Your web pages can now be read aloud in Bengali and Hindi on Android devices using Google Chrome. This is how it operates.
Google is now offering numerous customization choices along with the ability to read aloud the full web page to users with its new “Listen to this page” function for Android. The update for all stable users should be available shortly. 9to5 Google discovered the new feature on Google Chrome for Android version 125.
Google Speech-to-Text
The three-dots menu on the Chrome Android app has the Listen to this page option directly beneath the Translate option. When the new option is tapped, playing should begin in a format akin to a podcast, with options to choose the desired voice and play, pause, rewind, fast-forward, or skip 10 seconds.
There are currently 4 voices available: Field (low-pitched, bright), River (mid-pitch, brilliant), and Moss (low-pitched, serene). Ruby is a warm, mid-pitched voice. The new feature is accessible in Hindi, Bengali, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish in addition to English.
Chrome app for Android
But not all websites have ‘Listen to this page’ enabled, according to a Google support page, and the option won’t show up in the overflow menu if a page can’t be played back.
Although it’s already possible for Android users to ask Google Assistant to read aloud online pages, doing so required exiting the Google Chrome programme and offered few customizing options.
Google Chrome for Android smartphones now allows reading online pages aloud in Bengali and Hindi, which is a huge step towards accessibility and inclusivity. This function improves the surfing experience and accessibility of web material for millions of native speakers. Here’s a detailed look at the advantages and operation of this functionality.
New Text-to-Speech Function Understanding
Google Chrome’s TTS helps Bengali and Hindi speakers read websites in their original languages. This is perfect for aural learners and vision-impaired folks. Google makes sure that the spoken output sounds genuine and is clear by utilising sophisticated machine learning and natural language processing technologies.
Google Text-to-Speech
How to Make Google Chrome Text-to-Speech Work
On Android devices, turning on Google Chrome’s text-to-speech capability is simple:
- On your Android device, launch Google Chrome.
- Go to the webpage you wish to have read aloud on the internet.
- Press the three dots located at the top right corner to access the menu.
- After choosing “Settings,” select “Accessibility.”
- Activate “Screen Reader” or “Read Aloud” feature.
- After the reading feature is activated, you may use it by hitting the play button when it shows up on the screen.
- After thereafter, you can choose the language in which the material is read aloud.
Options for Customization
The text-to-speech user interface can be tailored in a number of ways:
- Select Your Voice: From a variety of voices, select the most agreeable or comprehensible for you.
- Reading Pace: You can customize the listening experience by adjusting the pace at which the content is read aloud.
- Highlighting: To make it simpler to follow along, the text is highlighted on the screen as it is read out.
Multilingual Accessibility’s Significance
Creating a Digital Divide Bridge
Google Chrome is meeting the requirements of approximately 650 million speakers of Bengali and Hindi by incorporating support for these languages. In order to ensure that non-English speakers have equitable access to online information and to close the digital gap, this action is essential.
Increasing User Involvement
This feature has the potential to greatly increase user engagement for content providers and website owners. Listening users spend more time on websites than reading ones, which lowers bounce rates and boosts other site analytics.
Advancing Learning and Education
Converting text to speech is useful in teaching. Hearing teaching in their native language can improve comprehension and recall. This aids distance learning and multilingual classes.
Technical Details of Google’s Text-to-Speech Advanced Machine Learning
Advanced machine learning algorithms underpin Google’s text-to-speech capability.
Large datasets are used to train these algorithms, ensuring precise intonation and pronunciation. The system produces natural-sounding output that closely resembles human speech, and it can handle complicated phrase structures.
Combination with Additional Google Services
Other Google services, including Google Translate and Google Assistant, are easily linked with this capability. The user experience may be consistent across many platforms and devices thanks to this connection. Using the same excellent text-to-speech capabilities, users may request that Google Assistant read a webpage aloud.
Prospects and Advancements for the Future
Increasing Support for Languages
Bengali and Hindi are a big step, but Google will probably add additional languages to this feature in the future. With this development, the web will become even more inclusive and reachable to a wider range of users.
Increasing Voice Clarity
Artificial intelligence and machine learning will improve Google Speech-to-Text voices. Future advances may include more lifelike voices and the ability to express emphasis and emotions to increase listening.
Improved Communication
Future iterations may possibly have more interactive elements, such the capacity to navigate to particular webpage sections or pose queries regarding the text being read aloud. The functionality will become even more adaptable and user-friendly with these improvements.
Regarding Users
Are you weary of typing? With Google Speech-to-Text, you can create emails, documents, and messages by speaking instead of using a keyboard. It is akin to possessing an extremely powerful audio recorder that can comprehend your speech and convert it into text.
Increase your output! Say goodbye to stumbling over missing keys. Talk out loud and see your ideas come to life on the screen. Google speech-to-text is ideal for people who have trouble with traditional typing, taking notes while on the road, and writing messages while juggling multiple tasks at once.
universal accessibility. People with disabilities or others who find typing difficult are empowered by Google Speech-to-Text. You can communicate with your gadgets and express yourself vocally thanks to this technology.
Regarding Developers
Transform your software applications. Integrate the Google Cloud Speech-to-Text API into your apps to provide them robust and precise speech recognition. This powerful API is adaptable for a wide range of use cases because it supports several languages, accents, and audio formats.
Improve the experience for users. Develop apps that understand spoken commands. Google Speech-to-text makes your apps more interesting and user-friendly by letting users communicate naturally.
Transcribing extends beyond simplicity. Google Speech-to-Text lets you build more powerful speech-enabled apps with speaker dualization and sentiment analysis.
In conclusion
An important step towards improving web accessibility and inclusivity has been taken with the release of Google Chrome’s text-to-speech features for Hindi and Bengali on Android devices. In addition to helping millions of native speakers, this functionality gives educators, learners, and content producers new opportunities. They can anticipate many more technological advancements that will improve people’s digital experiences globally as time goes on.
