Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Librivox.org and Podiobooks.com Provide Free Audiobooks

Let's face it, we're all pinching pennies right now. As a result, comparison shopping applies to almost every purchase, and if there's a cheaper or free alternative, we'll take it, especially if it's not a necessity.

That's why I believe sites like podiobooks.com will increase in popularity over the next few months, and perhaps years to come.
Yesterday, I mentioned the text-to-audio, known as the "Read to me" feature on the next Amazon Kindle, but let's be honest, most middle-class American's don't have $360 to spend on such a luxury item. Instead, we'll search for a similar application on a smart phone we've already spent hundreds of dollars on.

A few months ago, I offered my review of the Stanza App, a digital reader from LexCycle that provides free access to books in public domain. I was so impressed Stanza, I wondered if there was a similar site or app for free audiobooks. Thanks to our readers' comments, I discovered Librivox a non-profit org which features books in public domain, and podiobooks, which provides free books via RSS feeds. 

Podiobook's platform is a win-win for listeners and authors, because the  readers get free audio and the authors receive 75% of any listener donations, which are encouraged, (but not required), after each download. The remaining 25% covers overhead on the site's end.
On podiobooks, listeners can access titles from 20 different genres (including public domain) by clicking on each individual chapter, or subscribing to a chapter at a time. Listeners can determine the frequency each chapter arrives- from every day, every other day, every week, every other week, every three weeks or once a month.
Podiobooks gives authors the option to narrate their own tale or a professional narrator will recite their work. Podiobooks  was co-founded by Evo Terra, Tee Morris and Chris Miller. I recommend a visit to podiobooks.com. I listened to  the first episode of 65 Below by Basil Sands, and I'm already hooked.

By Matt O'Hern at 04:38 PM | Comments (1)

(1) Thoughts on Librivox.org and Podiobooks.com Provide Free Audiobooks

Thanks for the *great* write up. It certainly helps to spread out word.

We're in the middle of a complete code-overhaul to the site. In the coming weeks, expect to see a whole new site from us. Same great features, but a few more bells, whistles and layout that I think will appeal to the audiobook crowd a bit better.

Oh, and LOADS more books on the way. Just put one more live this morning. :)

E.

Comments by Evo Terra : Wednesday, February 11, 2009 at 09:55 AM

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