Comments on: My (bad) experiences with Audible.com http://www.dh1tw.de/bad-experiences-with-audible-com Amateur Radio on its edge Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:23:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Matt http://www.dh1tw.de/bad-experiences-with-audible-com/comment-page-1#comment-1525 Matt Wed, 01 Sep 2010 03:40:45 +0000 http://www.dh1tw.de/?p=365#comment-1525 As an audiobook producer, with titles on Audible, I appreciate your comments on their service. We will take them into consideration. I would share that the expense of creating an audiobook is much more than most would guess. Most audiobooks, if they were sold for a few dollars more than the paperback, would not sell the volume needed to recover production costs. Hopefully, that will change as the format matures and digital delivery becomes more common place. Until then, realize that audible and we producers are keeping costs down as much as possible and seeking to find new ways to increase the volume of sales while still keeping the creation of audio titles financially viable. As an audiobook producer, with titles on Audible, I appreciate your comments on their service. We will take them into consideration. I would share that the expense of creating an audiobook is much more than most would guess. Most audiobooks, if they were sold for a few dollars more than the paperback, would not sell the volume needed to recover production costs. Hopefully, that will change as the format matures and digital delivery becomes more common place. Until then, realize that audible and we producers are keeping costs down as much as possible and seeking to find new ways to increase the volume of sales while still keeping the creation of audio titles financially viable.

]]> By: Martın Holloway http://www.dh1tw.de/bad-experiences-with-audible-com/comment-page-1#comment-748 Martın Holloway Thu, 08 Apr 2010 11:57:28 +0000 http://www.dh1tw.de/?p=365#comment-748 I have only had bad experiences so far with Audible. As you say, the breadth of titles is excellent. However, their software is so poorly written, and in so many places, broken, that the privilege of being custodians of audio books should be removed from them. As a software developer myself, I am horrified at almost every stage of using their system - from the install through to the download (if I can get any of those stages to work correctly) I expect however, that like the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation, their customer complaints division is so successful that they will stick around unless enough of us shout Emperor's New Clothes. I have only had bad experiences so far with Audible. As you say, the breadth of titles is excellent. However, their software is so poorly written, and in so many places, broken, that the privilege of being custodians of audio books should be removed from them. As a software developer myself, I am horrified at almost every stage of using their system – from the install through to the download (if I can get any of those stages to work correctly)

I expect however, that like the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation, their customer complaints division is so successful that they will stick around unless enough of us shout Emperor’s New Clothes.

]]> By: Tobias http://www.dh1tw.de/bad-experiences-with-audible-com/comment-page-1#comment-115 Tobias Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:53:20 +0000 http://www.dh1tw.de/?p=365#comment-115 Hi Michael, I can import the Audible Audiobooks directly into Itunes. They appear in my Audiobook Library, but it is not possible to play them. In order to authorize the audiobooks (damn DRM), an administrative account is necessary. For IT-security reasons, I'm working in WindowsXP under under a user account with limited permissions. The Administrator Account is only used when required (SW installation, system maintenance, etc). It seems that there is no workaround available. Audible knowledge base confirms (http://bit.ly/4JM3ND) that an administrative account is required. Being a IT-security sensitive person, this is unacceptable. I will not jeopardize the security of my system just because Audibles mistrust against it's clients. Don't get me wrong - I really like Audibles Products and I would even accept their monthly membership model in order to get access to their products. I'm willing to pay 10 USD - 15 USD for an audiobook. Unfortunately, for the mentioned reasons and the associated frustration I can't recommend them to anybody currently. Hi Michael,
I can import the Audible Audiobooks directly into Itunes. They appear in my Audiobook Library, but it is not possible to play them. In order to authorize the audiobooks (damn DRM), an administrative account is necessary. For IT-security reasons, I’m working in WindowsXP under under a user account with limited permissions. The Administrator Account is only used when required (SW installation, system maintenance, etc). It seems that there is no workaround available. Audible knowledge base confirms (http://bit.ly/4JM3ND) that an administrative account is required. Being a IT-security sensitive person, this is unacceptable. I will not jeopardize the security of my system just because Audibles mistrust against it’s clients.

Don’t get me wrong – I really like Audibles Products and I would even accept their monthly membership model in order to get access to their products. I’m willing to pay 10 USD – 15 USD for an audiobook. Unfortunately, for the mentioned reasons and the associated frustration I can’t recommend them to anybody currently.

]]> By: Alderete http://www.dh1tw.de/bad-experiences-with-audible-com/comment-page-1#comment-102 Alderete Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:53:40 +0000 http://www.dh1tw.de/?p=365#comment-102 Sorry you had such a lousy experience with Audible. My own has been the exact opposite...once we stopped using Audible's software. The secret to easy use of Audible with an iPod is to simply use their web site to download your books, in your standard web browser. Then drag the downloaded files into iTunes. You _don't_ need Audible's software, at all. I don't even have it installed on my computer. As for your complaints about their business model, after you exhause the possibilities (and low production values) at LibriVox, and get tired of manually importing audiobooks you borrow from the library, there's not a lot of options available that are less expensive than Audible. You complain that an audiobook is more expensive than a paper book. Welcome to the world of expensive audio production and lower volume sales. I find that the price of audiobooks on Audible is at least competitive, and generally cheaper, than anywhere else. And if you listen to them regularly, signing up for a subscription is by far the cheapest way to keep yourself in spoken word content. My wife and I are signed up for their 2-books-a-month plan (~$12/book), and while that's a fine pace for me, she usually finishes them before we're halfway through the month. Audible isn't for everyone, but I think your experience is atypical. You might give them a second chance, and skip their software. We've been happy customers for 4+ years, and we'll be subscribers for many more. Sorry you had such a lousy experience with Audible. My own has been the exact opposite…once we stopped using Audible’s software. The secret to easy use of Audible with an iPod is to simply use their web site to download your books, in your standard web browser. Then drag the downloaded files into iTunes. You _don’t_ need Audible’s software, at all. I don’t even have it installed on my computer.

As for your complaints about their business model, after you exhause the possibilities (and low production values) at LibriVox, and get tired of manually importing audiobooks you borrow from the library, there’s not a lot of options available that are less expensive than Audible. You complain that an audiobook is more expensive than a paper book. Welcome to the world of expensive audio production and lower volume sales. I find that the price of audiobooks on Audible is at least competitive, and generally cheaper, than anywhere else.

And if you listen to them regularly, signing up for a subscription is by far the cheapest way to keep yourself in spoken word content. My wife and I are signed up for their 2-books-a-month plan (~$12/book), and while that’s a fine pace for me, she usually finishes them before we’re halfway through the month.

Audible isn’t for everyone, but I think your experience is atypical. You might give them a second chance, and skip their software. We’ve been happy customers for 4+ years, and we’ll be subscribers for many more.

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