{"id":1674,"date":"2013-03-12T09:59:14","date_gmt":"2013-03-12T13:59:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.equipmentlink.org\/blog\/?p=1674"},"modified":"2013-03-12T09:59:14","modified_gmt":"2013-03-12T13:59:14","slug":"earl-reads-the-news-31213","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.equipmentlink.org\/blog\/?p=1674","title":{"rendered":"Earl reads the news, 3\/12\/13"},"content":{"rendered":"

Let Earl read the news<\/strong><\/p>\n

Contributed by Joel Zimba, Technology Outreach Specialist, MDTAP<\/em><\/p>\n

A new iPhone app named Earl makes news reading simple, especially for someone with little technical knowledge.\u00a0 Earl reads newspapers aloud with a remarkably clear voice.\u00a0 All of its functions can be accessed through simple voice commands.<\/p>\n

The $.99 app will read just a few articles per day, but a monthly or yearly subscription will give unlimited access.\u00a0 Several newspapers are provided for your reading pleasure.\u00a0 I’m sure this number will increase as user base grows.<\/p>\n

When first starting Earl, a short tutorial is spoken.\u00a0 After double-tapping the screen, a command can be spoken, which let’s you move from article to article or change Earl’s settings.<\/p>\n

In a previous article I discussed the NFB NewsLine app, which is free and lets\u00a0you read hundreds of newspapers.\u00a0Earl is unique because of its ease of use.\u00a0 Also, anyone can use earl, while NFB NewsLine has an application process involved.\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n

I like Earl.\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n

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