06-22-2012, 12:46 AM | #226 |
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I give Audible a lot of credit, but they were also one of my two object lessons in why DRM is categorically offensive and companies should be punished for using it. I'm not fond of using only "authorized" software, making sure the software is authorized before I want to use it, and having to remember login credentials for a company I no longer purchase from if I ever want to use my purchases again.
That said, along with the perpetual shackles on your Audible purchases, you also get perpetual support, including the option to re-download years-old purchases and the ability to get a rep on the phone to help recover old passwords, even if you aren't a current subscriber. I understand the DRM is catering to publishers' superstitions about how punishing your paying customers somehow inhibits piracy, and most people don't find it quite as offensive on so many levels as I do. Design that inhibits function and/or durability is something akin to heresy for me. /rant |
06-22-2012, 09:43 AM | #227 |
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Audible is one of the few places where I really don't mind the DRM. First off, if you really want to get past it, it's easy (though time consuming) to do. Just route the output to your favorite audio recording and you have a nice DRM free recording.
Second, audible has long had a very sensible policy about DRM. Once you are authorized, you don't have to re-authorize that device. So as long as you have that device, you can listen to your books. I'm not sure how different things will be now that Amazon owns Audible (geeze, I really, really hope they don't fold the audible website into the amazon website), but I do know that I can always listen to my audio books regardless and if I need to, I can format shift the audio books into a non-DRM format. If audible ever goes away, that's going to be the first thing that I do. I do have all my audible books on two different devices (desktop and laptop) as well as backed on a couple of different hard drives. But I do that for all my media (audio books, ebooks, music) exception movies. Those are a bit too big to keep multiple copies of. Apple's approach to DRM for movies (having to re-authorize each time you watch) isn't nearly as good, but that's one reason that I've only purchased a dozen or so movies from Apple. |
06-22-2012, 10:15 AM | #228 | |
intelligent posterior
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Quote:
Anyway, that tangent could go on forever. I wrapped up Dresden files #4, Summer Knight, and moved on to #5, Death Masks. I also have assorted dharma talks going, if those count, and am trying to track down more inspirational/motivational stuff for the regular morning commute in my near future. |
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06-24-2012, 08:14 AM | #229 |
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Finished The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, read by Rupert Degas. It ended a bit abruptly without solving much (or anything), but then, it tells the life of a mysterious innkeeper, and this was only part one.
I have now started Among Others by Jo Walton, narrated by Katherine Kellgren. I read the book last year and loved it, so I was looking forward to listening to this in audio. |
06-24-2012, 01:03 PM | #230 | |
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Quote:
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06-24-2012, 01:56 PM | #231 |
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I know it wasn't the end to Kvothe's story. The Wise Man's Fear has very good reviews over here (in Germany) too. Unfortunately, Audible.de still has it split in two parts if I don't want to change the narrator. I really like Rupert Degas, especially his voice for Kvothe, so I think I'll wait for it to be available for one credit.
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06-26-2012, 08:26 PM | #232 |
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Finished reading Trading in Danger, by Elizabeth Moon, read by Cynthia Holloway. The book is excellent, a cross between TraderSF and MilSF, and very well written. However, the reader is pretty bad. I would rate her "barely adequate" (2 stars out of 5). She is slow, stilted, and doesn't do a good job of distinguishing voices, except sometimes adding in hokey accents. The reading does seem to get better by the end of the book, but that may just be that I was finally getting past it. IAC, I sincerely hope that she does a better job on the subsequent books in the series.
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06-26-2012, 09:29 PM | #233 |
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I am listening to A Rage in Harlem read by Samuel L Jackson. I love Jackson as an actor, but must admit that several hours and his voice gets annoying.
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07-03-2012, 07:29 PM | #234 | |
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YMMV, but I found his staccato delivery so abrasive that I found myself actively not listening as hard as I could . And the Russian accent? Yikes! Don't get me started! Ah well, lots more where that one came from...now to go find them. |
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07-06-2012, 12:46 PM | #235 |
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A bad narrator can definitely ruin a good book. For me, it is Tom Weiner - I find it unbearable to listen to his "sing song" voice.
Anyway, I just finished a book narrated by one of my very favorite narrators: Among Others by Jo Walton, read by Katherine Kellgren. This was one of my top five reads last year, and I loved the audiobook experience. The Welsh accent added another dimension to the story; I thought it was wonderful, though I can understand that it might put off other people. I have now started Kronos by Jeremy Robinson. This is a podiobook audiobook, narrated by the author. I am not far enough into it to say anything about it. |
07-16-2012, 06:22 PM | #236 | |
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I liked the story very much, too, as I had the first one (MISTRESS OF THE ART OF DEATH). There are a couple more in the series after THE SERPENT'S TALE. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...Serpent_s_Tale |
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07-17-2012, 11:52 AM | #237 |
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Finished listening to Kronos. It was good fun, though not really memorable. It's the story of a marine biologist who goes after a sea monster who has swallowed his daughter. There's some cryptozoology (if you like that kind of thing, I do) and a good monster. I'd rate it like a popcorn action movie - light entertainment, but sometimes that is just what I want.
Also finished listening to Blackout by Connie Willis. This is the second time I have listened to it (after reading the book early last year) and I still enjoyed it as much as I did the first time. Of course it is only half the story, which is continued in All Clear. I'll get to that one soon. For the time being, I have started The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon, which features an autistic main character. I am enjoying it very much so far. |
07-21-2012, 11:33 AM | #238 |
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Last edited by alansplace; 07-21-2012 at 11:44 AM. |
07-21-2012, 11:39 PM | #239 |
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I haven't heard of that one. Is the narrator any good?
Still listening to The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch, Read by Dan Bittner (Scholastic Audiobooks). It's one of the weekly freebies being offered each week this summer by sync and mentioned in the Deals forum by melmac. I'm really enjoying this YA story about survival. Spoiler:
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07-22-2012, 01:11 AM | #240 |
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I really, really liked this book, and I only bought it because it was Elizabeth Moon, and then almost didn't bother to listen to it when I realized what it was about. But I was short of things to listen to right then, started it, and got totally involved and engaged. An excellent book. I don't know enough to know how accurate it is, but it was certainly highly believable and "felt right". And the story and characters were compelling, and the reader excellent. Highly recommended.
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