Amazon bringing Voice Guide and Explore by Touch features to Kindle Fires for vision-impaired users

Amazon's been attuned to the needs of its vision-impaired customers for years, first rolling out text-to-speech technology on its original Kindle e-reader years ago. Today the company revealed plans to add to that feature set in its Kindle Fire and Fire HD (7-inch) tablets with Voice Guide and Explore by Touch technology. Voice Guide's an improvement upon regular text-to-speech tech that reads aloud any action performed by users -- things like announcing app names and book titles when they're selected. Explore by Touch lets folks swipe their fingers across their Fire's display and identifies each onscreen item as their phalanges pass over them. Once aware of what app or piece of content's being touched, a simple tap opens the item. Ready for the new assisted navigation experience right now? Well, all you anxious Fire owners will have to wait, the update doesn't land until early next year.Filed under: Tablets, Software, AmazonCommentsSource: Amazon Continue reading at 'Engadget'

[ Engadget | 2012-12-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #feature set #reads aloud #book titles

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Amazon bringing Voice Guide and Explore by Touch features to Kindle Fires for vision-impaired users'


Amazon 'readying Kindle Voyage'

Amazon is said to be readying the release of a new, smaller and thinner Kindle device called the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-09-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Amazon Kindle's new old bug could expose your account credentials

A security flaw in Amazon's Kindle software could allow hackers to access your Amazon account details. Benjamin Daniel Musser, a security researcher, discovered the issue, which arises when downloading ebooks from websites other than Amazon itself. The "Manage Your Kindle" page contains a... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2014-09-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kindle software #kindle library #security researcher


Limited uptake for Amazon's Kindle Worlds

“Serious content restrictions” at Amazon’s fan fiction platform Kindle Worlds... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-08-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kindle worlds #content restrictions


Amazon's Russell Grandinetti: Kindle champ takes on the books trade | Observer profile

Why are some of the world's most widely read authors now at daggers drawn with Amazon? The answer lies in Jeff Bezos's chief lieutenant, now the most powerful man in publishingEarlier this year, Amazon threw a party at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to celebrate the launch of Alpha... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-08-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #important moment #book industry


Amazon Returns Fire: The Battle With Hachette and Authors United Continues

Amazon has responded to an open letter by Authors United, signed by 900-plus authors in support of Hachette, with their own open letter, Readers United. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #authors united #open letter


Amazon Fire phone review: a unique device, but you're better off waiting for the sequel

After producing a long line of ebook readers and tablets (not to mention a set-top box), Amazon has its sights set on the smartphone market. But finding success here won't be easy, even for an established tech giant like Amazon. With the Fire phone,... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #long line #ebook readers #set-top box #sights set #finding success #fire phone


Amazon launches Kindle Unlimited ebook service

Amazon.com Inc. on Friday introduced Kindle Unlimited, an all-you-can-read ebook subscription service available for $9.99 a month. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2014-07-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Amazon launches Kindle Unlimited in US

Amazon has officially launched its Kindle Unlimited ebook subscription service in the US today (... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-07-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #officially launched


Amazon unveils Kindle Unlimited, an ebook subscription service

Amazon entered the ebook subscription market Friday by launching Kindle Unlimited, a Netflix-like subscription service for ebooks available for $9.99 a month.  Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2014-07-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #subscription service


Kindle Unlimited brings endless reading and listening to customers

Amazon already gives Prime customers access to a Kindle lending library, allowing the user to "borrow" books each month. But for some of the more voracious types, this may not provide enough material for a month's worth of entertainment. For those customers, the retail giant has unveiled Kindle... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2014-07-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #start reading #retail giant #kindle unlimited


Amazon's Kindle Unlimited offers all-you-can-eat ebooks for $10 a month

After teasing us with a possible launch, Amazon has confirmed Kindle Unlimited, its all-you-can-read ebook subscription service. For $9.99 per month, Kindle Unlimited offers 600,000 books and "thousands" of audiobooks across a range of devices. As... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-07-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Amazon Makes Kindle Unlimited Official

Kindle Unlimited, a new subscription service from Amazon allowing customers unfettered access to ebooks and audiobooks, has officially launched. Amazon began testing the service, which has long been rumored, earlier this week. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-07-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #subscription service #kindle unlimited #officially launched


Amazon Tests Kindle Unlimited, Its Own E-book Subscription Service

The $9.99 monthly service offers access to more than 600,000 books and audiobooks.Now the go-to place for electronics, groceries, and pretty much everything else, Amazon's e-commerce empire was built atop books. The site hasn't forgotten about its roots--it is reportedly testing an ebook and... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2014-07-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Amazon appears to be testing an unlimited Kindle ebook subscription

Amazon.com appears to be testing a new subscription model that would give members all-you-can-read access to more than 600,000 ebooks for $9.99 a month.  Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2014-07-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #amazon appears #subscription model


Amazon testing Netflix-style $9.99 'Kindle Unlimited' subscription for ebooks

But remember: All-you-can-eat subscriptions are only appetizing if there's delicious stuff in the buffet. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2014-07-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kindle unlimited


The real 'fire' in Amazon's smartphone? A shopping spree

You’d be forgiven for thinking Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos wants to compete with other phone makers with his company’s new Fire smartphone. But forget the multiple cameras and pretty 3-D-like effects, the device is really about selling more stuff.The Fire comes with close ties to Amazon’s online... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2014-06-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital content #drive traffic #creative strategies #key features


Amazon unveils the "Fire Phone"

Amazon has unveiled its long-awaited smartphone - The Fire Phone -containing an in-built Kindle... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-06-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #amazon unveils #fire phone


Amazon sends money to Kindle readers affected by ebook price-fixing scandal

If you bought a lot of bestsellers, you could see a hefty credit on your Amazon account on Tuesday. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2014-03-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #amazon account


Amazon Trio: New German Imprint, Kindle Drop, Higher Prime

Amazon news this week includes the launch of a new German language publishing imprint, lower Kindle sales for 2013, and a hike in the price of Prime. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


How would you change Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite (2012)?

Gone are the days when, if you wanted to read a book in bed, you'd need to take a torch with you. Nowadays, as long as you've got a Kindle Paperwhite, the books will happily illuminate themselves. The device's even front-lighting and engineering... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-02-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kindle paperwhite