When you browse Apple Books for your next audiobook, you might come across a few titles with a note that says they were "Narrated by Apple Books." That's because the tech giant has released a catalogue of titles that make use of its new AI-powered digital narration service. The company said the service uses the advanced speech synthesis technology it developed "to produce high-quality audiobooks from an ebook file." According to The Guardian, Apple approached independent publishers who may be interested in teaming up for the project's launch in recent months. Authors were reportedly told that the company behind the technology would shoulder the costs of turning their books into audiobooks and that they would be earning royalties. Apple, as secretive as ever, apparently remained unnamed at that point of the process and required partners to sign non-disclosure agreements. In its announcement, Apple touched on how commissioning voice actors and producing audiobooks could cost writers and publishers thousands of dollars. For independent authors, especially those just starting out, it's not always possible to spare that much money. But thing is, the audiobook market has grown tremendously in recent years — it earned $1.6 billion in sales in 2021, and experts reportedly believe the market could be worth over $35 billion by 2030. Authors wouldn't only be missing out on potential income by not creating audiobook versions of their titles, but also the opportunity to build their... Continue reading at 'Engadget'
[ Engadget | 2023-01-05 13:10:59 UTC ]
Black Friday may technically just be one day, but it’s evolved to consume the entire month of November in the US at this point. For the past few years, retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Target have ushered in the holiday shopping season earlier and earlier, and this year is no different. Early... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2024-11-10 18:29:06 UTC ]
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With each passing year, Black Friday seems to turn more and more into "Black November," with many retailers starting their holiday sales weeks before the day itself. But while the bombardment of promos can be annoying, it also presents a good chance to beat the rush and finish holiday shopping... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2024-11-08 17:19:44 UTC ]
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There are really two types of ereaders: Dedicated ebook/audiobook devices or slabs that are more akin to small tablets with E Ink screens. In the first category, the competition is really between Amazon’s Kindle devices and Rakuten’s Kobo readers. Ereaders in the latter group include entries... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2024-11-07 08:00:36 UTC ]
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Black Friday may technically just be one day, but it’s evolved to consume the entire month of November in the US at this point. For the past few years, retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Target have ushered in the holiday shopping season earlier and earlier, and this year is no different. Early... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2024-11-06 16:13:12 UTC ]
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Veen Bosch & Keuning, the largest publisher in the Netherlands, has confirmed plans to trial the use of artificial intelligence to assist in translation of commercial fictionA major Dutch publisher plans to trial translating books into English using artificial intelligence.Veen Bosch &... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2024-11-04 17:43:58 UTC ]
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Amazon completely revamped its Kindle family in October when it debuted the entirely new Colorsoft ereader along with updated generations of the other three existing models: the standard Kindle, the Paperwhite and the Scribe E Ink tablet. The new Paperwhite has a slightly larger screen, a bigger... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2024-11-04 16:30:36 UTC ]
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Black Friday may technically just be one day, but it’s evolved to consume the entire month of November in the US at this point. For the past few years, retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Target have ushered in the holiday shopping season earlier and earlier, and this year is no different. Black... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2024-11-04 15:30:52 UTC ]
More news stories like this
With each passing year, Black Friday seems to turn more and more into "Black November," with many retailers starting their holiday sales weeks before the day itself. But while the bombardment of promos can be annoying, it also presents a good chance to beat the rush and finish holiday shopping... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2024-11-01 16:30:39 UTC ]
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Well, it finally happened. After years of waiting and requests, Amazon debuted the $280 Kindle Colorsoft, its first ereader with a color display. The company’s ereaders have dominated this space since the original Kindle came out 17 years ago, but in this case, it feels like Amazon is playing... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2024-10-30 13:15:29 UTC ]
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If you’ve ever tried listening to your favorite playlist only to have it drowned out by chatty commuters, airplane engines or other distracting noises, you might want to consider some headphones with active noise cancelation (ANC). Whether you’re working in a bustling coffee shop, catching a... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2024-10-30 09:00:38 UTC ]
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The new cloud-based software platform, founded by Spanish-language audiobook industry veteran Juliana Rueda Gutierrez, offers an audiobook production option that integrates management, recording, and quality control into a single interface. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-10-29 04:00:00 UTC ]
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The comedian Jenny Slate reads the audiobook version of “Lifeform,” her new memoir about parenting. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2024-10-23 09:02:21 UTC ]
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To the surprise of few, the new iPad mini that Apple announced last week is a small update rather than a major reinvention. It may have been three years between iPad mini updates, but the 2021 model was the first to ditch the formerly ubiquitous home button in favor of smaller bezels. Apple... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2024-10-22 13:00:39 UTC ]
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Spotify has expanded its audiobook service to four new non-English speaking markets: France, Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. The localized catalog includes 15,000 titles in French and 15,000 in Dutch and Flemish. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-10-15 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Sales of print books were up 0.1% for the first nine months of 2024 at outlets that report to Circana BookScan, with titles by Colleen Hoover, Sarah J. Maas, and Rebecca Yarros dominating the top 10 list. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-10-09 04:00:00 UTC ]
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The deals are flying fast and furious this Prime Day, and there's plenty to be had from within Amazon's own ecosystem. Right now, you can snag three months of an Audible Premium Plus subscription for just a dollar a month. It's not quite as good a discount as it was earlier this year (free!),... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2024-10-08 19:11:31 UTC ]
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The main event of the global book publishing calendar is upon us, and this year’s professional program will feature a strong slate of panels and conversations about such issues as AI, the booming international audiobook market, and more. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-09-27 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Plus: Meta’s AI scrapes the UK, Google digitizes your passport, Chrome syncs your tabs everywhere, and (have you heard?) Apple announces some new iPhones. Continue reading at Wired
[ Wired | 2024-09-14 14:30:00 UTC ]
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The inaugural International Summit of Audio Publishers held September 10 in New York City drew 137 participants who discussed current market conditions, the impact of AI, and what is coming next for the booming industry. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-09-13 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Translating image to sound is a difficult task, but a necessary one for some readers. The team behind the audiobook adaptation of Darrin Bell's acclaimed 2023 graphic novel 'The Talk' explains how it's done. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-09-11 04:00:00 UTC ]
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