My best friend Sheefeni at work has a blind brother back home in Namibia. Last month, he talked about getting him a Kindle or something similar to read books to him. He didn't get it by Christmas but yesterday he said he's still thinking about it. He already buys him audiobooks. I think he wants more variety in titles.
I mentioned that I was going to start a thread here to brainstorm which device he should get, at some point he may come by (or not.)
Not that it matters, but just yesterday Sheefeni gave me Gardner Dozois' latest Year's Best anthology (the best yearly anthology EVER!) because he had an extra copy. He's a great guy.
What would be the best/cheapest option for a handheld eBook that can read books to a blind man? The Kindle? That Sony eBook? A PDA? What?
edit: To clarify, I'm not asking for donations, just help choosing a device.
[ January 18, 2008, 12:03 PM: Message edited by: Morbo ]
Posted by Christine (Member # 8594) on :
I'm legally blind. The e-book readers do not read the text aloud to you and they aren't even good at enlarging the text, which was something I was personally interested in since I'm at a level where I could read large font. I would not go that route.
Personally, I get my audio books from the State Library for the Blind (I think ever state has one...I've transferred my membership through several states) and they provide me with a tape player to listen to the books. (A huge honking thing that has ensured I always get searched at airports because their x-ray machine can't figure out what it is!)
Anyway, my husband recently got an mp3 player that plays audio books and also reads the menu to you so you can navigate it. I don't remember exactly which one it is, but he raves about it. Maybe I can get the specifics when he comes home.
Since I have the library, I haven't looked into many other options. I just wanted to warn you that the e-book readers aren't as good for the visually impaired/blind as you would expect. Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
My mom had an audible, which is like an MP3 player optimized for audiobooks. She's not blind, she's just a gadget junkie.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
quote:Anyway, my husband recently got an mp3 player that plays audio books and also reads the menu to you so you can navigate it. I don't remember exactly which one it is, but he raves about it. Maybe I can get the specifics when he comes home.
Rockbox, an alternate software for running mp3 players, has such blind support, so any mp3 player that rockbox supports (including many ipods) is an option for that.
Posted by Morbo (Member # 5309) on :
OK, good info, thank you!
I thought some eBook readers had a read-aloud option? I had hoped to get past just mp3 players, but if they're optimized that helps.
Never heard of an audible or Rockbox, I'll look into that and pass it on to Sheefeni.
Posted by MattP (Member # 10495) on :
Audible.com is where I get my audio books. I think they sold some mp3 players branded with their name - that might be what pooka's mom had.
Posted by Orincoro (Member # 8854) on :
quote:Originally posted by mr_porteiro_head:
quote:Anyway, my husband recently got an mp3 player that plays audio books and also reads the menu to you so you can navigate it. I don't remember exactly which one it is, but he raves about it. Maybe I can get the specifics when he comes home.
Rockbox, an alternate software for running mp3 players, has such blind support, so any mp3 player that rockbox supports (including many ipods) is an option for that.
The best online source of audiobooks (something like 100,000 titles), is Audible.com. Subscription allows you to download and keep the books you choose, two a month, for 20 dollars a month. Membership also entitles you to discounts that make most books very affordable- often cheaper than the printed book.
Posted by JonHecht (Member # 9712) on :
You should also check out librivox.org
Posted by Orincoro (Member # 8854) on :
With the caveat that librivox is:
A: Limited to content in the public domain, meaning very little from modern literature.
B: Read by amateurs, with recordings and voices which range in quality from pretty good to not so good.
Audible is more current, and much more professional. For me it's like the difference between listening to a high school performance of a symphony for free, or paying to see a great orchestra play it. They're the same notes, but a different experience altogether.
Posted by Nethy (Member # 6462) on :
Though certainly not inexpensive, the VictorReader Stream is one of the best devices out there for blind and visually impaired people. It works with mp3 formats, as well as text so you can sign up for something like Bookshare and have it accessible.
My younger sister uses one, and has loved it.
Posted by Morbo (Member # 5309) on :
Thank you, everyone.
The VictorReader sounds ideal, IF the title selection is good enough in DAISY format (which I've never heard of but sounds interesting.)
Nethy, did you ever get your GED? I saw your thread from Sept. just now.
Posted by Nethy (Member # 6462) on :
I did! And I'm living in Kansas, too. Thank you for asking.
There are more resources out there for DAISY format, so if you need more, just ask.
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