[bookcourier] Re: Amazon Kindle

  • From: "Graham Lewis [gjl]" <gjl@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "bookcourier@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <bookcourier@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Mon, 18 Jul 2011 11:45:23 +0100

I have dabbled with the Kindle a bit more and while the text to speech 
interface is clunky and difficult to access when you not sighted, it is 
feasible to navigate around.  The text to speech in reading the actual books is 
a separate application.  It is very simple and, as Steve has said, only allows 
you to read from beginning to end of the book.  The page forward and page back 
does not function in this mode.  I have not foud out if it is possible to 
create bookmarks.

I am not sure whether Amazon plans to improve the accessibility features or 
whether they feel they have done sufficient to avoid vomplaints of the device 
not being accessible.

The main readon I like having this device is that it is the only way to buy 
Kindle books.  Some magazines and periodicals seem to only available in Kindle 
format.  These are protected against moving to other formats and in doing so, 
enabling the text to speech that some publishers block. Al so that they can be 
read on more accessible devices and, of course, I would never suggest that 
people went on the web to find ways to do so...

On a completely unrelated note...  I have really gotten to like the Calibre 
ebook catalogue software and now keep all of my extensive ebook collection 
organised with this.  It also offers conversion tools for easily changing to 
other formats, including plain text.

Graham

-----Original Message-----
From: bookcourier-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
[mailto:bookcourier-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Steve Nutt
Sent: 17 July 2011 6:08 PM
To: bookcourier@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [bookcourier] Re: Amazon Kindle

Hi Graham,

Not only that, there are far fewer books on the iBooks store, than there are on 
the Kindle store. I love my Kindle.

All the best

Steve

--
Computer Room Services
77 Exeter Close
Stevenage
Hertfordshire
SG1 4PW
Tel:  01438-742286
Mob: 07956334938
Fax: 01438-759589
Email: steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Web: http://www.comproom.co.uk


-----Original Message-----
From: bookcourier-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:bookcourier-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Graham Lewis [gjl]
Sent: Tuesday 1 March 2011 09:27
To: bookcourier@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [bookcourier] Re: Amazon Kindle

Thanks. But both these have touch screens which are pretty useless for me.

Graham

-----Original Message-----
From: bookcourier-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:bookcourier-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Megan Bening
Sent: 01 March 2011 00:35
To: bookcourier@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [bookcourier] Re: Amazon Kindle


Graham, I would almost think that you would be better off purchasing an iPod 
touch or iPad to read e-Books. Not only is it completely accessible and can do 
more than read books, but the accessibility is built into the core of the iPod 
and just seamlessly interrates with the iBooks application. I have actually 
read a few books on there, and love the interface. 
Hope this helps! 
Megan 

-----Original Message-----
From: bookcourier-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:bookcourier-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Graham Lewis [gjl]
Sent: Monday, February 28, 2011 6:59 AM
To: bookcourier@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [bookcourier] Amazon Kindle

While3 I love my bookcourier, its days are numberd.  I just bought a Kindle for 
my (sighted) wife and it seems to have some really nice, if experimental, 
accessibility features.  Has anybody elose gone down this route and doesanybody 
know if there is a discussion group dedicated to blind access to the kindle?

I thought it might provide me access to new books, via the speech-to-text 
function, but it seems that not all publishers allow this for their books - 
goodness knows why.  I suppose they are afraid that people will use it produce 
audio books from their copyrighted texts.  I can't really see most sighted 
people wanting to listen to the robot voice.

Graham







Other related posts: