Every few years I simply fall in love with a new low vision product. It is not that I am unappreciative of the design and functionality improvements made every couple of years on the basic tools on which I have come to depend each and every day. But I am talking about that love thing-- really loving a device as I use it. This experience is less common, so I think it is noteworthy to share it.

I am in love with my Victor Reader Stream, my portable talking book player for digitally recorded books. The Stream is made by Humanware. It is the only portable device made that is compatible with the new digital talking books being produced for the sight impaired by the National Library Service (NLS).

This little six-ounce wonder goes in my jacket pocket and, with ear buds attached, is my companion when I exercise, sweep the floor, work on a knitting project, or weed the garden. The Stream has a crystal clear speaker of its own, too, so it has earned a special spot on my pillow. I told you this was love.

The very best thing is that the Stream plays multiple formats of recorded books, so you can get your books from many places. It plays music and podcasts, and it has a microphone so it can record a talk or a greeting. It is easy to navigate among these different formats on your “bookshelf.” You can choose what to listen to in a flash. So if you subscribe to audible.com or bookshare.org, or if you’ve registered to get free access to the NLS Talking Book & Braille Library’s new digital recordings, you can listen to them all on the Stream. For a little extra, you can purchase the Stream’s Library Edition for additional access to the NLS digital cartridges, which are sent to you in the mail.

The Stream is what my friend Alberta calls “Easy Peezy.” The interface of buttons is intuitive. The buttons themselves are tactile and you can find them all by touch. I have become quite fond of these buttons. My favorite is the sleep button, which you can push any time you think you might be sleepy and the Stream will be set to turn off, bookmarking your place, in 15, 30 or 45 minutes. It even announces a one-minute warning that it is about to shut off, so if you’re still awake you just hit the button again.

My next favorite is the pair of reverse/fast forward arrow buttons, which not only announce the time increments you’ve traveled backward or forward, but also read a clear piece of the narrative to help you get to the spot you are seeking.

There are navigational aids for the different book formats within this sweet little Stream. The manufacturer has created a complete package. We’re pleased to offer it. For those of us still longing to curl up and read a book, digital recorded books are, in my view, the consolation of creamy ice cream, and the Stream is the hot fudge sauce on the top!