Correct: they had to enable the bit after pressure by publishers. However, it looks like the feature doesn't even exist on the apps. I tried it on the Kindle for Mac as well, and no voice prompts or anything in the menu, even on public domain works like Dracula. Can't highlight to get Mac VoiceOver to work, either.
The main argument was because the audiobook publishers would be put out of business (and then of course the rights holders would not be able to sell those rights separately). There were a lot of lawsuits. Personally, even as an author myself, I say open it up. Let the technology do its thing. Following their reasoning, we should never have allowed icemakers in refrigerators because the old ice delivery guys were going out of business. Also, having a machine read text is a far cry from having a human being read it aloud as a performance. Mac's Alex voice is pretty slick, but it's not perfect and you're not going to get emotional range or character inflection out of it. Mike On Oct 13, 2010, at 10:11 AM, Bill Kampmeyer wrote: > 'Read aloud' is a bit that Amazon may flip via DRM. If the copyright holder > feels the read aloud will keep you from additionally purchasing the work a > second time in audio they will require the bit disable read aloud. Once > again DRM only makes things more difficult for those who purchase products > legally. A distant acquaintance of mine, can't even remember the name but I > do remember the story, was enjoying the excellent books when he or she found > the purchased titles did not allow him or her to listen to the purchased > work. However it was very very very easy torrented the work, transfer it by > USB to his or her kindle and listen to the purchased text. If you look > closely enough most Amazon will tell you if read aloud is aloud on a title > before purchase. > > It should not be harder to purchase content and consume it as you like then > to just hit the torrents. There really should be incentives, not impediments > to purchasing content. DRM only hurts people who want to legally purchase > content. [Just like gun laws only stop law abiding citizens] > > Here is a good editorial on this topic. > > http://i.engadget.com/2010/09/25/editorial-for-the-umpteenth-time-copy-protection-only-hurts/ > > BK > > On Wed, Oct 13, 2010 at 9:51 AM, Chris Franzen > <chrisfran...@nokomis.k12.il.us> wrote: > Does anyone know if the kindle app for android phones will do the read aloud > function like a regular kindle? > > Chris Franzen > Technology Coordinator > Nokomis School District > 511 Oberle St. > Nokomis, IL 62075 > > > | Subscription info at http://www.tech-geeks.org | > > | Subscription info at http://www.tech-geeks.org |
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