The Good, the Bad, the Ugly of Audible.com
Written: Sep 05 '07
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Audible.com service checklist:
Good variety of titles? Check
Decent Prices? Check
Slow website? Check
Erratic Downloads? Check
Poor customer service? Check
I have used Audible.com for about 5 years now. I am still using the service, because there's no other options that offer what they do. I'd switch in an instant if there were something else out there. Why?
Audible.com should be a reader's best friend. The service should be easy and intuitive, the downloads small and quick. Even non-computer savvy folks should be able to use this service.
In reality, a great idea is hampered by incredibly slow servers and something VERY wrong with the download system.
AUDIBLE WEBSITE:
Audible updated their website in 2006. The old site was more difficult to browse the way a bibliophile usually browses - wander to the mystery section and see what looks good - the new site design does make 'wandering' through sections easier. However, the molasses-slow servers are so frustrating, I usually end up just looking for specific books that I've already researched elsewhere.
PURCHASING A TITLE:
After selecting your title, the shopping cart system good. Easy to understand, and easy to select how you'd like to pay.
DOWNLOADING YOUR TITLE:
Here's where frustration really sets in. First, after clicking 'purchase', the title begins to automatically download. Of course, Firefox and Explorer both block the download and ask if you really want to download. Click 'yes', and the download should commence, right? Nope. The page refreshes to 'there is nothing in your shopping cart', and the download aborts.
You then click on 'My Library' and find the title you just purchased. It has a check mark showing it's already downloaded (this activates the instant you hit 'download', not when the download is complete!), so you need to look at the dates, or compare to what is already in your library to make sure you're getting the new book.
From here, it's a crap shoot. Sometimes I'll have a book download at 100k (I have DSL), and it'll be completed in one pass.
Usually though, the download speeds are around 61k, and will only go for about 10 minutes before aborting for no reason, then I need to manually re-start. This can happen as many as 20 times for an 8 hour (60mb) book.
Even when the book does download in one pass, it is excruciatingly slow. I can upload 60 megs of pictures to flickr in 15 minutes, but the same size book takes 3 or 4 hours of fussing on Audible.
It wouldn't be a problem if I could start the download, go away, and come back a few hours later when it was complete, but with it aborting every 10 or 20 minutes, I have to babysit it.
CUSTOMER SERVICE:
I have contacted customer service multiple times about the slow downloads. They have responded with nonsense form letters, and nonsense explanations... Such as, my wireless network is causing the problem - but when it is disabled, the problem does not change. They have no response after this. Just that it must be a hardware issue.
COST:
I like the new system that allows you to purchase a certain amount of 'credits' up front, and use them whenever you like. Much better than the old monthly system. Price per book can be very cheap if you purchase 12 credits.
If you don't want to purchase credits, you can become a member for a small fee, and get a discount on book titles.
If you're looking for podcasts and 1 or 2 hour short stories, this is the way to go.
Audible has many short stories and podcasts for under $2.00 each. The added bonus is these are quick downloads, not near the hassle of a big book.
SOUND QUALITY:
Audible offers titles in 4 sound quality formats. Not all titles are available in all formats. Format 1 and 2 are like AM radio. 3 is acceptable, 4 is excellent (we're talking spoken word, not music quality). I use '3', I've tried '2', but it's just too crummy.
DOWNLOADING TO YOUR PLAYER:
Audible does support many players, I've tried a few. Some will use Windows Media Player and a small add-on from Audible to download. I've had hassles with this setup, and don't recommend it. Namely, the audible system keeps trying to re-authorize your player. I could never keep a player authorized through the Windows Media Player option.
Other players use the AudibleManager for downloads. Yes, it's a big bloated program, but it does work, and no hassles with re-authorization.
You can also listen on your computer, or copy to CD, but it's not MP3 or similar format, so one CD = 90 minutes of book. A regular book takes 7 or 8 cds.
PLAYER OPTIONS:
I use a MuVo TXFM player for my audible books. It is tiny, has FM radio, and uses 1 AAA Battery. I use it exclusively for audible books.
Yes, there are tons of options - including all the iPods, most Sanyo and Sony products, the crummy iRiver players, and a host of others. I use a great little Sanyo Yepp for my 'real' mp3 player.
Through trial and error, I found I liked the simplicity and basics of the MuVo product for Audible files.
WOULD I RECOMMEND AUDIBLE?
Well......like I said at the start, if there were ANYTHING else available that offered what Audible offers, I'd switch in an instant. I have tried others, but have gone back to Audible.
They have the selection. Once it's on the player, the book is easy to use (bookmarks allow you to jump to different parts - an mp3 format doesn't have this).
I don't recommend Audible to my non-computer savvy friends, but to those who have the skills and understand what they're in for, it's a viable option.
Still, I hate giving money to a company I know is raking in the dough and not fixing what is so obviously broken!
Recommended:
No
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? AudibleListener Gold
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Epinions.com ID:
pfalcioni
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Location: Bend, OR, USA
Reviews written: 12
Trusted by: 0 members
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