Learning Ally Adds Text To Select Audiobooks

Learning Ally has started to add text  to a handfull of audiobooks in its collection. Learning Ally is an audio book library for people with print disabilities. The audio books with intergrated text download and opparate just like any other Learning Ally audiobook. If you prefer to just listen to the book and not read along you can do so. The book is read aloud with human narration and each paragraph is highlighted as it is being read. The text and highlighting help users follow the words as the text is being read which can help with comprehension. Some people might find it easier to follow the text if it highlighted word by-word or line- by-line instead of  paragraph-by-paragraph, but including text is a great new feature.

The app on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch still does not allow for background download or reading which means that when you close the app the audiobook will stop. Even with these shortcomings it is exciting to see  human audio and text in one easy to use app.

One title I found with the new feature is "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." Learning Ally will begin offering more titles with text and audio in the future. To download the free Learing Ally app click here.

Click read more below to view screenshots of the app in action.

BrailleTouch App Allows Fast Braille Typing on iPhone

BrailleTouch is a new app for the iPhone and iPod Touch that allows users to type using braille. Click here to download the app. BrailleTouch is designed for the blind and visually impaired. The app uses the familiar six key braille and simple swipe gestures to enter text. The app is used in landscape with the devices touch screen facing away from you. Three of the six keys are on the left side and the other three are on the right side. By swyping with one finger you can add a space or delete a letter. BrailleTouch can also speak the characters and/or words as you type. BrailleTouch works well and is the first app of its kind but it cannot be used to replace the default keyboard for any other apps. This means that in order to use the text you typed using BrailleTouch you must copy and paste it into other apps. BrailleTouch is free to download and try but costs $19.99 to unlock the ability to copy and paste the text.

Click read more below to view screenshots of BrailleTouch.

Ask Google Voice Search How To Spell Unfamiliar Words

Google's recently update Google Voice Search is very useful and extremely fast. There are also a few tricks that can make the app even more useful. One trick is to ask Google Voice Search "how do you spell..." Google will quickly return the correct spelling of the word and speak the spelling aloud. Unlike Siri, Google Voice Search speaks the spelling back to you so you do not need to look at the screen. This trick is especially useful for people with dyslexia and people who are struggling spellers.