When one thinks of sound recordings, the first thing that comes to mind is music. However, music is not the only thing that has benefitted from the advancement of sound recording technology. Another popular product of this development is the audiobook.
What is an audiobook? It is a recording of spoken words, particularly of books. Books are read aloud and recorded, allowing them to be listened to later on music players. These recordings are primarily created on CDs in various digital audio formats, such as MP3 and Windows Media Audio. Until the 1980s, audiobooks were mainly used in libraries and by the visually impaired, providing people with visual disabilities the opportunity to enjoy books without the assistance of sighted individuals. After the 1980s, as the popularity of handheld music players grew, the appeal of audiobooks also increased. Now, busy individuals and travelers can enjoy books anytime and anywhere.
Audiobooks can be listened to on any handheld digital audio player or multimedia player. The most popular handheld audio player today is the iPod, designed and marketed by Apple Inc.
The iPod is primarily known as a handheld music player, but it is also the most popular device for listening to audiobooks due to its numerous features. Audiobooks can be imported onto an iPod. When an audiobook is synced to an iPod, it appears in one of two places – in the Music > Audiobooks menu if files are bookmarkable; or in a menu including artist, song, genre, etc., if the files are not bookmarkable (in which case, they must be searched to determine where they have been saved). The former option is clearly better because, in that case, an audiobook can be selected and a playback speed chosen without altering the voice. Another advantage of bookmarkable audiobooks is that they can be bookmarked, allowing listeners to pick up where they left off the next time they listen. The iPod Shuffle is even better, as it enables navigating through chapters while listening, as well as rewinding and fast-forwarding.
Manuel Marino is a seasoned Senior Producer, Music Composer, and Artist with over a decade of experience. He specializes in branded entertainment across various mediums, including video games, films, and advertising campaigns. With 20+ years as a game music composer, Manuel has worked on numerous platforms, creating diverse orchestral soundtracks. HIRE ME