Show HN: I turned my PDFs into audiobooks I can have conversations with
asktotle.com
TLDR: Upload any document, get an audiobook with synced highlighting you can pause and talk to.
I'm a self-taught dev (admittedly mediocre), currently between jobs and my brain is absolutely fried from social media. I can't read anymore. My eyes glaze over after two paragraphs.
So I went down a rabbit hole looking for scientifically proven ways to actually focus while reading:
- Encoding info visually AND aurally reduces mind wandering by up to 40% - Retrieval practice (asking questions) beats passive re-reading every time - Background music matched to content keeps you in flow
Couldn't find anything that did all this. So I built it myself:
- Synced text highlighting while you listen - Talk with your book; pause and ask "wait what does that mean?" and it knows exactly where you are (won't spoil what's ahead) - Adaptive background music that matches the mood of each page
I've removed all slop. No flashy features, no gamification etc. etc. Just reading on steroids for fried brains, like mine.
Processes books in under 2 minutes. Works as a PWA so you can install it on your phone.
The alternatives I have found are crazy expensive. Audible charges 15 bucks a month for a single book and you can't even use your own files. Others run 20-30 bucks a month and none of them let you talk to your book.
There's a free tier if you feel like giving it a try: 50 pages, all features included, no credit card required.
Would love your feedback,
Rob