If you are too busy to learn an article, you may want to make use of the brand new Chrome OS select-to-speech function. Jack Wallen reveals you ways.
Image: lassedesignen/Shutterstock
Sometimes, it is extra environment friendly to have one thing learn to you. You could be busy with one other admin activity, otherwise you’re working along with your fingers and do not have the luxurious of gazing your display screen, otherwise you utilizing your mouse or keypad. When that point arises, you may need to have the option to use your working system as a way to an audible finish.
It’s a superb factor Chrome OS has the function built-in. But the builders have taken this one step additional. Not solely can you may have a complete doc learn to you, however you possibly can have chosen parts of the doc learn aloud.
I’m going to present you ways to do exactly that.
SEE: Electronic communication coverage (TechRepublic Premium)
What you may want
The solely factor you may want to make this work is an up to date launch of Chrome OS. I’ll be demonstrating on Chrome OS 91.0.4472.25 (which is the beta channel).
As lengthy as your model of Chrome OS is up to date, you need to be good to go.
How to allow textual content to speech
The very first thing to be achieved is the enabling of textual content to speech. To try this, hit Alt+Shift+S after which click on the gear icon from the popup menu. Click Advanced | Accessibility | Manage accessibility options. Under Text-to-Speech, allow each ChromeVox and select-to-speak (Figure A).
Figure A
Enabling each text-to-speech and select-to-speak in Chrome OS.
Once you’ve got enabled the options, shut the settings app.
How to use the select-to-speech choice
One of the principle causes you may need to use the select-to-speech choice is as a result of the straight-up text-to-speech function will learn a complete web page to you, which may embrace all the website parts (resembling menu entries and extra). So if you need solely the article learn to you, go for select-to-speech. Here’s the way you use it.
Press and maintain the Search key in your keyboard (search for the magnifying glass). If you do not see a Search key, you might need a Launcher key (which is a circle in a circle). As you maintain that key, use the cursor and select the textual content you need to be learn aloud. You ought to see a fuchsia spotlight across the textual content you’ve got chosen (Figure B).
Figure B
Text from a TechRepublic article highlighted for select-to-speech.
Below the highlighted textual content you may see a menu bar, the place you possibly can management the playback of the choice. With this bar you possibly can:
- Pause
- Play
- Go to the subsequent sentence
- Go to the subsequent paragraph
- Speed up or decelerate the speed of speech
Once you are achieved listening to the part, click on the X and the select-to-speech function will shut.
That’s all there’s to utilizing the brand new Chrome OS select-to-speech function. If you are an extremely busy, on-the-go skilled, this function would possibly develop into your go-to for consuming written content material, as you multi-task your day away.
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