spot the option to set up a microphone here, if you haven’t already done that).

Aside from what has already been covered above, there are an increasing number of apps available across all mobile devices for working with speech to text, not least because Google's speech recognition technology is available for use. 

iTranslate Translator  is a speech-to-text app for iOS with a difference, in that it focuses on translating voice languages. Not only does it aim to translate different languages you hear into text for your own language, it also works to translate images such as photos you might take of signs in a foreign country and get a translation for them. In that way, iTranslate is a very different app, that takes the idea of speech-to-text in a novel direction, and by all accounts, does it well. 

ListNote Speech-to-Text Notes  is another speech-to-text app that uses Google's speech recognition software, but this time does a more comprehensive job of integrating it with a note-taking program than many other apps. The text notes you record are searchable, and you can import/export with other text applications. Additionally there is a password protection option, which encrypts notes after the first 20 characters so that the beginning of the notes are searchable by you. There's also an organizer feature for your notes, using category or assigned color. The app is free on Android, but includes ads.

Voice Notes  is a simple app that aims to convert speech to text for making notes. This is refreshing, as it mixes Google's speech recognition technology with a simple note-taking app, so there are more features to play with here. You can categorize notes, set reminders, and import/export text accordingly.

SpeechTexter  is another speech-to-text app that aims to do more than just record your voice to a text file. This app is built specifically to work with social media, so that rather than sending messages, emails, Tweets, and similar, you can record your voice directly to the social media sites and send. There are also a number of language packs you can download for offline working if you want to use more than just English, which is handy.

Also consider reading these related software and app guides:

• Best text-to-speech software
• Best transcription services
• Best Bluetooth headsets

Speech-to-text app FAQs

Which speech-to-text app is best for you.

When deciding which speech-to-text app to use, first consider what your actual needs are, as free and budget  options may only provide basic features, so if you need to use advanced tools you may find a paid-for platform is better suited to you. Additionally, higher-end software can usually cater for every need, so do ensure you have a good idea of which features you think you may require from your speech-to-text app.

How we tested the best speech-to-text apps

To test for the best speech-to-text apps we first set up an account with the relevant platform, then we tested the service to see how the software could be used for different purposes and in different situations. The aim was to push each speech-to-text platform to see how useful its basic tools were and also how easy it was to get to grips with any more advanced tools.

Read more on how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar .

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Brian has over 30 years publishing experience as a writer and editor across a range of computing, technology, and marketing titles. He has been interviewed multiple times for the BBC and been a speaker at international conferences. His specialty on techradar is Software as a Service (SaaS) applications, covering everything from office suites to IT service tools. He is also a science fiction and fantasy author, published as Brian G Turner.

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From Text to Speech: How You Read Kindle Books Aloud

• Alexa , Devices

Looking to read Kindle books aloud? I’m Isaac, and I’ll guide you through the simple yet fascinating ways to turn your Kindle, smartphone, or even Alexa into a personal storyteller. 

From the comfort of your Paperwhite to the convenience of your iPhone, or even your Echo Show , this guide covers it all, ensuring you can enjoy your favorite books audibly, anytime, anywhere.

Table of Contents

Alexa, read my book: using alexa for kindle books, on the go reading: kindle app read aloud on android and iphone, tech-savvy reading: utilizing the kindle app on mac, classic yet advanced: making the most of your kindle paperwhite, frequently asked questions, summary: unleashing the power of voice: your kindle’s reading aloud journey.

Integrating your Kindle with Alexa opens a world of auditory delight. First, ensure your Kindle and Alexa devices are registered to the same Amazon account. For this to work, though, you will need an Audible account.

Then, say, “Alexa, read my book,” followed by the title. 

Alexa not only reads out loud but also keeps track of your progress, so you can switch between reading and listening seamlessly. This feature is especially handy when your hands are full, or you want to rest your eyes while diving into a good story.

Reading Kindle books aloud on Android or iPhone involves a few simple accessibility settings. And what’s nice is this can be done without a Audible subscription . Let’s break it down by device:

For iPhone and iPad Users:

• Activate Speak Screen:  Navigate to Settings > Accessibility > Spoken Content. Here, enable ‘Speak Screen.’ This feature allows your device to read aloud any text on the screen, including Kindle books.
• Using the Feature:  Once enabled, swipe down with two fingers from the top of the screen to start the reading. A control panel will appear, allowing you to play, pause, and adjust the reading speed.
• Choosing a Voice:  In the Spoken Content settings, you can select different voices for the speech output. The male Siri voice is often preferred for its clarity.
• Battery Saving Tip:  Remember to dim your screen to save battery life, as the screen remains active during reading.

For Android Users:

• Install Android Accessibility Suite:  Download this suite from the Play Store to access text-to-speech features.
• Alternative Methods:  Explore different text-to-speech options detailed in the YouTube video “Text-to-Speech Options On Android – TalkBack, Select To Speak, Voice Assistant, Screen Reader” for various methods.

For more detailed instructions, refer to the  Economist Writing Every Day  article.

Reading Kindle books aloud on your Mac is a straightforward process, thanks to the built-in text-to-speech capabilities of macOS. Here’s how to do it:

• Enable Text-to-Speech:  First, go to System Preferences > Accessibility > Speech. You can enable the ‘Speak selected text when the key is pressed’ option. You can also choose a voice and adjust the speaking rate to suit your preference.
• Using the Feature in Kindle App:  Open your Kindle app and select the book you want to read. Highlight the text you wish to be read aloud, then use the designated key command to start the text-to-speech function.
• Customizing the Experience:  Experiment with different voices and speeds to find the best combination. The Mac offers a range of voices, providing a personalized reading experience.

This feature is handy for multitasking or for those who prefer auditory learning. It transforms your Mac into a versatile reading tool, making it easy to enjoy your Kindle books in a whole new way.

While the Kindle Paperwhite is primarily known for its e-ink reading experience, it also offers capabilities for reading books aloud, thanks to its integration with Audible. Here’s how to utilize this feature:

• Audible Integration:  First, ensure your Audible and Amazon accounts are linked. This allows you to access your Audible audiobooks directly on your Kindle Paperwhite.
• Downloading Audiobooks:  On your Kindle Paperwhite, navigate to the Audible store and download your desired audiobooks. Remember, you need a Wi-Fi connection for this step.
• Listening to Audiobooks:  Once downloaded, you can access your audiobooks from the home screen. Plug in your headphones or connect a Bluetooth speaker, as the Paperwhite doesn’t have built-in speakers.
• Navigating Audiobooks:  The interface allows you to play, pause, skip chapters, and adjust the volume. It’s a seamless experience that combines the pleasure of reading with the convenience of listening.

This feature is ideal for those who enjoy the versatility of switching between reading and listening, offering a rich literary experience on your Kindle Paperwhite.

Can Alexa Read My Kindle Books?

Yes, Alexa can read your Kindle books. Link your Kindle and Alexa devices to the same Amazon account, and then ask Alexa to read your book by stating the title. This feature is handy for hands-free reading and keeping track of your progress across devices.

How Do I Enable Read Aloud on My Kindle App?

For iPhone and iPad, go to Settings > Accessibility > Spoken Content and enable ‘Speak Screen.’ On Android, download the Android Accessibility Suite from the Play Store. These settings allow your device to read aloud text from the Kindle app.

Is Kindle Paperwhite Capable of Reading Books Aloud?

The Kindle Paperwhite itself doesn’t read books aloud, but it supports Audible audiobooks. Link your Audible account, download audiobooks from the Audible store on your Paperwhite, and listen to them using headphones or Bluetooth.

Can I Listen to Kindle Books on My iPhone or Android?

Yes, you can listen to Kindle books on your iPhone or Android using the device’s text-to-speech accessibility features. Enable the settings described in the earlier sections to turn your smartphone into a book narrator.

This guide explored various ways to read Kindle books aloud, harnessing the power of devices like Alexa, Kindle Paperwhite, and smartphones. Whether using the accessibility features on your iPhone or Android, listening to Audible books on your Paperwhite, or simply asking Alexa to narrate your latest read, the world of audiobooks is at your fingertips.

Remember, technology is constantly evolving, and so are the ways we can enjoy our favorite books. I encourage you to try these methods and discover the joy of listening to your Kindle library. If you have any questions, experiences to share, or need further guidance, don’t hesitate to leave a comment. Your feedback helps me tailor future content and supports others in our community.

For more insights into using Alexa and other voice assistants, check out the  Alexa Archives  at Smart Home Explained. Read Kindle books aloud and transform how you interact with your favorite stories.

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AI Speech to Text: Revolutionizing Transcription

Table of contents.

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, AI Speech to Text technology stands out as a beacon of innovation, especially in how we handle and process language. This technology, which encompasses everything from automatic speech recognition (ASR) to audio transcription , is reshaping industries, enhancing accessibility, and streamlining workflows.

What is Speech to Text?

Speech to Text, often abbreviated as speech-to-text , refers to the technology used to transcribe spoken language into written text. This can be applied to various audio sources, such as video files , podcasts , and even real-time conversations. Thanks to advancements in machine learning and natural language processing , today’s speech recognition systems are more accurate and faster than ever.

Core Technologies and Terminology

• ASR (Automatic Speech Recognition) : This is the engine that drives transcription services, converting speech into a string of text.
• Speech Models : These are trained on extensive datasets containing thousands of hours of audio files in multiple languages, such as English, Spanish, French, and German, to ensure accurate transcription .
• Speaker Diarization : This feature identifies different speakers in an audio, making it ideal for video transcription and audio files from meetings or interviews.
• Natural Language Processing (NLP) : Used to enhance the context understanding and summarization of the transcribed text.

Applications and Use Cases

Speech-to-text technology is highly versatile, supporting a range of applications:

• Video Content : From generating subtitles to creating searchable text databases.
• Podcasts : Enhancing accessibility with transcripts that include timestamps , making specific content easy to find.
• Real-time Applications : Like live event captioning and customer support, where latency and transcription accuracy are critical.

Building Your Own Speech to Text System

For those interested in building their own system, numerous resources are available:

• Open Source Tools : Software like Whisper and frameworks that allow customization and integration into existing workflows.
• APIs and SDKs : Platforms like Google Cloud offer robust APIs that facilitate the integration of speech-to-text capabilities into apps and services, complete with detailed tutorials .
• On-Premises Solutions : For businesses needing to keep data in-house for security reasons, on-premises setups are also viable.
• AI tools : AI speech to text or AI transcription tools like Speechify work right in your browser.

Challenges and Considerations

While the technology is impressive, it’s not without its challenges. Word error rate (WER) remains a significant metric for assessing the quality of transcription services. Additionally, the ability to accurately capture specific words or phrases and sentiment analysis can vary depending on the speech models used and the complexity of the audio.

Pricing and Accessibility

The cost of using speech-to-text services can vary. Many providers offer a tiered pricing model based on usage, with some offering free tiers for startups or small-scale applications. Accessibility is also a key focus, with efforts to support multiple languages and dialects expanding rapidly.

The Future of Speech to Text

Looking ahead, the integration of speech-to-text technology in daily life and business processes is only going to deepen. With continuous improvements in speech models , low-latency applications, and the embrace of multi-language support , the potential to bridge communication gaps and enhance data accessibility is immense. As artificial intelligence and machine learning evolve, so too will the capabilities of speech-to-text technologies, making every interaction more engaging and informed.

Whether you are a pro looking to integrate advanced speech-to-text APIs into a complex system, or a newcomer eager to experiment with open-source software , the world of AI speech to text offers endless possibilities. Dive into this technology to unlock new levels of efficiency and innovation in your projects and products.

Try Speechify AI Transcription

Pricing : Free to try

Effortlessly transcribe any video in a snap. Just upload your audio or video and hit “Transcribe” for the most precise transcription.

Boasting support for over 20 languages, Speechify Video Transcription stands out as the premier AI transcription service.

Speechify AI Transcription Features

• Easy to use UI
• Multilingual transcription
• Transcribe directly from YouTube or upload a video
• Transcribe your video in minutes
• Great for individuals to large teams

Speechify is the best option for AI transcription. Move seamlessly between the suite of products in Speechify Studio or use just AI transcription. Try it for yourself, for free !

Frequently Asked Questions

<strong>is there an ai for speech to text</strong>.

Yes, AI technologies that perform speech to text, like automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems, utilize advanced machine learning models and natural language processing to transcribe audio files and real-time speech accurately.

<strong>Which AI converts audio to text?</strong>

AI models such as Google Cloud’s Speech-to-Text and OpenAI’s Whisper are popular choices that convert audio to text. They offer features like speaker diarization, support for multiple languages, and high transcription accuracy.

<strong>How do I convert AI voice to text?</strong>

To convert AI voice to text, you can use speech-to-text APIs provided by platforms like Google Cloud, which allow integration into existing applications to transcribe audio files, including podcasts and video content, in real-time.

<strong>What is the AI that converts voice to text?</strong>

AI that converts voice to text involves automatic speech recognition technologies, like those offered by Google Cloud and OpenAI Whisper. These AIs are designed to provide accurate transcription of natural language from audio and video files.

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Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.

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