Audiobooks and Audioplayers

By Marc Verbruggen

Time management is something everybody needs. We have full working days and a lot of time is going away because of traveling and driving your car. Also reading informational books or magazines is time consuming because you can't do nothing other than read. But there are ways to use this lost time wisely.

Thanks to mp3 players that are flooding the market with big storage capacity it is possible to use them also for other things than only to listen to music. The answer is audiobooks.

Audiobooks are now becoming more popular by the day but there wasn't much choise in titles and bookshops didn't have a lot titles to choose from plus they are quit expensive. Mostly more that the original book. But thanks to the internet and that everyday more people get connected to the worlwide web you can easily find your desired audiobook title online and buy them directly and download them to your computer. You can upload the audiobook to your mp3 player and listen to them everywhere.

Besides the well known audiobooks titles you can also get audiobooks to learn a language in 40 minutes or listen to a training in how to use a effective diet. Very helpfull if you are interested in those fields. If you are still searching for the right mp3 player there are some to give some attention.

1. First look for an mp3 player that handles interruption ok. Unlike music that you can start afresh when interrupted, it isn't so much fun to have to start an audio book from the beginning after listening to it for up to 2 hours.

2. Ensure that the MP3 player's volume is loud enough. In as much as you can use an earphone to listen to the MP3 player, it is ideal if the volume is loud enough to be listened to in a noisy surrounding.

3. Make sure the mp3 player has a large memory. Because audiobooks needs a lot of memory, so mp3 players with 512mb or more are the most preferred.

4. The smaller an MP3 player is, the more attractive it looks. But don't sacrifice size for quality or durability.

5. You should also pay attention to the brand of a mp3 player. There are many cheap models from Asia but the quality is rather poor. It is sometimes better to buy from a well known brand and pay something more for good quality and warranty.

6. And lastly, ensure that the MP3 player that you purchase can play encrypted files. Many publishers prefer their audiobook content to be protected, so your MP3 player needs to be able to play files that are using Digital Rights Management (DRM). This is often referred to as WMA DRM.

If your mp3 player has all these features you can download without problems audiobooks.

Check out the audiobook websites and there you also can get free audiobooks to try it out to see if you like it.

Marc Verbruggen, Founder of www.toldbooks.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_Verbruggen

Audio Books - How to Find The Perfect Listening Device For Them

By Helen Wall

For people who like to incorporate various activities, like listening to audio books, into their busy lives, the latest iPods and MP3 players are just the devices to provide optimum portability, the latest in style, amazing capacity and memory, excellent battery life and, as an added bonus, reasonable price.

iPods come in a variety of styles and colors suited to every taste and requirement. From the new pink 1 GB iPod shuffle which sells for about £55 to the 30GB, 5th generation at £166, you will find an audio listening device designed to fit your budget and with excellence in mind.

The number one advantage of the new, slim-line audio devices is their portability. Light and easy to carry, these tiny technological wonders make accessibility to your chosen audio books a very attractive proposition. Optional carrying cases and clip on straps provide an easy and convenient method of enhancing their portability.

Choosing a portable device that comes equipped with a click wheel is the best option for anyone who wants to listen to audio books on the go. Due to their capability of allowing easy scrolling, navigation is a snap, far surpassing the limited function of a 'shuffling' device. Because linear structure is of prime consideration when listening to your audio book, the ability to choose random selections will prove to be an added bonus to your listening pleasure.

The variety of styles makes opting for a portable device, which suits your particular need, a relatively easy decision.

Although portability and style are of prime consideration, the most important function of a portable audio device is the amount of memory it has. Being able to store a variety of audio books, podcasts, photos and your favorite music is important. Selecting a unit that has between one to four Gigabytes of memory is usually adequate for the average listener.

The one drawback to most portable listening devices is the limitations of battery life. When selecting a device to play your downloadable audio books, try to get one that has the longest battery life and also comes standard with a good recharging method. Chargers are available for home and vehicle, so make sure the PDA you choose offers both methods of recharging.

While the price of technology is becoming more main-stream, there is still quite a variation from one manufacturer to another. Shop around for the best deal. There are hundreds of internet sites dedicated to providing the best and latest technology from a variety of name brands. Select the one best suited to your budget and style requirements.

The bottom line is that there is a portable listening device to download audio books that will meet all the requirements of your life style. Being a discriminating shopper who is equipped with the knowledge necessary to procure a good deal and being able to recognize a good deal when you see it, will go a long way in helping you to acquire a portable listening device that rocks when you download audio books. Not only will it fit perfectly into your pocket, it will also be very kind to your pocketbook.

© Copyright: Helen Wall

Helen Wall is the author of this article. Visit http://www.AudioBooksBonanza.com to download audio books from an extensive range of titles from top publishers. Join the free newsletter now and get to know about the latest hot off the press titles, receive time limited special offers and discounts, before anyone else.

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Online Audiobook Formats - What You Need To Know

By Duane Edwards

Todays audiobook formats come in four different styles that are widely used. Each format determines the audio book quality that is delivered as well as the type of player used to listen to the audiobook. There is an audiobook format that will best suit your needs. Let's answer the popular question...What audiobook format is best for you?

Audio Books on Tape Made popular back in the early 1980's, audio books on tape brought an increased audio quality over the vinyl records used earlier. This was the first type of audiobook format that was easily portable mostly due to the small size of the cassette tapes. However, the smaller size does not affect the audio storage capacity of the cassette tape. Audio books on tape are able to hold up to 120 minutes of audio recording and offered a more durable audio book format. The vinyl records were prone to scratches that added to the pops and skips that were soon associated with them. The only draw back for audio books on tape is when a tape is overplayed it would stick to the player and cause the taped to become damaged as the player still played the tape. Audio books on tape also have the following synonyms:

• Books on Tape
• Books on Cassette Tape
• Talking Tapes
• Audio Books on Tape
• Audiobooks on Tape

Audiobooks on tape are played on cassette tape players that are found inside of automobiles, home stereo systems, ghetto blasters and portable cassette players (walkman style). Even though audio books on tape are slowly being phased out by newer technologies, they are still available and used by audiobook publishers today. For the reason that audiobooks on tape started back in the early 1980's, many earlier audiobook titles can only be found as books on tape. Since audio books on tape are being phased out by the following newer formats, it is not advisable to start or continue listening to books on tape. But do not throw out your books on tape, you can easily convert tapes to CD while not breaking the bank.

Audio Books on CD Digital technology came along to replace the analog audiobooks on tape with a cleaner and crisper audio sound through the development of CD's (compact discs). Audio books on CD changed the way the world listens to audiobooks by introducing the digital technology and layered audio channels. Audio books on CD is the most used audiobook formats today, but is quickly being overtaken by downloadable audiobooks. Audiobooks on CD are preferred by retailers and rental clubs allowing for the widest range of titles available to you the audiobook listener. Just like books on tape, audiobooks on CD are played on CD players found in automobiles, home stereos, mini stereos and portable CD players. Not only did the audio quality improve, the durability also was increased greatly with the introduction of CD's. There also is a compression format that can be placed onto the CD's called MP3. This means greater amounts of audiobook reading can be placed onto one CD, a huge bonus not only for online audiobook rental clubs but also for the audio book listener.

Downloadable Audio Books Since the digital technology really helped develop CD's, it also brought downloadable audio books our way as well. Basically these audio books are converted and saved as digital audio files such as MP3 format. This format has gained popularity lately with the creation of Apple iPods and MP3 players. It seems these players have become a regular addition to our everyday lives, this is the main reason audiobooks have exploded in the most recent years. Downloadable audio books are used by audio book rental clubs, audio book retailers and by the audio book listener. Never have audio books been so portable and convenient for the industry and fans, all because of the downloadable technology. Online audio book downloads are definitely the most popular audio book format, and one to consider.

Audio Book Chips Yes that is right, audio books come in a chip format, but they taste awful (even with dip). All of us have seen and probably used secure digital cards (SD Cards), they are best known with digital cameras. These are the memory cards (sticks) that save the photos taken with digital cameras. Well, as technology advances at a rapid pace, so does the audio book formats. Audio books are now being placed onto these SD cards that are the size of a quarter coin. These SD cards offer a superior audio quality, a very dependable (no moving parts) format all in a small package. Great things really do come in small packages! The audiobook chips can be played on a wide array of players such as computers, PDA's and cell phones. Even though audio book chips are a newer format, they are a good format for audiobooks.

These are the audio book formats used by retailers, publishers, rental clubs and are available to enjoy by you...The Audio Book Listener! As you can see, there is an audio book format that will meet your needs, you just have to choose which one is best.

Learn to convert tapes to CD easily without breaking your bank account.

Duane Edwards is the owner and webmaster of http://www.audio-books-for-everyone.com and audiobook junkie. For more information about audiobooks and everything related, please visit us!

You are welcome to publish this article in its entirety, electronically, or in print free of charge. You must include the entire author resource box as is, leave all of the links active and do not edit the article in any way.

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Audio Streaming - Can Audio Make a Difference on Your Web Site?

By Sean Ray

Audio Streaming – Can Audio Make a Difference on Your Web Site?

With bandwidth becoming cheaper and easier to access, many websites are changing the way they present their content to their visitors. For example, both CNN.COM and NYTIME.COM have increased the amount of video and audio streaming content that they provide on their sites. We can only expect that more will come. Is audio streaming, or video streaming right for your web site? It can add value to an online presentation, and coming from the right people, it’s an excellent way of conveying customer testimonials.

There are some benefits. You can’t always rely on your site visitors to read the content in front of them, but it’s very difficult for them not to listen. A quality voice can make a large difference in influence visitors and building trust. On the other hand, audio streaming is viewed by some as intrusive (like talking in a library) and if produced poorly it can reflect negatively on your credibility.

There is a place of sound. If your site is an entertainment site, a training site, has interviews for content or even a sport site, audio is a natural adjunct to copy. But if you want audio streaming to make a difference on your web site, make sure it’s good. Utilize professional voice over artists (which can be found at www.voices.com) and if you have more involved voice and music, make sure it’s professionally mixed. Professionals aren’t that expensive and they’re well worth the value. If you’re not sure where to find such talent, talk to the advertising manager at your local radio station. They’ll know.

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Audio Books on CD - The Best Quality Available

By Duane Edwards

By using digital technology to place audio books on CD, it brings the stories to life like never heard before. Audio books on tape are soon to be replaced by audio books on CD bringing a superior audio quality and improved durability. The CD format is used by publishers, retailers and rental clubs making it a favorable format for the industry.

Audio books on CD have two types of formats:

1. Regular CD compression which allows for approximately 80 minutes of audio recording time. But the time also depends on the audio file size of the audiobook. This is the most common type that everyone is use to as most computers have the appropriate CDR burners. With the regular compression, this means that multiple CD's are needed for one audiobook recording.

2. MP3 CD compression takes the same audio file and compresses it down to a much smaller size. This allows for more audio recording time and less CD's needed for an audiobook. Audio book rental clubs have less CD's to ship and listeners can now listen to audio books on fewer CD's. MP3 compression has become very popular with the creation of Apple iPod and the various MP3 players. Audio book MP3 CD's are growing in popularity as a result of the players, therefore more audio book titles are available in this format.

This does not mean you should take your old audio books on tape and throw them out. No...
You can convert tapes to CD very easily, adding more titles to your audio book on CD library. Converting audio books on tape to CD's improves the audio quality, allowing greater enjoyment on older audiobook titles.

Audio books on CD can be played on many components such as:

• Personal computers
• Automobile stereos
• Mini stereos
• Home stereos
• Portable CD players

Also, audio books on CD can be converted into MP3 file formats with a computer then transferred onto an MP3 player. This allows greater versatility of audio books on CD which is a benefit for you the listener. Audio books on CD are a great choice for all listeners due to the superior audio book quality, large title selection and simple operating devices.

Audio books on CD have become a regular part of our lives and we recommended them as one of your primary audio book formats.

Learn more about Audio Books on CD and see all the benefits.

Duane Edwards is the owner and webmaster of http://www.audio-books-for-everyone.com and audiobook junkie. For more information about audiobooks, please visit us!

You are welcome to publish this article in its entirety, electronically, or in print free of charge. You must include the entire author resource box as is, leave all of the links active and do not edit the article in any way.

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