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 obtainable for eleventh and Twelfth-generation Kindle e-readers. In typical Amazon vogue, the release notes merely say, “Efficiency enhancements, bug fixes, and different common 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 possibility, discovered underneath Accessibility in settings, enlarges the font measurement for all parts and textual content in your Kindle e-reader. This consists of the consumer interface, menus, and the Kindle Retailer (through Good E Reader). The one factor that continues to be unchanged is the font measurement whereas studying an e-book, doubtless as a result of e-books have their very own separate font setting, which you’ll be able to alter by tapping the “Aa” menu on the toolbar and choosing Fonts. For customers with a imaginative and prescient impairment, this characteristic will likely be significantly 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 named Assistive Reader, and it’s really the second time it has appeared on Kindle units. Based on Good E Reader, Amazon initially added this characteristic in July however eliminated it a number of days later. Amazon didn’t formally clarify why it made this modification, however it’s presumed to be on account of bugs that wanted to be fastened.

That mentioned, with the most recent Kindle replace, plainly 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 when 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 isn’t as refined as audiobooks, but it surely’s nonetheless helpful nonetheless.

With Assistive Reader enabled, you possibly can play, pause, and management the velocity of the narration, and rewind by 30 seconds when you 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 robotically pauses and resumes the place you left off if you end.

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

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 prime, then select “Extra,” and allow Assistive Reader. It is price noting you may want Bluetooth headphones or earbuds linked to make use of Assistive Reader, as Kindle e-readers haven’t got audio system.

Assistive Reader first debuted on the Kindle App for iOS final 12 months, so it is nice to see it now obtainable on Kindle e-readers. To check out the brand new characteristic, you may want the most recent Kindle replace, model 5.18.4.0.1. You possibly can test for updates by navigating to Settings > Machine choices > Software program updates in your Kindle, or by manually downloading and putting in it.