Next iPod to Have Text-to-Speech?

I hope this report means that Apple will improve their text-to-speech capabilities. Frankly, the quality of Apple's current TTS system is inferior compared to competing systems. If Apple can't improve it themselves, they should license a system like Natural Voices from AT&T for inclusion in Leopard.

I don't see why the iPod itself can't have Text-to-Speech. My brother bought a Panasonic cordless phone that speaks the caller ID.

I like Reg's idea. Adding the clips into the ID3 tags would rock, and then it could be a universal thing.

Wonder how it will handle the over 400 Russian songs I have in ACC format but all the info is in cyrillic? BTW cyrillic (the Russian alphabit) does display just fine in iTunes and on the iPod just don't thing it will be able to pronounce them.

Why not just have properly recorded voice clips, stored as ID3 tags like album art?

The few seconds of recording would only add a size measured in K, and it would sound a whole lot better.

Umm, not == now, whups

I'm more psyched for the voice to work both ways. Imagine pressing a button and saying "Artist - Paul Simon" and having it list back to you:

* All Albums
* Graceland
* ect.

(I don't think I actually have any other Paul Simon album, so I don't know what would come after Graceland).
Then you say "Graceland" and it plays Graceland. If it comes across a name it mispronounces (i.e. Bjørk or NIN) you could have an option to correct it in your own voice, and it will say it back in your voice next time (sort of like autodial on a phone).

Very exciting first step (if the rumour is true).

Imagine hands-free iPod control!

Yeah, I've been hoping for this since the shuffle first came out. My original thought was that iTunes would create a short audio file with the Song name, album, and artist, which would be read by the iPod on user request or before a song.

I've had this for -years- on my PhatBox in my car.. All it does is generate .WAV files for the speech, and then upload them to the PhatBox.. The PhatBox uses the .WAV files to announce the track, album, arist, etc.. With more cars having iPod docks, or line-in, I see this as a much safer way to use it..

I implemented this into podzilla (a gui for the iPod that runs under iPodlinux) utilising flite over a year ago. This meant the synthesis was done on the iPod itsself, not using pre-made clips. It wasn't great, but hey, it worked. This method sounds a lot like what RockBox can do currently.

If you want this functionality now, use RockBox.

One thing you've massively overlooked is that this means the visually impaired would not be more able to use an iPod.

-- coob