T&T: Audio Books afloat-- was Music & Movies afloat

[John Ford]

 Hmm, lets see if I can be of some help.  I looked into this at our local library here in Maryland and all of the book as she said are available free of charge in the protected version of Windows Media format.  Which of course it tied to buying a player which supports the Microsofts version of a protected media format, the iPod not being one of them.

So to use some of these county services it appears as though you need to have Windows Media Player on a PC, and a approved device that can handle the DRM.

The Mac based systems don't have a version of Media Player from Microsoft that supports their DRM(DIgital Rights Management) so that why you can't download them or play them on the mac and of course the mac's can't play protected Media windows media format either.  They can play WMA(well itunes converts them for you) just not the protected kind.  It's a bummer because I have one and maybe someday we will be free of these compatability issues, but thats not today.

Through iTunes  though one can easily purchase and listen to Audio Books(Windows and Mac).. Apple does through a agreement with Audible.com  At last count according to there website 30,000 books available.  But then again they are not free, but you can listen to them over and over again if you wish.

Here's a quick link as to audible which describes the process.

http://www.audible.com

I took a quick look at some of the books, and they were at variable prices.. 14.95 to 18.95 but I was looking at the best sellers list.. I'll bet there is some type of virtual bargain bin out there as well.

I hope this helps...  I started to use my iPod for more then just music when I did my trip up north with the new boat.  And it really did help, you know listening to books on tape for my long shift during the night.  And now, with the TV shows and movies I've been downloading or converting them for use to entertain the nieces and nephews when on board and the weather is foul.

John Ford
KK44007 Feisty Lady
Annapolis City Marina