TextAloud Now Available for Apple iOS Devices
TextAloud, a provider of software for converting text into natural-sounding computer speech that was previously available only for the Windows PC, now has a new mobile app for iOS devices. NextUp.com announced a new TextAloud App designed especially for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch is now available in the Apple App Store.
The new TextAloud app is priced at $4.99, and enables users to listen to text. The TextAloud app runs in the background, letting the user create and maintain articles to be spoken aloud from text copied to the clipboard. Its settings are configured to the user's preferences so that articles can be set to be spoken automatically as they are added, for example, and deleted when speaking is finished.
The app includes two U.S. English voices by Acapela (Heather, a female voice, and Ryan, a male voice), with more Acapela voices available through in-app purchase at $1.99 each. Presently, a total of 51 Acapela voices are offered, including 25 languages.
"Since 2000, we've served hundreds of thousands of satisfied customers who use our TextAloud PC software for everything from writing and proofing to overcoming learning or visual disabilities, and more," said NextUp president Rick Ellis in a statement. "We're delighted to now enter the iOS space with our new TextAloud app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch devices. It does not yet offer all of the features of the PC version, but we think users will find the app really useful, and we plan to expand and improve it going forward."
The app also offers word highlighting, adjustable display colors, brightness and text size, as well as 'Auto-Lock While Speaking,' a setting that lets users keep the display turned on while speaking is in progress. Once speaking of the text has completed, the display will then work with the user's normal Auto-Lock settings. TextAloud registers on an iOS device as an app that can handle text files, and includes integration with Dropbox.
The TextAloud App for iOS is compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod Touch (3rd generation), iPod Touch (4th generation), iPod Touch (5th generation) and iPad. It requires iOS 5.0 or later, and is optimized for iPhone 5. A WiFi connection is recommended for downloading the 120 MB installation file after purchase.