Biggest need - HANDS FREE READ ALOUD - enjoy my collection in drive time

The biggest need I have in Logos is to be able to have the book read aloud while I'm driving during my commute time. I would much rather listen to the books in my collection than to the radio anyway.

This isn't using the existing smartphone read on-screen feature. That won't cut it. I need to have the app read continuously until I stop it, possibly for 20-30 minutes at a time. I don't want it to read what's on the screen in under a minute and then quit. I want to enjoy the collection that I've paid for.

It doesn't have to be professional actors reading a dramatized version of the book. I'm fine with the same computer generated voices that are used in apps for the blind.

This is a MUST HAVE for me. As the father of two small boys, some days my drive time is about the only available time I have to peruse my collection and I can't do that while driving unless it's converted to audio on the fly.

Thanks!!

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Comments

Fred Chapman

So are asking Faithlife to turn every resource they have into an audio book? I'm no expert, but if that is even possible it seems like it would be a huge expense. I know if I buy a book at the store, they do not give me a free audio book to go with it.

If have misunderstood your request, please let me know.

Bruce Dunning

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/742922#Comment_742922

Unfortunately the mobile app doesn't have a read aloud feature but I'm sure you must be aware of the read aloud feature for the regular software (see below). One possibility that I have not tried but could work is to use a laptop with bluetooth and run that through your car radio.

Kevin Byford (Faithlife)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/742954#Comment_742954

Unfortunately the mobile app doesn't have a read aloud feature

This is true, but on Apple devices iOS has a built-in read aloud feature. Please see https://community.logos.com/forums/p/92097/679087.aspx for instructions.

Bruce Dunning

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/742960#Comment_742960

Unfortunately the mobile app doesn't have a read aloud feature

This is true, but on Apple devices iOS has a built-in read aloud feature. Please see https://community.logos.com/forums/p/92097/679087.aspx for instructions.

Personally I find both computer generated voices very difficult to listen to but I guess is that is the only option it is better than nothing.

Scott Sanjay Hayes

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/742922#Comment_742922

Fred,

No, it's not a "huge expense". I'm not asking for an audio book for every ebook; that would require hiring a voice actor to dramatize the text. I'm asking for a computer voice to read the existing ebook. There's a huge difference. Computer generated voices to read text have already existed in a number of apps for more than 20 years. Logos is late to this party.

I hope that clarifies. :-)

Scott

Scott Sanjay Hayes

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/742960#Comment_742960

Kevin,

The built-in read aloud feature on Apple iOS only reads the text that's already "on the screen" so you can hear it if you are blind or see poorly. I'm suggesting an automated feature that would keep reading the book "whether the text is on the screen yet or not". I've tried the Apple iOS feature, and it doesn't work for hands free driving. I would still have to touch the iPhone in order to advance the text. I want the app to just keep reading the book on and on until I manually stop it.

Scott

Scott Sanjay Hayes

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/742964#Comment_742964

Bruce,

I admit that computer generated voices can take some getting used to, but it's a mature technology now with multiple voices to choose from. Once you get used to it, it's very efficient. My blind friends can listen to computer voices at a much higher rate of speed than I can; but they are skilled at it through practice.

Scott

Scott Sanjay Hayes

I'm currently experimenting with the iPhone app "NaturalReader Text to Speech" By NaturalSoft Limited. It reads PDF and some other formats. I wish Logos had something similar to that built in to its iPhone app.

Kevin Byford (Faithlife)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/746693#Comment_746693

Kevin,

The built-in read aloud feature on Apple iOS only reads the text that's already "on the screen" so you can hear it if you are blind or see poorly. I'm suggesting an automated feature that would keep reading the book "whether the text is on the screen yet or not". I've tried the Apple iOS feature, and it doesn't work for hands free driving. I would still have to touch the iPhone in order to advance the text. I want the app to just keep reading the book on and on until I manually stop it.

Scott

What version of iOS are you running? Page turning works fine for me, I'm running Logos 4.6.3 on iOS 8.4.

Kevin Byford (Faithlife)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/746693#Comment_746693

Kevin,

The built-in read aloud feature on Apple iOS only reads the text that's already "on the screen" so you can hear it if you are blind or see poorly. I'm suggesting an automated feature that would keep reading the book "whether the text is on the screen yet or not". I've tried the Apple iOS feature, and it doesn't work for hands free driving. I would still have to touch the iPhone in order to advance the text. I want the app to just keep reading the book on and on until I manually stop it.

Scott

Scott,

I don't believe this is the case even on iOS 7. Please see https://community.logos.com/forums/t/92097.aspx and see if it helps.

Also, please do not post questions to UserVoice - it's a suggestion site and not a question/answer forum. Thanks!

Keith Gant

Scott, one thing I’ve done for a couple of resources is to play the audio on my Windows laptop using Logos’ built-in Read Aloud capability (Ctrl-R), and capture the audio to a file with Windows Sound Recorder or another app. (This can take hours for a large book.) Then I copied the audio file to my iPod where I could listen to the resource while jogging or driving. Obviously this takes a bit of effort and must be done separately for each resource you want.

An alternative to the above is to copy the text from the resource into a Word document, then use one of the number of Windows apps which will turn a text file (Word doc) into an audio file using synthesized speech. But since Logos limits the amount of text you can copy in one operation, you have to copy it piece by piece to get a whole book.

That being said, for a long time I’ve been wishing for the very same thing you are requesting for mobile devices, which would make it so much easier.

JT (alabama24)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/749068#Comment_749068

Scott, one thing I’ve done for a couple of resources is to play the audio on my Windows laptop using Logos’ built-in Read Aloud capability (Ctrl-R), and capture the audio to a file with Windows Sound Recorder or another app. (This can take hours for a large book.)

I am not sure if there is a faster method for windows or not... but on Mac, users can use the "right click" menu for many apps to "send to iTunes as a spoken track" (under "services") which is very fast. NOTE: this won't work within Logos, so you will have to export the book (or a section of it) to word, pages, etc.

Kevin Byford (Faithlife)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/749068#Comment_749068

That being said, for a long time I’ve been wishing for the very same thing you are requesting for mobile devices, which would make it so much easier.

This is already supported on iOS mobile devices. If you are saying it doesn't work for you please post detailed instructions for reproducing the issue.

JT (alabama24)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/749172#Comment_749172

This is already supported on iOS mobile devices.

You can use "read aloud" for any book in your library? Isn't that what the OP (and Keith) is asking? Or are you directing him to "VoiceOver"?

Kevin Byford (Faithlife)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/749185#Comment_749185

This is already supported on iOS mobile devices.

You can use "read aloud" for any book in your library? Isn't that what the OP (and Keith) is asking? Or are you directing him to "VoiceOver"?

Ah, sorry for the confusion. Isn't VoiceOver the iOS equivalent of Logos Desktop's Read Aloud (i.e. a computer voice reading the text)?

John Kight

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/749188#Comment_749188

Isn't VoiceOver the iOS equivalent of Logos Desktop's Read Aloud (i.e. a computer voice reading the text)?

I believe you are thinking of Speech (Settings>General>Accessibility>Speech>Speak Screen). I use it daily. You have have the ability to change voices as well. Alex is the best by far.

JT (alabama24)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/749188#Comment_749188

Ah, sorry for the confusion. Isn't VoiceOver the iOS equivalent of Logos Desktop's Read Aloud (i.e. a computer voice reading the text)?

In a way... VoiceOver is a computerized rendering of text on the screen, but it is an "accessibility" feature for the visually impaired.

EDIT: I believe you are thinking of Speech (Settings>General>Accessibility>Speech>Speak Screen). I use it daily.

My apologies. I was unaware of this feature. Was it new to iOS 8? The last time I looked into "read aloud" on iOS, VoiceOver was the only option. "Speech" does appear to be a much better feature, and seemingly works well with the mobile apps.

John Kight

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/749203#Comment_749203

Was it new to iOS 8?

I think that you're correct, iOS 8.

JT (alabama24)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/749211#Comment_749211

I don't feel <quite> as bad now. [:$] [:)]

Keith Gant

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/749172#Comment_749172

This is already supported on iOS mobile devices. If you are saying it doesn't work for you please post detailed instructions for reproducing the issue.

Yes, I just tried it and it works great with Logos under iOS 8. So glad to find this out, I was not aware that this capability was available in iOS.

Keith Gant

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/746693#Comment_746693

Kevin,

The built-in read aloud feature on Apple iOS only reads the text that's already "on the screen" so you can hear it if you are blind or see poorly. I'm suggesting an automated feature that would keep reading the book "whether the text is on the screen yet or not". I've tried the Apple iOS feature, and it doesn't work for hands free driving. I would still have to touch the iPhone in order to advance the text. I want the app to just keep reading the book on and on until I manually stop it.

Scott

Scott, with Logos under iOS 8 it does do the automatic page turning that you were asking for, not just the text on the initial screen.

Scott Sanjay Hayes

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/749375#Comment_749375

I have since upgraded to a new iPhone with iOS 9, and I am able to have the phone read Logos text to me by doing a 2-fingered vertical swipe from the top-down. Love it! My commute time is now my Logos book-listening time. Thanks to everyone who replied previously.

Patrick J. Melancon

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/819944#Comment_819944

Scott, Can you please explain how you were able to get Logos to do the continuous read-aloud on you IPhone? I have a visual impairment issue and would love to activate this for most of the "reading" I need to do in Logos, especially on my IPhone (where the print is still hard for me to read with the fonts enlarged). Thanks.