Native and Comprehensive Text-to-Speech (TTS)

[user13]

As with many browsers, Firefox is outdated in terms of accessibility, and text-to-speech is an accessibility feature that should most definitely be implemented. Honestly, as soon as possible.

The "Listen" capability in Reader View shows that it can be done, but this functionality should be extended to all webpages. This should honestly be standard with any browser, but it's not. Finding decent TTS software as a casual user is nigh impossible.

Many browsers' TTS capabilities are abysmal (looking at you Chrome), but Microsoft Edge has implemented this capability incredibly well. Using Immersive Reader, you only need to hit Ctrl + Shift + U to start or stop reading any web page. You can scroll through the page, and the reader will follow, or you can select text, and the reader will follow.

In Chrome, I used Speechify, which was implemented wonderfully. It even had play buttons next to individual items on the page, such as at the bottom of email drafts (to read the individual draft), next to individual Reddit comments, and next to individual paragraphs in long articles. This functionality is less essential, but is certainly quite helpful. Unfortunately, Speechify is not available as a Firefox extension, and the company has no current plans to make one. Additionally, the price of Speechify is quite steep, but I believe the popularity and willingness to pay for such a service shows that it is a widely desired functionality.

I hope I have illustrated the importance of this feature, and I hope Firefox can include such functionality soon!

[Jon]

Thanks for submitting an idea to the Mozilla Connect community! Your idea is now open to votes (aka kudos) and comments.

[parohanoid]

Need this feature. Especially when the browser has pocket which is used for saving article links.

[Dolo]

I have dyslexia and I am continually frustrated by the text to speech programs out there. I have no experience coding or what happens on the back end, but it feels like over the 10+ years I've searched at the start of every school year there is nothing that is a friendly user experience.

My ideal TTS web-browsing software would have a highlight & right click drop down option to use across all web text, a higher than expected words per minute count (the more and more you use TTS the better you get at comprehension), and a voice that is understandable.

The closest I've come to finding a TTS program that works well enough to continue using is Natural Reader, but the understandable voices are paid - I  think this would be the perfect place to put into action the Common Voice Community Social Media Campaign mission. Love you all!

[hdfhjfsjd]

Yes

[Shegstone]

Native Natural Reader

I just love Firefox and what the entire team is doing. I use the browser for everything with the exception of reading PDF books. I use Microsoft edge for that which is better than most TTS, however, its biggest flaw is not resuming from the last session but restarts again. Firefox having a native epub or mobi reader would be a big plus but a natural TTS is more imperative.

[Jon]

(Note: similar ideas have been merged into this thread)