Read-aloud articles or audio stories: what do you want to hear?

There is an article open on your phone. You want to finish it, but the dishes need doing and your eyes would welcome a break. Having it read aloud might be exactly what you need.

Or perhaps it is the subject you want more of. You do not need that particular page. You want someone to tell you the story.

These are two different listening choices. Both have their place.

When you want the article itself

A read-aloud tool keeps you with the text you chose. It can help you get through an essay, revisit a passage or hear a page while your hands are busy.

On desktop, Firefox Reader View includes a read-aloud option for supported articles. Availability depends on the page, language and text-to-speech support on your system. Check for the listening control in Reader View.

The tool reads the page rather than turning it into a new story. That is useful when the wording matters to you. Tables, references and visual explanations may still be easier to follow on screen.

When you want a story about the subject

Writing for listening can introduce a name before asking you to remember it. It can explain a connection in the sentence instead of leaving it in a footnote. Those choices help a story make sense without the page in front of you.

That is the invitation on HearLore. Choose a person, place, event or idea that interests you. Press Play on an entry with audio, then listen while you walk, head home or unwind.

A HearLore story is its own narration. It is not a read-aloud version of a page you upload, and it should not replace a source you need to study closely.

When you want the whole book

Sometimes an article about a novel leaves you wanting the novel. LibriVox has free volunteer recordings of public-domain books. Search its catalogue for the title and try a sample before settling in.

A full book asks for a different stretch of attention from an individual story. You can take it chapter by chapter. There is no need to finish it in the time it takes to get home.

Let the listening fit the moment

For a specific article, start with a read-aloud tool. For a book, look for a recording of that book. For a subject you want to get to know, choose a story about it.

On HearLore, you can open a linked name when a connection interests you and press Play to hear available audio. Playback can continue through your queue or chosen playlist. Use the sleep timer when you would like it to stop.

Choose your first story before you put the phone down. Then let your eyes rest.