Google text-to speech and reading out text messages

[Ev1lJ0ck]

Howdy,

I've had an XZ since September and generally find it brilliant, however for some reason the text-to-speech settings and reading text messages options no longer works. Well, that is not entirely true -I've been told that it will work if I activate Talkback feature, but as this is HIGHLY annoying and a complete faff to use, it's so much hassle as to not be worth it. 

I used to use the option for reading text messages when I have my headset on, listening to mucsic and generally out and about or when I am in my car and the phone will read messages through the car hands free system.

If, as I suspect and for reasons known only to themselves, Sony have decided to completely deactivate this very useful feature, does anyone have any recommendations on how I either activate it again, or is there another app out there that will work just as well?

Any assistance in this is much appreciated. 

Thanks muchly

J