Today Amazon introduced the Kindle 2, the newest incarnation of its ebook reading device. Included in this 2nd generation Kindle is built-in text to speech capability. From the Macworld article:
A new text-to-speech feature lets the device read to you - any text visible on the Kindle can be read, and you can adjust the speed of the playback and gender of the voice. Your page location is saved if you're listening to the content, so you can return to it and read or have it read to you later.
If you're not familiar with the Amazon Kindle Macworld's description sums it up well:
Like its predecessor, the Kindle 2 is designed to enable people to read books, newspapers, magazines and blogs by downloading them through a 3G wireless network. It sports an "electronic paper" display that simulates real paper; Amazon claims that it doesn't cause eyestrain like a backlit LCD can generate. Amazon.com currently touts more than 230,000 books, along with newspapers, magazines and blogs which can be read using the Kindle devices.
The Amazon Kindle 2 will begin shipping on February 24 and will cost US$359. For more information check out Macworld's article or head over to Amazon's Kindle 2 product page for demonstration videos.
- Paul Natsch