Technology for Seniors: Audible

Sometimes, it’s nice to just kick back, relax, and read a good book.  However, not everyone is the biggest fan of reading, and there are times where you don’t have time to sit down and pick up a book. For people like that, there are audiobooks, books in the form of sound files that you can have narrated to you anytime, anywhere. If you’re on the go in your vehicle, listening to an audiobook is a great alternative to listening to news or music on your car radio. And one of the prime places to get audiobooks is Audible.

So what exactly is Audible?

Audible.com is an online portal for purchasing, downloading, and listening to audiobooks.  It allows you to search for or browse a large collection of audiobooks, which you can buy using money or membership credits.  You can then listen to those books right on Audible, or download them to your device of choice.

How does Audible work?  3 reasons you should use Audible

1. One of the largest audiobook libraries out there

Audible has over 150,000 audiobooks for you to discover, buy, download, and enjoy!  From mysteries to history, from romance to science fiction, from self-help to comedy, Audible is sure to have a book that you’ll love listening to.

2. Audiobooks available where and when you want them

You can listen to audiobooks from Audible right on the Audible website, using the built-in audio player.  Or, you can download an app for your mobile device or desktop computer, download your audiobooks, and listen to them on the go.

3. Join the club and get extra benefits

If you buy a premium membership to Audible, you’ll get extra goodies like one or more free books every month.  Plus, you can take 30% off the price of any books that you buy with cash!  There’s also a 30-day free trial option available.

What can I listen to on Audible?

Audible contains audio versions of some of the best-loved timeless classics, as well as newer books that are hot off the printing press.  Here’s a sample of some of the best-selling books on Audible:

Overall best sellers

• End of Watch by Stephen King
• Me Before You by JoJo Moyes
• A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• Killing Floor by Lee Child

Mystery and thriller best sellers

• The Faithful by S.M. Freedman
• Term Limits by Vince Flynn
• The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth
• The Emperor’s Revenge by Clive Cussler

Romance best sellers

• Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
• Suddenly One Summer by Julia James
• Midsummer Moon by Laura Kinsale
• Three Two One by J.A. Huss

Comedy best sellers

• Bossypants by Tina Fey
• Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan
• Seriously… I’m Kidding by Ellen DeGeneres
• Go the F**k to Sleep by Adam Mansbach and Ricardo Cortes

Well, that’s a brief introduction to Audible and how it works. For more information, the Techboomers Audible course focuses on how to buy, download, and listen to books from Audible, including how to create or delete an account.