Tech giant Google has introduced a Read Aloud function for its widely popular Chrome browser. As of now, this feature is available for preliminary testing via the Canary version. Despite being an initial rollout, it covers basic usability with finesse.
Noted by tech enthusiast @Leopeva6 on platform X, the Read Aloud feature, similar to the one in Microsoft Edge, includes provisions to modify playback speed. This gives users the freedom to choose the pace at which textual content is narrated. In a desirable development, upcoming updates suggest that users can toggle between assorted voice options, aiding in the auditory experience.
In the "Read Aloud" feature, the sentence being read is now highlighted, and the parts that have already been read are faded out, there is also a button to remove the highlight (not working yet):https://t.co/CZfnzN6o6C
.https://t.co/bAVCFKRVbi pic.twitter.com/zGoJQ59BM2— Leopeva64 (@Leopeva64) September 14, 2023
Chrome “Read Aloud” Interface Design
The Read-Aloud function isn’t just about voice playback. It carries an astutely planned design element as well. While an article is being recited, the sentence currently being read gets underlined. At the same time, the portions of the article already read start graying out. This intelligent design scheme enables users to readily assess the progress of the reading.
However, recognizing the varying preferences of its user base, Chrome has also provisioned a button that allows the highlighting feature to be deactivated for those who find this addition distracting.
Customizable Browsing Experience
The tech giant is also improving the visual experience Until now, Google Chrome permitted the browser’s theme color to reflect the wallpaper of the New Tab Page (NTP). Yet, this was accessible only with images sourced from the “Customize Chrome” panel.
But thanks to the latest updates in the Canary version, users will soon enjoy the liberty to apply their images to this feature. This improvement aligns with Chrome’s goal of delivering a more individualized browsing experience.
There's a feature in Chrome that allows the browser theme color to change depending on the wallpaper of the NTP, but it only works with images from the "Customize Chrome" panel, well, in Chrome Canary now this feature also works with your own images:https://t.co/QbeT2TPlki
. pic.twitter.com/00F9bwukWD— Leopeva64 (@Leopeva64) September 16, 2023
Despite these features being simple and basic, this is only phase one of the rollout. As the function becomes more streamlined, users can anticipate more complex and sophisticated adaptations of the Read Aloud features, soon.