Will be traveling and I don't travel much.
I have a few ebooks in PDF (and other) formats.

Is there a simple to use free app without ads that will just read the book
to me while I'm on the airplane (without Internet)?

Android Owner <android@google.com> wrote:

> Will be traveling and I don't travel much. I have a few ebooks in PDF
> (and other) formats.
>
> Is there a simple to use free app without ads that will just read the book
> to me while I'm on the airplane (without Internet)?

Your Android phone should already have text-to-speech. See:

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=android+text+to+speech

Hopefully the phone's speaker gets cut off when you plug in headphones,
or select BT headphones for audio output. Passengers around you won't
appreciate having to listen to your phone making constant noise.

On 2024-04-12 02:46, VanguardLH wrote:
> Android Owner <android@google.com> wrote:
>
>> Will be traveling and I don't travel much. I have a few ebooks in PDF
>> (and other) formats.
>>
>> Is there a simple to use free app without ads that will just read the book
>> to me while I'm on the airplane (without Internet)?
>
> Your Android phone should already have text-to-speech. See:

Needs internet and has privacy caveats.

--
Cheers, Carlos.

"Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:

> On 2024-04-12 02:46, VanguardLH wrote:
>> Android Owner <android@google.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Will be traveling and I don't travel much. I have a few ebooks in PDF
>>> (and other) formats.
>>>
>>> Is there a simple to use free app without ads that will just read the book
>>> to me while I'm on the airplane (without Internet)?
>>
>> Your Android phone should already have text-to-speech. See:
>
> Needs internet and has privacy caveats.

Privacy on a *published* book? The OP never mentioned that he is
reading someone's private "book" that no one else has.

If no Internet access is available (the airplane is old, so devoid of
Internet), a local text-to-speech program will require a lot more smarts
which means more code.

Are you sure Android's text-to-speech API mandates Internet access?

https://developer.android.com/reference/android/speech/tts/TextToSpeech

I enabled Airplane mode on my phone. I selected some text in a web
browser. A popup menu appears with a 3-dot menu on the right side where
I can select Read Aloud. It worked. Doesn't look like an Internet
connection is required. You do have to download a language pack if one
is not already installed for your language.

Android Owner wrote:

> I have a few ebooks in PDF (and other) formats.
> Is there a simple to use free app without ads that will just read the book
> to me

Not all PDF pages are rendered in natural order (i.e. top down, left to
right order for Western script) some can be effectively random
characters sprinkled onto the page in the required places, I doubt a
reader would handle them well ...

VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> wrote:

> I enabled Airplane mode on my phone. I selected some text in a web
> browser. ...

Note: I had loaded a web page before going into Airplane mode, so I had
some text to select to then elect to read it aloud.

On Fri, 12 Apr 2024 09:13:05 +0100, Andy Burns wrote:

>> I have a few ebooks in PDF (and other) formats.
>> Is there a simple to use free app without ads that will just read the book
>> to me
>
> Not all PDF pages are rendered in natural order (i.e. top down, left to
> right order for Western script) some can be effectively random
> characters sprinkled onto the page in the required places, I doubt a
> reader would handle them well ...

These are all epub books in a variety of epub formats, not just (text) PDF.
Most are in mobi but some are azw/azw3 (only a few are in (text) PDF).

They are designed for readers.

I'm hoping to find a good voice output reader that speaks the entire book
(without having to select every single paragraph, which is ridiculous) to
my wired headphones for the trip on the plane.

On 2024-04-12 07:19, VanguardLH wrote:
> "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:
>
>> On 2024-04-12 02:46, VanguardLH wrote:
>>> Android Owner <android@google.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Will be traveling and I don't travel much. I have a few ebooks in PDF
>>>> (and other) formats.
>>>>
>>>> Is there a simple to use free app without ads that will just read the book
>>>> to me while I'm on the airplane (without Internet)?
>>>
>>> Your Android phone should already have text-to-speech. See:
>>
>> Needs internet and has privacy caveats.
>
> Privacy on a *published* book? The OP never mentioned that he is
> reading someone's private "book" that no one else has.

True.

>
> If no Internet access is available (the airplane is old, so devoid of
> Internet), a local text-to-speech program will require a lot more smarts
> which means more code.

Last time I tried it hinted that the smarts weren't local to my phone.

None of the flights I took recently had WiFi, and they were modern
planes. Maybe first class.

>
> Are you sure Android's text-to-speech API mandates Internet access?
>
> https://developer.android.com/reference/android/speech/tts/TextToSpeech
>
> I enabled Airplane mode on my phone. I selected some text in a web
> browser. A popup menu appears with a 3-dot menu on the right side where
> I can select Read Aloud. It worked. Doesn't look like an Internet
> connection is required. You do have to download a language pack if one
> is not already installed for your language.

That's good to know.

--
Cheers, Carlos.

On 2024-04-12 12:31, Android Owner wrote:
> On Fri, 12 Apr 2024 09:13:05 +0100, Andy Burns wrote:
>
>>> I have a few ebooks in PDF (and other) formats.
>>> Is there a simple to use free app without ads that will just read the book
>>> to me
>>
>> Not all PDF pages are rendered in natural order (i.e. top down, left to
>> right order for Western script) some can be effectively random
>> characters sprinkled onto the page in the required places, I doubt a
>> reader would handle them well ...
>
> These are all epub books in a variety of epub formats, not just (text) PDF.
> Most are in mobi but some are azw/azw3 (only a few are in (text) PDF).
>
> They are designed for readers.
>
> I'm hoping to find a good voice output reader that speaks the entire book
> (without having to select every single paragraph, which is ridiculous) to
> my wired headphones for the trip on the plane.

I guess that will work better on non PDF epub formats. But I have not
tried. My epubs have DRM protection, so they do not work everywhere, and
Kobo wants people to buy the audio version instead.

--
Cheers, Carlos.

Android Owner <android@google.com> wrote:

> On Fri, 12 Apr 2024 09:13:05 +0100, Andy Burns wrote:
>
>>> I have a few ebooks in PDF (and other) formats.
>>> Is there a simple to use free app without ads that will just read the book
>>> to me
>>
>> Not all PDF pages are rendered in natural order (i.e. top down, left to
>> right order for Western script) some can be effectively random
>> characters sprinkled onto the page in the required places, I doubt a
>> reader would handle them well ...
>
> These are all epub books in a variety of epub formats, not just (text) PDF.
> Most are in mobi but some are azw/azw3 (only a few are in (text) PDF).
>
> They are designed for readers.
>
> I'm hoping to find a good voice output reader that speaks the entire book
> (without having to select every single paragraph, which is ridiculous) to
> my wired headphones for the trip on the plane.

I've never used any Kindle stuff, but you mention azw/azw3 formats which
are Amazon Kindle file formats. From what I've read, the Android Kindle
app can read back those ebooks.

https://www.amazon.com/hz/audible/narrationhelp/
https://filme.imyfone.com/text-to-speech/kindle-text-to-speech/

There are several Text To Speech (TTS) reader apps at:

https://play.google.com/store/search?q=tts%20ebook%20reader&c=apps

However, trying to find truly freeware (no ads as the cost) is like
trying to find a virgin in a whore house. I've heard users mentioning
the following, but have no experience with them:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cliffweitzman.speechify2
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.naturalsoft.personalweb
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tts.reader (*)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.foobnix.pdf.reader (*)

(*) Same author.

Some are mentioned at:

https://www.getpeech.com/post/the-best-text-to-speech-apps-for-android-in-2024

Trying to find out which TTS ebook readers work without an Internet
connection takes more work, like doing the test that I did where you
attempt to read aloud while the phone is in Airplane mode. Most claim
to use whatever speech engine is installed in your phone.

Android Owner <android@google.com> wrote:

>These are all epub books in a variety of epub formats, not just (text) PDF.
>Most are in mobi but some are azw/azw3 (only a few are in (text) PDF).

For epub books (not sure about mobi) use Favorite Book Reader (FBR).
The free version is ad-free, does not use the internet, and does an
excellent job with epub and epub3. The paid version is $5 and adds the
ability to read PDFs, and some other features. The paid version had a
text to speech capability. I haven't used it (I'd rather read the
book), so can't comment on how it works. I'm not certain whether it's
also in the free version.

--
Tim Slattery
timslattery <at> utexas <dot> edu

In comp.mobile.android, on Fri, 12 Apr 2024 13:06:39 +0200, "Carlos
E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:

>On 2024-04-12 12:31, Android Owner wrote:
>> On Fri, 12 Apr 2024 09:13:05 +0100, Andy Burns wrote:
>>
>>>> I have a few ebooks in PDF (and other) formats.
>>>> Is there a simple to use free app without ads that will just read the book
>>>> to me
>>>
>>> Not all PDF pages are rendered in natural order (i.e. top down, left to
>>> right order for Western script) some can be effectively random
>>> characters sprinkled onto the page in the required places, I doubt a
>>> reader would handle them well ...
>>
>> These are all epub books in a variety of epub formats, not just (text) PDF.
>> Most are in mobi but some are azw/azw3 (only a few are in (text) PDF).
>>
>> They are designed for readers.
>>
>> I'm hoping to find a good voice output reader that speaks the entire book
>> (without having to select every single paragraph, which is ridiculous) to
>> my wired headphones for the trip on the plane.
>
>I guess that will work better on non PDF epub formats. But I have not
>tried. My epubs have DRM protection, so they do not work everywhere, and

Would a VPN solve that? I tried to warch a video abroad and could not
until I turned the VPN on. Then when I got home, I couldn't look at
some things until I remembered to turn the VPN off.

>Kobo wants people to buy the audio version instead.

In comp.mobile.android, on Fri, 12 Apr 2024 10:29:37 -0400, Tim Slattery
<TimSlattery@utexas.edu> wrote:

>Android Owner <android@google.com> wrote:
>
>
>>These are all epub books in a variety of epub formats, not just (text) PDF.
>>Most are in mobi but some are azw/azw3 (only a few are in (text) PDF).
>
>For epub books (not sure about mobi) use Favorite Book Reader (FBR).
>The free version is ad-free, does not use the internet, and does an
>excellent job with epub and epub3. The paid version is $5 and adds the
>ability to read PDFs, and some other features. The paid version had a
>text to speech capability. I haven't used it (I'd rather read the
>book),

I gave up reading books for Lent. Is Lent over yet? I forget what year
I did this. But I too would prefer reading to listening, only because
my mind wanders and it's easier to reread what was missed than rewind to
the right spot. OTOH, on an airplane, isn't there vibration that would
make looking at a page harder and more tiring, especially as time wore
on.

> so can't comment on how it works. I'm not certain whether it's
>also in the free version.

On 12/04/2024 18:08, micky wrote:
> In comp.mobile.android, on Fri, 12 Apr 2024 10:29:37 -0400, Tim Slattery
> <TimSlattery@utexas.edu> wrote:
>
>> Android Owner <android@google.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>>> These are all epub books in a variety of epub formats, not just (text) PDF.
>>> Most are in mobi but some are azw/azw3 (only a few are in (text) PDF).
>>
>> For epub books (not sure about mobi) use Favorite Book Reader (FBR).
>> The free version is ad-free, does not use the internet, and does an
>> excellent job with epub and epub3. The paid version is $5 and adds the
>> ability to read PDFs, and some other features. The paid version had a
>> text to speech capability. I haven't used it (I'd rather read the
>> book),
>
> I gave up reading books for Lent. Is Lent over yet? I forget what year
> I did this. But I too would prefer reading to listening, only because
> my mind wanders and it's easier to reread what was missed than rewind to
> the right spot. OTOH, on an airplane, isn't there vibration that would
> make looking at a page harder and more tiring, especially as time wore
> on.

Maybe on a Boeing jet that has lost some critical part of the airframe,
but in general modern aircraft are very smooth.