PrincessMommy Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I love audio books, but I rarely pay money to listen or read a book. I prefer the library. However, I'm finding it harder and harder to find titles I like at the library. So, I'm a cheapskate and the idea of spending $14 a month does grate me, but OTOH, I'd love to have a larger library from which to choose from. So, with that in mind...please tell me the good & the bad about audible.com I would probably download onto my laptop (Windows 8.1) and andriod phone. I'm not particularly tech savvy either and I'd need some hand-holding with new-to-me Windows 8.1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 have you tried LibriVox first? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I always look to Librivox first. Audible frustrates me because their files won't play on the sound system in my car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I love audible. I pay $20 for 2 credits per month. Most books cost 1 credit, even most of The Great Courses that they have are 1 credit. I listen on my iphone (using the audible app) when on my walks in the morning. I can do everything from my phone. I use some of my credits for books for the kids, including The Great Courses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted January 3, 2015 Author Share Posted January 3, 2015 have you tried LibriVox first? I'd forgotten about them... thanks for the reminder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 You can try audible for next to nothing and then cancel if you want. Most of the books I get are worth far more than the monthly fee (we get 2 credits per month). If you don't like the book they have a money back guarantee. Sometimes I take a chance on a book and if I don't like it I return it and get my credit back. They also have good sales and a daily deal which is (sometimes) something I want to listen to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbi in Texas Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I use audible and it works well for me on the mp3 player. Definately take advantage of the free trial first. This past year I bought the 12 credit package because it saved the most money. I still use the library for interlibrary loans on CD titles that I want, but audible fills in the gaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted January 3, 2015 Author Share Posted January 3, 2015 I did a search of Librivox of 6 titles I'm interested in and none of them were available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Home'scool Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I have audible and love it. I usually don't finish a book in one month and my credits don't expire which is good. My husband shares the account with me and uses it for the Great Courses. I also love that you can return the book if you don't like it. One thing that bummed me out was I couldn't get the Harry Potter books. Apparently you now can only buy the books and the audiobooks from J.K. Rowlings website. You can't even get them on Amazon! Isn't she rich enough? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 You don't have to subscribe to audible and you can still be a member. They have many free classics and low-priced books. If you're only going to buy a book occasionally you might consider joining but not subscribing. I was a non-paying member for several years. I recently did the trial membership at the lowest level, and decided to stay with it. You could do that. Spend a month with a trial subscription and see if you would actually use those credits and discounts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyK Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I have the same experience as Mrs. Mungo. For us Audible works very easily on the technology side (much easier than other ways of getting audio files to phones and mp3 players). There are a fair amount of free or very low cost thngs that you can get. http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=245543 This is a good summary of what's available out there on special pricing from a number of companies. We use librivox too but it is only public domain books (and what we often want to listen to isn't PD) and the quality of the readers varies. I like kayray.org (Kara Shallenburg) and Elizabeth Klett. Kara's website has links to her free audios that she does as a podcast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted January 3, 2015 Author Share Posted January 3, 2015 I have audible and love it. I usually don't finish a book in one month and my credits don't expire which is good. My husband shares the account with me and uses it for the Great Courses. I also love that you can return the book if you don't like it. One thing that bummed me out was I couldn't get the Harry Potter books. Apparently you now can only buy the books and the audiobooks from J.K. Rowlings website. You can't even get them on Amazon! Isn't she rich enough? wow, that is a bummer. Fortunately, here in the US it seems like every library system has multiple copies of the HP series. That's one I don't worry about finding for free, at least for the next few years ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 There are a fair amount of free or very low cost thngs that you can get. http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=245543 This is a good summary of what's available out there on special pricing from a number of companies. Oooh, thank you for this link! I noticed many of the freebies and deals expired on Dec. 31st, so I read carefully and saw that the thread is retired at the end of each year, and a new one is started. For anyone interested, here is the current one. http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=253819 I'll be bookmarking this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyK Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Oooh, thank you for this link! I noticed many of the freebies and deals expired on Dec. 31st, so I read carefully and saw that the thread is retired at the end of each year, and a new one is started. For anyone interested, here is the current one. http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=253819 I'll be bookmarking this. Thanks. I just realized that too and was coming back to post the new link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I really like audible. I find it real easy to download to both my phone and my windows 8 work computer. The apps make it super easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 wow, that is a bummer. Fortunately, here in the US it seems like every library system has multiple copies of the HP series. That's one I don't worry about finding for free, at least for the next few years ;) Every thrift store seems to have any HP book you might want, usually for 79 cents or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I subscribe. It's well worth it imo. I agree. We also subscribe. I didn't know- my husband set it up when he got an extended free trial offer from work or something but it's been ok even at the $15 a month or so it costs. Not the best prices in the world but not terrible and they have 2 for 1 sales and such a lot. Also some kid series are several books on a credit, like Boxcar Children (which my younger son loves to listen to.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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