APPLE COMPUTER user tips:

"MAC" computer tip of the week smile emoticon :

If you have a "MAC" computer, did you know that you can have it read everything to you? I frequently have my MAC read articles or books to me while I am cooking or cleaning the kitchen!

How can you set up the same thing? Open SYSTEM PREFERENCES. (Go to the apple at the upper left, scroll down to SYSTEM PREF.)

Click on DICTATION AND SPEECH

Click on TEXT TO SPEECH

Choose the voice you would like to hear. (Mine is set on "ALEX.")
Select a 'speaking rate.' If you need to read something quickly, listen at the fastest speed. (ha - I almost typed 'tempo.' LOL)

Check the box that says "speak selected text when the key is pressed." You can click on 'CHANGE KEY' to set up which shortcut key you'd like to use to tell the computer to speak to you. I use a combination of three keys - SHIFT COMMAND S
You can set up any key or keys you like.

While you are in DICTATION AND SPEECH, you can also set up DICTATION in a similar way, and then you can dictate what you'd like the computer to 'type' for you. (Some of you may do this on your mobile devices already.) You can use 'dictation' wherever you'd normally type text.

You can also speak the punctuation. So, you can say something like this: "Hello Jane comma how are you question mark" and it will appear like this: "Hello Jane,  how are you?"