Alright, folks, are you tired of your text-to-speech apps sounding like they’re reading a grocery list? Well, buckle up, because ElevenLabs is here to add some serious personality and pizzazz to your reading experience. They’re expanding their Reader app worldwide, and it’s about to make your ears very happy.
The Voices You’ve Been Waiting For
From PDFs to novels, this app can handle it all. And get this—it can read aloud to you in hundreds of different voices, including some of your favorite celebrities. Imagine Judy Garland narrating your grocery list or James Dean reading your emails. Burt Reynolds could even give your lab reports a bit of that classic charm. And let’s not forget Sir Laurence Olivier—because who doesn’t want a bit of Shakespearean flair in their morning news?
Global Takeover
Launched in June, Reader was initially limited to the US, the UK, and Canada. But now, it’s going global, baby! You can enjoy the app in 32 different languages, including Portuguese, Spanish, French, Hindi, German, Japanese, Arabic, Korean, Italian, Tamil, and Swedish. Thanks to TechCrunch for the scoop on that!
Turbo 2.5: The Need for Speed
The latest version of the app is powered by ElevenLabs’ new Turbo 2.5 model, which promises higher-quality and lower-latency conversational AI. This means English text-to-speech is now 25% faster. But wait, there’s more! Hindi, French, Spanish, Mandarin, and 27 other languages are three times faster. Plus, they’ve added support for Vietnamese, Hungarian, and Norwegian. It’s like giving your reading experience a turbo boost.
Android Users, Rejoice!
Initially available only on iOS, Reader has finally made its way to Android. So, if you’re an Android user, it’s time to join the party. The app is free for the first three months, and then you can choose from a variety of plans, ranging from a free version with 10,000 credits per month to a $99-per-month Pro version with 500,000 credits each month.
Getting Started
To give Reader a whirl, download and install the app for iOS or Android. When you launch it for the first time, you’ll be prompted to create an account. Then, you’ll be asked how you plan to use the app and which voice you prefer as the default.
The Home screen will greet you with some classic reads like Cinderella, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Tap any title to start listening. You can pause, resume, change the speed, skip ahead, or go back. And, of course, you can switch up the speaking voice to keep things interesting.
Add Your Own Content
From the Home screen, you can add your own content to be read aloud. Tap the plus icon and select your preferred option—write some text, import a URL for a web page, upload a file, or scan a file. It’s like having your own personal narrator for anything and everything.
A World of Voices
To check out all the available voices, tap the Voices icon at the bottom of the screen. Here, you can sort through celebrity voices and other conversational voices that come with the app. Tap a voice to learn more about it, and if you find one you love, save it as a favorite by hitting the plus icon.
Beyond the App
ElevenLabs also offers a website where you can copy and paste text to be read aloud, access all the voices, and even generate sound effects like a car whizzing by, a lion roaring, and a choir of angels. It’s like having a full-blown production studio at your fingertips.
So there you have it, folks. ElevenLabs’ Reader app is here to make your reading experience as entertaining as it is informative. Give it a try, and let the celebrity voices add a touch of magic to your everyday reading. Until next time, stay curious, stay witty, and for the love of Morgan Freeman’s majestic voice, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter!
