Have your Mac read to you

Let’s not deny it, we all like facility. We like to do things easily and quickly. The easier the better.

For instance, sometimes after staring at your computer screen for a while, you start squinting and your eyes beg you for mercy.
Well, you don’t have to squint anymore. Your Mac (version OS X) can read anything out loud to you.
I was not aware of this until my wife pointed it out.

To experience this feature, first click on “System Preferences”. Then click on the “Dictation & Speech” icon and select either Tom, Kathy, Vicky or Victoria’s voice. You can test each voice by clicking on the “Play” button.
Personally I like Tom’s voice.
And you can also select the “speaking rate”, the speed at which the text is read.

To have your Mac speak to you, highlight the text to be spoken and press the Option + Esc keys (you can select different keys) at the same time.
Et voila! Your Mac will read any text to you.

If you are tired of typing, you can also dictate to your computer.
In the “Dictation & Speech” area you simply need to turn Dictation “ON” and your machine will type whatever you speak.

Isn’t beautiful? You don’t need that costly secretary anymore… unless you cannot do without the way she speaks and the way she walks. But this is for you to decide.

Go ahead, try it on. Highlight any chapter (or the entire text) in this little piece and press the Option + Esc keys together.
Your Mac will read it to you.

Will wonders ever cease?

Alain

PS: To get a better view of the spider, click on the image.