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While we applaud this text-to-speech application for being freeware, it has too many shortcomings to put it on a recommended list. ReadPlease 2003 uses Microsoft speech engines to read text you choose. Yet to do so, you must cut and paste a body of text into the program's main window, a step we found cumbersome. Customization features are very limited. You can choose only from four voices, and there is no option to adjust voice pitch, speed, or even pronunciation. Another handy feature we would like to see is the option to skip ahead in text while reading. And ReadPlease 2003 isn't able to record files for later listening, either. Overall, despite its freeware status, ReadPlease 2003 doesn't stand up to similar available reader programs.Publisher's Description
From ReadPlease Corporation:
ReadPlease 2003 is a text-to-speech application designed to give your computer a human-sounding voice so it can read arbitrary text to you, from Web pages, e-mail, or the Clipboard. Through file-type association, the program can read any text file or Rich Text Format file directly from the Internet.
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All versions:
4.0 starsout of 65 votes
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Current version:
4.0 starsout of 65 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"Excellent Text-2-Speech Reader"
Version: ReadPlease 2003 1.1
Pros
This program allows you to change the font, color, & size of your text within the program & allows you to save these changes. It also, has a highlighter that follows each word as it is read. Making it easy for those with learning disabilities such as Dyslexia to follow alone & increase their vocabulary skills. It also, allows you to access different voices & languages to help customize your ReadPlease to your exact needs.
Cons
For those using an OS higher than Windows XP, this program must be ran as an Administrator or it will not run. Also, some words may not be said right but most are very close or right on the money. The program does allow you to make changes to how words are pronounced but this can be difficult when abbrivations or words that are closely related. Sometimes the program freezes but it quickly comes back most of the time. It does have issues with coping & pasting PDFs like all other reader programs. This is a huge downfall for all text-2-speech programs. Basically, it does allow you to copy & paste but when you paste it from a PDFs, some of the words are jumbled due to coding from other programs & not being able to comprehend the math equations. It does however, do well with copying & pasting from text & doc extentions.
Summary
There are two versions. The free version & the full version. The free version has very little features & compared to the full version, it is much like every other text-2-speech program. However, the full version allows you to start anywhere within the text or just say a few words. This program is great for catching mistakes in documents by allowing you to hear them. After testing many programs, I perfer the Plus version of ReadPlease 2003 because it gives more features that are more user friendly. Finally, out of all the programs I have personally tried, this is the only one that has a highlighter that will actually follow the text as it is being read, this is a huge advantage to those who have learning disablities in language arts & can be used to improve anyone's vocabulary skills.
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"Simple and usually reliable"
Version: ReadPlease 2003 1.1
Pros
I've used a few text-to-speech programmes and they always seem to freeze. This programme freezes very rarely (but when it does I need to reboot). It takes up very little memory and make reading long documents much easier.
Cons
Freezes very rarely - not sure why. The programme comes with a Free version and a trial for the paid programme. The paid programme has not worked once (crashes everytime) so when you install I would advise installing the free one only.
Summary
I've been using this programme for a few years and have yet to find better for free. You're limited to how much text you insert, but that's a small price for stability.
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"the best free software text to speech"
Version: ReadPlease 2003 1.1
Pros
easy to use ,many voice to add on
Cons
can not convert to mp3
Summary
I like it
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"Unusable, really"
Version: ReadPlease 2003 1.1
Pros
- Well, it's *slightly* better than the reader that comes with Adobe Reader - but that's not saying much
Cons
- Froze when I tried to stop it. Went into some kind of "processing" loop; I had to use Task Manager to close it.
Summary
If it really is from 2003 that may be part of the problem; I'm running Vista, which wasn't around then. It was worth a try, I guess. But if it's going to keep getting stuck I can't use it. I uninstalled it.
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"Fast and so easy to use!"
Version: ReadPlease 2003 1.1
Pros
A simple text-to-speech but it works! Understandable and low MB use
Cons
Having to copy & paste is its nly drawback, but yet it works and its free!
Summary
A usable text-to-speech program, easiy to setup and goooooo!
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"This Program is almost perfect"
Version: ReadPlease 2003 1.1
Pros
It does exactly as it states it will read any text you place in it. It can help you avoid a lot of stupid typing and writing mistakes.
Cons
The only bad things are 1.) the synthetic voices, they can be anoying. 2.) The synthetic voices do not always pronounce words correctly.
Summary
all in all a very good program I find it indespensable when writing.
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"Good but there's other programs that can do more"
Version: ReadPlease 2003 1.1
Pros
It does what it says it does. It's a very simple program.
Cons
The options and the choices for voices is very limited.
Summary
Considering there's other free programs to choose, I will not recommend it.
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"Failed to install!"
Version: ReadPlease 2003 1.1
Pros
Other reviews are good...
Cons
The installer program claims I need to find a hard drive with enough free space, I have 110GB of free space on my C drive, how much more free space does it need?
Running XP Pro -
"Unfortunately not so good as it likes"
Version: ReadPlease 2003 1.1
Pros
Good spacing word speaking. Free version with limited characteristics. And many other languages than English.
Cons
Poor quality voices installed. Bad and poor interface. Few controls and low flexibility. The worst is the high resources expend, even when the program is not actually reading.
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"no real pdf reader, funy interface"
Version: ReadPlease 2003 1.1
Pros
funny interface, easy to use
Cons
doesnt really read PDF files, you must copy into the clipboard the selected text. So will not work with protected pdfs.
Must be instaled in the main program folder (c:), will not work properly in other folder. (I have winXP)
