Twyste

My app this week is a free one called Audible. Audible.com, as described on their site, is “a premier provider of digital audiobooks and more.” The way audible works, you sign up for a membership which allows you to use credits for free books or purchase books at a discounted rate. There are different tiers of membership depending on how many books you expect to listen to in a given month or year period.

I am currently signed up for a three month trial. My $7.95 per month trial (there is also a FREE 30 day trial, but I wanted to try it for longer to more accurately determine my use) allows me to get one audiobook for free each month (yes, I know, Spencer… FREE for $7.95). Listening to a book takes a lot longer than reading it myself, so one audiobook a month is plenty. My first audiobook is eleven hours long.

So, that’s what the site is… now, the app. The advantage to the Audible app is it allows me to have my books with me on my phone. I can listen to it right now as I type (if I could listen and type at the same time) or in the car (I can plug it in to my stereo or could just put it on speaker or listen to it with my earphones if I’m not driving). Within the app I can view my audible library, search for more books, and view my listening stats (I really don’t care, but some might). In addition, within the book I’m listening to, I can set a timer for how long it reads to me before shutting off (like for if I am listening to it as I fall asleep, I guess), rewind it 30 seconds with one push (you can also do other rewinds and fast forwards, but this is a quick way), change the narration speed, or share it via email, Facebook, or Twitter (don’t worry, I won’t). I don’t really have anything else I’d like it to do for me… well, maybe pack for my trip.

Ahhhh, the trip (Yay, Spring Break!). This was my big motivation for trying out Audible.com and its iPhone app. My youngest son has been harassing me constantly for months about reading the Hunger Games (I have no interest, but he’s worn me down), so the book I have chosen for my first audiobook is indeed the Hunger Games. I listened to it on our last road trip and have about eight more hours to go. This will be great for my portions of the driving!

So, if you’re traveling for Spring Break (or aren’t traveling, but want to get away inside your head?), I think this is the perfect time to try out audible for free or with the three month trial. You get a free book each month. So, if nothing else, you’ll get a book for your trip (or non trip). So far, I’m impressed with it. Check it out at audible.com

Finally, to get the iPhone app, click here. Audible also works with Kindle, so that’s pretty cool too. If you try it out, let me know what you think!