Novel Effect FAQs

Find your book in the app, tap print, and set your device aside. When you hear the start chime Novel Effect is ready to follow along as you read aloud from your copy of the print book. Our patented speech recognition system will keep up with your personal reading style by following your pace and your voice.

Yes! To connect a Bluetooth speaker or mirror to Apple TV, first go to your device’s Settings, select Bluetooth, then select your device from the list of available options.

Within the Novel Effect app, select the book you plan to read aloud, then tap the ‘Connect’ icon at the bottom of the screen and select your connected device.

You can also use an auxiliary cord to connect your device to speakers through the device headphone jack or charging port.

Almost any Bluetooth speaker should work. They range in cost from <$10 all the way over $100 depending on how much amplification you need. 

For a bedroom, nearly any low-end Bluetooth speaker should work. 

For a classroom, you can get great Bluetooth speakers for under $20. A 5-Watt speaker produces enough power for most 25-student classrooms. 

At Novel Effect, we use the Lenrue Bluetooth speaker which is less than $20 from Amazon. 

iPhone or iPad: Some combinations of iOS devices and operating systems have noticeably low output volume. To correct this, visit the “More” section at the bottom of your app, tap “Test audio performance,” then follow the instructions.

Bluetooth Speakers: The immersive audio of a soundscape is best experienced when connected to a Bluetooth speaker, find instructions to connect your device and the Novel Effect app below.

General audio issues may arise for a variety of reasons. These issues might include no sound at all, or sounds that do not seem to change. Here is a list of possible solutions:

• Make sure the volume level on your device or speakers is set to an appropriate level.
• As you’re using a soundscape if volume indicator is consistently above the halfway point when you’re not reading, try minimizing the noise in the surrounding environment.
• Make sure nothing is blocking your microphone so that Novel Effect can hear you read aloud.
• Removing some phone and tablet case will improve microphone reliability.

We’re always here to help, contact customer support at support@noveleffect.com.

It works on some, but not all models of Chromebooks. Search the Google Play Store for Novel Effect on your chromebook, and if it is available, then it is compatible with your device. We will have an update coming soon to support all Chromebooks. 

Not yet, but we are working on it! In the meantime, you can share your phone or tablet screen to your computer on Zoom, Meet, or Teams! 

Yes. If you’re using the same device to run Novel Effect and to read your ebook, first select the book in the app and tap print. Then, move the Novel Effect app to the background and open the ebook reader app.

On iOS devices, the red bar at the top left of your screen means Novel Effect is running in the background and will follow along as usual while you read aloud from your ebook.

If you are using separate devices, treat your first device as a physical book, and read aloud with Novel Effect running on your second device.

Novel Effect primarily works when you read aloud from your own copy of the book. If you don’t see an ‘ebook’ option, then you need to have your own printed book on hand.