Getting it Read Out Loud

 The very best way to have a book read aloud.Is Alexa. Once the book is available from audible.all that is necessary is to.ask Alexa to read it.    There are free books available from Audible on Amazon.  This is best for the sight impaired.   Those with good eyesight will find the audible app most helpful.

Next best is to use.text-to-speech on a Kindle Fire.  .Swiping up from the bottom of the screen.presents a speaker.and arrow to be clicked to start.   Simple. The iPad can be set to read aloud by swiping down with two fingers.

Also available on the Kindle Fire and eReaders  is Voiceview.   The problem with Voiceview is that it makes navigation much more difficult.

Audible books are then the next easiest on many devices from their app.   Just click to start reading.

Then there is Librivox with loads of free books.  Similarly Audiobooks app.

Beyond that is the Gutenberg app and.The Internet Archive.

Last, is your local library online.

16 Best Free Audio Book Websites (October 2022) (lifewire.com)

Updating for Better Tech for Seniors

 Things I have been selling or giving away…

1. PC tower, eliminating clutter, cables, awkward hubs and wires, slow drives, and obsolescence, Windows 10

2. Landline phone - too expensive, too many nuisance calls

3. Kindle eReaders - Paperwhites too hard to navigate, books and media much too expensive

4. Conventional speakers and sound systems - take too much space, are nowadays included in devices

5. Old headphones - cost, confusing controls, poor fit, old bluetooth

6. Most news and magazine subscriptions - far too costly on Amazon

7. Many individual book purchases - available now with services and especially Calibre searches

8. Older streaming TV “sticks

And replacing with…

1. HP $200 Win 11 15” laptop, also 17” with touch screen at $400

2. Ethernet phone service with Obihai adapter - $40 a .year

3. Latest 8” Kindle Fire for easy ebook reading (with read aloud voice)

4. Alexa Echo wall plugins with distributed speakers

5. New $20 folding swivel bluetooth headphones with simple controls

6. New Moto smart phone WITH year’s service for under $100 total (HSN)

7. Old overstocked but still new top Nexus 5x phone now under $100 on eBay (with separate free TextNow phone number and service)

8. Apple News on old iPad with VAST reading access, nothing else gives such broad reading access

9. Calibre app on Mac or Windows for books - with broadest media searching and access at least cost (see wikihow)

10.  Google Chromecast TV with remote control and ease of use, best searching by far, though limited apps

11. Roku Ultra for ethernet, 4K, and vast app/channel library