Text to speech on Brave
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Brave has received a lot of attention in recent years. This article digs into why that is and examines the browser’s compatibility with screen reader technology.
Text to Speech on Brave
With the Brave internet browser, internet users gain more privacy when surfing the web. The browser uses a unique ad mechanism that does away with tracking cookies and personalized ads.
Brave has received a lot of attention in recent years. This article digs into why that is and examines the browser’s compatibility with screen reader technology.
What is Brave?
Brave is an alternative web browser developed by one of the people who created Mozilla’s Firefox browser. It’s an open-source browser that has developed a new way of delivering ads to users.
Instead of using tracking cookies to offer personalized ads, Brave delivers its own ads.
This functionality differs significantly from Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and other browsers that use the Chromium framework. These more common browsers collect enormous amounts of data whenever a user visits a web page. Browsers use this data to serve ads and personalized content, which many see as an invasion of privacy.
Think of the Brave browser as a more secure way to surf the web. In addition, it offers several other advantages over the major browsers:
- Brave is up to three times faster than Firefox, Chrome, and Edge.
- You can download the Brave browser for Apple and Android devices.
- Users can easily import bookmarks, passwords, and extensions from other browsers into Brave.
- Mobile data savings are made possible by Brave limiting the number of ads users see.
- Plenty of keyboard shortcuts that allow users to navigate Brave quickly.
If you’re curious about Brave, you can download it free from the browser’s official website.
Opinions of Brave
Opinions on Brave vary enough to make many wary about the browser.
On the positive side, Brave collects far less data about its users than other solutions. That results in fewer ads and pop-up boxes, making browsing experiences faster and more secure.
But there are negatives.
Brave has a cluttered dashboard that feels somewhat spammy. Some also feel skeptical about Brave delivering ads for cryptocurrencies, especially given crypto privacy concerns.
Unfortunately, Brave also has an infrequent update cycle. As a result, users may miss out on modern web technologies that other browsers incorporate.
Hence, you’re not getting as complete a web experience as you do from other browsers. Still, the way Brave confronts privacy concerns is attractive in a data-driven world.
What is Text to Speech (TTS)?
Text to speech software is an assistive technology that makes digital text more accessible. It works by reading text aloud to the user, so they don’t have to read it themselves. Those with disabilities, such as dyslexia and visual impairments, find the verbal playback they receive from TTS invaluable.
Many TTS platforms have several speech features. For example, you may be able to select a different voice if you don’t like the platform’s default voice. Some platforms leverage optical character recognition (OCR) to take a screenshot of a physical text to turn it into readable digital text.
It all depends on the platform you use. But at the most basic level, TTS software will read aloud any desired text.
Why use TTS in your browser?
There are many reasons to use TTS in your browser.
The technology improves productivity by letting you focus on several tasks at once. For example, you could work on fixing something while a TTS platform reads tutorials for you. Alternatively, you may work in Google Docs while a TTS reader relays information you can use for your project.
Simply put, you can do more with TTS.
The technology is also great for people who like to read on the go. Imagine you’re driving into work and want to read a few articles from a newspaper, like The Wall Street Journal. TTS readers can read those articles to you while you focus on the road.
Text to Speech on Brave — Does it work?
Text to speech software works on Brave, though not as well as you might hope. The browser is relatively new and uncommon, meaning there are some limitations.
Several users have reported bugs when trying to use TTS readers with Brave. An example includes the software trying to read an entire web page when only a portion is selected. It also appears that TTS and other speech recognition software struggle to work if a user has a lot of extensions installed.
Some have suggested developing a TTS reader specifically for Brave. But as it stands, users may run into problems when using text to speech software on the browser.
We recommend Chrome for its versatility for extensions
With these issues in mind, you may find that a TTS reader text functionality is limited on Brave. For this reason, we recommend using Google Chrome if you want to use text to speech technology.
Users also benefit from many Chrome extensions and much better support for TTS.
How to install Speechify on Chrome
In addition to being available for iOS, Android, and macOS, Speechify also has a Chrome extension. You can try the extension for free from the Speechify website:
- Head to the Speechify Chrome Extension page and click “Add to Chrome.”
- Select your preferred voice, listening speed, uses, and goals from the context menu.
- Follow Speechify’s instructions to create a new account before downloading the extension.
Once downloaded, you get access to several valuable features:
- An inline player shows you how long a document will take to read and allows you to play and pause at your leisure.
- Active text highlighting shows users what Speechify is reading.
- API integrations feature Speechify’s most natural sounding premium voices.
FAQ
What are the benefits of using Text to Speech on Brave?
Using TTS on Brave allows users have text read aloud to them. Unfortunately, TTS readers don’t work consistently with Brave as with other browsers. However, a solution is to use Google Chrome and download Speechify for text to speech capabilities.
What is the text to speech app called on Brave?
Brave doesn’t have a built-in text to speech app, but you can use Speechify for text to speech options, whether to read the news or Gmail.
What is the name of the software that is used to create and edit podcasts?
There are many podcast creation and editing software packages, including GarageBand and Audacity. You can also use Speechify to create voiceovers for your videos or podcasts.
Cliff Weitzman
Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.