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Let Earl read the news

Contributed by Joel Zimba, Technology Outreach Specialist, MDTAP

A new iPhone app named Earl makes news reading simple, especially for someone with little technical knowledge.  Earl reads newspapers aloud with a remarkably clear voice.  All of its functions can be accessed through simple voice commands.

The $.99 app will read just a few articles per day, but a monthly or yearly subscription will give unlimited access.  Several newspapers are provided for your reading pleasure.  I’m sure this number will increase as user base grows.

When first starting Earl, a short tutorial is spoken.  After double-tapping the screen, a command can be spoken, which let’s you move from article to article or change Earl’s settings.

In a previous article I discussed the NFB NewsLine app, which is free and lets you read hundreds of newspapers. Earl is unique because of its ease of use.  Also, anyone can use earl, while NFB NewsLine has an application process involved.  Still, Earl will appeal to those who might have trouble navigating a rich user interface or if dexterity issues make using a typical iPhone app difficult.

I like Earl.  It’s reading voice is particularly easy to understand. And while I am unlikely to subscribe at this time, I would definitely recommend it to MDTAP clients.

One Response to “Earl reads the news, 3/12/13”

  1. Bill Spiry says:

    Joe, thanks for the great feedback. It’s always nice to hear from our users.

    We’re exploring some new content catagories for Earl and working on some performance enhancements that I think you and others will really enjoy. you and your subscribers can learn more about us and get support on our website at:
    http://www.earlspeech.com/

    We’d love to have you like us on FaceBook, follow us on Twitter, and give us your reviews on the App Store:
    http://www.facebook.com/EarlSpeech

    @EarlSpeech

    https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/Earl/id573701016?ls=1&mt=8

    here’s a demo podcast on Earl:
    http://www.blind-planet.com/podcast/2124/earl-introduction-innovative-newspaper-reading-app-ios-mobile-devices

    Best

    Bill Spiry
    Chief Evangelist for Earl by Angle LLC

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