This App Can Turn Any Text Into an Audiobook

Do you prefer to listen to books rather than read them? If so, you’re not alone. The audiobook market is booming as an increasing number of people are choosing the spoken rather than the written word. Whether for convenience or due to the immersive experience, even I, a committed reader, have to admit the appeal of a good audiobook.

However, while the selection of audiobooks is getting better all the time, there is still vastly more text out there than there will ever be audiobooks. There’s also a lot of text that isn’t very interesting (i.e., documents and emails) that might be easier to digest if you could listen to it. Well, thanks to the Speechify Audio-Reader, any text, no matter how boring, can now be made audible. 

The Speechify Audio Reader reads anything you tell it to in a human-like voice. It uses deep learning AI technology to mimic human speech and make listening easy. Founded by a dyslexic student who wanted to make it easier for others to enjoy written texts, Speechify can read text from whatever format you want. You can import a PDF, link to Google Drive docs, listen to your emails, or even scan in an entire book. 

I found Speechify great for reading interesting articles when I work out. While it doesn’t sound as good as an audiobook, it doesn’t sound like a robot is reading you The New York Times, either. You can modify the voice, gender, and even the reader’s accent and speed up and down the voice as fast or slow as you want. Speechify can also translate and read out text written in 14 different languages. 

While it’s great to save time when you’re busy and need to go through an email or a document quickly, Speechify is also extremely useful for people with dyslexia or ADD. Speechify founder Cliff Weitzman says he is most proud of the impact that his app has on kids who have these kinds of reading difficulties. Speaking to Inc., Weitzman said, “I see a situation in which kids who previously felt ashamed that they learned differently, and didn’t feel empowered and didn’t feel smart, will feel smart and feel empowered.” 

Even if you have no issue with reading text normally, having the ability to listen to a boring PDF at 300 words per minute is a game-changer. Just be careful not to turn up the speed too high. Listening to your emails at 700 words may make you less rather than more productive.