<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><br><br><div dir="ltr">Stacie<div><span style="font-size: 17pt;">Sent from my iPhone</span></div></div><div dir="ltr"><br>Begin forwarded message:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><b>From:</b> David Goldfield <david.goldfield@outlook.com><br><b>Date:</b> March 11, 2022 at 9:44:15 AM EST<br><b>To:</b> tech-vi@groups.io<br><b>Subject:</b> <b>[tech-vi Announce List] Benetech Unveils Bookshare Reader Suite for Web, Mobile, and Smart Speaker Devices</b><br><b>Reply-To:</b> tech-vi@groups.io<br><br></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr">
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<p>Bookshare Blog - Thursday, March 10, 2022 at 9:35 AM</p>
<h1>Benetech Unveils Bookshare Reader Suite for Web, Mobile, and Smart Speaker Devices</h1>
<p></p>
<p><em>Announcing a new suite of free reading software for school, work, and leisure that breaks down barriers for people with dyslexia, vision loss, and other reading challenges</em></p>
<p id="h-benetech-the-parent-company-of-bookshare-is-excited-to-introduce-a-suite-of-free-reading-apps-for-people-with-reading-barriers-bookshare-reader-for-web-bookshare-reader-mobile-app-for-ios-and-android-and-bookshare-reader-for-alexa-this-suite-of-free-tools-available-summer-2022-will-make-reading-accessible-books-easier-than-ever-before">
Benetech, the parent company of Bookshare, is excited to introduce a suite of free reading apps for people with reading barriers: Bookshare Reader for Web, Bookshare Reader for iOS, Bookshare Reader for Android, and Bookshare Reader for Alexa. This suite of
free tools, available summer 2022, will make reading accessible books easier than ever before. </p>
<h2 id="h-what-is-bookshare-reader-for-web-and-mobile">What is Bookshare Reader for Web and Mobile?</h2>
<p>Bookshare Readers for web, iOS, and Android, provide a consistent user experience across a standard set of easy-to-use reading applications. The new readers feature intuitive controls and enhanced configuration features.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Ease of use: </strong>Read instantly with no waiting time, and enjoy intuitive navigation and robust keyboard shortcuts.</li><li><strong>Customization settings:</strong> Mix and match colors for background, text, and highlighting, and choose from expanded voice options.
</li><li><strong>Enhanced math support:</strong> the new Bookshare reader will have the capability to read equations in accessible math books using MathML.
</li><li><strong>Read anywhere:</strong> Download books to a smartphone or tablet to read anytime, anywhere using the Bookshare Reader Apps for iOS and Android.</li></ul>
<h2 id="h-what-is-bookshare-reader-for-alexa">What is Bookshare Reader for Alexa?</h2>
<p>With just their voice, users can open the Bookshare Reader for Alexa and listen to virtually any book, magazine, or newspaper in high-quality text-to-speech audio. The Alexa Skill is available to use on any Alexa-enabled device, including smartphones with
the Alexa app. Now in beta, the reader can be found in the Alexa App store and is available to any individual Bookshare member. </p>
<p>New features coming soon include: </p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Live support with in-app calling:</strong> Call Bookshare customer support directly from the Alexa app.
<strong></strong></li><li><strong>Connect with the Bookshare community: </strong>Use the Alexa skill to call into Bookshare community events, such as the monthly Bookshare Book Club, and connect with fellow readers. <strong></strong></li></ul>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://blog.bookshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Bookshare-Reader-Graphic-2-Final-1.png"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="512" src="https://blog.bookshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Bookshare-Reader-Graphic-2-Final-1-1024x512.png" alt="Bookshare Reader logo. Alexa speaker, a laptop and a mobile phone each have the reader suite open on the book, Frog and Toad." class="wp-image-5998" srcset="https://blog.bookshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Bookshare-Reader-Graphic-2-Final-1-1024x512.png 1024w, https://blog.bookshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Bookshare-Reader-Graphic-2-Final-1-300x150.png 300w, https://blog.bookshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Bookshare-Reader-Graphic-2-Final-1-768x384.png 768w, https://blog.bookshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Bookshare-Reader-Graphic-2-Final-1-1536x768.png 1536w, https://blog.bookshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Bookshare-Reader-Graphic-2-Final-1.png 2000w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" data-unique-identifier=""></a></figure>
<h2 id="h-what-s-so-cool-about-it-or-why-are-we-so-excited">What’s so cool about it? (OR…Why are we so excited?)</h2>
<p>This new suite of apps gives Bookshare users a free, standard set of reading tools that they can customize and use across devices to read over a million titles – including novels, textbooks, nonfiction, academic journals, newspapers, and magazines – in
ways that work for them.</p>
<h2 id="h-when-will-it-be-available">When will it be available?</h2>
<p>Bookshare Reader for the Web is currently in private testing in select school districts across the US. Bookshare Reader for the Web and the mobile app will be available to the public in summer 2022. </p>
<p>Bookshare Reader for Smart Speaker is currently in beta release and only available to Bookshare Individual Members. Find it in the
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Benetech-Bookshare-Reader-Beta/dp/B09MZJMF89">Alexa App store</a>.</p>
<p>Future releases will provide access to students and educators on school organizational accounts.</p>
<h2 id="h-i-like-the-app-that-i-currently-use-will-i-still-be-able-to-use-it">I like the app that I currently use, will I still be able to use it?</h2>
<p>Yes! We believe that you should read your way. There are many reading tools that work with Bookshare. Choose the one that works best for you.</p>
<p><em><a href="https://www.bookshare.org/cms/get-started/reader/smart-speaker">Learn more about Bookshare Reader for Smart Speakers. </a></em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://www.bookshare.org/cms/bookshare-me/schools/bis2022/teachers">Learn more about Bookshare for schools.</a> </em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://www.bookshare.org/cms/bookshare-me/schools/bis2022">Learn more about Bookshare for students and parents.</a> </em></p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="https://blog.bookshare.org/2022/03/benetech-unveils-bookshare-reader-suite/">https://blog.bookshare.org/2022/03/benetech-unveils-bookshare-reader-suite/</a></p>
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<br>
<br>
<div dir="ltr"> David Goldfield
<div>Assistive Technology Specialist</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Feel free to visit my Web site</div>
<div>WWW.DavidGoldfield.info</div>
</div>
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