Just this week Don Johnston released a new application for the Mac and Windows called DAISYtoEPUB that can convert DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System), NIMAS and Bookshare files to the popular ePub format.The ePub format is the most popular format for ebooks and is supported natively on the iPad, iPod Touch, iPhone, NOOK, and Sony Readers. If you are using the iPad, once the file is converted you can turn on VoiceOver and have the the book read aloud with the text to speech.
DAISYtoEPUB is extremely easy to use and within seconds the file is quickly converted. Once you have used DAISYtoEPUB to convert the file getting the books onto the various aforementioned devices is quite straightforward. This is not the case if you are using the Kindle. While the Kindle supports a number of different eBook formats, unfortunately it does not support ePub. However, not all is lost in the conversion. You see, using the free application Calibre, you can bring the ePub book into the Calibre library and convert it to the Mobi format which is in fact supported by the Kindle. Using Calibre you simply drag the ePub formatted book into the Calibre Library and using the Conversion tool save it as Mobi formatted file. From here I simply plugged my Kindle 3 into the computer and sent the file from the Calibre application to my Kindle 3. It really was that easy. Now when I opened my Kindle I had the NIMAS file in the Kindle and using the text to speech feature the Kindle could access and read the pages, complete with the graphics.While it did take me a couple of steps to accomplish this - just imagine how useful a tool this can be for someone to be able to access their DAISY, Bookshare, or NIMAS files on a small and lightweight eReader like the Kindle 3. If you have any questions- please let know . I would be interested in your comments. So if you have the chance take a look at the Don Johnston's latest application- DAISYtoEPUB.
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9 comments:
You have gifted me the DAISYtoEPUB application of this Christmas.I was looking for one of these application and never found one..you made my day. Million thanks for describing all about DAISYtoEPUB..
Computer Technician CV
Thank you Brian ! You are the best. I will look into this for my son with the ipad. We are getting there.
Brian this is great information. As usual you are the best. I will try this on my ipad. Thank you .
It is a lot easier to get you ePub book onto you iPad. Once you do you can use VoiceOver to have it read aloud.
I have a son with a reading disability. We are looking at purchasing a reader for him for Christmas and have been researching and calling to find this information. Thank you so much for your post. We are debating between the Nook that can already recognize the EPUB files and has a color screen vs the Kindle which has a black and white screen. I thought this might be an issue with the NIMAS textbook files. I read the Kinle has the text to speach feature. Do you know if the Nook is able to utilize the text to speach (read) the Bookshare Daisy files that are converted to EPUB?. We are looking for a way for him to be able to follow along with the text while it is read outloud to him. Your feedback would be most appreciated. Thanks
Thanks so much for your post. We are considering the following for our son who has a reading disability and have found the following:
Nook - regconizes epub files and has color screeen ( does this help for NIMAS textbooks converted to EPUB?)
Kindle - black and white, longer battery life but requires conversion for EPUB files, text-to-speech included.
Do you know if the Nook has a text-to-speach feature that will read the Bookshare - Daisy files converted to EPUB?
Really appreciate your help and knowledger sharing! This is such a great product for anyone with a print disablity!
Hello P
Thanks for your comments. At this point in time - only the Kindle 3 supports text to speech. Because of the work I do with students with reading disabilities this is the reason I choose the Kindle 3 over the other readers. While the Nook Color looks interesting it doesn't support text to speech. bear in mind that even the Kindle 3 does not highlight the words as it is reading but it will turn the page when it gets to the bottom of the page. So right now the Kindle 3 is the best way to go even though it doesn't support the ePub format. But using Calibre it was easy to go from ePub to Mobi which is supported on the Kindle 3. You can see from my post that it is a simple process using DAISYtoEpub to get the NIMAS files over to the Kindle 3. Hope this helps if you need to contact me please feel free to do so via brian (@) assistivetek.com
Regards
Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D.
Thanks for your feeback. SO the when the Epub file in converted to Mobi it does not strip the voices and Kindle can still read it. That was the part no one seemed to know the answer to. The other comment I kept hearing is the Kindle reads in a "computer" voice for converted files. This is vs the sound of a human voice with inflections etc and the kids found it annoying after the first chapter or so? Since you have done this do you mind commenting on the voices used to read the converted epub files on the Kindle? I really appreciate your help! I need to purchase one very soon!
Any idea if this $99 product is accessible to a screen reader user? I know their Read Out Loud product is not, and I am seeking an accessible epub conversion solution.
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