Reading in softcopy and Audiobooks

On 3rd February 2022 (1 day after 2nd day CNY's 2.2.22), I tested positive for COVID-19 on the Antigen-Rapid Test (ART) kit. This was after testing negative on the 1st and 2nd Feb. I had a slight cough and the doctor I consulted let me rest at home with a 5-day Medical Certificate (MC). I am still recovering (still tested positive on the ART I did earlier today) as I type out this post so I will keep this post brief.

One of the good things about getting the MC was that I can put aside my work for a while (not that it goes anywhere or to someone else permanently). I had time to recuperate and I also spent time catching up on some 'reading'. To be frank, I initially wanted to continue reading the AI2041 book I got as a gift last year. I was already 3 chapters in but was soon swamped with work and unable to really sit down and read.

I really recommend the book for any tech enthusiast. It offers a glimpse into the future if AI continues to develop at the pace many expect it to. The book is great because each chapter had a realistic fiction component followed by scientific analyses of the AI-related technologies mentioned in the stories. I would probably write a bit more about the insights from the book in the future (note: read about plenitude and singularity in a positive sense in a post-scarcity world) but today I would just like to write about something else. Libby. It is a great (free) companion to the National Library of Singapore (NLB) app. Check out the video below.

the cute and simple logo of Libby

The Libby app allowed me to download free e-books and audiobooks from NLB's vast array of resources. I tried the former but somehow preferred the latter at least if compared to reading hardcopy books. I was able to listen to a professional (with an animated voice and proper intonation) 'read' the books I have been meaning to complete. The AI2041 book was really well narrated or read with different voices used for different parts or characters. If I am not mistaken it was professionally produced by the  Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group. One thing to note though, one's attention to audiobooks may be diminished when multitasking and it will not help one understand some of the tougher concepts mentioned. Also, in the other book I was 'reading' in the screenshot above, the description of visualisations or images were inadequate and I really needed to see the graphics to interpret or comprehend them better. That is one thing I think that audiobooks still cannot address (although they do come with PDFs to look at the respective pictures). I am still exploring how to cast the audiobooks through my Google Home/Nest setup so in the future (in my own home) I hope to be able to activate these audiobooks purely through my own voice and hopefully without any fees or subscription.