FREE – iSpeech 4 Books, Docs, Web, Blogs

Posted by LisaHill - 19/05/09 at 04:05 pm

Subject Matter: Converting books, docs, websites, or blog text into speech
Grades: Special Education, ESL, Elementary to College, Administrative, Commercial uses

Reading While on the Road
Stuck in traffic, on a plane, or waiting for a meeting and you’re behind on  studying for a test, reviewing work, or keeping up on favorite blogs?  Are you a visually impaired student, or working with special education individuals? Want to take along that document, but not all 20 pages?  Consider using iSpeech to download text, and read with your ears.

How iSpeech Works
Since 2007, iSpeech went through some rigorous testing, and was recently launched in 2009. No software installation, or technical expertise  is required.  The initial service is free, and additional content conversion services are provided with monthly fees (see Cost at article end).  Simply sign up, then cut and paste text into the application’s text box, or upload any supported document, website, blog, etc. The program then converts the content into speech.

Audio files are stored in My Library. Files can be public, or locked for privacy.

iSpeech reports their program can support file types and websites that include: Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat, Rich Text File, Blogs, RSS news feeds, hypertext markup language (DOC, DOCX, PPT, PPTX, XLS, XLSX, PDF, RTF, HTML).

iPods, Blogs and More
iSpeech indicates material can be podcasted, listened to on iPods, MP3s, or burned onto CDs.  Users can embed a file on any website, including MySpace, Blogger, or eBay.  iSpeech also supports Terapad and Typepad.

For bloggers using Wordpress.org, iSpeech provides a plugin.   The computer voice is understandable, plus has cadence and not a flat monotone. Users, however, can upload an advanced voice quality.

At present, Wordpress.com does not support iSpeech, however iSpeech reports to bloggers that the “current alternative is to place [audio MP3-URL] tags into your post with the MP3-URL pointing to your converted post.  For more details on how to accomplish this, please refer to wordpress.com audio support“.

Lots of Languages
In a couple months, iSpeech will provide text in 23 different languages. French material will, well sound “French”, and not with a mono-dialogue translating words incorrectly.

Expand Into Different Markets
Educators, commercial enterprises, online publishers, government agencies can offer audio versions of text content. For online publishers, iSpeech clients only pay for content that sells.

iSpeech offers a free 30-day trial, however free trials will require a charge either by PayPal, or credit card. However, iSpeech wil refund all monies if the user decides to cancel their service.

Worked For Me
I cut and pasted text into the content box, and it worked just fine. Then I uploaded a file. Your uploads are saved as files in MyLibrary. Next I’ll play around with the URL. When this application provides text-to-speech service in different languages, it will be a very powerful tool.

Try it out and see for yourself. iSpeech is the next step to being free of paper and textbooks.

Additional article by PR Web: iSpeech.org Makes Box.net Talk Aloud .

System Requirements: Web based browser, Requires Flash Player (free download at Flash Player)
Contact: iSpeech.org
Cost: Free for 250 words/mo.; $7.85/mo. for 10,000 words; $14.85/mo. for 25,000 words; $22.85/mo. for 50,000 words. All plans have limited monthly conversions. Check online to purchase iSpeech credits.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 19th, 2009 at 4:03 pm and is filed under Free Programs, Homework Help, Media, Reading, Special Education. The entry is tagged under audio, audio learners, blogs, Books, college, disabled, disabled readers, documents, elearning, ESL, free, high, iPod, ipods, iSpeech, middle, MP3s, online, paperless reading, reading-in-text, school, schools, Special Education, special needs, student, students, teacher, text, text-into-speech, visually impaired, web. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.