Google updates its Android Text-To-Speech app with high-quality English voices

Google has updated its Text-To-Speechstandalone app with high-quality English voices and new languagesupport. The English US and UK languages now feature high-definitionmale and female voice packs with smoother enunciation and morenatural intonation. Just don't go on talking with yourextra-articulate smartphone if there are bystanders around, or youmight end up on YouTube. Also, the English US voice has only a high-quality female pack.

The language support has been enrichedwith the addition of Brazillian Portuguese and US Spanish.Text-to-Speech now supports nine languages in total, but only Englishhas high-definition voices for now. The high-quality voices can bechosen in Android's Settings menu. Go to Language & Input ->Text-to-speech output and select one of the new language packs. Youwill have to sit through a sizable download to enjoy the HD voicepacks, however - they both weigh over 200MB each, while the normalquality recordings are only 6.8MB.

Also, be aware that not all apps followthe setting you choose. Some apps, such as Google Play Books, defaultto the regular quality voice packs for some reason. Google Translateis keeping up with the times, though, so use that to hear the newvoices in their ominous “machine talks like human” action.

In addition, there's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it improvement in the app's user interface. Each voicethat has multiple sample packs installed receives a sub-menu with theoption to toggle between them. Also, the voice pack sizes are nowvisible, and the delete button has been replaced with a suggestivethrash can icon.

via AndroidAuthority