Purchasing

+ - Can I upgrade from GhostReader to GhostReader Plus?

Yes, you can upgrade from GhostReader to GhostReader Plus by an in-app purchase.

To do so, launch GhostReader, go to the GhostReader menu (on top of your screen next to the Apple menu) and go to the Preferences. In your Preferences, select Upgrade and click on Purchase GhostReader Plus. Now follow the on-screen prompts. Once finished, GhostReader will re-open as GhostReader Plus.

+ - Can I update from GhostReader 1.x to GhostReader 2?

As GhostReader is now exclusively available through the Mac App Store, it is not possible to update from Ghostreader 1.x to GhostReader 2.

Please read the last FAQ on this page What is the difference between GhostReader and GhostReader Plus? for a feature comparison.

+ - If I buy multiple licenses, can I get a discount?

For educational institutions in certain countries, we offer a 50% discount on GhostReader when organizations purchase 20 copies or more through Apple's App Store Volume Purchase Program for Education.

In addition, you may be able to get volume discounts on iMacs or MacBooks if you discuss this with the reseller you would be buying those from.

+ - Can I still purchase GhostReader 1.x?

We are discontinuing GhostReader 1.x, so you cannot purchase it anymore. Current users of GhostReader 1.6 can continue to use their version on OS X 10.10 and earlier. We will however no longer provide updates to this version. We advise GhostReader 1.6 users to upgrade to GhostReader Plus.

Feature Related

+ - How does my older version of GhostReader compare to the new GhostReader 2?

GhostReader 2 offers the same features as your GhostReader 1.x, complemented by the ability the style your text and a Pronunciation Editor that works for all voices (so including Apple's built-in voices).

Additionally, GhostReader 2's interface is more user-friendly and intuitive. Download the free demo to experience it yourself!

With GhostReader Plus, you can even take it a step further. Write scripts and stories with different characters or create language learning materials by using tags. With these tags, each word, sentence or paragraph can have its own characteristics, such as voice, language and reading speed.

Due to changes on Apple's side, the Speak text below the cursor feature had to be dropped. However, the March 2014 user survey showed that not that many people were using this feature.

Have a look at the comparison table below to see which version suits you best:

  GhostReader 1.x GhostReader GhostReader Plus
       
Localizations English, French German, Dutch, Italian English, French English, French
Speak text below cursor x    
Global shortcuts x
Text to Speech x x x
Word highlighting x x x
Selection reader x x x
Multilingual use x x x
Export to iTunes track x x x
Export to m4a audio file   x x
Intuitive user-interface   x x
Styled text   x x
Search and replace   x x
Zoom   x x
Spell check   x x
Custom pronunciations   x x
Automatic language detection     x

Tags (adjust voice, rate, etc.)

    x

Note that GhostReader 1.x will be discontinued. Of course you will still be able to use it, however, no new updates will be released.

+ - What is the difference between GhostReader and GhostReader Plus?

GhostReader is a text editor with integrated Text to Speech that can be used with any Mac application, such as a Word document. You can also use GhostReader to read selected text from other apps with full playback control and text-highlighting, or to proofread text that you have written yourself. Finding errors is always easier when words and sentences are spoken out loud.

With the GhostReader Plus features, you can even take it a step further. Write scripts and stories with characters or create language learning materials by using tags. With these tags, each word, sentence or paragraph can have its own characteristics, such as voice, language and reading speed.

Have a look at the features below for an overview:

  GhostReader GhostReader Plus
Text to Speech x x
Word highlighting  x x
Export to audio file x x
Intuitive user-interface x x
Selection reader x x
Styled text x x

Search and replace

x x

Global shortcuts

x x
Zoom x x
Spell check x x
Custom pronunciations x x
Multilingual use x x
Automatic language detection   x
Tags (adjust voice, rate, etc.)   x

GhostReader and GhostReader Plus are exclusively available through the Mac App Store for US$ 24.99 and US$ 39.99.

+ - How can VoiceOver be used as Speak Text Below Cursor?

Please know that due to certain limitations on apps that are sold through the Mac App Store, the GhostReader 1.x feature "Speak Text Below Cursor" is not available in GhostReader 2.0.

It is however possible to configure VoiceOver in a way that will work as a replacement for "Speak Text Below Cursor". We have prepared VoiceOver configuration files for OS X 10.9 (Mavericks) and OS X 10.10 (Yosemite). For more information and specific instructions, please see: Use VoiceOver to read text below the cursor.

+ - How can I use Custom Pronunciations to modify the pronunciation of words?

We encourage you to write your custom pronunciations as phonetical transcriptions, for example (in American English):

French fries -> french frys
Ayleen -> ae lean

Note that GhostReader's custom pronunciations support really advanced synthesizer commands. These commands will not work with all voices and they can be somewhat difficult to use, but they give you total control over pronunciation, inflexion, tone and general prosody of the voice. For more information you can check Apple's documentation: Overview of Embedded Speech Command Syntax

Localizations

+ - Is GhostReader available in multiple languages?

The GhostReader and GhostReader Plus user interface is available in English and French. However both versions can be used to read text in any language for which you have a Text to Speech voice available. We are considering to add more interface languages in the future. If you are interested in a specific language, please contact us at support@convenienceware.com so we can take it into account.

Installation

+ - Can I still download GhostReader 1.x?

Yes, you can still download the older versions of GhostReader. Note that these versions are compatible with OS X Yosemite and below:

Users that purchased GhostReader before april 2012 can use their application with the ConvenienceWare voices in the language they purchased. Note that due to a change in Apple's security model these voices no longer work on OS X 10.9 and later. The ConvenienceWare voices installer can be found at:

Troubleshooting

+ - Why can't I export to iTunes after updating to Infovox iVox 4.1?

In GhostReader and GhostReader Plus "Export to iTunes" and "Export to Audio File" were not working after upgrading Infovox iVox to version 4.1. We have released version 4.1.1 that is an update that solves this issue.

If you need the functionality to export to audio files in these applications you can update Infovox iVox to version 4.1.1 or higher. Please follow the instructions below:

  1. Open the Infovox iVox Voice Manager
  2. Choose Check for Updates... from the Infovox iVox Manager menu (on top of your screen)
  3. Click on Install Update and then Ok to start the download of the update