Why Should We Download Audio Book Titles?

audio book subscription

By Alan J Moore

I guess it's a funny old world when people enjoy reading using their ears rather than their eyes! The ability to download audio book (audio book subscription) titles has proven to be very popular, especially for those who feel too busy to find time to put their feet up, pour a glass of wine and have a good old 'traditional' read. But it's not a popular trend with everybody.

Detractors moan that audio book CDs are too bulky, they get lost easily and you need a CD player to hand. The actor reading the story might not have the 'right' kind of voice and this is off-putting (especially if you've built up an 'internal' voice in your head already). We also hear that they're a threat to traditional reading skills.

However, this ignores the broader spectrum: audio books (audio book subscription) open up great literature (and factual writing) to a wider audience and, as we live in the computer age, there are many different quick, cheap and convenient methods of delivery. Every town seems to have a new multimedia outlet springing up, providing all kinds of software and hardware audio products. But maybe the greatest advancement is in the ability to download audio book (audio book subscription) titles.

The most common route to follow is to download the audio book (audio book subscription) as an MP3 (although there are propriety formats which are often designed to restrict the amount of copying that can be done). MP3s are in common use and can be stored on your computer's hard drive, burned onto a CD or DVD or transferred onto an iPod or MP3 player (for those who like to listen to 'War and Peace' whilst jogging!). The beauty of this method is that the original 'master' file is still on your hard drive, so if you lose your MP3 player or scratch your CD, you can still listen to your audio and transfer it to another medium when you're ready.

With the introduction of the new iPod phones (and the clones that will follow by other manufacturers) downloading audio books (audio book subscription) will become even more popular. Imagine being able to make a call, take photos, listen to music AND listen to your favourite Harry Potter novel all on one small, portable device!

The best way to download audio book titles (audio book subscription), then, is to join a subscription service. The companies providing this service have proliferated greatly over the last few years and most provide a reasonably priced and hassle-free download of your books. Joining these services need not be expensive and is not difficult to do. Browsing their extensive catalogue of fiction and non-fiction titles is one of my favourite activities, akin to wandering around a huge bookstore in town, but without all the crowds!

There are many online services where you can browse, then join their subscription service. Here are just a few of the hundreds available:

1. Audible.com and Audible.co.uk

2. AudioVille.co.uk

3. SimplyListen.com

4. SimplyAudioBooks.com

5. Talking-Book-Store.com

6. AudioBooksForFree.com

I realize it can be difficult choosing an online service for your audio books, but there are review resources on the internet (which you should definitely check out) and most of the companies offer free trial periods where you can evaluate their service and try out their systems and quality of books BEFORE you commit any hard cash.

So, there really is no excuse not to download audio book titles and try out what is going to be a hugely popular way to digest literature in the future!

Alan J Moore reviews audio books and provides a valuable online audio book resource at http://www.AudioBookActive.com

He is available to hire as a composer of music for audio books and you can hear his media work at http://www.alanjmoore.com

Read the blog at http://www.alanmoore.biz

audio book subscription

How to Find Free Audio Book Downloads Online

audio book subscription

By eHow Arts & Entertainment Editor

Whether you are looking for audio book files for a long commute, road trip or to spice up a workout, you can find free downloads online. Audio books can be expensive to purchase, particularly if you do it regularly. Finding free audio book downloads online gives you entertainment and more money in your pocket.

1. Read the classics. Books in the public domain occur frequently as free downloads. Several websites have public domain works available. In some cases, volunteers do the audio so the quality of reading may be less than in commercial works, but the catalogs are broad and the price is right—free.

2. Sign up for a free trial. With the growth of the audio book industry, websites offering subscriptions or audio books for sale are growing too, and many offer free trials or free audio books. Sign up and try out the service; you may find it works for you and at the least, you get a free book or subscription time. Audio books from these sources tend to be current works and read more professionally than many volunteer produced ones.

3. Look for promotional materials. Some publishing companies give away audio books in order to attract new customers to a particular author or genre. The works are likely to be non-mainstream and the authors unknown but sometimes, you can find a gem.

4. Contact your local library. Your library may have a subscription to sources like Over Drive or netLibrary. If you have a free account with your local library, you can download audio books from the site your library has an account with. Audio book choices tend to be similar to those you'd find on a commercial site so if your library has access, this is a great way to get books to listen to.

5. Search through available podcasts. Again, many of the podcast audio books produced are those in the public domain, but some authors are doing installments of their own books.

audio book subscription