Abstract: A portable electronic device includes a user interface that is adapted to be operated by a print-disabled individual, a memory storing a database of content, a text-to-speech converter, and an audio output. The device may include time scale modification, decompression and decryption functions. The device's content database includes index files, one or more libraries, tables of contents and/or catalog files. The device may be part of a system that receives content updates from a remote server content database. The devices may periodically communicate with the server to receive updates that the server receives from one or more remote sources. The system may also include an audio file generator that pre-processes the content files.