The Convenience Of Listening To Audio Book Online Downloads

In our global economy where everything changes every second, the advancement of the audio book industry is no surprise. A study of the Audio Publishers' Association shows that in the United States alone, the audio book industry earned around $871 million in 2005 with a whopping $2 billion annual revenue predicted in the following years.

From vinyl LPs to digital downloads, audio book listening has stood the test of time for almost 80 years and even now, it continues to reward individuals with education, entertainment, and time savings.

With internet technology, it has become very convenient to listen to an audio book online. Today, you don't have to buy those bulky cassette tapes or CDs and carry a Walkman or a CD player to listen to the newest "Harry Potter" novel or the latest self development book. Since an audio book can be 10-20 hours in length, online audio book downloads can save you the inconvenience of flipping tapes or changing CDs.

So, how do you get started with audio book online downloads? The process is not too complicated. Open your web browser and follow these easy steps:

Go to Audible's website (audible.com). Audible is the premier audio book download site. Sure, there are other quality sites like Simply Audiobooks (simplyaudiobooks.com), but no site can beat Audible's great selection. Also, Audible has great membership plans for those who want to save money while receiving 1-2 audio books every month.

Before you register and open an account, learn about Audible's membership plans. Choose one that fits your budget and listening frequency. You don't have to register for a membership plan to shop for audio books. However, it is cheaper to go the membership route. Plus, Audible members get benefits like a free audio newspaper and free audio every week. And if you get tired of audio books or you can't afford the membership fees anymore, you can cancel the membership at anytime.

Install Audible's audio book software or Apple iTunes on your computer. You will need one of these free software to listen to Audible's audio books. Audible has special audio book files that allow you to bookmark your position in the book. This means you can stop listening in the middle of a chapter and not lose your place.

Choose and download the audio book file of your choice. With over 35, 000 selections, you should be able to find a great book. You can listen to your audio book online by streaming it from your computer. Also, you can burn the audio book file to a CD or transfer it to a compatible mobile audio player.

As you can see, audio book online downloads are fast, easy, and convenient.