Amazon updates its Kindle e-readers to make studying extra accessible to all

Earlier this summer season, Amazon launched a new update for its Kindle e-reader units, including options to make studying even simpler. These embody new options for spacing between characters, phrases, and paragraphs. Now, Amazon has dropped one other replace for its Kindle e-readers, introducing further accessibility options.

The replace, model 5.18.4.0.1, is now out there for eleventh and Twelfth-generation Kindle e-readers. In typical Amazon trend, the release notes merely say, “Efficiency enhancements, bug fixes, and different normal enhancements” have been included within the replace, however they do not point out that two new options have been added: Assistive Reader and a bigger font setting for the interface.

The brand new font choice, discovered beneath Accessibility in settings, enlarges the font measurement for all components and textual content in your Kindle e-reader. This contains the person interface, menus, and the Kindle Retailer (through Good E Reader). The one factor that is still unchanged is the font measurement whereas studying an e-book, possible as a result of e-books have their very own separate font setting, which you’ll alter by tapping the “Aa” menu on the toolbar and deciding on Fonts. For customers with a imaginative and prescient impairment, this characteristic might be notably useful in making their Kindle simpler to navigate.

Amazon has reintroduced Assistive Reader to its Kindle units

Assistive Reader reads your e-books aloud and highlights the textual content because it goes

The second characteristic Amazon launched with this replace is known as Assistive Reader, and it’s truly the second time it has appeared on Kindle units. In accordance with Good E Reader, Amazon initially added this characteristic in July however eliminated it just a few days later. Amazon didn’t formally clarify why it made this transformation, however it’s presumed to be as a result of bugs that wanted to be fastened.

That mentioned, with the newest Kindle replace, evidently the Assistive Reader is again, making studying on Kindle units extra accessible. What Assistive Reader does is learn aloud your e-book to you, and whilst you’re listening, the textual content being learn to you is highlighted in your display. The voice studying it’s reportedly simply an AI voice, so it is not as refined as audiobooks, but it surely’s nonetheless helpful nonetheless.

With Assistive Reader enabled, you possibly can play, pause, and management the pace of the narration, and rewind by 30 seconds if you happen to miss one thing utilizing the participant controls on the backside of the display. In the event you open a navigation menu or cease to create notes or highlights, Assistive Reader mechanically pauses and resumes the place you left off whenever you end.

To make use of Assistive Reader, an e-book should assist “Enhanced Typesetting.” To test in case your e-book helps it, Amazon recommends visiting the Kindle Retailer, discovering your guide, and on the lookout for “Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled” in its options record.

In case your e-book helps Assistive Reader, you possibly can flip it on within the studying settings menu. Merely faucet the display, choose “Aa” on the high, then select “Extra,” and allow Assistive Reader. It is price noting you will want Bluetooth headphones or earbuds related to make use of Assistive Reader, as Kindle e-readers do not have audio system.

Assistive Reader first debuted on the Kindle App for iOS final yr, so it is nice to see it now out there on Kindle e-readers. To check out the brand new characteristic, you will want the newest Kindle replace, model 5.18.4.0.1. You possibly can test for updates by navigating to Settings > System choices > Software program updates in your Kindle, or by manually downloading and putting in it.