Hi Got this from my son today, obviously it will not be available in the U.K. but thought I would pass it on as a matter of interest. Anyone lucky enough to have a subscription to bookshare by whatever means obtained is in clover. Begin forwarded message: > From: Richard Keen Date: 8 April 2011 16:43:51 GMT+01:00 > To: Gordon Keen > Subject: Bookshare Daisy app > > Hello > > Don't know if you're aware of this or not. Details below. > > Richard > > Benetech®, the parent nonprofit for Bookshare®, announced Read2Go, a new > accessible e-book application developed in partnership with Shinano Kenshi Co > and voice empowered by Acapela voices. > > Read2Go is a full-featured, accessible DAISY reader for the Apple device > market. > > The very easy-to-use app for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch connects > directly to Bookshare for immediate on-the-go reading. From within the app, > individual users and schools supporting students can search, download, and > read Bookshare books and periodicals and manage their books in a bookshelf. > In addition, Read2Go reads DAISY 2.02 and 3.0 materials from some other > sources. > > Based on reading preferences, users will have a wide range of options for > font size, color and background color. Word-by-word highlighting with > simultaneous text and speech enables multi-modal reading. The vocalization of > the information will be made by Acapela text to speech which transforms in > real time any written information into a natural easy-listening result. > Further, Read2Go supports all levels of DAISY navigation that are included in > the structure of the book. > > 'This new app furthers our Benetech Literacy goal of making printed content > accessible to individuals with print disabilities however and wherever they > want it. With Read2Go, we’re offering a mobile reading solution based on > strong demand from our users,' said Betsy Beaumon, Vice President and General > Manager of the Literacy Program at Benetech, the nonprofit organization that > operates Bookshare. 'The accessibility built-in to iOS devices and their > widespread and growing use highlight their potential to help close the gap > for students and other individuals with print disabilities'. > > 'Accessibility and Assistive technologies have always been important to > Acapela. We aim to answer specific user groups needs, from whom text to > speech is essential to gain in autonomy and access information. That's why we > are very proud to be the voice of Bookshare and Read2go ebook reader' said > Lars-Erik Larsson, CEO of Acapela Group > > Read2Go will be available this quarter in the Apple app store and will sell > for $19.99. Interested users who would like immediate notification when the > app is available can provide contact information on a secure notify list. > Additional features, such as study tools, images, and multiple languages, > will become be available in the coming months. > > For access to Bookshare books on these devices, qualified individuals will > need a Bookshare membership. > > About Benetech > Benetech is a nonprofit technology company based in Palo Alto, California. > Benetech pursues projects with a strong social rather than financial rate of > return on investment, harnessing open source technology to create innovative > solutions to challenging social issues. The Benetech Bookshare service is the > world's largest accessible online library of copyrighted books for people > with print disabilities. > http://www.benetech.org/ > http://www.bookshare.org/ >