Audiobooks discussion
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What technology are you using to listen to books?
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Barbara (sbear)
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Aug 12, 2017 04:06AM
I'm still burning my downloads to CD, and for most purposes it's convenient.
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I convert to MP3, split into 10 minute chunks, copy onto a flash drive, and then play on an MP3 player. I also have a small waterproof Bluetooth speaker.
I never use CDs or do any conversion. I download using wifi from Audible or Overdrive to a tablet or phone and then listen with headphones. Sometimes I stream over wifi to an Amazon Echo.
I listen to books on my iPhone. I download books from Overdrive (Libby), Hoopla, Axis 360, RBDigital, and I download the books I buy from Audible.com to my phone.
I always download from Overdrive to my phone. I always have it with me and get lots of listening time in. Love it!
I have an iPod Nano (now discontinued, bummed about that). Mine is a 3rd Gen from 2008 though, still a wonderful little player. Audible works great, and Overdrive with some tinkering in iTunes. I use Hoopla on an Android tablet too, but that isn't very convenient to carry around. For speakers I use earbuds or Bluetooth (connect with a line-out-dock connector on the old iPod Nano hooked into a Bluetooth transmitter works fine for sending the audio wireless to speakers).
My fallback device is an (obsolete) iPod Classic but that contains all of my music library currently. I have some old Sansa Clip+ devices that will also work in a pinch, but they aren't great on battery life.
I use my computer and a text to speech extension on Google Chrome to listen to my J-Novel Club books with synthesized robot speech. British female voice is my fav.I also use E-Reader Prestigio to have them read on the Android phone if they're Epubs. Unfortunately, there aren't many Epub format shops, so I do end up having to use the cruddy Nook accessibility or an Amazon Echo / Alexa to have general books read to me that don't have audible support.
I use my Creative Zen for audible and Overdrive audio books. I have several so I am enjoying using them and they are so easy to carry around. Still checking out some CD's from the library when not available on Overdrive. Don't use One Click Digital much anymore, their system is really clunky. Haven't tried Hoopla yet, have a tablet but it isn't set up and it is too large to be carried around the house.I an using Phillips SHS4847 ear hooks to listen. They are hard to find but I bought a bunch from ebay because they are very comfortable to use
I have an old iPod that I listen to audiobooks on with ear buds. I use it to exclusively listen to audiobooks. I load it up with as many as I can fit on it at a time, listen to all of those and then reload with a new batch when I'm ready.
Xanthi wrote: "I have an old iPod that I listen to audiobooks on with ear buds. I use it to exclusively listen to audiobooks. I load it up with as many as I can fit on it at a time, listen to all of those and the..."That's what I do too. I download everything I buy from Audible to my computer and then choose some to put on my iPod. I have the small square nano which doubles as a pedometer. I think a phone is too bulky and streaming is too restrictive. The newer earbuds are pretty comfortable so I can keep listening as I move from room to room, outside,etc. I have a plugin in my car as well. I'm thinking of buying a backup iPod on eBay since they are no longer going to be made.
I'm in love with the Libby app from Overdrive. I used Overdrive in the past but it was clunky. But the newer Libby app is wonderful and works seamlessly with my Clark County Library (Nevada). I typically listen to books from my iPhone when I walk and drive.
I listen to everything through my Android phone (Samsung Galaxy S7). For Audible books, I download from the cloud to the Audible app. (I also back up all Audible books I buy to my external hard drive, just in principle.) For Overdrive books I download them to my computer, copy to Dropbox, and move them to my phone's SD card so that I can listen via the Smart Audiobook app, which I love.As for headphones I either use my cheaper Kinivo bluetooth headphones or my nicer Sony noise-cancelling bluetooth headphones. In my car I connect via bluetooth to the stereo system. I'm cord-free!
I used to be a devoted CD to MP3 person (putting them onto my nano), but around the same time several years ago my library's Overdrive selection increased and my computer's CD-to-MP3 function quit working. It's SO much easier to download than mess with CD's, but I do get the upsides of the CD, too.
Agree Kristie, downloading is so easy compared to CD's. Especially the ones from the library that have faults/scratches on , grrr.I listen everything on my iPhone, every book I buy from Audible goes straight on so I always have the selection I want, which will be about 5-10 books.
Here in the Netherlands audiobooks aren't a big market, obviously (small country), so the selection from the library is poor. I listen about 6 times a year to the library app, the rest is all Audible or sometimes a relisten to something I bought somewhere else before I discovered Audible.
I listen on my iPod,ipad and laptop, depending o where the book comes from.Library books ad Audible UK only play from the computer.I now have Alexa Dots in 3 rooms so as long as she knows what book I'm on it can play in each room I go to.I recently dug out my old iMac to put ads on.Those will only be listened to in the bedroom.I have some on regular ids but the mp3 dvd won't play anywhere.I still have cassette books and a player too!lol
I use many methods. I still use the CD to mp3 to android for CD's I find at sales. I still have a small selection of audiobooks on cassette, but the convenience of having it on my phone just beats the bother of finding a working walkman. I use the Audible, Audiobooks.com, Rb-digital, Smart audiobook player, and the Spotify app to listen on my phone. My library doesn't have Overdrive, but I have a few books from them that I got from the Audiobook Sync summer event. I try not to have more than one audiobook per app.
Specs wrote: "Agree Kristie, downloading is so easy compared to CD's. Especially the ones from the library that have faults/scratches on , grrr.I listen everything on my iPhone, every book I buy from Audible g..."
I'd blocked out the problems with scratches! I can't remember what audiobook it was, but I had been in the queue for months. I finally got the CD's, and there was a nasty scratch on one. So I returned it so the library could get it buffed, and they sent me back to the bottom of the queue! I complained, and they put me back to the top of the list. What a pain.
Oh, and the hours I devoted to burning the Harry Potter series to MP3... Uff.
I have so many options! Just this month I replaced my antiquated radio/6-CD/cassette player in my 14-year-old SUV with a new audio system with integrated Android Auto app, bluetooth and aux plug. I listen mostly during my work commute and also while doing household chores and cooking on the weekends. Overdrive - Download audio to laptop then transfer the audiobook to either my Sansa Fuze or to Dropbox. I can listen by using the aux plug with the Sansa in my SUV or Smart Audiobook Player on my Android phone using bluetooth.
Audible - I usually use the app and BT. Can also transfer to my Sansa using the Windows Audible Manager.
hoopla - I use the app and BT.
CDs - I rarely use library CDs, mostly because I'm too lazy to go to the library, rip the CDs and transfer/upload to cloud. This is a last resort if I cannot get the audio via Overdrive or hoopla and don't want to use an Audible credit.
I used to download Audible books and load them onto my iPod (I don't have or want a smartphone); I got out of the habit, though I'm going to have to get back into it since the method I've used almost exclusively for Audible books is now chancy at best - I can listen with no problems in the morning, and then not be able to continue after lunch. That happened yesterday; Audible customer service was exactly zero help (surprise!), and turns out I still can't get the player to work. Yay. Now I have to hunt down my iPod. I'm really starting to loathe Audible.I also listen to cd's I've picked up on eBay or book sales, using my car's cd player.
I mostly listen via smartphone. Occasionally I use a tablet or CD's from the library.
I also download on my smart phone. I use an Audio book charity where I get them for free. It said you could stream some but you couldn't on a phone until a few years ago when they teamed up with overdrive which was so much easier than cds as I could stop one, return it, start another and pick and choose more easily and dont have to change cds. It used to be tapes before that.
I primarily use my Nano (bummed because they are discontinued, so bought another). I also use my Echo, my Itouch and my Fire. Even when I get CDs at the library, I rip and put on my Nano to listen. My CD player is only used for music because it doesn't remember where I stop/pause - a feature you have to have with an audiobook.Tracy, when I had problems with the Audible app, I deleted it and reloaded it and it worked fine. Now, that said, my Itouch is not the latest version - so if Audible streams rather than downloads on your version, then the problem may be your connection and not the app at all and nothing Audible would have control over.
I transcribe all my audiobooks (mostly Audible AA format) to MP3. Then I download the MP3 files to a Sansa Clip+ and burn them to CD. I listen to the books using the Clip+ around the house, doing chores, when I'm walking, stores, etc. When I'm driving I use the CD players in my car receivers to continue listening to the same books.
I've never listened to an audiobook on a CD...I only started listening to audiobooks about 3 years ago...maybe. If I had bother with all that ripping and putting into an mp3 player, I wouldn't be listening to them at all. I download to my note 5 phone mostly, and play it with smart audiobook player app, if it's from overdrive or rb digital. But if it's Audible, I listen on the Audible app on my phone. Sometimes I sync to my tablet...sometime's that's too much bother for me. My phone is always with me, so I can listen here and there whenever I can. It also bluetooths with my car audio.
I have a question...does anyone know if the Amazon echo only plays Audible Audiobooks?
⇝LEAH⇜ wrote: "I've never listened to an audiobook on a CD...I only started listening to audiobooks about 3 years ago...maybe. If I had bother with all that ripping and putting into an mp3 player, I wouldn't be l..."The echo only works with audible books. I think you can use it as a Bluetooth speaker and play overdrive books, but the verbal controls wouldn't work.
Faith wrote: " ⇝LEAH⇜ wrote: "I've never listened to an audiobook on a CD...I only started listening to audiobooks about 3 years ago...maybe. If I had bother with all that ripping and putting into an mp3 player,..."Thanks, that's kind of what I figured.
Online Library-->overdrive on computer--->transfer to ipod. I listen on my commute, doing yard work and chores
I started off with audiobooks while they were all still on TAPE, so moving to ripping CDs was easy. Quite a few of my series would be incomplete if I didn't buy CDs since Audible doesn't have them all. Yes, Echo will only play Audible audiobooks that were purchased in your account (or linked acct). While you can add Mp3 audiobooks to your Amazon account, they will only play on the Fire, not the Echo.
I use the audible app on my iPhone. For non audible content, I convert it to m4b (through a convoluted method - I like to chapterized the books as well), load it via iTunes and then listen in the audible or iBooks app.
I have the audible app for my iPhone and iPad
Just a hint, if you have an iPod that seems to connect to your car stereo, the book title shows but you hear nothing, reset the iPod (method could be different depending on what model.) I had this happen and I was confused because the iPod worked fine on headphones, so I thought it was the player. But I plugged my phone into the stereo and it played. I even unearthed an old iPod, charged it up & tried it and it worked too. I finally looked up how to reset my other iPod and after that it played again. I hate to drive 5 minutes, wash dishes, or do practically anything without my audiobooks!
I use the phone app for Audible books, which I like as I can see the unread list at a glance to choose from. I do rip CD's (each disc as one file by combining tracks), listening via Smart Audiobook Player. I prefer using that app for (cough, cough) downloaded books as well. On occasion, I will listen via the Overdrive and Recorded Books apps, but not thrilled about their display of one's progress.
I have some audiobooks on my Kindle Fire as well, which might work better now that I've finally become a late-adopter of Bluetooth. Don't recall the last time I used an mp3 player.
I use the audible app which I adore on my phone and ancient iPad. Does anyone have ideas for the best ways to listen to audible books while moving around the house and yard? I try to listen with earbuds and my phone but my phone is big and awkward. I would love it if there was something I didn't need to carry around. Assume Bluetooth earbuds don't have much of a range?
You could put your phone in a fanny pack and turn it around so the fanny pack is on your back instead of your tummy. Or use one of those jogging holders that strap around your upper arm.
My hub gave me a set of Bose Bluetooth buds for Christmas last year - amazing range. We have 1.6 acres, and I can move around the yard really well without losing sound. They were expensive, but with the amount of listening I do, and as many devices as I use - it’s truly worth every penny. They come with different sized buds (I have small ears, so most standard ones really hurt, or don’t fit), and one charge up lasts for 8 hours or more of listening.
I can’t recommend them enough - definetly add them to you’re Christmas/Hanukkah/Holiday wish list! ;)
Thanks for both of those suggestions !1
You could try to get an Echo Tap for $80 the next time there are on sale. I have never been an earphones person, I know its expensive but I really recommend it.
Thanks for the idea. Dumb question but how close to my phone or iPad does it need to be to play my audible library (approximately)?
The Bose bluetooth earbuds let you get about 40 feet from your device. My cheapo ones will get you 20 feet clearly and another 10 feet sometimes. Can't quite get me from the computer to the laundry room, darn it.
Yes curious about how that works too. Thanks for all the info.
The echos do not need a cell phone or a tablet. You can only stream from them or use it as a bluetooth speaker for your phone or tablet. You can ask for your books with your voice and ask it to pause, replay etc. The tap can be moved around or plugged in as it has a battery. All other echos cannot. You would have to unplug and replug them in. You can also listen to radio from I heart or tune in app and all the fun stuff echos can do. The tap at this point cannot be used as an intercom or to make phone calls. Wherever you bring the tap, you must have Wifi, or run it from your cell phone data.
Also at this time, you cannot access books from Overdrive on an Echo device. If you're a prime member, there are many MP3s and station Amazon has to play. All of the other Echo devices can make phone calls and be used as an intercom. Only consider the Dot if you plan to use it with an additional bluetooth speaker for music as the sound is awful. The Dot is find if you want to listen to audiobooks or the news.
FWIW - you can get a battery extension for the 2nd generation Dot. There are several brands. Just do a search for "dot battery". This allows you to take your Dot with you within wifi range for about 6 hours. I found this quite handy for taking my Dot into the garage (the wifi range is about 1.5 feet inside the door). So, if you need portability, that's also an option. However, the Tap does have a better speaker.Oh, and yes, I can bring the dot into the laundryroom now.
Thanks for the Christmas idea Jennifer. I just asked for Bluetooth earbuds, though from Beats, not Bose. They’ll be perfect for when I’m doing yard work.
Bluetooth = game changer. No more cords getting caught in things. :)
Doug wrote: "I have an iPod Nano (now discontinued, bummed about that). Mine is a 3rd Gen from 2008 though, still a wonderful little player. Audible works great, and Overdrive with some tinkering in iTunes. I u..." I hear you. My iPod nano is the 7th and last generation and I love to listen to books on it. It's small, holds many audio books and lots of music, is a radio and even a fitness pal. Oh and yes, it plays well and holds a charge long enough for an entire book. I'm really bummed that it's been discontinued. So, I just hope my wee green Nano keeps on working. So far, so good. I use it almost every day.
I'm worried about the cordless ear buds, though I love the idea of them. I can see losing or breaking one if it falls. Do any of the buds have a mechanism for sticking to one another when you take them off, like a clip or magnet?
