Audio books- equipment and pros/ cons of best provider?

[Cuckoochime]

Anyone read a lot but swopped to audible books? Can you recommend easy to use equipment and provider please?
( For at home, not in car or running) .
Options- Amazon audible, Listening books, RNIB, local library- ?
Happy to pay if the service is good. RNIB selection is limited and she reads a huge amount -mainly classics, history and chicklit/ historical romance.
Equipment - digital download or USB? Anyone tried the Solo USB audio player ? Or are phones better?
(Here is the USB player I found but not sure if that makes life too complicated? shop.rnib.org.uk/accessible-technology/reading-and-music/usb-and-media-players/solo-usb-personal-audio-player.html
All advice appreciated....

Do I understand your post properly - is this for use by someone else who is blind?

If this is the case, then it might be worth explaining that, an what the limitations therefore are, as it will influence the recommendations.

I listen to a lot of audiobooks, using my iPhone and both Audible and RBdigital (which is my local library app, where there are hundreds of audiobooks available for free).

Presumably someone blind could use voice control (Alexa, Siri etc) to say "play XYZ book) ?

Hi
Thanks- sorry I wasn't clear! No not blind, but due to an eye condition can't read 'normal' books or screens for long. Eye hospital has told her to swop to audio books and given her RNIB info- so investigating options at the moment. Listening books doesn't have her favourite authors on which has put her off (Susanna Kearsley, katie Fforde, Mary Stewart etc)- Amazon's audible does but the reviews on Audible are mixed. She doesn't have an iphone, and has difficulties reading the screen...

She has a kobo ereader which is has been reading library app books on (in very large type) but now needs audio where actual physical reading/ scrolling through will be minimal and books easy to choose / download...

ah, OK, that helps! Is this for someone younger or older?

Kindle has an app which can be downloaded on PC and most tablets (I believe) and a lot of books have 'WhisperSync' which allows you to read text/ switch to Audible/ audio seamlessly, which could be useful?

Check what your local library subscribes to - ours does audiobooks through RBDigital and BorrowBox.

A lot of libraries still have collections of audiobooks on CD, but obviously these aren't great for 'on-the move' etc, but fine if listening on a CD player in bedroom etc.

Most audiobook services have apps for both iPhone and android devices - does she use a smartphone or ipad/ tablet?

Is voice control an option?

I listen to Audible books, and am very happy with the quality of them, and the selection. I can ask my Alexa to read them to me, or from a phone (Android works with no problem)

Oh, and if you don't like an Audible, returning them for a refund is easy

Hi- thanks for your reply, I'm not techy and she is struggling with sight issues so both a bit out of comfort zone!

She has a Doro 8040 phone .
What has thrown me is that she wants to be able to download books direct from the screen she chooses them from direct to the device she will listen to them on, to reduce her time having to look on screen. Is it possible for her to do this direct to her phone?

(- ie with the RNIB player I think she'd have to download library/ audible books to the computer, then transfer to a USB stick , then plug into the player, which she says is too much hassle )

Audible has better choice of books, and she could buy a kindle type device if that would mean she could download directly, but I think you have to buy every book separately, which would be too expensive.

Borrowbox and RBdigital are the two audiobook apps my library use (Nottinghamshire). Search audio books on your county council website to find the ones used by your library.

These are completely free audio books. You borrow them for 30 days, as you would a normal library book. Set up an account on the app using your library card details.

All you need to use is a digital device that you can have apps on - so any smartphone or tablet. Plus headphones if you want to listen privately.

Lots of the usual big authors and best sellers on the apps - all free.

Audible, on the other hand, is not free. It's £7.99 per month and for that you get one book a month. You then own that audiobook forever, rather than just borrowing it like the library. I used 6 audible credits to buy (and own) the Harry Potter series of books, just because I wanted to be able to listen to these over and over again So was happy to buy them. But for normal every-day easy reads that you'll probably never listen to mire than once, better use the library app and not pay.

Definitely an Audible subscription with an Amazon Echo device (Alexa). Both are Amazon services so work well with each other. The selection of audiobooks on Amazon is unrivalled, and they are great quality. The Echo device is voice activated, so after it has been set up via a smartphone (perhaps with help of friend/family) there are minimal screens to deal with.
The Echo Dots are cheaper than the big Echo device, and have really good sound quality. They are often on special offer too. She could get two or three so she can listen in different rooms.

What has thrown me is that she wants to be able to download books direct from the screen she chooses them from direct to the device she will listen to them on, to reduce her time having to look on screen. Is it possible for her to do this direct to her phone?

Yes.

You just open the app, look through the library and pick a book. Click it and it downloads onto your phone. Then each time she wants to listen she opens the app and clicks play.

The apps also have sleep times (ie switch off after this chapter, or after 30/45/60 mins etc). And the ability to bookmark, and spped up or slow down the speech, if needed.

I listen to Audible books through the app on my phone. I have a monthly subscription for one book a month, it’s about $16 and, so probably about a tenner. I buy books on the audible website, you can also do it on amazon. Once you buy them they appear on the app for download. If you don’t like a book for any reason you can return it. There is also a lot of free content, one free book a month and lots of podcasts. If budget is an issue I recommend investigating podcasts as well as audiobooks, lots of stuff to listen too and free.

@CMOTDibbler - yes, the return option is a good thing if you find you can't stand the narrator, for example (although I always check the sample first!)

The Solo USB audio player looks good from an ease of playing point of view, but will probably be more of a faff for transferring files? Will you be doing that for her?

Oh, and don't forget that BBC Sounds has serialised, abridged versions of many audiobooks: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/category/audiobooks

This is what borrowbox and rgdigital apps look like (I'm currently listening to Hitchikers guide, read by Stephen Fry - it's excellent! Dawn porter one is next)

Hi. I am registered blind and have used RNIB talking books for a few years. Their library is brilliant. I also use audible, also brilliant. I listen to both on my phone or oc/laptop/tablet.

If you would like I can ask my sensory impairment support worker for more ideas? Let me know, I'm happy to help (pm me if you prefer)

Forgot to say, on audible you can swap/return books you don't like. Audible narrators as easier on the ear than talking books.

I forgot, I also use free classic audio books app. Over 10,000 books, and all the classics you could want.

Thanks all, you've really helped.

Our library has borrowbox , so from what you've said, she should be able to download and listen to books direct on the Doro phone if she downloads the library app direct onto the phone . Am a bit worried she won't be able to actually see to choose on a phone screen, but will find out, as she can read texts in the large type.

And then for books she wants to have access to forever, it may be worth joining Amazon's audible temporarily to buy them.

Thanks again x

@Cuckoochime

Thanks all, you've really helped.

Our library has borrowbox , so from what you've said, she should be able to download and listen to books direct on the Doro phone if she downloads the library app direct onto the phone . Am a bit worried she won't be able to actually see to choose on a phone screen, but will find out, as she can read texts in the large type.

And then for books she wants to have access to forever, it may be worth joining Amazon's audible temporarily to buy them.

Thanks again x

That's exactly how I listen.

She'll be presented with book covers in order to pick a book. So if she has a book she wants and she knows what the front cover looks like, shouldn't be a problem.

Borrowbox tends to have longer waiting lists for the bestsellers than RGdigital. My library offers both.