Reading List with Autoplay Function & 1-Click Add-To-Reading List Button

[WG]

The Problem:

It's tiring to read articles individually on mobiles or laptops. There's almost no good apps with simple reading lists and autoplay function. Google app has one, for instance, but it's not so practical and often crashes. Firefox has all the means to create the best reading list available and thus make the Firefox browser even more unique and useful.

The Solution:

1. User browses through news articles using Firefox browser on one of his devices (laptop, mobile, tablet, ...)
2. User sees an interesting news article (or also scientific article or the like). He or she clicks on an add-to-reading list button in the browser menu bar (similar to the add-to-pocket button), or he right clicks (or long tabs) on a link and gets the option add-to-reading list (practical and important, because this way not each news article has to be opened before it can be added to the reading list).
3. User can access the reading list (saved for all devices if she or he is logged in with her or his Firefox account) anytime through a browser menue bar button, the browser menu or the reading mode symbol in the address field.
4. User can start the reading of the articles in the list, set the reading speed, move articles up and down, delete articles out of the list, forward or backward to the next or previous article, etc. The reading aloud of the reading list should also work with the screen off on mobiles, so that you can listen to your collected articles for instance during jogging or cooking.

Why not simply use Pocket?

Apart from the fact that Pocket doesn't really seem like a part of Firefox, it's not thought especially as a reading list with functions around a reading list (like read all and read aloud). Pocket is usually used to bookmark different things seen on the internet (like a tv show you wanna see tonight), so you can't simply click on "read me all" within Pocket. Also Pocket isn't practical to be used on mobiles, you need a separate app (that doesn't work on many phones, while Firefox browsers works very well, also on older phones like iPhone 6).

Most importantly, though, as mentioned the reading list could be a very valuable addition to the basic function of Firefox, appreciated by many users. And as there's no good competition yet, Firefox could make use of the "first-mover-advantage" by offering such a very much needed function as the first browser worldwide.

Thanks for your consideration!

[Jon]

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

[jambolo]

I like the idea of automatic reading, I would have proposed it as well with the use of a speech synthesizer, it could also simply be useful to have an icon within the browser, that once clicked or tapped, depending on the device in use, this would automatically read the article or web page of interest

[WG]

Thanks for your support of the idea! A tip for you: the reading aloud of 1 single article is already available - at least in the desktop version of Firefox (unfortunately not even that is available on mobiles). Just click on the reading version of an article (note the symbol in the address bar) and then you'll find a play button. There's also an addon that lets you start the reading through a symbol in the browser symbol bar (I think it's from read aloud). Hope this helps!

My idea was to be able to add articles to a reading list on click (especially also in mobile browser version) and then let Firefox read the list, like a playlist of songs, for ex. while going for a run or walk.

[apandya]

@WG Thank you for taking the time to make a request. For what kind of content would you like to use this feature, like reading news? or is there any other kind of content that would be helpful? 
@jambolo same question for you. 

[jambolo]

Bhé è semplice se vai su un sito web dove magari hai interesse per un determinato articolo, ma non hai tempo di leggerlo oppure sei una persona ipovedente e che quindi non può leggere agevolmente, la possibilità di avere un sistema di lettura vocale, già presente nel browser, al posto di chi sta navigando, sarebbe una soluzione ottimale.

Well it's simple if you go to a website where perhaps you are interested in a particular article, but you don't have time to read it or you are a visually impaired person and therefore cannot read easily, the possibility of having a voice reading system, already present in the browser, in place of the person browsing, would be an optimal solution.

[Mulder42]

@apandya First, thanks for your reply! As it came with a 3 year delay, I do have another feedback regarding this platform: for some reason I couldn't access my former account ("WG") anymore, and there is neither an option to request an old or create a new password when trying to log in. That's why I'm now replying from this account. I think this is something you should check 😉 Very unusual...

Then, regarding your question: Yes, primarily I'd enjoy the feature for reading (or more exactly: hearing) news (or other articles)!

As mentioned in my original suggestion, reading news is one of the most tiring things within a browser (no matter if on mobiles or desktops). And this is where Firefox could make a positive difference!

Currently, the (boring) "read aloud" function in (boring) reading mode of Firefox doesn't even work on mobiles, but only on desktops. It would already be an improvement to make this "read aloud" function available in the mobile Firefox version.

But, as suggested 3 years ago, it would be practical to be able to "add to reading list" and then let Firefox read aloud the reading list (it might also be practical to be able to change the order of articles in the reading list by drag and drop).

As Android is regularly killing apps running in the background, it would be important that the reading can still take place also when a mobile screen is locked (so that one can listen to its reading list while running or walking, for instance).

Hope this helps!