Kindle sparks a flame war, but fails to light the fire for accessibility

Posted by Paul Schroeder on 2/27/2009 10:31:12 AM

Everyone's talking about Amazon's sleek new e-book reader—the Kindle 2—that started shipping earlier this week. The Kindle 2 allows users to download everything from books to blogs to newspapers, and includes text-to-speech capability. We were excited to hear that Amazon was taking this accessibility step, and have been eager to get our hands on one ever since. Today, we finally did and we're sad to report that it's not as usable as we had hoped.

While the Kindle offers text-to-speech options, it doesn't include talking menus or fully accessible controls, which makes it impossible for people with vision loss to use independently. The good news is that it's an easy fix for Amazon since the Kindle 2 is already voice enabled. AFB, and other blindness organizations, are urging Amazon to address this immediately. With baby boomers aging and the number of people experiencing vision loss expected to increase significantly, more and more people will need technology like the Kindle to have talking menus and full speech capability. You can support this cause by signing the following petition asking Amazon to add voice prompts to the Kindle 2.

If you've been following the Kindle news, you've probably noticed another debate brewing over its text-to-speech capability. This week, Roy Blount Jr., the president of the Authors Guild, published an op-ed in the New York Times arguing that Amazon is violating copyright laws by enabling people to listen to books using automated speech without paying anyone for audio rights. People with vision loss have been accessing text through screen readers since assistive technology was first created, and no one has ever told us that we're violating copyright laws. In addition, the Kindle's synthesized voice in no way competes with audio books that are beautifully narrated with all the expression and dramatic capacity of the human voice and personality.

Amazon has produced a successful electronic book reader. The text-to-speech function brings it tantalizingly close to something that blind consumers would yearn to purchase and that finally gives them the opportunity to enjoy reasonably priced, conveniently available books of all sorts. We call upon Amazon to take the final step and make this a product for everyone. And we urge authors and publishers to embrace the opportunities made possible for expanding the marketplace for their books and ideas, through print (including large print), synthetic speech, and recorded audio.

Re: Kindle sparks a flame war, but fails to light the fire for accessibility
Posted by Linda Lasker on 3/20/2009 9:23:17 AM

Visually impaired persons need access to as much information they possibly can in this society. Adding an audio componet will open their world immensely.

Re: Kindle sparks a flame war, but fails to light the fire for accessibility
Posted by Alena Roberts [http://blind-gal.blogspot.com] on 3/1/2009 9:59:11 PM

thank you for having a petition to sign about this issue. I think the kindle would be a great tool for the blind community. I will include the link to the petition on my blog.

Re: Kindle sparks a flame war, but fails to light the fire for accessibility
Posted by Graeme Smith on 2/28/2009 9:22:26 AM

Sent to Roy BLount

Dear Author's Guild,

Shame on you.

Your approach to text to speech in the Amazon Kindle condems the visually impaired and blind to lack of access to books delivered by a newer modern technology. By your arguement they will be condemed to use their older text to speech technology tieing them to their PC's or heavier laptops. It will limit their access to a more restricted range of titles. It will force them to buy more expensive audio titles.

Text to speech is not perfect. You know a computer is reading to you. Your creaters of audiobooks will be protected by selling the quality of their performance. They don't need this restrictive practice on your part.

I hope someone brings an ADA action against you if you continue this discriminatory practice.

Re: Kindle sparks a flame war, but fails to light the fire for accessibility
Posted by Graeme Smith on 2/28/2009 9:20:29 AM

Sent to Roy BLount

Dear Author's Guild,

Shame on you.

Your approach to text to speech in the Amazon Kindle condems the visually impaired and blind to lack of access to books delivered by a newer modern technology. By your arguement they will be condemed to use their older text to speech technology tieing them to their PC's or heavier laptops. It will limit their access to a more restricted range of titles. It will force them to buy more expensive audio titles.

Text to speech is not perfect. You know a computer is reading to you. Your creaters of audiobooks will be protected by selling the quality of their performance. They don't need this restrictive practice on your part.

I hope someone brings an ADA action against you if you continue this discriminatory practice.

Re: Kindle sparks a flame war, but fails to light the fire for accessibility
Posted by Tim OBrien [http://www.timobrienphotos.com/] on 2/28/2009 1:06:08 AM

Apparently, Amazon is caving in on the TTS feature. The publishers will now have the ability to disable it.

Could Amazon partner with the NLS to rant qualified people access to TTS enables books on the Kindles?

Re: Kindle sparks a flame war, but fails to light the fire for accessibility
Posted by Susan Lockhart on 2/27/2009 9:35:29 PM

Pleas do what you can with the Kindle2 for all the vision impaired or blind children and adults. This will make a huge difference in there lives.
Thank You,
Mrs. E.S. Lockhart

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