lulu_bear

lulu_bear, 21 hours ago to random

Still thinking about this AI voices thing. I've found one of those samples I did of something I've been writing on and off for a good while. This might cause a smile if nothing else, because this is a sample of my voice reading this thing, except that when we put up this vocal sample Eleven Labs generator managed to kind of pseudo americanise me which was handy as this books set in a kind of distopian what used to be America. The accent goes wrong sometimes, the volume isn't even which is my fault because I was using a hand held mic, the expression could have been done much better by a proper American actress, but it's very listenable to, or at least I thought so. Caution with the attached audio, it contains some strong language.

lulu_bear, 21 hours ago to random

I just read an interesting article about AI voices making audiobooks possible more quickly at lower costs, especially for self-publishing authors. I agree basically with what it says, which is that an AI voice can never replicate human immotions in the way that a real person can. Having said that, I did some experiments with Eleven Labs when I first heard about it with stuff I'd been writing, and while it's far from perfect, it didn't do a bad job, and I gave it passages where a lot of expression is needed because I wanted to test it. A human reader of course could do way better, but the result I got didn't sound like a machine or a speech synthesizer reading a screen, and to be able to have a book in audio at the same time everyone else can read it without having to wait three, six months, maybe even more is a good thing in my book. Also, I've heard readings of audiobooks by real people that I wouldn't have made a dog listen to and deeply resent having had to pay Audible's prices for! So I think there's going to be a place for AI narators in the future for sure, and I'd like to see a lot of the dreadful, awful, hopeless narators in the industry forced to do something different, if I'm honest.

lulu_bear, 4 days ago to random

It's amazing the things you can learn about from books, I don't just mean facts and figures. In a novel I was reading once I heard about a firm that made extract of lime aftershave. Actually they make a whole set of toiletries with that smell. I really dislike the smell of men's toiletries normally, so I got some for @brianhartgen to try and he's used it ever since. It's the only smell of men's toiletries I really absolutely love.

lulu_bear, 20 days ago to random

With the greatest respect, how you present yourself on here is totally up to you, but if you're going to put long, complicated emojis on either side of your display name your posts are going to take a long time to read with a screenreader, it's just easier to skip. I want to read your thoughts, or anything else you post, not have to spend thirty seconds reading your name. Just a thought.

Bruce_Toews, 1 month ago to random

The more I read about drunken parties - people saying all sorts of things they don't want to say, doing things that will horrify them the next day, cheating on the people they love, puking on everything, I just can't for the life of me understand why people find this fun and appealing. People like to do this two, three times a week. One time when I was in Emergency, they brought someone in who had been on a three-day drinking binge wih no food. Where's the fun in this? Oh well, call me weird.

lulu_bear, 1 month ago to random

I honestly don't know how anyone gets Suno.ai to work. I can seem to create a thing, but can i get it to play or share? Can I hell!

evilcookies98, 1 month ago to random

Once upon a time, in the bustling tech hub of Silicon Valley, there was an innovative app called "EverBright." It promised to revolutionize the way people managed their daily tasks, and it quickly gained popularity. The developers, thrilled with the app's success, initially sold it for a one-time fee, assuring early adopters they would never have to pay again.

As EverBright grew, the developers saw an opportunity to switch to a subscription model, citing enhanced features and ongoing support as reasons for the change. They announced that new users would need to subscribe, but reassured existing users that their initial purchase was still valid.

However, a year into the subscription transition, the company made a shocking announcement: due to "unforeseen circumstances," all users, including those who had bought the app, would now be required to pay a monthly fee—and it wasn't just any fee. It was exorbitantly high, far beyond what other apps charged.

The backlash was immediate. Loyal users felt betrayed, and the app store reviews turned from glowing to scathing overnight. Social media was ablaze with criticism, and #EverBrightScam trended globally. Users who had championed the app now led the charge against it, and a class-action lawsuit was quickly filed.

The lawsuit revealed that the "unforeseen circumstances" were actually a series of poor financial decisions by the company's executives. The public's trust in EverBright evaporated, and the user base dwindled. Competitors seized the opportunity to offer similar services without the hefty price tag, and EverBright's market share plummeted.

In a last-ditch effort to salvage their reputation, the developers reverted to the original pricing model and offered heartfelt apologies, coupled with refunds. But the damage was done. EverBright became a cautionary tale in the tech world, a stark reminder that trust, once broken, is not easily mended.

And so, EverBright faded into obscurity, its codebase a relic of a bygone era of promise and potential, a sobering testament to the importance of keeping one's word in the ever-evolving landscape of technology.

lulu_bear, 1 month ago to random

Ugh! All these people moaning on Voice Dream reader which has served us well, at one price, for years. Guys, come on, it makes me sick!

simon, 2 months ago to random

I'm not sure of the correct tip amount on a $35 Chinese food order from half a KM away, but something tells me $8 isn't it. Default tips just go up and up. Uber Eats doesn't even give me options below 15% now, I just have to manually enter my pitifully low amount. It's amazing to me that so many delivery drivers would rather villainize customers for a pitiful 10% tip than blame the companies who designed the system. Don't they realize that's what the companies want? I hear Seattle has introduced some kind of law that forces delivery services to pay their workers better, and as such, deliveries are not free there, and the default tip is $0. I hope more cities/states follow through. If Doordash charges me $8 to deliver an order because that's what it costs them to pay their workers well, then that's what it costs and I'll pay it, with a tip for people who go above and beyond rather than an ill-defined arbitrary amount in exchange for doing what was expected. And before anyone asks, no, I don't tip $0; even I have my limits.

evilcookies98, 3 months ago to random

Two questions. One, do any of you take melatonin to help your sleep schedule not go flippity flop? Two, if you do, does it give you really screwed up dreams? I’ve been oversleeping lately, so I take it so I don’t get my days and nights mixed up, and my dreams have been so messed up. It’s not even funny.

lulu_bear, 3 months ago to random

I just came across a BBC radio serial I used to like called Crown House. My word what a cast! You wouldn't be able to hire half of Martin Jarvis's left kneecap on the budget they have nowadays, that's why he does radio productions via his own company. Anyway, I was so glad to get this back again, it reminds me of the heady days of the late eighties early nineties when radio was still worth listening to and we were beginning to be able to buy plays and serials on cassette! No more bits missing while we turned the tape over. No more crackle. No more putting the radio into mono to get rid of the stereo hiss. Ok, usually heavy editing but that was livable with. But this one isn't edited now, they've released it in all eight parts. Happy making.

evilcookies98, 3 months ago to random

Just to cover my bases, is there any rule that says you can’t make a playlist of someone else’s videos? I have a nasty habit of doing this if someone makes a let’s play and doesn’t put it into playlist form, or if they do put it into playlist form, but it’s all jumbled up. I go to sleep with random let’s plays on YouTube, and if they’re not in a playlist, it makes my life a whole lot harder.

evilcookies98, 3 months ago to random

I’m having a problem with a YouTube commenter. This kid has commented on everything. I’ve posted just about it to ask if I will play a western drama. I have tried explaining that I will as soon as I can afford it, but this kid just keeps asking and asking and asking. I don’t mind telling you. It’s getting on my last nerve.