[access-uk] Re: New voices for the next apple operating system

  • From: "ANDY COLLINS" <Andy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Thu, 19 May 2011 10:07:12 +0100

Hi Jackie - this is useful feedback, thanks. So, if as you say, Office doesn't cut it on the Mac, what are the word processing/spreadsheet options for a blind user of the Mac?


Andy
----- Original Message ----- From: "Jackie Cairns" <jackie.cairnsplace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2011 9:27 AM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: New voices for the next apple operating system


Well Andy, I still use JAWS primarily because I'm used to it, sort of in a
comfort zone if you like.  I don't like Freedom Scientific, I think
everybody knows that.  I hate the way they operate, but that's my opinion
and I'm sticking to it.  I hope the day comes when Microsoft, for all its
faults and flaws, will do as Apple have, and bring out a built-in screen
reader.  And the reason?  Because Apple's operating system works with
VoiceOver. You don't have to buy scripts or add-ons, and when the software
has an upgrade, so does VoiceOver, and it works with everything on the Mac
that is part of that operating system.  That is not to say that VoiceOver
works with everything you can buy for the Mac, and therein is the
difference.  There is software out there that doesn't work with VoiceOver.

It is also a steep learning curve, but I now have an iMac, and I like
leaving Windows for a bit to learn something on it.  I also don't have
iTunes on my PC, but use it on the Mac, and have my music collection on it
so I can transfer what I want to my iPod Nano and the iTouch.  The Alex
voice on the Mac is very good too.

I don't think I would ever swap my PC for the Mac full-time, I don't feel
confident enough to do that, and there are apps on the PC that don't cut it
on the Mac like Office.  But to play with and learn, it's an interesting
concept.


Kind Regards,

Jackie Cairns
J&M Work-Ability

jandm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.work-ability.co.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
ANDY COLLINS
Sent: 18 May 2011 16:59
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: New voices for the next apple operating system

Well you know Jackie, I've been considering a mac for when the time comes to
buy a new laptop, if I haven't gone the IPad route by then.

I guess there's quite a steep learning curve if going from Windows to Mac,
but any improvement over JAWS and eloquence has to be a big plus for me -

Andy


----- Original Message -----
From: "Jackie Cairns" <jackie.cairnsplace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2011 8:27 AM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: New voices for the next apple operating system


Yep Andy with you completely, and they are slower on a device too.  I
wouldn't touch them with a barge pole unless they are built into something
that doesn't allow you to change them.  Alex on the Mac is very good
quality.  You even hear him take breaths when he is reading.  It's
personal
preference, but I agree those voices are dreadful, apart from Sangita, who
is really quite realistic in her own way.


Kind Regards,

Jackie Cairns
J&M Work-Ability

jandm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.work-ability.co.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of
ANDY COLLINS
Sent: 17 May 2011 13:51
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: New voices for the next apple operating system

Well, I hope, but doubt that they would sound better under Voice Over. I
hate them. Still too mechanical. Why do these voices always sound as
though
they're gargling as they speak? I'd hoped by now we'd be having a more
naturally flowing voice -

Andy

----- Original Message ----- From: Gordon Keen <mailto:gordonkeen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2011 10:01 AM
Subject: [access-uk] New voices for the next apple operating system

Hi
Thought some of you might want a listen to these, what do you think
of them...


Begin forwarded message:


Hello

Here are samples of a couple of the new voices in Lion which
have been doing the rounds. These aren't generated through Apple's speech
engine, they're the same voices used by another service so the samples are
generated from that. They may or may not sound better when used in
VoiceOver:

English American Accent - Samantha
<http://nextupdownloads.com/scansamples/samantha.wav>

English British Accent - Serena
<http://nextupdownloads.com/scansamples/serena.wav>

Cheers



G

From Bridgerule in glorious Devon, England.
Catch the buzz at http://www.bridgerule.co.uk


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