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Tech News and Commentary
Dave and the team discuss HBO Max and their app, a misleading tweet reporting feature, Windows 11 will make it harder to use other browsers, Amazon record setting fine in the EU, Google’s functionality to control their phones via facial gestures, T-Mobile caught lying to California, Apple’s in-store classes coming back, MasterCard phasing out magnetic cards, and more.
Joe in Hazleton, Pennsylvania listens to the Podcasts and asked: “I don’t have air conditioning in my house. Only in my bedroom. I’d like to have a TV in the bedroom. My needs are different, though. I’m totally blind so I don’t care if it has a 57-inch screen, a 90-inch screen, or if it has no screen at all. I just want a TV with an antenna or a place to plug in an antenna, so I can watch TV in my bedroom with the air conditioning. Wondering if you can recommend anything.”
Joe, if youre totally blind then you might as well save some money and buy the TV with the smallest and worst quality image and maybe spend that money on a soundbar that can give you clearer and better sound instead.
For example, whereas Sony sells an 85 4K SmartTV for over $2000, you could just buy a 24 Insignia 720p TV which will take up less room and has poorer image quality but that wont bother you, and instead just pay $120.
That may leave you with enough money to buy a Samsung soundbar with a standalone subwoofer for $150. You wouldnt break $300 and youd trade image quality for sound quality, which seems much more sensible in your case.
There are plenty of TVs that will hover roughly around that price point, some at least 1080p if you care. Most will be smaller in size, around 22 to 24, but in your case a small size is probably a bonus, since the only advantage of larger TV is a large picture size, which you wont be needing.
Sharon in Fairbanks, Alaska listens on NewsRadio 970 KFBX – calling in using the AskDave button on our site and asked: “Is there something like a Nook that will read a book, instead of being on Audible, because not all books are on Audible. I want something that will read a book for someone who can’t read.”
Sharon, the Nook itself is capable of reading aloud the text on the screen, but its a little rough around the edges.
Youd need to enable the feature in the accessibility options and it will read select paragraphs rather than the whole book at a time.
Kindles do better, they will read the book but they will read in a pretty annoying mechanical voice. Think of something like a phones smart assistant with the wrong inflection, wrong stops and starts, its not very enjoyable.
Computers can do it too, but much like with Kindles it will be mechanical and not natural. So you may not enjoy it.
If you want a spoken book, the only good options now are books read by people. If you dont want an Audible subscription you can try Audiobooksnow, Downpour, Audiobooks.com, or for free public domain audiobooks Librivox.
Your public library should also include an online audiobook option that you can take advantage of.
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