Audio-Bibliophiles discussion
Audiobook Info
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Where can I find audiobooks?
I usually listen to audiobooks on Spotify. They have a lot of Talking Classics on there.I know there's an app on the iPad that has free audiobooks from librivox and other similar sources.
Two more free options are podiobooks.com and project gutenberg.
Spotify classics are abridged, I believe.
Audible has a great iphone app! Def my fav way to listen!
I have the Audible Android App! I Love it too!
So I bit the bullet and joined audible today. :) We will see how I like it. :) Right now I am trying to choose which book to get with my first credit. So many books to choose from...
I get my audio books from the library, and I am getting them on CD, I know - old school - but since I mainly listen at work, I pop them in my computer. Its working for me right now.
Nothing wrong with using CD's Linda. Use whatever format works best for you :)
http://theaudiobookbay.com/ Has lots of Unabridged audiobooks for free if your strong moral fibers will allow you to download them, An understanding of torrents also helps. I did look at the rules before posting this and it said nothing about not encouraging pirating of books. I would say this though, if you enjoyed the book please support the author if your able.
Hi everyone. I am new to this download audible books etc. I did join Audible for my I-phone last night and bought a couple but find some are pretty expensive. I own a Nook Color as well. I do not listen to audible books on my computer, I have a large family and it just doesn't fit in. Really the only time is back and forth to work.
As far as the free sites mentioned in the first post, are they for i-phones etc? or just for computer listening.. forgive my illiteracy as far as this stuff goes, but I figured who better to ask.
Christine wrote: "Hi everyone. I am new to this download audible books etc. I did join Audible for my I-phone last night and bought a couple but find some are pretty expensive. I own a Nook Color as well. I do no..."
Any audiobooks you download you can listen to on anything that will play mp3's such as PC, iPhone, Nook color ect.
To add to the Overdrive & Libraries info:Libraries usually carry digital audiobooks in 2 different flavors, WMA or MP3. MP3 is by far the easiest to get on a device (iDevice, droid, etc) and usually easily downloaded directly to a phone, playing through Overdrive & remembering bookmarks, etc.
WMA is another story all together, and wouldn't you know it, it is usually the format available for Overdrive. They often have to be downloaded to your computer then transferred over to the device through the Overdrive software.
As an FYI to Apple users, the books will show up as a playlist, and you will need to remember your place if you intend to listen to anything else, as itunes won't save your spot (I use my notes to write down the spot). Still, sometimes WMA is the easiest option in context of cds or money spent, and the book you want is only in that format. So, for those of you with iPhones and iPods who've had trouble getting WMA format audiobooks onto your device, here is a post I put up a while back when going through the process, myself:
http://www.goodreads.com/story/show/2...
Hopefully it is helpful to you!
:)
Michael, I have to admit, I don't have anything in the rules about pirating & may add something just in case. We definitely do not promote pirating of any form on this group. That being said, what anyone does privately, of course, is his/her own business. Christine...Michael, is correct. Most audiobooks are formatted to be played on most mp3 players, whether they be ipod or other. I have a small player (Phillips Vibe) that I use specifically for audiobooks that I get through my library. It works quite well. I have a smartphone also, so I use the audible app for books I purchase through audible.com.
C...thanks for the info on WMA.
☻Nikki☻ wrote: "Michael, I have to admit, I don't have anything in the rules about pirating & may add something just in case. We definitely do not promote pirating of any form on this group. That being said, what ..."Noted... Feel free to take down the post, I just like people to know what's out there but I certainly didn't want to do anything against the rules, whether written or not.
No problem. You didn't break a rule, since there was no rule in place. I appreciate the way you worded the post either way. I'm actually not going to remove the post since it was put there before the rule was put in place. I understand what you mean about wanting people to know what's out there. I just don't want this group to be seen as "promoting" pirating because that is not our purpose. Once again, what people do privately is their own business.
Although my library provides books with the Overdrive system, there are too many complications in my opinion. You have to request the book, then when it comes up you have to download it within a short time frame and you can only keep it a certain amount of time. Plus with having a Mac there's at least one extra step to downloading. I'm glad there are free audiobooks available to the public though, as it seems to work well for many people. Some libraries also have "Playaway" books, which I think are only made by Recorded Books, one book which is its own mp3 player, just plug in headphones or attach to your car stereo. You take them out at the library like a regular book.
From 2005 to 2011 I paid about $30.00 a month to Recorded Books for cassettes (really old school!) on the Netflix type model where you keep a list of desired books and get new ones as you send them back. I'm sure I would still be doing that but since they finally phased out cassettes and I dislike CDs (too bulky and doesn't keep your place when taking from car to house), I joined the digital world and Audible. Since there's no shipping, handling and storage, of course it's way cheaper and the instant gratification is fun. You want a brand new book, click here and it's yours immediately!
On my iPad I have used Librivox . What i like about that is that there are books in other languages so I can practice my French listening there.
Thanks for mentioning Playaways - I forgot about them and they are wonderfully handy. I work for a library, so I can understand the frustration with the process. This is something everyone is trying to learn and everyone is working to try to simplify. It is getting better, but there are still hurdles to go through.
While complicated, once you get past the first couple downloads and used to the process, it becomes habit and not as frustrating. I say that because I'd hate to see someone discouraged from trying & figuring it out, when, like you said, it's free - and that can mean quite a bit of money saved when it comes to trying out audiobooks.
A Couple Library Tips
-Make a point to explore the downloads page of not just your own library, but surrounding libraries as well - see what is there. You should be able to get a card for any library in your State. Since eMedia does not require a trip into the library to check out, if you are on the outskirts of a city that has a great selection, it is worth it to get a card there.
-Your library should have a search function that allows you to access what is available immediately for download. The selection may be small, but if you're in a pinch and really want a book, you might find something interesting (actually this is how I stumbled over the Patricia Brigg's Alpha & Omega series).
- If you have iPad/iPod Touch/iPhone, Android: look for Mp3 format if possible. You can download directly to the device, whereas WMA requires a computer (and may not be available at all for droid - not sure!). Just make sure you have unlimited data plan or are on a wireless network before you go crazy.
- If you do have to put items on hold: Overdrive also allows you to have wishlist. I often pile several books I'd like into the wishlist, and check back periodically to see if any of them have an "add to card" option instead of "place a hold" - this means it's available immediately, and I can just snag it. Out of 10-15 books, whenever I check there is usually one available.
- I use both Audible and the library. I use Audible for those books I want that I know are "keepers" and I use the library for books I'm not sure about - maybe ones with narrators I'm not sure I like, or I haven't read great reviews.
Since I can see from Audible that The Help is 5 stars and highly popular, I can guess I will buy it and not be disappointed, but not being a fan of Clive Cussler, I can just try his book from the library. I keep a wish list going on Audible and if there's a book there that I'm 50/50 on, I'll add it to my library wish list as well and just get it there if it comes available.
- For playaways and audiobook cds at the library, a trick that requires a bit of foresight: you can always put an item on hold, then if your library allows it, "suspend" the hold (you can't do this with eMedia, currently, fyi). This keeps you in the queue and moving up to the 1st spot, but the book isn't triggered to go on hold for you until you take it off suspend status. This way, while you still wait for the item, you have a bit more control over when you actually get it (instead of getting the book while you're halfway through another and don't have time for it). It doesn't interrupt anyone else's queue to do this, and you are still "in line" for it.
Our district allows you to suspend for up to 2 years.
So for example, a co-worker has 12 books she's got suspended - she's in the #1 position for them now - but she won't unsuspend them until she has time to read them. We have another lady who checks out 10-15 audiobooks a week and keeps a whole list constantly queued and suspended so that she always has something imminently available. If she picks up once a week, she can unsuspend what she might like the following week and know that at least some of those will be ready to pick up when she comes in again - either they'll be pulled off the shelf when she unsuspends them, or they'll trigger a hold for her when someone else drops them off.
Sounds maybe a bit confusing, but if you're seriously into your audiobooks and have a wish list piling up, it might be worth checking to see if your library does it.
Robin - it is pretty awesome how much the sale and use of audiobooks has grown and changed even within a few years. It is funny, as well, I heard about audible years ago from a friend who listened to audiobooks while playing online games.
I will check out LibriVox, as well.
Thanks for the inside scoop from a librarian! That is very helpful, and we do that have the suspend hold option here. It would make the most sense for short books that I know I could finish with in the time (2 weeks? I don't remember what the time period is)
Jennifer wrote: "So I bit the bullet and joined audible today. :) We will see how I like it. :) Right now I am trying to choose which book to get with my first credit. So many books to choose from..."I've been a member since 2007 and very happy. They also have a new policy that you can return a book purchased or with a credit. I've returned one so far with no problem.
Robin wrote: "Thanks for the inside scoop from a librarian! That is very helpful, and we do that have the suspend hold option here. It would make the most sense for short books that I know I could finish with in..."It depends on your library's policy and what you're checking out. They may all vary as to lending periods on different materials. I've heard back some lending periods on eMedia can be very short, but ours usually gives an option to check out for 7, 14 or 21 days. :)
I just love audible.com and audio books! I have been a member there for about 3 years. I just downloaded a couple of books I didn't like and when I reviewed them I got a pop up that said they were sorry. One they gave me back a free credit so it wasn't a waste of a credit. The other had been a sale book and they refunded my cost!I like to listen in the car on long drives and while doing
housework, ironing, sewing and the like!
I tried downloading from free sites and my library,but found it difficult and got discouraged.
Issam...our group's rules frown on pirating. I allowed a previous post with a link to a site because our rules didn't have anything against it at that time. We have added that to our rules since then & I do not want our group promoting pirating. I appreciate you wanting to share your links but unfortunately I would rather it not be on our group. I am going to delete your post due to this fact. Please do not take offense & I hope you will join in on the other threads. I will say, what you do privately is your own business :)
Wow Joyce, I didn't realize that audible did that. I guess it does really pay to review the books we read. :)
Here's a new option to consider. I've begun podcasting my books as free mp3 files that you can either stream or download.www.maskedmaraudermatinee.com
Jennifer wrote: "Wow Joyce, I didn't realize that audible did that. I guess it does really pay to review the books we read. :)"I didn't realize they would do it either. Most of my reviews have been for books I really enjoyed. But now I will review every book I listen too. I have to say that there weren't a lot of reviews when I first joined audible and that is why I found Good reads. I research a bit before I use my credits.
i have loads of audiobooks if anyone's interested :-)
There are lots of free audio books on the internet. Here are some legitimate links. Most are classics, therefore no copyright issues, but there are also libraries that offer free books so if you have a library card, you can often get some for free. Here are the links I have found. http://www.booksshouldbefree.com/
http://www.overdrive.com/solutions/li...
http://librivox.org/
https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...
My local library has been building up their stock of Playaways for the past couple years. I've never used them, but I hear they are popular, and they are easy as anything. Just plug your headphones in and go.I took some time to fumble through learning the Overdrive system and I am glad I did. My iPod is basically with me every second of the day, so it is super convenient. Sometimes I can't get the book finished within the lending period, but if you download the entire audio file onto your player, and then don't update your player, you can keep the file as long as you need. I also cheat a bit by checking for downloads that can be burned to CD; then I rip the CD into iTunes. Instant keep-forever! Maybe a little shady, but equivalent to copying a music CD borrowed from the library, which I also do.
I haven't listened to Librivox a lot, but I have a friend who loves it. The quality of narrators varies widely, but you'll find some obscure texts there.
How exactly do you use Overdrive? It looks like its for libraries.
It is for libraries, pretty much. You can use it to access your local library's overdrive collection, as it should allow you to browse by location and narrow it down to your home library.Download and install the Overdrive App from the app store (it's free), at the welcome screen, look to the upper right hand corner. There will be a button that says "Get Books +" - click that. You can then select "Add a Library" and find your local library.
You'll see at the bottom of that screen are more options: Get Books, Downloads, Settings, Help and More (which takes you to Deleted Titles & About).
You may have to login with your library card number and pin to access your library's eMedia page. At that point, you should be able to browse what titles are available on Overdrive.
Be warned that it may not always show titles compatible with your device or all titles your library has available for your device. You may be able to find and check something out on your phone for Overdrive, but may still have to download to PC and transfer over.
Right now the site is having some issues, so I can't double check - you'll have to experiment on your own later and see where you get.
Basically, though, Overdrive is a middle-man and not doing a terribly applause worthy job of it. They're slow to get current and make themselves more flexible, their system is gradually improving from "counterintuitive as hell" and not always bug-free (case in point, the emedia2go site is down at the moment), the expense is not cheap.
Libraries sign a contract with Overdrive, then lease materials from them at a hefty cost. Many libraries are trying to get away from it (or feeling trapped by it), as expense and DRM issues are costly and frustrating. So make sure you check your library's website, as they may also have digital materials they don't lease through Overdrive, accessible through other areas of their site. For now, though OD is the most frequently used as, imperfect as it is, it is still relatively concise.
I teach at a high school in Hawaii and my school Librarians have Playaways for many of our class novels and they ARE very easy to use and they are very LIGHT!!!
I've used multiple forms of audio-book, but I purchase so many (and like to re-listen so often)I found the cheapest way and highest quality in the long run is Audible.com platinum membership. Credits and therefore books are never more than 10=20 dollars, and if on sale I don't waste credits and put them on my card. Audible is always having sales!I have over 500 books, just audio, and purchased the platinum sometimes twice a year. (I still way over purchase paper books, and now kindle too) What I really love though is that even the books I bought in 2002 I can load to my current player/phone and listen again in excellent quality, I've also purchased different narrators of the same books for comparison because I've developed a fondness for certain narrators.
I have had an account with Audible for several years . . for $14.95/month I get 1 credit and most books are 1 credit. So that's a lot cheaper than buying audio books from most places. And they are always having sales of all kinds. Recently I found that Blackstone Audio has a website and I found several books listed under overstock and got 2 biographies on CD for just $9.99 each!! I plan on visiting them frequently to check for new additions to the overstock section.
oh great idea. I will have to check that out. Thanks Tomerobber.
I just upgraded my audible account so that I get two credits a month, which brings the price per credit down to only 11.00 a piece which is an amazing price for an audiobook. Also you get the ability to roll over up to 7 credits instead of the 5 you get with the gold plan.
Jennifer wrote: "So I bit the bullet and joined audible today. :) We will see how I like it. :) Right now I am trying to choose which book to get with my first credit. So many books to choose from..."You will love the monthly sales. Very often they are as low as $4.95. And not just the crummy ones either. I share with my sister. She is in Tenn and I am in Ca. I was so excited when I found out I could share these with her for no additional charge.
Shirley wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "So I bit the bullet and joined audible today. :) We will see how I like it. :) Right now I am trying to choose which book to get with my first credit. So many books to choose ..."I didn't realize you could share purchased books . . I guess I need to go back online and check this out . . thanks for the heads up!
Tomerobber wrote: "Shirley wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "So I bit the bullet and joined audible today. :) We will see how I like it. :) Right now I am trying to choose which book to get with my first credit. So many ..."You are welcome :)
With Audible you can have the book on 4or 5 devices, such as phone, iPad, computer, so you can share that way. I started out with the 14.95 plan at Audible and I thought I would need to upgrade because I would want more than one book per month, but periodically they have a promo of 3 credits for 36.00 and then there are the sales as low as 4.95 so after while I had so many unheard books that I suspended my account for 3 months (no charge during that time) to catch up. I suppose I got behind because of liking long books, so during the year I listened to 11/22/63 which is 30 hours long & 1Q84 over 40 hours! I think they were only 1 credit each, maybe one was 2 credits.
We have it so good now, back in the time of audiocassettes, even to rent a book could cost 20.00, buying it maybe 3 times that, unless the book was highly abridged.
not sure where to post this. Audible is having a 6.95 sale on some titles. A Thousand Splendid Suns is one of the books. I loved this book, and for 6.95 it is a true Steal :)Gone with the wind is one of the other books.
Christine wrote: "not sure where to post this. Audible is having a 6.95 sale on some titles. A Thousand Splendid Suns is one of the books. I loved this book, and for 6.95 it is a true Steal :)Gone with the wind is ..."
They have a new sale over 2000 titles $5.95 and if you are a member the price is lower. I am stocking up.:)
Audible has put over 2000 books on sale for $5.95 through 2 September! You can see the complete list at http://www.Audible.com/ACX595 .
WOW thanks so much for letting me know.. I wouldn't have gone on till later this week as I just splurged yesterday
A little bit of shameless self promotion but I have a free 'short story' audiobook available right now, for free, at http://www.distantspires.comIf you enjoy it there's a full collection available for $4.50 and another on the way.
Since I put up my first post, Overdrive has done a revamp of their system (which has thrown a few people for a loop). It looks nicer - cleaner - and seems to work a little more smoothly.Some libraries are also using a vendor called One Click Digital that offers downloadable (mp3) audiobooks. It has a corresponding app & you download directly to your smartphone. I've had a couple hiccups with it that were resolved with restarting the app, it otherwise works pretty well.
With Audible, one thing to know is that while you can share between a couple different devices, (with iTunes, at least) you cannot have audiobooks from more than 2 Audible accounts on your devices. iTunes won't let you sync books from that third account.
I discovered this when I logged in from amazon after buying a kindle book & purchasing the audio for whispersync. I had books from my husband's account & my own, and the "new" amazon account counted as a third. Since Audible was bought by Amazon, in this case, I was able to merge my two accounts into one, but if you & two other separate accounts try to share across devices, it will ask for their audible account info, then block items from the 3rd account from being put on the phone until books from the 1st or 2nd are cleared off the device. So you can still do it, you'll just have to pick and choose a little more closely.
Another thing to note is that, like eBooks, you are not buying ownership. Anything with DRM attached is more like an indefinite lease. I thought I'd put that out there, just in case. I sometimes have to stop myself from jumping at new audiobooks when I have a pile left to work through!
C wrote: "Another thing to note is that, like eBooks, you are not buying ownership. Anything with DRM attached is more like an indefinite lease."This is why I use software to re-record all of my purchased audiobooks to a non-DRMd version. I don't want to lose access to any of my purchases, and may want to convert them to a different format for a different device at some point in the future.
Verena wrote: "C wrote: "Another thing to note is that, like eBooks, you are not buying ownership. Anything with DRM attached is more like an indefinite lease."This is why I use software to re-record all of my ..."
That's a good idea! If I paid for it, I feel no guilt about making a copy for myself. Do you mind filling me in on the process (probably via PM, I suppose)?
I don't think there is anything to hide about it.... As a matter of fact, one of the two applications that I use I read about in a Goodreads discussion. On Windows, I like SoundTaxi. It'll convert files in Overdrive, so if a file I want is only available as WMA, I can convert with SoundTaxi and then import to iTunes on my iMac.On the Mac, I use NoteBurner Audiobook Converter. This will convert audiobook files that are already in iTunes.
Both programs do the same thing. They re-record the files, and can convert the files to a different format if desired. You can them import the files into the application of your choice, and play them on the device of your choice. My preferred app is iTunes, and on my iPhone I like using the Ambling Pro app. The Ambling app has many more features than the Music app on the iPhone, including a sleep timer, which I use almost every night while listening to my audiobook when trying to fall asleep.
Also, make sure you check to see if it is an Abridged or Unabridged version.
Unabridged means it is read word-for-word from the original text.
Abridged versions are shortened, sometimes significantly, by editing the content to appeal to readers who want to read the content, but do not want to invest the time.
Choosing abridged or unabridged is a personal preference to each listener. I personally prefer the unabridged versions. I don't like to miss out on anything. Just make sure you realize there is a difference so your not surprised when you find your favorite book's audio version left out quite a bit of the story.
Here are the easiest places to find them for purchase online:
http://www.audible.com - You have a choice between joining one of Audible's membership plans or simply purchasing the content at Audible's online store. If you sign up for a membership plan, you will receive a certain amount of credits each month in exchange for a monthly fee. The credits are used to purchase audiobooks, which is then downloaded and played back on MP3 devices, personal computers, smartphones -- basically, any AudibleReady® computer-based and wireless mobile devices.
http://www.booksonboard.com
http://www.itunes.com
http://www.audiobooksonline.com
http://www.audiobookstand.com
Need a free site? Try these:
http://librivox.org - this site has thousands of free books from the public domain (no copyright) that are read by volunteers. Sometimes the narration may not be up to your expectations but they are free.
http://www.overdrive.com - Most public libraries use overdrive for their audiobooks. Don't know if your library uses overdrive? Click this link and type in your zip code to see what the closest library system that uses it is.
A lot of libraries may also use Netlibary. My library has it but I've never used it so can't comment.
I'm sure there are a lot more to choose from. If you know of any great places to buy or get for free, please post.