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Audible App Frustrations
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Diane
(new)
Apr 10, 2018 07:20PM
Does anyone else have problems with the Audible app for I-Phones, or is it just me? It is the single-most frustrating app I deal with. It freezes up on me routinely (pretty much every time) and it usually takes several attempts of closing and reopening to get it to search and load an audiobook. What am I doing wrong? I have been trying unsuccessfully to load an audiobook for several minutes and that is ridiculous.
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Do you have much memory left? I find when my device is close to full that apps tend to crash and play up more often.
not having those issues and i use it daily - def. check the memory on your phone; when was the last time you restarted it/have you installed the newest update?
I used to have those kinds of problems with an older iPhone years ago but it was an old phone and I'm pretty sure memory was an issue as other have suggested.I've since changed to Android and it *very* occasionally freezes but nothing that I would worry about.
The time it takes to load the library, even just the on device view is impressively slow at times though.
Em__Jay wrote: "Do you have much memory left? I find when my device is close to full that apps tend to crash and play up more often."I do have a lot of free memory.
Dee wrote: "not having those issues and i use it daily - def. check the memory on your phone; when was the last time you restarted it/have you installed the newest update?"I haven't installed the newest update yet. I'll try that and see if it helps.
Perhaps its just that my Audible library is too large. :)
Check for updates to your device's OS and the Audible app, and send an email to social-support@audible.com if this issue persists. Our team will be happy to help you. ^WW
Don't forget to occasionally turn your phone off completely and then restart. Lots of issues are resolved that way.
Has anyone else had there Audible Iphone app have the forward/backward buttons switch from 30 seconds forward/Back to chapter forward/back for no reason at all. And when they switch I cannot find any setting control to put them back to 30 seconds.I need to close the app and restart it to get it back to useful.
Hey Allen, I hope this helps:For me with iPhone, I'm in the app and I can tap on the cover art of the book. This switches the app back and forth between whole chapter forward/ back vs. 30 seconds forward/ back. Also, you can change the (30) seconds value in app settings, FYI.
I REALLLLLY hope your issue is as simple as you were unaware of this feature. It would be nice to have such a simple solution. I only found it on accident, myself!
Let me know if you have any other questions and I'd be happy to help to the best of my ability :)
Dan wrote: "Hey Allen, I hope this helps:Thank you Dan! I have listened to about 500 books on Audible and I never figured that out. You are exactly right, touching the cover art square in the middle of the screen toggles the setting.
I wish I had asked this question months ago, it sure would have saved me a lot of aggravation.
Dan wrote: "Haha glad it worked out. Happy to help!"Now I need to understand why Audible would think that is a good User Interface Design? Why not just place a button labeled "Toggle Controls" on the screen? There is plenty of empty space for such a button. Or if that seems to difficult just add a setting under the "..." settings menu at the top of the screen.
And while I am complaining. On iOS Why does the Audible app always open to the list of my Audiobooks each time I click the Audible button. So everytime I open the app I need to touch the book I am currently listening to. Which is shown twice on the screen once at the top of the list of books and then again as a small picture in the middle of the bottom menu.
Why not just open to the book, why make me touch another button every time?
It is just a small thing, but it still drives me nuts that it is designed that way.
I stopped using the Audible app on my iPhone earlier this year. I had a different issue: I disliked the new Home tab that featured an ad for a book I wouldn’t want to listen to. So I switched to using iBooks.
Greg wrote: "I stopped using the Audible app on my iPhone earlier this year. I had a different issue: I disliked the new Home tab that featured an ad for a book I wouldn’t want to listen to. So I switched to us..."How do you get your Audible books into iBooks? When I open iBooks it does not see any of the Audible content I have on my iPhone.
Greg wrote: "I stopped using the Audible app on my iPhone earlier this year. I had a different issue: I disliked the new Home tab that featured an ad for a book I wouldn’t want to listen to. So I switched to us..."Ads? I don't think I've ever seen an ad for any book except when you finish your book... It then pops up with next in series if applicable, or You may also like...
But yeah, I hate ads. I don't think I've ever seen one in iOS Audible.
Maybe the app works different for phones with larger screens?I've never seen adds either, I'm on an iPhone SE. Oh, and I'm on Audible UK, maybe that makes a difference?
Allen, you can use iBooks to listen to audible audiobooks as follows:* log into audible using a browser on a PC or MAC, go to your library, and select "Download" in the far right column.
* the audiobook will download as an "AAX" file to your computer
* open iTunes, and drag the AAX file into the itunes window. It should appear as a single entry under the audiobooks list in iTunes.
* connect your iOS device to the computer using USB or WiFi
* drag the audiobook from iTunes to the device. It should then appear in iBooks.
These instructions assume you are manually syncing content onto your iOS device. If you sync audiobooks automatically, then the audiobook should transfer automatically as soon as you connect your device to iTunes.
These instructions should work for any iOS device, or even older Apple devices like iPod nanos, etc.
Yes, this is what I do on my Mac. Over the years, the books have sometimes shown up under iTunes or iBooks. I use an old iPod nano (about 2 in square) because I like the tiny size while walking, doing housework, etc. There is a category on the iPod for Audiobooks so it's super easy. The earliest iPod I had could only hold maybe one book but the 6th gen holds many. Apple no longer makes this kind of iPod but I bought an extra one on eBay for about $50-60. This downloading also eliminates the problem of a book suddenly becoming unavailable as some people have experienced. I imagine there's a comparable way to do this on Google or other platforms. I really don't want to be dependent on streaming, although I wouldn't be surprised if Audible goes that way eventually. (though if they do, they would have to supply an "all you can eat" option, which might be worth it.)
After years without too many issues, I've got two major problems/annoyances with the Audible Website.1) I can't access my Wishlist. I can see items on the homepage (scroll through a handful of the most recent items I've added), but if I go to the actual Wishlist homepage all I can see is the "Most Wished-For Books" on Audible.
It doesn't matter if I try on my Mac or my iPhone or my iPad. It's the same. I've tried logging out and logging back in. I've rebooted my devices. Nothing helps. I've contacted Audible multiple times and they keep saying we're working on it. It's been about a month now since I first experienced the issue. They won't give me an ETA, they don't contact me to let me know it's being worked on. They aren't communicative AT ALL.
In the past, I might have gotten some empathy from the representatives I talk to, but all I'm getting here is, "Oh, well. (yawn)".
2) This next one isn't a problem so much as an annoyance. How on earth do I search my library on the Website? The search function seems to be missing from the web now. I can search all of Audible, but I can't search my library for books by a certain Author, etc. This looks like a recent cosmetic change, but it's not useful at all! Anyone know a workaround?
Ammon wrote: "How on earth do I search my library on the Website? "Hmmm, when I go to the website on my laptop, there is a search feature to search my library and above that is a site search to "search for a great book". So, I have no explanation other than to let you know it appears to work for me. I'd be interested to hear what other see.
Is there a way to embed an image here in the comments on Goodreads? Happy to take a screenshot of what I'm seeing (or not seeing as the case may be).
Ammon wrote: "Is there a way to embed an image here in the comments on Goodreads? Happy to take a screenshot of what I'm seeing (or not seeing as the case may be)."This is what I see:
Looks like if you are just on the Audible home page, there is only the "Search for a great book" box. But once you click on My Books in your Library, then the box to search your library pops up like what Grumpus posted in message 25.
While we are complaining/solving Audible web page issues ....Has anyone else noticed that Audible removed the ability to sort books from shortest to longest (Or longest to shortest) when picking the "Sort By: Running Time" option in the Advanced search?
The old version of the advanced search would show a little up or down arrow next to the "Sort by" drop down box. Clicking the little arrow would put the shortest book either at the top of the list or bottom of the list.
It's a little thing but it made it very easy to use the advanced search show me the longest Science Fiction released in the last 30 days. Now the interface always places the shortest book at the top of the list and I need to scroll to the bottom to see the longest.
The advanced search needs to be adding new features not taking away the features it had.
How about removing a book from your wish list when it's no longer available from Audible? I was able to do that from the app, but not the website, where I usually search for new books to add/buy. Why force me to do things on the app when everything should be available on the website?
I do not like the new library mode. Lost many useful functions.
Here's what I'm looking at:
The only search I have is the overall Audible search, not the old search my library feature.
Allen wrote: "While we are complaining/solving Audible web page issues ....Has anyone else noticed that Audible removed the ability to sort books from shortest to longest (Or longest to shortest) when picking t..."
Allen, maybe to "fix" that would be to select the option for length as well...they have the "Over 20 hours" then "10-20 hours".... Course that does mean repeating the search multiple times for each time length category.
The new advanced search just makes it a little bit more difficult. Like I said, it's not a huge problem. But why change something that was already working to make it harder?There are so many ways Audible could really improve the search function if they really wanted to make it better.
Here are my top 5 requests for changes to the search system:
1) It would be super helpful to be able to save a search query in the advanced search and name it. I find myself running the same search query every month, it is a a bit of a pain to be required to specify the same query parameters each time (even more difficult with the latest changes made to advanced search). If I could simply create a search and save it with a name, then I could just choose the query and run it each month.
2) Even better if I could schedule a named query to run on a set schedule (like once per month) and send the results to me via email. That would be super useful.
3) It would be even more useful if I could use user specific criteria in the advanced search. For example when searching for an Author, what if I could choose "Any Author I have purchased" Then I could construct a query that would show me any new books by an author I have read that have been released on Audible in the last 30,60 ... days!
4) Create a way to search for a sequel to any of the books I have already read. This would be great to receive by email. Imagine how many new books Audible could sell if you sent out an email to all your customers telling them when a sequel to any book they have already listened to is now available!
5) When searching please allow me the option to not see sequels to books I have not read. For example, when I run a search to show all Contemporary Science Fiction released in the last 30 days it always looks like 75% of the list is books that are part 4 (or higher) of a series that I have not started. So please let me search for all Contemporary Science Fiction released in the last 30 days that is either not part of a series or is book 1 of the series. (unless I have already purchased a book from the series then show me all of them).
Since two weeks the Audible app sometimes suffes from this "great feature":it automagically stops playing, and I have to open the app, tap the book I was listening to (if it stops playing, it defaults back to the home screen) and start play again...
It is not because I have lost contact with the internet. Moreover, at night (in bed) my phone is always on airplane mode and it never has the stop playing thing (except my sleep timer, that is).
It's a really annoying thing.
Specs wrote: "Since two weeks the Audible app sometimes suffes from this "great feature":it automagically stops playing, and I have to open the app, tap the book I was listening to (if it stops playing, it def..."
Mine has done this on and off for at least a year, probably more. I guess I never thought to bring it up? It just did it this morning, too, and it had been a while since the last time. At least when I re-launch my book it has the courtesy to have backed up 5-10 seconds...
Yes Dan, I noticed that as well, it jumps back a few seconds...
And now that we're discussing this it's happened 3x or more this week. Oh Audible... *sigh*
While mine behaves fine now - *knock wood*
i received an Audible UK book as a gift. I do have a UK account (It now has a grand total of two books in it.). The user and the password are the same on both accounts,,. I called Audible to find out how to switch the app on my iPhone back and forth between the two accounts; she gave me instructions and told me that the user and password being the same wasn't a problem. I've tried their suggestion of signing out, switching marketplaces, and signing back in, but it keeps taking me back to my US library. Does anyone have any experience with how to do this? I'd appreciate any help you can offer. Thanks!
SS wrote: "i received an Audible UK book as a gift. I do have a UK account (It now has a grand total of two books in it.). The user and the password are the same on both accounts,,. I called Audible to find o..."I use the Audible app to listen to books. Not sure what device you are using but I imagine they all work in a similar fashion.
If you are logged into the UK marketplace correctly and are viewing the 'cloud' tab (not the 'device' tab), any non-downloaded books should appear.
Once a book is downloaded, it doesn't matter which marketplace you are logged into, it should be visible in your library. The 'device' tab lists all current books on the device irrespective of marketplace. The 'cloud' tab shows everything on the 'device' tab PLUS any non-downloaded books purchased via the marketplace you are currently signed in to.
I switch often bw my AU, UK & US accounts with no issues using the instructions you have been given.
Em__Jay wrote: "SS wrote: "i received an Audible UK book as a gift. I do have a UK account (It now has a grand total of two books in it.). The user and the password are the same on both accounts,,. I called Audibl..."How are you able to have AU, UK, and US accounts? I am envious...
Diane wrote: "Em__Jay wrote: "SS wrote: "i received an Audible UK book as a gift. I do have a UK account (It now has a grand total of two books in it.). The user and the password are the same on both accounts,,...."Easy. I went to the web page and signed up. As far as I know there is nothing to stop anyone doing this.
Em__Jay wrote: "SS wrote: "i received an Audible UK book as a gift. I do have a UK account (It now has a grand total of two books in it.). The user and the password are the same on both accounts,,. I called Audibl..."Thank you! It took a few tries, but I was eventually able to download the UK book onto my iPhone's Audible app.
Diane wrote: "Em__Jay wrote: "SS wrote: "i received an Audible UK book as a gift. I do have a UK account (It now has a grand total of two books in it.). The user and the password are the same on both accounts,,...."Someone on one of the Audiobook boards mentioned a free UK book and suggested that those of us in the US might be able to create a UK account. I tried it and it worked. That's all I know, other than there are books that you can't purchase if you aren't in the UK due to regional restrictions. The book I received as a gift is also available in the US, but my friend had run out of US codes, thus the UK version.
New update, new frustration.While Audible is happily talking on Twitter and Facebook to a bunch of celebrating people dancing around with their Apple watches to listen to their audiobooks, the iPhone app has been screwed.
Each chapter does only show the played time and no more (at the end of the bar) the time left.
You can't scroll in the bar any more, because it firmly remains set at the beginning all the time the chapter is playing.
I now can only skip a whole chapter back, or jump my x-seconds (my setting is 30 seconds, which I find most convenient). I can't scroll to halfway back e.g.
Specs wrote: "New update, new frustration.While Audible is happily talking on Twitter and Facebook to a bunch of celebrating people dancing around with their Apple watches to listen to their audiobooks, the iPh..."
I just came to see if I was the only one having that problem. After, reading your post I went to the App Store. Audble had an update showing and after that update it is back to normal with the scroll bar moving again.
I have never liked the Audible app. Most of the time, I convert my books to mp3 and listen in Bookmobile instead. Failing that, the iBooks app is still better than Audible, and iBooks will play aax files with no conversion.
Hmmm.. Mine doesn't show any books in my cloud library or on the device. It does show the book I'm currently listening to on the bottom. I'm logged in, I've downloaded the latest update, and I've rebooted my iPhone.
On this latest update, Janice? It shows my cloud library & device books fine. My you could try an uninstall and re install app again.Or just sleep on it, maybe it's a hiccup.
