Turn any text into an instant audiobook with this highly rated iOS app

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Speechify
Speechify scans and converts any text to speech so you can "read" faster and retain more.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Reading is essential to daily life and staying informed, but so is listening. In an age of podcasts, audiobooks and multitasking, many of us have adjusted to take in information through our ears while our eyes are busy doing other things.

Plus, some people simply retain information better through listening rather than reading. That was the case with Cliff Weitzman, who struggled with learning because of dyslexia. So he built a simple but powerful tool that makes any text instantly listenable.

Speechify is his text-to-speech app that turns reading material into interactive audiobooks, so you can listen anywhere. With a keystroke, it recites any text you highlight, at any speed and in several natural-sounding voices. The words flicker by in real time, too, so you can follow along better and at higher speeds.

It can read documents, articles, even entire books as you cook, work out, travel or do any other thing where your ears are available but your eyes are occupied. You also can send text of any length straight to your mobile device for listening, which makes Speechify perfect for catching up on reading during your commute. Parents can listen to important documents while doing chores. And teachers can connect lesson content with their students in new ways.

Speechify was designed with cognitive diversity in mind, too, so folks with ADD or dyslexia can use it to learn at their pace and on their terms. Think of it like a personal reading assistant, or a 1.5x option for your reading list. That’s super-useful, and it’s reflected in a rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars on the App Store.

Buy now: Get a year of Speechify Audio Reader for $39.99. That’s a full 89% off the usual price.

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