#AppMondayTAS - Typ-O

As we all know iOS devices have their limitations.  One such limitation is that to get alternate input, keyboards, audio input, etc... you have to use an app.  Unlike Android, you cannot change the default keyboard.  This limitation is from Apple, and holds back apps like Typ-O.  The perfect place to put Typ-O would be as a replacement for the standard iOS keyboard so it could be used in all apps, but that is not available at this time.

The reason Typ-O would be a decent replacement for the standard keyboard is that it does word prediction.  Typ-O does word predication pretty well for an app.  I used it on my iPod Touch and it did a good job of suggesting words no matter how I spelled them.  It is a little limiting in how many choices you can see at once, but that's a limit of the size of the device, not the app.  From the screen shots I have seen the iPad version uses the space very well and offers an easier view of the choices.  As with all alternate access apps you will need to copy the text and paste it into another app if you want in an email, text or other app.  Typ-O also offers text-to-speech speaking the word or the sentence as you choose.

Overall, Typ-O is a solid word prediction app with built in text-to-speech.  It is a little pricey - $4.99 for the iPhone version and $14.99 for the iPad version, but worth it if you need word prediction.  The only limitation is not the app's fault, but Apple's that I hope gets resolved in newer versions of iOS.

App -
Typ-O - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/typ-o/id370829089?mt=8
Typ-O HD - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/typ-o-hd-writing-is-for-everybody/id372971659?mt=8#

Price - $4.99 - iPhone, $14.99 - iPad (at time of posting)

Type - requires separate purchase for iPhone and iPad versions

Restrictions - runs on all iOS devices


**Reviewer received a copy of this app from the developer**

Also posted on the iEAR.org

Patrick

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Text-To-Speech

Just a quick post this morning, please take a look at a great post from Karen Janowski of EdTech Solutions - Teaching Every Learner.  Text-To-Speech is something that we need to talk about with all learners, it's time to get it on every computer, in every school!


Please...SHOUT this from the ROOFTOPS!

Patrick

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Interesting Text-To-Speech options

I guess this would have been more of a post about 2 weeks ago, when I saw it before a lot of people had written about it, before Oprah talked about, etc... but I still wanted to write about it!

As you know Roger Ebert of Siskel & Ebert, Ebert & Roeper, & the Chicago Suntimes is no longer able to speak.  This had to have been an extremely difficult thing for him considering he spoke for a living.  Recently a company from Scotland has given him back his voice.  Ebert admits that he could have used a device to talk for him, but he always felt strange because it was not his voice.  I guess I can understand that, I think I would have a hard time using a device if it didn't sound like me.  So, this company in Scotland, CereProc, took hours of Ebert talking on his show, digitized it, and created a voice for him.  many of the words we use over and over each day, about 2000, and the ones it didn't have recordings of they are abel to piece together from other syllables.  It's really an amazing technology when you think about it!  Here's a link to original aritcle - Text-To-Speech Program to give Roger Ebert his voice back

I realize that this type of program is not practical for students who are recommended for AAC and TTS.  Many of them have no voice to start with, and we are trying to give them a voice.  I think development has more of a global nature.  This type of product development will trickle down and make computerized voices much more understandable and real sounding.  It's going to take some time, but it will happen.  For those people who have recorded large amounts of themselves, this has to be a great option for them.  For me, I can't wait to see what else may come of it!

Patrick


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Products for a Tablet?

Last week I published that this year might be the year of "The Tablet", and with the Consumer Electronics Show just ending there are no end to the number of Tablets that have been introduced. While none of them have all the features that the Mythical Apple Tablet might have, they are fully featured devices. One software piece that is needed is an e-reader. There are e-book readers, Stanza, Kindle for iPhone, Barnes & Noble e-reader, etc... they all lack certain features - text-to-speech, highlighting to name a couple.

Well, that all changes with Blio. Developed by Ray Kurzweil, creator of Kurzweil 3000 and pioneer in Optical Character Recognition, synthesizers, and lots of other things, Blio is a full color, full featured e-book reader (to be released in February)! Here are some posts on Blio:

First Look
Blio e-book reader

Interview with Ray Kurzweil


Some of the features include:
*multiple platform support - iPhone/iPod Touch, PC (sorry no Mac at this time), mobile devices, netbooks, etc...
*Full Color - it looks like a book, not just text like the Kindle
*embedded graphics, hyperlinks & video!!
*Text-to-Speech, with word highlighting
*adjustable font size & reading speed
*insert notes, drawing, images, video, or recording into your text
*over 1,000,000 free books available
*synchronization between platforms - so where you left off on your iPhone is updated to your laptop!

This software alone could make "The Tablet" a success. I can only imagine a world where every student has a tablet that they can customize, and use on a regular basis to read and help them! Blio could completely change the way we read books. I can imagine so many possibilities for this software and devices like "The Tablet"! I can't wait to see what happens!

Patrick

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Kindle 2 - Updated Information

I was so excited to hear about the Kindle 2 when the information was released in early February. Since then I've been displeased with what has been happening. For those who have not been following; the Kindle was supposed to be released with text-to-speech capabilities built into the device. The Author's Guild protested this feature saying that it was copyright infringement to create a "audio" version of the book. Audio versions are protected under copyright, the Amazon feature would read the book without storing a copy. Amazon decided to cave and disable the feature at this time (see this press release).

As you can see I don't agree with this decision, I personally feel that using text-to-speech is not creating an audio copy, but I'm no legal expert. So what can you do? Head here to Reading Rights. At this site you can read more information on the case, sign the petition, and see other ways to protest this decision.

Patrick

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Netbooks

Talk of the Kindle has inspired a debate on the QIAT group about the benefit of purchasing a Kindle 2 or a netbook. A netbook is a small device designed to be easily portable, exactly as the Kindle. They have at least 2 GB of storage, come with a complete operating system, & wireless connectivity. Netbooks cost between $200 - $500.

So, a Kindle is a device for reading books, papers, etc... that's easily portable, has wireless connectivity for downloading books, & will cost $359. I realize that netbooks have limitations as to the amount and type of software that can be installed (Dragon Naturally Speaking is one program that won't run on most netbooks), and sometimes the operating system is not one everyone is familiar with (some run Windows, buy many run a form of Linux), & they have limited space. These limitations withstanding I think a netbook, with text-to-speech readers installed gives you much more flexibility. Students would have internet capability, in a small package, as well as a place to store and read books.

I guess I feel this way because devices are heading toward multiple uses. Smartphones like Blackberries, & Iphones changed the way we get information. Laptops are getting smaller and smaller every day, and we are increasingly looking for ways to get information when we are mobile. So I'm going out on a limb to say that while the Kindle 2 is a great device, I personally would not want a device that's limited to just reading books (especially for the price). Maybe you disagree, let me know what you think.

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Kindle 2

One of the biggest announcements recently was the Amazon Kindle 2. The original Kindle was release several years ago. It was an interesting piece of technology, but was limited by several factors. It had no backlight, you were limited to books that you could only download from Amazon, no support for pdf files, limited storage, and those are just a few.

So when Amazon announced the specs for the Kindle 2, I was excited to see some of the features. It has a better screen and is easier to read. It has wireless built in, so you can actually download books without a computer. It even has the ability to 'whispersync' with both new & old Kindles. In the fine print it even says other wireless devices not yet named. It is lighter and smaller than the old Kindle.

One of the most interesting features is that it will have text-to-speech built into the device. While most people say that it is a poor quality voice, it is a first step. The price is a little steep, $359.

This price actually leads me to my final issue with the Kindle while it seems like a great device, I wonder if it's worth purchasing when you can get a netbook for between $250 - $400 which has the same capabilities or better, but that is a post for another day.

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