diff --git a/claudash/.env.example b/claudash/.env.example
index ba30936..621da7f 100644
--- a/claudash/.env.example
+++ b/claudash/.env.example
@@ -36,3 +36,6 @@ REACT_APP_DEBUG_MODE=false
 
 # Optional: Date format for charts (MM/DD/YYYY, DD/MM/YYYY, MM/DD, DD/MM)
 REACT_APP_CHART_DATE_FORMAT=MM/DD/YYYY
+
+# Optional: Default text-to-speech voice (must match exact voice name from browser)
+REACT_APP_TEXT_VOICE=Google UK English Female
diff --git a/claudash/src/components/ChatInterface.jsx b/claudash/src/components/ChatInterface.jsx
index ce5dc6f..932d931 100644
--- a/claudash/src/components/ChatInterface.jsx
+++ b/claudash/src/components/ChatInterface.jsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { useState, useRef, useEffect } from 'react';
-import { Box, TextField, IconButton, Paper } from '@mui/material';
+import { Box, TextField, IconButton, Paper, CircularProgress } from '@mui/material';
 import { Send, ExpandLess, ExpandMore } from '@mui/icons-material';
 import { sendChatMessage } from '../services/claudeService';
 
@@ -90,6 +90,23 @@ function ChatInterface() {
               </div>
             </Box>
           ))}
+          {/* Loading indicator when Claude is thinking */}
+          {loading && (
+            <Box
+              sx={{
+                mb: 2,
+                textAlign: 'left',
+                display: 'flex',
+                alignItems: 'center',
+                gap: 1
+              }}
+            >
+              <CircularProgress size={20} />
+              <span style={{ color: 'text.secondary', fontStyle: 'italic' }}>
+                Claude is thinking...
+              </span>
+            </Box>
+          )}
           <div ref={messagesEndRef} />
         </Box>
       )}
diff --git a/claudash/src/components/widgets/BriefingWidget.jsx b/claudash/src/components/widgets/BriefingWidget.jsx
index bd661db..a70cc50 100644
--- a/claudash/src/components/widgets/BriefingWidget.jsx
+++ b/claudash/src/components/widgets/BriefingWidget.jsx
@@ -1,12 +1,322 @@
-import { Skeleton, Box } from '@mui/material';
+import { useState, useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
+import { Skeleton, Box, IconButton, Collapse, FormControlLabel, Switch, ToggleButtonGroup, ToggleButton, Select, MenuItem, FormControl, InputLabel, Typography } from '@mui/material';
+import { VolumeUp, PlayArrow, Pause, Settings, Stop } from '@mui/icons-material';
 import GenericWidget from './GenericWidget';
 
 function BriefingWidget({ briefing, sx }) {
+  const [showControls, setShowControls] = useState(false);
+  const [isPlaying, setIsPlaying] = useState(false);
+  const [isPaused, setIsPaused] = useState(false);
+  const [autoPlay, setAutoPlay] = useState(false);
+  const [playbackSpeed, setPlaybackSpeed] = useState(1);
+  const [voices, setVoices] = useState([]);
+  const [selectedVoice, setSelectedVoice] = useState('');
+  const utteranceRef = useRef(null);
+
+  // Load available voices
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const loadVoices = () => {
+      const availableVoices = window.speechSynthesis.getVoices();
+      setVoices(availableVoices);
+      
+      // Set default voice if not already set
+      if (!selectedVoice && availableVoices.length > 0) {
+        // First priority: Environment variable
+        const envVoice = import.meta.env.REACT_APP_TEXT_VOICE;
+        if (envVoice && availableVoices.find(v => v.name === envVoice)) {
+          setSelectedVoice(envVoice);
+        } else {
+          // Second priority: Saved voice in localStorage
+          const savedVoice = localStorage.getItem('ttsSelectedVoice');
+          if (savedVoice && availableVoices.find(v => v.name === savedVoice)) {
+            setSelectedVoice(savedVoice);
+          } else {
+            // Third priority: Try to find an English voice as default
+            const englishVoice = availableVoices.find(v => v.lang.startsWith('en'));
+            setSelectedVoice(englishVoice ? englishVoice.name : availableVoices[0].name);
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    };
+
+    loadVoices();
+    // Some browsers load voices asynchronously
+    window.speechSynthesis.addEventListener('voiceschanged', loadVoices);
+    
+    return () => {
+      window.speechSynthesis.removeEventListener('voiceschanged', loadVoices);
+    };
+  }, [selectedVoice]);
+
+  // Load saved preferences
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const savedPrefs = localStorage.getItem('ttsPreferences');
+    if (savedPrefs) {
+      const prefs = JSON.parse(savedPrefs);
+      setAutoPlay(prefs.autoPlay || false);
+      setPlaybackSpeed(prefs.speed || 1);
+    }
+  }, []);
+
+  // Save preferences when they change
+  useEffect(() => {
+    localStorage.setItem('ttsPreferences', JSON.stringify({
+      autoPlay,
+      speed: playbackSpeed
+    }));
+    if (selectedVoice) {
+      localStorage.setItem('ttsSelectedVoice', selectedVoice);
+    }
+  }, [autoPlay, playbackSpeed, selectedVoice]);
+
+  // Auto-play on load if enabled and briefing is available
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (autoPlay && briefing && !isPlaying) {
+      // Small delay to ensure the component is fully mounted
+      const timer = setTimeout(() => handlePlay(), 500);
+      return () => clearTimeout(timer);
+    }
+  }, [autoPlay, briefing]);
+
+  const handlePlay = () => {
+    if (!briefing) return;
+
+    // Stop any existing speech
+    window.speechSynthesis.cancel();
+
+    const utterance = new SpeechSynthesisUtterance(briefing);
+    utterance.rate = playbackSpeed;
+    
+    // Set the selected voice
+    if (selectedVoice && voices.length > 0) {
+      const voice = voices.find(v => v.name === selectedVoice);
+      if (voice) {
+        utterance.voice = voice;
+      }
+    }
+    
+    utterance.onstart = () => {
+      setIsPlaying(true);
+      setIsPaused(false);
+    };
+    
+    utterance.onend = () => {
+      setIsPlaying(false);
+      setIsPaused(false);
+      utteranceRef.current = null;
+    };
+    
+    utterance.onerror = (event) => {
+      console.error('Speech synthesis error:', event);
+      setIsPlaying(false);
+      setIsPaused(false);
+      utteranceRef.current = null;
+    };
+
+    utteranceRef.current = utterance;
+    window.speechSynthesis.speak(utterance);
+  };
+
+  const handlePause = () => {
+    if (window.speechSynthesis.speaking && !isPaused) {
+      window.speechSynthesis.pause();
+      setIsPaused(true);
+    }
+  };
+
+  const handleResume = () => {
+    if (isPaused) {
+      window.speechSynthesis.resume();
+      setIsPaused(false);
+    }
+  };
+
+  const handleStop = () => {
+    window.speechSynthesis.cancel();
+    setIsPlaying(false);
+    setIsPaused(false);
+    utteranceRef.current = null;
+  };
+
+  const handleSpeedChange = (event, newSpeed) => {
+    if (newSpeed !== null) {
+      setPlaybackSpeed(newSpeed);
+      // If currently playing, restart with new speed
+      if (isPlaying) {
+        handleStop();
+        setTimeout(() => handlePlay(), 100);
+      }
+    }
+  };
+
+  const toggleControls = () => {
+    setShowControls(!showControls);
+  };
+
+  // Cleanup on unmount
+  useEffect(() => {
+    return () => {
+      window.speechSynthesis.cancel();
+    };
+  }, []);
+
   return (
     <GenericWidget
       title="Your Daily Briefing"
       sx={{ ...sx }}
+      headerAction={
+        briefing && (
+          <Box sx={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: 1 }}>
+            {!showControls && !isPlaying && (
+              <IconButton 
+                size="small" 
+                onClick={handlePlay}
+                title="Read aloud"
+              >
+                <VolumeUp />
+              </IconButton>
+            )}
+            {isPlaying && !showControls && (
+              <IconButton 
+                size="small" 
+                onClick={isPaused ? handleResume : handlePause}
+                title={isPaused ? "Resume" : "Pause"}
+              >
+                {isPaused ? <PlayArrow /> : <Pause />}
+              </IconButton>
+            )}
+            <IconButton 
+              size="small" 
+              onClick={toggleControls}
+              title="Audio controls"
+            >
+              <Settings />
+            </IconButton>
+          </Box>
+        )
+      }
     >
+      {/* Audio Controls Panel */}
+      {briefing && (
+        <Collapse in={showControls}>
+          <Box sx={{ 
+            p: 2, 
+            mb: 2, 
+            bgcolor: 'action.hover',
+            borderRadius: 1,
+            display: 'flex',
+            alignItems: 'center',
+            gap: 2,
+            flexWrap: 'wrap'
+          }}>
+            {/* Play/Pause Button */}
+            <Box sx={{ display: 'flex', gap: 1 }}>
+              {!isPlaying ? (
+                <IconButton 
+                  size="medium" 
+                  onClick={handlePlay}
+                  color="primary"
+                  title="Play"
+                  sx={{ bgcolor: 'action.hover' }}
+                >
+                  <PlayArrow />
+                </IconButton>
+              ) : (
+                <>
+                  <IconButton 
+                    size="medium" 
+                    onClick={isPaused ? handleResume : handlePause}
+                    color="primary"
+                    title={isPaused ? "Resume" : "Pause"}
+                    sx={{ bgcolor: 'action.hover' }}
+                  >
+                    {isPaused ? <PlayArrow /> : <Pause />}
+                  </IconButton>
+                  <IconButton 
+                    size="medium" 
+                    onClick={handleStop}
+                    title="Stop"
+                    sx={{ bgcolor: 'action.hover', color: 'black' }}
+                  >
+                    <Stop />
+                  </IconButton>
+                </>
+              )}
+            </Box>
+
+            {/* Voice Selection */}
+            <Box sx={{ minWidth: 200 }}>
+              <FormControl size="small" fullWidth>
+                <InputLabel id="voice-select-label">Voice</InputLabel>
+                <Select
+                  labelId="voice-select-label"
+                  value={selectedVoice}
+                  label="Voice"
+                  onChange={(e) => {
+                    setSelectedVoice(e.target.value);
+                    // If currently playing, restart with new voice
+                    if (isPlaying) {
+                      handleStop();
+                      setTimeout(() => handlePlay(), 100);
+                    }
+                  }}
+                  renderValue={(value) => {
+                    const voice = voices.find(v => v.name === value);
+                    return voice ? `${voice.name.split(' ')[0]} (${voice.lang})` : value;
+                  }}
+                >
+                  <MenuItem disabled>
+                    <Typography variant="caption" color="warning.main">
+                      Warning: Changing voice will restart playback
+                    </Typography>
+                  </MenuItem>
+                  {voices.map((voice) => (
+                    <MenuItem key={voice.name} value={voice.name}>
+                      {voice.name} ({voice.lang})
+                    </MenuItem>
+                  ))}
+                </Select>
+              </FormControl>
+            </Box>
+
+            {/* Speed Control */}
+            <Box sx={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: 1 }}>
+              <span style={{ fontSize: '0.875rem' }}>Speed:</span>
+              <ToggleButtonGroup
+                value={playbackSpeed}
+                exclusive
+                onChange={handleSpeedChange}
+                size="small"
+              >
+                <ToggleButton value={1}>
+                  1x
+                </ToggleButton>
+                <ToggleButton value={1.5}>
+                  1.5x
+                </ToggleButton>
+                <ToggleButton value={2}>
+                  2x
+                </ToggleButton>
+              </ToggleButtonGroup>
+            </Box>
+
+            {/* Auto-play Toggle */}
+            <FormControlLabel
+              control={
+                <Switch 
+                  checked={autoPlay} 
+                  onChange={(e) => setAutoPlay(e.target.checked)}
+                  size="small"
+                />
+              }
+              label="Auto-play"
+              sx={{ fontSize: '0.875rem' }}
+            />
+          </Box>
+        </Collapse>
+      )}
+
+      {/* Briefing Content */}
       <Box sx={{ mt: 1 }}>
         {briefing ? (
           <p className="briefing-text">{briefing}</p>
diff --git a/claudash/src/components/widgets/GenericWidget.jsx b/claudash/src/components/widgets/GenericWidget.jsx
index 389e7f4..215d28d 100644
--- a/claudash/src/components/widgets/GenericWidget.jsx
+++ b/claudash/src/components/widgets/GenericWidget.jsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { Paper, Box } from '@mui/material';
 
-function GenericWidget({ title, data, children, sx, ...props }) {
+function GenericWidget({ title, data, children, sx, headerAction, ...props }) {
   return (
     <Paper
       elevation={2}
@@ -11,7 +11,10 @@ function GenericWidget({ title, data, children, sx, ...props }) {
       }}
       {...props}
     >
-      <h2 className="widget-title">{title}</h2>
+      <Box sx={{ display: 'flex', justifyContent: 'space-between', alignItems: 'flex-start', mb: 1 }}>
+        <h2 className="widget-title" style={{ margin: 0 }}>{title}</h2>
+        {headerAction}
+      </Box>
       <Box>
         {children || <p>{JSON.stringify(data)}</p>}
       </Box>