Google Launches Website for Its Read Along App Through a Public Beta Test

Google's Read Along app can now be accessed on computers in addition to mobile devices.

The search engine giant recently announced it had launched a website for its Read Along app, allowing children to access its Read Along app anywhere without downloading the app, per Tech Crunch.

The website is currently accessible on most desktop and Android web browsers, with iOS web browsers such as Safari being the only exception.

Google Read Along App Website Details

Google mentioned in its announcement it has launched a website for its Read Along app that allows children to practice reading and learning languages by reading stories using the company's speech recognition and text-to-speech text.

Read Along's website, which was launched as a public beta test, retains the app's concept of giving children the opportunity to practice their reading skills through over 1000 global stories and word games while teaching them to speak languages, per Google.

These languages include English, Portuguese, Spanish, Hindi, Marathi, Urdu, and more.

Google has also partnered with YouTueb content creators ChuChu TV and USP Studios to adapt some of their popular videos into a storybook format, per 9to5Google.

The partnership allows children to experience their stories in Read Along through another medium, allowing them to be more well-rounded.

Due to the website utilizing Google's speech recognition and text-to-speech text, it can assist children in familiarizing themselves with how a word is pronounced through Read Along's virtual assistant, Diya.

In addition to listening to your child's reading, Diya will help them learn how to say a word they are struggling with and award children based on how well they read one of the app's many story books.

Parents and guardians shouldn't worry about Google breaching their children's privacy - Google claims that all the speech recognition process happens locally on the browser. No data is being sent to the search engine giant's servers to protect children's privacy.

The website, like the app, is also free to use and is ad-free to boot, making it an excellent way to help children learn how to read without being disturbed by ads.

In fact, Google is positioning its Read Along website as a "new opportunity for teachers and education leaders around the world, who can use Read Along as a reading practice tool for students in schools."

Read Along Website And App Differences

The difference between the two Read Along versions is that the website version is ideal for people whose devices lack the internal storage required to download the Read Along app.

However, the website requires parents and guardians to log in to their Google accounts to keep track of their children.

Additionally, Google advises them to sign in using their Google account on the same device to keep track of the progress of different children.

On the other hand, the app doesn't require any sign-in, creating a hassle-free environment for both parent/guardian and children.