Logos needs to add text to speech capabilities to their iPhone app. I use it on my iPhone with a competing product and it is really nice. I would love to have it with my logos library.
http://www.acapela-for-iphone.com/
Yes, please. That would be great to have that capability in iPhone.
More apps are coming out with this feature. Any plans from Logos?
Yes. Please.
I agree this would be useful.
We're looking into this. There are two issues:
1) Some publishers don't want us to allow text-to-speech for their books, because they sell audio editions and license those rights separately. They see text-to-speech as competition for the audio books.
2) The good text to speech engines for mobile devices are generally licensed at a percentage of app price, or a price per word. Our free app doesn't fit that model, and we can't afford to pay for all you want to listen to. :-)
We're still working on both issues, and investigating other solutions. We know it's a desired feature.
-- Bob
Thank you Bob for your answer. I understand and hope you will find a good solution.
The good text to speech engines for mobile devices are generally licensed at a percentage of app price, or a price per word. Our free app doesn't fit that model, and we can't afford to pay for all you want to listen to. :-)
There are a lot of nuances to the discussions and legalities I am sure, but from a customer perspective I would be willing to pay for text to speech as a price comparable to a percentage of a comparable app price (I think!). If Logos could argue it is a package worth a retail price of say $199, would a 10% license fee or $20 buy text to speech as an add on that goes to the vendor?
Not trying to implement a solution, just offer feedback. There is value to text to speech for customers (at least me).
Thanks for the response Bob. The apps I have seen use an in-app purchase for the text to speech functionality.
Jamie
The apps I have seen use an in-app purchase for the text to speech functionality.
Can you give me a few examples of apps that are charging for that functionality?
The apps I have seen use an in-app purchase for the text to speech functionality. Can you give me a few examples of apps that are charging for that functionality?
Bob,
I have seen Laridian do this, charging for text to speech (you have to pay for each voice type you want to use). However, I also had to pay for the ability to copy and paste text from my non-Bible resources (something I did not appreciate). The only reason I still use this app is because of the Life Application Study Bible notes, if I could get this in Logos, I would give this app up. I don't think the ability to copy text for quotation for a resource I own is fair. Thanks for not doing that to us.
Blessings,
Philana
Mantis bible software is one. I also use another product called vBookz that reads my ePub books to me. Not the greatest program for accessing ebooks, but it works pretty good for text to speech.
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