Apple Mac Includes Speech Synthesizer in Tiger OS X

Apple has built a speech synthesizer, dubbed, “VoiceOver” into their latest release of Mac Tiger. Now computer users can access Web sites, documents and email using this integrated text-to-speech synthesizer.

The VoiceOver synthesizer is compatible with “the email application ‘Tiger Mail 2,’ ‘Safari,’ a desktop tool for setting up live feeds of news and information, and ‘Preview,’ a suite for reading and producing documents in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF),” according to the Headstar E-Access Bulletin. “As well as reading file contents, VoiceOver also provides spoken descriptions of keyboard commands, enabling users to navigate and interact with application and system controls. According to Apple, the system provides easy access to buttons, sliders, and check boxes, for example.”

Apple explains that all you need to do is, “press Command-F5 to activate VoiceOver and start using your Mac OS X Tiger computer right away. If you’re new to VoiceOver, an audible prompt will instruct you how to get started and introduce you to the VoiceOver QuickStart. Using the VoiceOver QuickStart, you’ll learn the names and location of keys on your Apple keyboard and practice using VoiceOver.”

Tiger OS X was designed with accessibility in mind and is completely keyboard controllable according to the designers: “To drive the Mac using VoiceOver, you’ll use the keyboard instead of the mouse. Choose any combination of keyboard commands and shortcuts you prefer or use full keyboard access to navigate the Dock, menu, window tool bars and palettes. Using a feature called the VoiceOver cursor, you interact with items on the screen using only your keyboard. Press buttons, drag sliders, enable and disable check boxes, select radio buttons, drag, scroll and more.”

Source: E-Access Bulletin May 2005