NextUp Talker for Windows

It's easy to use this text-to-speech program, but unlike others in the category you can't save audio files. NextUp Talker's simple layout makes navigation easy from the get go. To hear your messages uttered aloud, just type in the upper pane and hit Speak Input.

You also can set the program to speak after a word, sentence, or carriage return. A Pronunciation Editor creates shortcuts so you can type "thx" and "thanks" will be spoken, and you can add your frequent phrases to those included with the program.

Other features such as a log and history of recent entries also make communication easier. You'll have ten voice options, including two with a British inflection. The voice quality isn't bad, and pronunciation was good overall. You can adjust speed and pitch, or add pauses at set intervals to modify the voice.

Ease of use and a nice set of features make this a good choice for anyone in need of a text-to-speech application.