Everyday, blind people around the world use screen-readers to use computers. If you are a Chrome OS and Android user, and you were familiar with these screen-readers, and you are just wondering which screen-reader can be right for you, or you used both. Here are the differences when using these screen-readers,–along with some potential problems you may encounter.
Round 1: Capability of handling text over 8000 words in the html editor via WordPress, Blogger, or other sites
All screen-readers can do this, but what I realized Chromevox on a Chromebook has been changed since a year ago. During the time when I was using a Chromebook for the first time, I started using Blogger to write blog posts to write fictional stories in Durham, Nc. Unlike NVDA, it was built-in with Chrome OS installed. And that’s how Chromebooks got their name. Unlike most laptops, you don’t need any anti-malware program to protect your machine.
For many years, I used this Chromebook, and I filed bugs to report Chromevox stalling and stuttering as I write long posts on Blogger, this is a headache if you are a fast typer. I managed to free up CPU usage by switching off word echo, but keep typing echo. It works fairly, but I can still experience some text spoken when broken up into fragmented words.
In 2017, I bought my new Nextbook android laptop. I used it as a replacement laptop computer to enable me to write longer posts to write new content on my functional website. I am still experimenting with this screen-reader, TalkBack as a powerful alternative to Chromevox via Chrome OS. I’m currently using my 2-in-one laptop to write content while I give a Chromebook a rest. This is a necessary move because, I have to bring up all of my content to my website as a way to keep publishing new posts.
Chromevox
It’s built-in to all Chrome devices. In 2011; Chromevox was a standard screen-reader that enables you to use A Chromebook without a visual person. It was a good news because, you can do just about anything with it without a secondary person.
Processing posts over 8000 words
That applies to editing posts on websites, using online editing software, and other text sites. This screen-reader Chromevox uses too much processing power to enable a user to write long posts as a way to write fictional stories, news articles, etc. If you attempted to reach over 20,000 words, your Chromebook may smoke up, and it can empty your battery on your Chromebook.
If you are a skilled developer who uses a screen-reader to let your eyes… you may need a braille display to take over, or find a Chrome extension to use for low-power voices.
Expansion
You can add additional voices to Chromevox by going to the Chrome Webstore to add these voice Extensions to expand Chromevox. Lois TTS US English is the known voice extension that uses native client in your browser . It doesn’t work by itself, but it do works with Chromevox!, but this extension is kind of rare today, but I managed to install it on my Chromebook, and keep it. I can use it to compare other voices.
However; the screen-reader doesn’t have other ways to expand, and there’s no plugins to install, but you can give it a try,–by building a Chrome extension dedicated for Chromevox.
The Verdict:
Only additional voices can be added.
Chromevox stalls when writing long posts on your website.
TalkBack
TalkBack via Android is queen because, it can handle text fields over 4000 words! However; this screen-reader is intended to be mobile, but it’s lighter in size. Unlike Chromevox, it can outperform other screen-readers, you can add voice data for other languages, You can write in extremely long text fields, edit code, and edit books like a pro. You don’t need to slow down like a snail!
Expansion
You can add an alternate speech engine to your device to make it sound like NVDA, or any kind of a screen-reader. You can expand it like a plugin on your WordPress site.
The Verdict
TalkBack is a winner!
Reliability
Some screen-readers are reliable, but other screen-readers aren’t… whether if you are using it for a long time. If you are reporting problems with Chromevox, you can press Alt-Shift-I on your Chromebook, or you can file a bug at their website with your valid Google Account.
With TalkBack, you can file a bug directly in the app. This streamline method of reporting issues with a Screen-reader itself. If you use a touch-screen and keyboard together, you can force-click an element to get it activated. This is useful if you wanted to use websites that are not ready for screen-readers yet.
Sometimes your Screen-reader freezes, or your machine just goes out, but you have to be careful not to turn off the screen-reader. With TalkBack, you can suspend it without turning it off. This is useful if you wanted to do other tasks like recording audio.
Since Chromevox announces a URL behind a link, it was removed from Chromevox when a Classic version has been removed, this is a serious flaw what I’ve discovered. I’ve also learned an answer from Google’s flaws!
TalkBack is a Winner because, it never uses up memory like Chromevox does. Chromevox may have bloated scripts that are not stored in zip folder.