Intel Reader Could Revolutionize Reading for the Disabled

By Jason Boog 

intelreader.jpgToday our digitally obsessed sibling eBookNewser uncovered a new device that should make both eBook and print publishers take notice: the Intel Reader.

Here’s more from the post: “It’s a device made by the chip-manufacturer intended for the visually impaired or dyslexic. It scans text and then reads it aloud to you. It looks kinda like a chunky kids camera, or an underwater photography tool, crossed with a giant iPod. This isn’t really an eReader, nor is it a device for general consumers: it’s a specialty tool for the disabled. It costs about $1,500. But it’s a really smart way of making any piece of text that can be scanned accessible to people who would not otherwise be able to read it.”

This powerful device could turn any book into an audiobook, an inspiring and controversial function. Last year the Federation of the Blind criticized the Authors Guild for its stance on Amazon Kindle’s text-to-speech function. Publishing professionals around the world are still debating how rights should be negotiated for these 21st Century audio books–and this reader will add a new wrinkle to the debate. What do you think?