Fabuly

Hello everyone :) Last year, I did a long trip with my girlfriend to Japan and we couldn't get our hands on books because 1) it was heavy to carry and 2) there were no books in English or French in libraries there. Since I always liked the concept of "public domain works" I thought it would be cool to find some to read on our phones. I did, but I found the process cumbersome (needing to find an idea for a book, then needing to download the epub file and use an e-reader). Similarly for audiobooks, I found the quality of free apps lacking. Therefore, I quit my job and created this new app Fabuly where: - You can get recommendations of books / short stories to read. ---- In fact, we spend a crazy amount of time hand-picking the best books and listening ourselves to the audiobook samples to make sure that our editorially selected books are of the highest quality ---- We add new books / short stories every day of the week ---- We have around 200 of those "editorially selected books/short stories". - For the "editorially selected books / short stories", we create new book covers and we synchronize the text and the audio. This is clearly how we stand out from the other competitors such as "Librivox app" or "Freed Audiobooks" because in Fabuly you can read and listen at the same time just like Audible Immersion Mode. And it's completely free without ads! We plan to add a premium version later which will allow you to download books offline and other features Most of the recordings are from members of the Librivox volunteer association (librivox.org) but we want to cover the long tail of books by also using state-of-the-art text-to-speech technology to generate audiobooks automatically. Some of the books already use the text-to-speech technology, for example the Burning Secret by Stefan Zweig. We would love it if you could try the app and give us feedback, this would be greatly appreciated!! This is completely free so don't hesitate! Cheers!

This is an amazing initiative, @joseph_lange! The synchronization of text and audio sounds like a game changer for reading on-the-go. I can totally relate to your experience in Japan—carrying heavy books is a hassle. Fabuly's approach to curate high-quality public domain works is impressive. Excited to try it out! Keep up the great work!

This looks really promising, @joseph_lange! The idea of combining high-quality audiobooks with synchronized text is a game-changer, especially for busy readers like me who want to enjoy books while multitasking. The editorial selection sounds impressive too; it's great to hear that you're curating a quality library instead of relying solely on user-generated content. Sounds like Fabuly could fill a much-needed gap in the current landscape—particularly for those of us traveling or on the go. Can't wait to dive in and see how it performs! Keep up the fantastic work!

I have been playing a bit with the app, and… Finally, an application that brings classic literature into the 21st century! No ads, a clean interface, and the best of the public domain packaged in the nicest possible way. As a Frenchman learning English, it is also a great way to improve your listening skills. Anyway, all the best for the next steps and congratulations on the lunch! I can hardly wait to see your library grow 🚀✨

This sounds like a great solution, @joseph_lange! How do you ensure the quality of the text-to-speech recordings? Also, any plans for adding more languages in the future?

Your passion for creating an easy way for people to read and listen to classic works is truly valuable. Keep going; your dedication will bring joy and inspiration to many.@joseph_lange

You're combining reading and listening experiences, allowing people to enjoy high-quality classics anywhere. Keep driving this innovation, and more people will discover the joy of reading.