Best "read later" for text-to-speech
December 12, 2024 8:12 AM Subscribe
I use instapaper to save articles to read later. I'd love an app with similar functionality that also does great text-to-speech, so I can listen to articles while I walk, do housework, etc... Any suggestions? I've tried pocket, which as okay, but the quality of the Text-to-speech seems worse than what I encounter in other tools. Like I want something that sounds as good at chatGPT in voice mode. Does this exist?
What's wrong with Instapaper's text-to-speech feature?
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 9:26 AM on December 12
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 9:26 AM on December 12
Response by poster: What's wrong with Instapaper's text-to-speech feature?
Main thing is: The quality of text-to-speech across various apps varies a *lot* these days. Instapaper is pretty lousy compared to lots of other apps- sounds robotic, etc...
posted by ManInSuit at 9:43 AM on December 12
Main thing is: The quality of text-to-speech across various apps varies a *lot* these days. Instapaper is pretty lousy compared to lots of other apps- sounds robotic, etc...
posted by ManInSuit at 9:43 AM on December 12
I find the text-to-speech in Read by Readwise mostly good enough. It doesn't sound robotic. Pronunciation and interpretation of acronyms and punctuation is sometimes a bit off, but not usually enough to make it hard to understand.
posted by caek at 2:11 PM on December 12
posted by caek at 2:11 PM on December 12
I use my iPhone's system text-to-speech with Instapaper daily, listening with Siri voice 4.
Apple restricts the smoother Siri voice to system actions, and fortunately, it offers text-to-speech as a system tools (along with many other accessibility features)
Three settings in Accessibility
spoken content > toggle speak screen on.
Voices > (your language) > Siri voice
Speech controller > toggle show on
An Instapaper article is one screen's worth. You can trigger speaking with a two finger swipe from top or "Siri, speak screen" (I've connected it to the action button with a Shortcut)
Once speech starts, use "speech controller" to pause/resume as well as a next/previous paragraph jump.
(Instapaper's own text-to-speech jumps by some unknowable number of characters; they decline to conform to the move-by-paragraph standard.)
I've also used Voice Dream Reader which supports some higher-quality voices but they're not chatGPT-level yet. VDR supports every kind of reading, including linking to your Instapaper account.
Put up with Siri level for the next four months and I'm betting the higher quality voices will be ubiquitous.
posted by Jesse the K at 4:34 PM on December 12
Apple restricts the smoother Siri voice to system actions, and fortunately, it offers text-to-speech as a system tools (along with many other accessibility features)
Three settings in Accessibility
spoken content > toggle speak screen on.
Voices > (your language) > Siri voice
Speech controller > toggle show on
An Instapaper article is one screen's worth. You can trigger speaking with a two finger swipe from top or "Siri, speak screen" (I've connected it to the action button with a Shortcut)
Once speech starts, use "speech controller" to pause/resume as well as a next/previous paragraph jump.
(Instapaper's own text-to-speech jumps by some unknowable number of characters; they decline to conform to the move-by-paragraph standard.)
I've also used Voice Dream Reader which supports some higher-quality voices but they're not chatGPT-level yet. VDR supports every kind of reading, including linking to your Instapaper account.
Put up with Siri level for the next four months and I'm betting the higher quality voices will be ubiquitous.
posted by Jesse the K at 4:34 PM on December 12
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posted by catquas at 9:03 AM on December 12