Mac OS X Lion: The Missing Manual

The Mac Reads to You

So far in this chapter, you’ve read about the Mac’s listening ability. But the conversation doesn’t have to be one-way; it’s even easier to make the Mac talk.

Most Apple programs have a Start Speaking command built right in: Safari, Mail, TextEdit, iChat, Stickies, Pages, and so on. Just Control-click (or right-click) inside a window full of text and, from the pop-up menu, choose Speech→Start Speaking. How cool is that? Your Mac can read your email or a Web article to you while you’re getting dressed.

You can add a Speak command in FileMaker Pro scripts. Mac OS X’s Chess and Calculator programs can talk back, too.

But that’s kid stuff. Truth is, the Mac can read almost anything you like: text you pass your cursor over, alert messages, menus, and any text document in any program. It can speak in your choice of dozens of synthesizer voices, ages 8 to 50. Most read with a twangy, charmingly Norwegian accent—but some of the newest voices (like Alex, Jill, Samantha, and Tom) sound scarily like a professional human voice-over artist.

Note

This text-reading business is not the same thing as the Mac’s VoiceOver feature. VoiceOver is designed to read everything on the screen, including pop-up menus, buttons, and other controls, to visually impaired Mac fans (and to permit complete control, mouse-free, of everything). Details begin on Speak selected text when the key is pressed.

Setting Up the Mac’s Voice

To configure the way the Mac talks, revisit the Speech pane of System ...