This is literally the best thing ever! I'm so excited to share with you my new #lifehack - turning Siri into your own personal narrator. It applies to iBooks, PDFs, webpages, e-mails, articles, even text messages on your iPhone or iPad.

To start with, I get articles every day to read on my current Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) rotation. Yes, that's right, doctors have homework too! They're really interesting - the latest one was about how Progesterone and Vitamin D can help the recovery of TBI patients by modulating the immune system and other key regulatory mechanisms. However, sometimes, it's hard to focus at the end of a long shift. I'm so tired that my eyes start to cross or I highlight without completely digesting what I'm reading. Last night, I was wishing there was some way I could listen to the PDF during my commute. A quick Google search and I discovered the answer: there is and it's free! You can turn iBooks, PDFs, almost anything with text into audiobooks with Siri's help. You don't need access to the internet either. Forget the Audible subscription or paying $20 to listen to the next bestseller. Check it out in these quick, simple steps. It takes less than 10 seconds:

Step 1: Go to Settings app on iPhone --> Tap General

Step 2: Tap on Accessibility

Step 3: Tap on Speech (under Vision section)

Step 4: Toggle on the Speak Screen

Step 5: Open whatever item you want read to you, scroll down from the top of the screen with two fingers and the Speak Screen should appear (it might take a couple of tries)

Step 6: Reduce the speed to get a more natural sound of Siri's voice by pressing the turtle that appears on the Speak Screen (if not there, you can also go to Settings --> General --> Accessibility --> Speak Selection)

Soon you'll be off on whatever wild adventure, spy novel, research investigation, or e-mail catchup session you desire as the words echo from your new FREE Audiobook device.


Side note: You can also change Siri's voice to be British, South African, Irish, male, or female.

Go to Settings --> General --> Accessibility --> Voices --> whatever language you want and then select an accent

Turns out my phone's voice has been Samantha all along but I still call her Siri.

Speaking of audiobooks,




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