Project Introduction: Read Aloud
What is Read Aloud?
Read Aloud is a versatile browser extension designed to transform written webpage content into audible speech. Available for both Chrome and Firefox, this tool harnesses text-to-speech technology to cater to a broad range of users and websites, including news portals, educational resources, and more. It is tailored for individuals who prefer auditory content, those with reading difficulties such as dyslexia, children learning to read, or anyone interested in consuming written content in a new way.
Key Features
-
Diverse Voice Selection: Users can choose from a variety of voices. These range from those natively available in the browser to advanced options offered by cloud services like Google Wavenet and Amazon Polly. Some premium voices might require an additional purchase.
-
Easy Access: The extension integrates seamlessly into the browser, providing users with an effortless way to access its features via a button or right-click menu on any webpage.
-
Custom Shortcuts: Users can navigate through content with ease using keyboard shortcuts for play, pause, stop, rewind, and fast forward functions.
-
Customization Options: Read Aloud allows users to modify the voice settings, including reading speed and pitch, and offers text highlighting options to enhance the listening experience.
How to Use
-
Basic Usage: Once installed, simply click the Read Aloud button on your browser’s extension menu or use the context menu with a right-click to start the narration of any webpage.
-
Advanced Use: Take advantage of the customizable shortcuts and explore the settings to adjust how Read Aloud functions according to your preferences. The settings can be accessed by clicking the gear icon on the Read Aloud context menu.
Installing the Extension
-
For Chrome and Chromium-based Browsers: The Read Aloud extension is available on the Chrome Web Store.
-
For Firefox: The extension can be downloaded from the Mozilla Add-ons website.
-
Installing from Source on Firefox: Advanced users can install the extension directly from the source code. This involves creating a build, extracting the necessary files, and loading them into Firefox via its debugging options.
How to Contribute
Read Aloud encourages user participation and contributions. You can support the project by:
- Starring the GitHub repository.
- Sharing the extension on social media platforms.
- Writing positive reviews on either the Chrome Web Store or Firefox Add-ons page.
- Taking a more active role by submitting pull requests, reporting bugs, or suggesting new features.
Community Feedback
Many users have expressed their appreciation for Read Aloud, praising its natural voice quality, utility for multitasking, and the comfort it provides those with reading difficulties. It has proven to be a valuable tool for a wide variety of users looking for different ways to interact with written content.
Acknowledgments
Read Aloud was developed with contributions from Hai Phan and various contributors. The project also features beautiful imagery courtesy of Streamline Labs and Freepik.