Imagine a time being able to get any audiobook you want to read from the library without having to physically visit the library to lend the audiobooks.
Well, imagine no more because it is now possible.
Public libraries from New York City to Alameda, California are now leading the packs of libraries that have begun allowing members to download audio books, which they can listen to on their Personal Computers or portal audiobook players such as PDAs -- all from the comfort of their homes or offices.
From Tom Clancy's techno-thrillers, Arabic, Spanish, French tutorials to as many titles as possible, librarians can now enjoy the best of audiobooks without having to leave their homes or offices.
What better way for libraries to stay needed and relevant in the new digital age than this?
With the Internet, many people are beginning to lose interest in the libraries, but this move will help the libraries to retain their memberships.
When asked what prompted this development, Barbara Nichols Randal, the director of the Guilderland Public Library in suburban Albany, explained that they took the needs of their younger readers and other people that were too busy to visit the library into consideration before coming up with this move.
Specifically, she said, "This is a way for us to have library access 24/7".
For example, the Madison Public Library has access to a subscription database of audiobook content. It provides this service for people who want to access this information from the comfort of their homes or offices, without having to physically visit the library.
The name of this subscription database of audiobook content is OverDrive.
Anyone that has a LINK library card and access to the Internet can benefit from using OverDrive.
Note that while some of the libraries allow you to download and even copy their audiobooks into your PC and/or other portable CD or MP3 players, others don't.
With those that do not allow downloading or burning of their audiobooks, you will only be able to read them on your computer... while being connected to the Internet.
Whichever service or library you prefer, the point is that you can benefit from the audiobook without leaving the comfort of your home or office.
Take the time to search for the particular library that you prefer and register with them. Some of them offer free registration for particular periods of time, while others charge a token fee to access their database of audiobooks.
Download Audiobooks
Friday 13 April 2007
Wednesday 4 April 2007
How to burn a downloadable audiobook to CD
Of course, not everyone wishes to have their audiobook on an MP3 player, so to those of you who prefer to use CD, please see the guide below.
When it comes to burning (or copying/writing) a downloadable audiobook to CD, you must be sure that it isn't for commercial purpose, but strictly for personal use. Violating this law can get you into serious copyright infringement problems.
Downloadable audiobooks are still under copyright, even after paying to download them.
The only instance where they are no longer under copyright is when the authors or translators have died over 70 years ago. There are certain publications by government that are not under copyright.
But the rule of "only for personal use" is still ultimate when it comes to burning any downloadable audiobook to CD or any other such formats.
You won't believe it, but there are even certain audiobook publishers that won't allow their audio books to be copied to CD. Audiobook publishers can easily disable the ability to burn the files to CD.
To be sure that your audiobook publishers allows this, do check it out before going ahead to buy.
It will not be beneficial for you to buy it with the primary purpose of burning it to CD to listen with your CD player, only to find that you can't burn it to CD.
Also, when it comes to burning audiobooks to CD, you might certainly need more than one CD for an audiobook. For example, an audiobook of about 10 hours can take as many as 7 CDs. However, if you have a CD player that reads MP3 format, you can usually fit whole audiobooks on one CD if you copy it over as an MP3.
That being said below are the steps to take to burn (or copy) any downloadable audiobook onto CD:
NOTE: The below instructions are based on Windows Media Player Version 10. If you are using an older version, you can download the latest version from Microsoft's website. Here's the exact link -
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download
1) The computer you want to use to burn the audiobook to CD must be equipped with a recordable CD drive and CD-burning software.
In other words, it is this CD-burning software that can burn the audiobook to the CD. And it is the recordable CD drive that can be used for this purpose.
2) Play the audiobook on Windows Media Player. Ensure that you choose "Full Mode" when doing this, not "Skin Mode".
3) You will notice the "now playing" information displayed on the right-hand side of your Windows Media Player. If it isn't displayed, you should click the "Restore the Video and Visualization Pane" button to display it.
4) You can now click the "Library" tab. You will notice the "Start Burn" button displayed.
5) At this point, insert the blank CD into the recordable CD drive.
6) Click the "Start Burn" button. Your Windows Media Player will begin burning the audiobook to the CD you have inserted.
Lastly, if the audiobook is larger than the CD (most always are), Windows Media Player will prompt you that it requires a new CD. You can remove the one inside and insert another blank CD.
When the entire burning process is finished, it will display the status as "Complete".
All that is left now is to enjoy your new audiobook!
Download Audiobooks
When it comes to burning (or copying/writing) a downloadable audiobook to CD, you must be sure that it isn't for commercial purpose, but strictly for personal use. Violating this law can get you into serious copyright infringement problems.
Downloadable audiobooks are still under copyright, even after paying to download them.
The only instance where they are no longer under copyright is when the authors or translators have died over 70 years ago. There are certain publications by government that are not under copyright.
But the rule of "only for personal use" is still ultimate when it comes to burning any downloadable audiobook to CD or any other such formats.
You won't believe it, but there are even certain audiobook publishers that won't allow their audio books to be copied to CD. Audiobook publishers can easily disable the ability to burn the files to CD.
To be sure that your audiobook publishers allows this, do check it out before going ahead to buy.
It will not be beneficial for you to buy it with the primary purpose of burning it to CD to listen with your CD player, only to find that you can't burn it to CD.
Also, when it comes to burning audiobooks to CD, you might certainly need more than one CD for an audiobook. For example, an audiobook of about 10 hours can take as many as 7 CDs. However, if you have a CD player that reads MP3 format, you can usually fit whole audiobooks on one CD if you copy it over as an MP3.
That being said below are the steps to take to burn (or copy) any downloadable audiobook onto CD:
NOTE: The below instructions are based on Windows Media Player Version 10. If you are using an older version, you can download the latest version from Microsoft's website. Here's the exact link -
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download
1) The computer you want to use to burn the audiobook to CD must be equipped with a recordable CD drive and CD-burning software.
In other words, it is this CD-burning software that can burn the audiobook to the CD. And it is the recordable CD drive that can be used for this purpose.
2) Play the audiobook on Windows Media Player. Ensure that you choose "Full Mode" when doing this, not "Skin Mode".
3) You will notice the "now playing" information displayed on the right-hand side of your Windows Media Player. If it isn't displayed, you should click the "Restore the Video and Visualization Pane" button to display it.
4) You can now click the "Library" tab. You will notice the "Start Burn" button displayed.
5) At this point, insert the blank CD into the recordable CD drive.
6) Click the "Start Burn" button. Your Windows Media Player will begin burning the audiobook to the CD you have inserted.
Lastly, if the audiobook is larger than the CD (most always are), Windows Media Player will prompt you that it requires a new CD. You can remove the one inside and insert another blank CD.
When the entire burning process is finished, it will display the status as "Complete".
All that is left now is to enjoy your new audiobook!
Download Audiobooks
Saturday 31 March 2007
102 Minutes - What a fantastic listen!
Well, what can I say? I have gone about downloading a new audiobook (to me anyway) and I cant seem to take it out of my ears!
I prefer to listen to audiobooks with earphones as opposed to speakers so I can concentrate more and feel the story even better.
So, what title am I going on about? It's called "102 Minutes". Its an account of what happened inside the Twin Towers on September 11th 2001, where accounts from many of the survivors, as well as phone call transcripts have been pieced together to form this incredible audiobook.
102 Minutes - The dramatic and moving account of the struggle for life inside the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11, when every minute counted.
At 8: 46 AM on September 11, 2001, 14, 000 people were inside the twin towers - reading e-mails, making trades, eating croissants at Windows on the World.
Over the next 102 minutes, each would become part of a drama for the ages, one witnessed only by the people who lived it - until now.
New York Times reporters Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn rely on hundreds of interviews; thousands of pages of oral histories; and phone, e-mail, and emergency radio transcripts. They cross a bridge of voices to go inside the infernos, seeing cataclysm and heroism, one person at a time, to tell the affecting, authoritative saga of the men and women - the 12, 000 who escaped and the 2, 749 who perished - who made 102 minutes count as never before.
"This is a heart-stopping, heartbreaking book. It is also an infuriating one. Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn give us vivid examples of uncommon valor in the face of approaching doom. Nobody can read these pages without feeling a chilly surge of fear. But they also give us - in lucid, understated prose - explanations for the immensity of the calamity. In short, this is an essential document about New York's worst human tragedy. And it's a terrific book." --- Pete Hamill
Download Audiobooks
I prefer to listen to audiobooks with earphones as opposed to speakers so I can concentrate more and feel the story even better.
So, what title am I going on about? It's called "102 Minutes". Its an account of what happened inside the Twin Towers on September 11th 2001, where accounts from many of the survivors, as well as phone call transcripts have been pieced together to form this incredible audiobook.
102 Minutes - The dramatic and moving account of the struggle for life inside the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11, when every minute counted.At 8: 46 AM on September 11, 2001, 14, 000 people were inside the twin towers - reading e-mails, making trades, eating croissants at Windows on the World.
Over the next 102 minutes, each would become part of a drama for the ages, one witnessed only by the people who lived it - until now.
New York Times reporters Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn rely on hundreds of interviews; thousands of pages of oral histories; and phone, e-mail, and emergency radio transcripts. They cross a bridge of voices to go inside the infernos, seeing cataclysm and heroism, one person at a time, to tell the affecting, authoritative saga of the men and women - the 12, 000 who escaped and the 2, 749 who perished - who made 102 minutes count as never before.
"This is a heart-stopping, heartbreaking book. It is also an infuriating one. Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn give us vivid examples of uncommon valor in the face of approaching doom. Nobody can read these pages without feeling a chilly surge of fear. But they also give us - in lucid, understated prose - explanations for the immensity of the calamity. In short, this is an essential document about New York's worst human tragedy. And it's a terrific book." --- Pete Hamill
Download Audiobooks
Friday 30 March 2007
The Audiobook Market Place
With the popularity of audiobooks, there are now many places to buy the audiobook of your choice.
Prior to the Internet, we all had no option but to physically visit the bookstores or order via phone or mail. But now with the introduction of the Internet, you can search for the exact audiobook you want, check out the cost and order it... without leaving the comfort of your home or office.
It is now safe to say that the audiobook market place is now on the Internet. Physical bookstores can't match the incredibly abundant advantages that shopping for audiobooks on the Internet provides.
The audiobook market place on the Internet gives you the opportunity to instantly search for and find the particular audiobook you are looking for.
This can't be compared to the era of physically going through several bookstores and manually checking the thousands of books available before you find the audiobook of your choice.
For those of you who don't have an online audiobook store in mind, you can get started by using the search engines to search for the audiobook title of your choice.
Below are some of the most popular audiobook market places on the Internet:
- Amazon: It has become virtually impossible to talk about books, offline or online, without mentioning Amazon.com, whether the book is a hardcover, paperback or even audiobook.
Amazon is undeniably the biggest book market place in the world, online or offline. To locate the audiobook of your choice, visit Amazon.com and search for the title of the audiobook or author's name.
You will mostly likely find the exact audiobook of your choice or be provided with alternatives when you conduct a search on the website of Amazon.com
- audiobook-zone,com: Audiobook-zone.com is undeniably becoming one of the market leaders when it comes to audiobooks. This downloadable audiobook marketplace contains thousands of book titles in many varied categories.
You can visit the website – www.audiobook-zone.com - and easily locate the audiobook you desire. Their search features are very easy to use and save users an incredible amount of time.
- Barnes & Noble: This is another very popular and highly visited audiobook market place on the Internet. Like Amazon and audiobook-zone.com, you can visit the website and use the search feature to pinpoint the exact audiobook you desire.
There are several other audiobook market places on the Internet, but the 3 mentioned above are the most popular and most secure from which you can buy your audiobooks. Buying your audiobook from any of these audiobook stores gives you complete rest of mind, as you won't have any fear of being defrauded.
Apart from these audiobook stores, there are other audiobook stores in specific categories such as business, motivational, fiction, etc.
If you don't find the particular audiobook of your choice from these 3 major audiobook stores online, then use the search engines. It will be very helpful if you know either the exact name of the author or title. If you don't, it can end up being a case of "jargon in jargon out".
In other words, if you type in the wrong name of an author of an audiobook you desire, it will be extremely difficult for you to find the particular audiobook.
Download Audiobooks
Prior to the Internet, we all had no option but to physically visit the bookstores or order via phone or mail. But now with the introduction of the Internet, you can search for the exact audiobook you want, check out the cost and order it... without leaving the comfort of your home or office.
It is now safe to say that the audiobook market place is now on the Internet. Physical bookstores can't match the incredibly abundant advantages that shopping for audiobooks on the Internet provides.
The audiobook market place on the Internet gives you the opportunity to instantly search for and find the particular audiobook you are looking for.
This can't be compared to the era of physically going through several bookstores and manually checking the thousands of books available before you find the audiobook of your choice.
For those of you who don't have an online audiobook store in mind, you can get started by using the search engines to search for the audiobook title of your choice.
Below are some of the most popular audiobook market places on the Internet:
- Amazon: It has become virtually impossible to talk about books, offline or online, without mentioning Amazon.com, whether the book is a hardcover, paperback or even audiobook.
Amazon is undeniably the biggest book market place in the world, online or offline. To locate the audiobook of your choice, visit Amazon.com and search for the title of the audiobook or author's name.
You will mostly likely find the exact audiobook of your choice or be provided with alternatives when you conduct a search on the website of Amazon.com
- audiobook-zone,com: Audiobook-zone.com is undeniably becoming one of the market leaders when it comes to audiobooks. This downloadable audiobook marketplace contains thousands of book titles in many varied categories.
You can visit the website – www.audiobook-zone.com - and easily locate the audiobook you desire. Their search features are very easy to use and save users an incredible amount of time.
- Barnes & Noble: This is another very popular and highly visited audiobook market place on the Internet. Like Amazon and audiobook-zone.com, you can visit the website and use the search feature to pinpoint the exact audiobook you desire.
There are several other audiobook market places on the Internet, but the 3 mentioned above are the most popular and most secure from which you can buy your audiobooks. Buying your audiobook from any of these audiobook stores gives you complete rest of mind, as you won't have any fear of being defrauded.
Apart from these audiobook stores, there are other audiobook stores in specific categories such as business, motivational, fiction, etc.
If you don't find the particular audiobook of your choice from these 3 major audiobook stores online, then use the search engines. It will be very helpful if you know either the exact name of the author or title. If you don't, it can end up being a case of "jargon in jargon out".
In other words, if you type in the wrong name of an author of an audiobook you desire, it will be extremely difficult for you to find the particular audiobook.
Download Audiobooks
Thursday 29 March 2007
Dramatized Audiobooks
I spoke the other day very briefly about dramatized audiobooks in "What's the Deal with Audiobooks?" and thought I would expand on this subject a little further.
Some regular book titles may be a bit hard going with the subject material. The bible is a prime example of a book that people don't tend to read before bed.
Titles from Shakespeare may also fall into that category, and many people study Shakespeare, meaning some heavy reading awaits them.
With dramatized versions of these original titles, it can help lighten the load of studying and help put the story across in a more understandable way.
I have listed some of my favourite dramatized audiobook titles below, so you too can get immersed into the world of dramatized audiobooks.
Hamlet - Michael Sheen, Kenneth Cranham and Juliet Stevenson star in the best-known and most powerful tragedy of modern times.
Some regular book titles may be a bit hard going with the subject material. The bible is a prime example of a book that people don't tend to read before bed.
Titles from Shakespeare may also fall into that category, and many people study Shakespeare, meaning some heavy reading awaits them.
With dramatized versions of these original titles, it can help lighten the load of studying and help put the story across in a more understandable way.
I have listed some of my favourite dramatized audiobook titles below, so you too can get immersed into the world of dramatized audiobooks.
Macbeth - BBC Radio has a unique heritage when it comes to Shakespeare. Since 1923, when the newly formed company broadcast its first full-length play, generations of actors and producers have honed and perfected the craft of making Shakespeare to be heard. The poetic richness of the language in "the Scottish play" is enhanced through the medium of radio to bring new depths of anguish to the tortured reasonings of Macbeth and his wife.
Hamlet - Michael Sheen, Kenneth Cranham and Juliet Stevenson star in the best-known and most powerful tragedy of modern times.Revitalised, original and comprehensive - this is Shakespeare for the new millennium.
TNIV Complete Audio Bible - Introducing the TNIV Audio Bible, multi-voice edition—an audio Bible for today’s generation, from Zondervan, publisher of the 2002 Audie Award®-winning NIV Audio Bible Dramatized.Featuring a fresh, new translation in today’s language, dramatic readings from the some of the world’s best voice talent, original music, and engaging book intros, the TNIV Audio Bible sets a new standard.
Wednesday 28 March 2007
Enjoy Your Workout Again with Audiobooks
There's no doubt about it. Audiobooks have made life a whole lot easier.
For those of us who like to workout to stay in great shape, audiobooks can help us achieve this with less stress.
Instead of listening to the same old music whilst exercising, with audio books, you can kill 2 birds with one stone.
Below are some of the ways in which you can use the power of audiobooks to maximize your workout.
1) There are educative audiobooks that will teach you more beneficial ways of staying in shape. Many people who workout don't even know the right ways to do so. Instead of guessing it, there are great audiobooks that will help you out.
No matter how much you think you already know about working out, there are audiobooks out there that will teach other ways of exercising.
Some of these workout related audiobooks come with calming music in the background, thereby making you stay focused and attentive during the workout.
2) Audiobooks during workouts help to take your mind away from the physical activity. Instead of concentrating on the pain of the workout, you will be concentrating on the message contained in the audiobook.
This will allow you to stay longer when working out. If you usually jog for, say 10 minutes, with an interesting audiobook you will be able to increase the jogging time to, say 30 minutes or more.
3) There are specific audiobooks that talk about the importance of staying in shape and looking great. Such audiobooks can be great during workouts.
They help to give you more reasons why you should stick to your exercise regime, instead of giving yourself excuses why you shouldn't.
For example, audiobooks by motivational experts such as Anthony Robbins who was previously overweight, but now has lost weight and looks great, can influence you on the need to workout, even when you don't feel like it.
These books will help you to understand why you should workout to lose weight and realize that if Anthony Robbins could do it, you can do it too.
4) For those who might want to give up their exercise when it gets difficult, an inspiring audiobook during exercises can influence and motivate you to keep at it.
So, if you have always had a problem with sticking with your workout, get some great workout related and motivational audiobooks, such as Anthony Robbins "Awaken The Giant Within" and "Unlimited Power".
Not only will these helpful audio books help you mentally, they will help you stick to your workout plan. And eventually you will look great physically and feel great mentally.
Download Audiobooks
For those of us who like to workout to stay in great shape, audiobooks can help us achieve this with less stress.
Instead of listening to the same old music whilst exercising, with audio books, you can kill 2 birds with one stone.
Below are some of the ways in which you can use the power of audiobooks to maximize your workout.
1) There are educative audiobooks that will teach you more beneficial ways of staying in shape. Many people who workout don't even know the right ways to do so. Instead of guessing it, there are great audiobooks that will help you out.
No matter how much you think you already know about working out, there are audiobooks out there that will teach other ways of exercising.
Some of these workout related audiobooks come with calming music in the background, thereby making you stay focused and attentive during the workout.
2) Audiobooks during workouts help to take your mind away from the physical activity. Instead of concentrating on the pain of the workout, you will be concentrating on the message contained in the audiobook.
This will allow you to stay longer when working out. If you usually jog for, say 10 minutes, with an interesting audiobook you will be able to increase the jogging time to, say 30 minutes or more.
3) There are specific audiobooks that talk about the importance of staying in shape and looking great. Such audiobooks can be great during workouts.
They help to give you more reasons why you should stick to your exercise regime, instead of giving yourself excuses why you shouldn't.
For example, audiobooks by motivational experts such as Anthony Robbins who was previously overweight, but now has lost weight and looks great, can influence you on the need to workout, even when you don't feel like it.
These books will help you to understand why you should workout to lose weight and realize that if Anthony Robbins could do it, you can do it too.
4) For those who might want to give up their exercise when it gets difficult, an inspiring audiobook during exercises can influence and motivate you to keep at it.
So, if you have always had a problem with sticking with your workout, get some great workout related and motivational audiobooks, such as Anthony Robbins "Awaken The Giant Within" and "Unlimited Power".
Not only will these helpful audio books help you mentally, they will help you stick to your workout plan. And eventually you will look great physically and feel great mentally.
Download Audiobooks
Tuesday 27 March 2007
NIV Dramatized Complete Audio Bible | International Bible Society
The New International Version — today’s most read, most trusted translation. The multiple-voice dramatization brings the Bible to life with world-class narration and colorful, true-to-the-text character renderings. Fully orchestrated background with sound effects that provide maximum enhancement. Digital engineering from start to finish, it delivers the ultimate clarity and listening enjoyment.
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