Listening to audio books on a portable media player
We received a lot of responses to the Picking a portable media player article. It's great to know how popular these devices have become. One thing we didn't cover in the article—and we got a lot of comments on—was what to consider when buying a portable media player to listen to audio books. A search on MP3 audio books shows just how many books are available in this format.
For buying a device, the same considerations we discussed in the article generally apply, but there are some other features to consider. If you want to listen to a 20-hour novel, you're probably more apt to choose a bigger device with more memory or features. Having a smaller device that wraps around your arm while you're exercising probably won't fill your needs. Some additional factors to consider include:
1. Pause functionality: You're going to want to pause the audio book at some point. Make sure your player includes this feature. Otherwise, you may miss something or search for where you left off when you get interrupted. And if it does allow you to pause, check for how long. You'll want it to pause indefinitely.
2. Continuation after interruption: It's important for audio books that players keep to the same point in the book (or at least to the same file chapter), in case of intentional or unintentional interruption, for example when you switch the player off and on or have to replace the batteries. In those instances, you don't want to have to return to the beginning of the book. It is tolerable that you have to re-listen from the beginning of the current file, provided that the file isn't too long. However, if the player "forgets" the current file and after interruption points to the first file, it's probably going to cause you some irritation and is not suitable for audio books.
Before you buy the player, here are some things to check in the store:
- What happens if you switch the player off and on? Is it going to the same file or to the beginning of the first file?
- What happens if you change the batteries? Is it going to the same file, or to the beginning of the first file?
3. Memory: Get as much memory as you can. Players with 10 gigabytes (GB) of memory or more are very well suited for long audio books. A lot of players these days have large amounts of storage, so finding a player that meets this requirement shouldn't be difficult.
4. Batteries: Choose a player that has a longest battery life possible. It's best not to run out while you're in the middle of an audio book and traveling.
5. Earphones: Sound quality on an audio book may not be as good as you get with music. Players might sound good if you're in a quiet location, but you might have problems if you're in a noisy commuter train or office. In those cases, some higher-quality, over-the-ears headphones are good idea.
—Jason Kozleski