Audiobooks for the technologically illiterate

May 6, 2013 8:40 AM

I want to provide a way for a relative to listen to audiobooks while working out. He is almost completely technologically illiterate, and his wife will have to put the books on the device for him. His wife is ok technologically, but has to have new things spelled out very clearly. I'm thinking iPod Shuffle + Audible. Am I'm missing a simpler solution?

They have an iMac, and his wife uses an iPhone but does not know how to sync the iPhone to the iMac. Mostly, I think this is because she doesn't see any reason to sync (since she backs up photos to iCloud), not because she can't understand how to do it. I *think* she could load an audio book from Audible into iTunes, and from there onto a shuffle. They have WiFi, and his wife was able to set up her iPhone to access it.

But is there some simpler solution I'm missing? Some sort of one-stop-shopping there where they can buy the book on the computer, and it magically appears on a device where he can just push play and happily listen to his book? Something like a kindle for audio books would be perfect. He's not going to listen to music or do anything else with the device.

posted by OrangeDisk to Technology (10 answers total)

I would not go with an ipod shuffle for listening to audiobooks for someone not comfortable with technology, the lack of a screen makes it hard to navigate, and your relative might well lose his place in the book or accidentally restart the book holding a button down too long and be stumped.

I would get an ipod nano as the screen makes it much easier to control and it is relatively simple.

You can buy Audiobooks easily through itunes (they are audible audiobooks) for full price, and can setup the ipod nano so that it automatically puts new audiobooks (and only audiobooks) on the ipod when it is plugged into the computer. If they want the cheaper subscription audible is pretty easy to setup as you've described. You won't find something simpler to use than an ipod nano imo.
posted by Another Fine Product From The Nonsense Factory at 8:59 AM on May 6, 2013

Is it possible to go really old-school and burn the audiobook onto a CD?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:59 AM on May 6, 2013

You can listen to Audible audiobooks through the Audbile app - no syncing required. You just log in and then you download them directly to the iPhone.
posted by mskyle at 9:04 AM on May 6, 2013

Oh, on re-read, maybe he doesn't have an iPhone, only the wife's. Not sure how much they'd be willing to spend on this, but a used iPod touch would be pretty easy to use.
posted by mskyle at 9:32 AM on May 6, 2013

Response by poster: To clarify a few points -- he doesn't have an iPhone, but his wife does. I think she would share. Also, he goes to the gym to work out, so he needs a portable device. I don't think a CD player would work very well, if they even still make those!
posted by OrangeDisk at 9:38 AM on May 6, 2013

Does your library stock mp3 playaways (or similar). Basically it is a preloaded mp3 with the audiobook on it. Of course you'd only get one book per playaway but they are very popular in the library where I work. All you do is plug in a pair of headphones and you're ready to go.
posted by Fence at 10:32 AM on May 6, 2013

I strongly recommend Ipod nano and audible.com. And a slow and careful walk through how to choose and download books from audible.com. This includes escorting him through downloading the audible.com software and visiting with his books in Itunes.
posted by bearwife at 10:35 AM on May 6, 2013

Might have some value to check into your local library's overdrive selection. Surprisingly large selection and the download expire after a certain period of time.

Plus for someone on the fence about tech, its totally free.
posted by ACEness at 12:47 PM on May 6, 2013

One vote here for an iPhone (or some iOS or Android device) with the Audible app. You log in, and the books you purchase on Audible are just there, to be streamed or downloaded from within the app. It's very simple, more so even than an iPod in my opinion, since you don't need to involve any iTunes syncing or anything.

On the other hand, iPod Nano + Audible.com + iTunes isn't bad either, since the process is pretty simple and very convenient once learned. And the Nano is fantastically portable. But I think the Audible app is the simplest just in terms of getting the audiobook going ASAP in the fewest steps.
posted by El Sabor Asiatico at 1:04 PM on May 6, 2013

I think an iTouch and an audible subscription would do this perfectly. You don't need the phone part of an iPhone, just the apps part. That's an iTouch! You still have to redeem credits in the audible website itself (stupid App Store restrictions), but then you just log into the app and voila!

A iPod touch also plays nicely with the overdrive app for free audios from the library. Well, as nicely as any apple product does...
posted by itsamermaid at 4:37 AM on May 7, 2013 [1 favorite]