FREE/BARGAIN - Audiobooks - 2015 - Page 42

skinmaan · 06-18-2015, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

EDIT: I just looked in the iPhone app and there all books show for me. Rechecked the website and the two are still missing there.

The Android app has the books missing in them as well.

ApK · 06-18-2015, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skinmaan

The Android app has the books missing in them as well.

You can download the free books on the mobile app without having to have an account or be logged in. Is it possible you downloaded them that way, while not logged in, and so they are not associated with your account when you look elsewhere?

AnemicOak · 06-18-2015, 01:34 PM

Just heard back from their CS and he indicates that they were removed from the site at publisher request. I replied for clarification if it was their policy that when something is removed from sale they are also removed from a customer's library in essence stealing it back. No other audio or ebook seller I know of does this. They will remove something from sale of course, but not also from libraries that already "own" it.

koland · 06-18-2015, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skinmaan

Ah, now I understand. I wasn't looking at the right problem. I can confirm that at least 1 of the 2 (I missed the other) is missing from my library. My guess is the same as yours - they pull it globally when they remove the title. Another reason to not like this site. Keep us informed in you get any love from customer service.

OK, they were unaware of the problem. Seems their "solution" for losing publishing rights is to mark the title so it won't show up on the website (rather than having a message that it is no longer available, which is what is necessary to allow downloading, from what I can see of their website structure). That has the unintended effect of removing the title from display in the website list of titles, as well.

The title still exists in your library, though - but you can only see and listen to it via their app (confirmed on the IPAD app for my account). That means that title becomes streaming only, with no download. Since I never listen via streaming (can't here, don't like sitting somewhere else that long to do so; besides, I listen to audiobooks on on my very tiny, non-smart, MP3 player, so must download them first), I'll never see or listen to the missing titles. Also locked out from any access on my MP3 player or any Kindle device, since they don't have an app for there (yet or possibly ever, from what I can tell, so far).

I'll update again if their tech guys fix the issue, allowing a title to be "not for sale" but still accessible for those who have purchased it.

skinmaan · 06-18-2015, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApK

You can download the free books on the mobile app without having to have an account or be logged in. Is it possible you downloaded them that way, while not logged in, and so they are not associated with your account when you look elsewhere?

This is actually how I missed out on the Who title - it downloaded without adding to my library. I have the other but it did seem to disappear from my library on the android app. I'll check again when I get home.

AnemicOak · 06-18-2015, 02:31 PM

New reply from CS...

Quote:

Thanks for your message.

I do apologize for the inconvenience. Unfortunately once a publisher no longer has the rights to distribute the book it is completely removed from our website. This means that the book also becomes unavailable to customers who have added the book to their accounts.

Regards,

Kyle
Customer Service

EDIT: I'm not sure this Kyle guy totally knows what's what. If what he's saying is true then why are they still showing in the iOS and Android apps and why was I just able to download them on Android and copy the MP3's off the device to a computer?

GtrsRGr8 · 06-18-2015, 07:36 PM

I haven't ever bought or gotten anything free from Audiobooks.com, so I'm following the discussion very lightly and only getting the gist of things (hopefully that much). Please keep that in mind, and deal with me mercifully if I'm wrong somewhere.

First, someone mentioned that you can still stream the titles that you have, but can't download them. I wonder if the following might be a workaround. I'll preface the remarks with this caveat--I've never used one of the programs that I'm about to mention. There exists software that lets you capture whatever you would ordinarily hear on your speakers or headphones, and turn it into MP3's and maybe other formats; Perhaps they are not even lossy. Audacity, a free, highly regarded audio program might be able to do the job; if not, there are a plethora of programs out there which will, many free. Yes, I know that it would be a pain in the gluteous maximus to have to copy your books this way, especially if you have more than a few.

Second, early on in the discussion someone mentioned, I think, that only the titles that they got free were affected. If that is the case, the Audiobooks.com's CS response doesn't seem to make sense--they imply, at least, that all books that the publishers lose rights to are removed. So, if that is true, not only would the free ones be affected, but also the ones that you bought. Have I missed something?

Oh, and this. There sounds like there is a lot of unfairness in the situation, especially if you lose, or lose ways to utilize, some of the audiobooks from Audiobooks.com. If I was a betting man (and I'm not), I would wager dollars to doughnuts that there is something in what was called the "terms and conditions" (or whatever it might be called) that permits Audiobooks to do what it is doing. You know, the thing that you (and I) never read, but just click that we've read it so we can get on with busines? The situation still might be unfair, but if what I said was true, we were forewarned.

koland · 06-18-2015, 08:00 PM

Ok, me again.

In the iPad app, you can download the title. Not sure if I can copy it from the ipad to the PC after that, but I've downloaded the two "missing" titles to the iPad for now, in case they disappear from streaming on that app, also.

Checked with someone at the company with a bit more knowledge than the front-line guy quoted above. Once pulled from the store, they are _currently_ disappearing from the web view (and apparently the Android app, although I can't confirm that). They do, though, show up in the iPad app and are still in your library. If you can't figure out any way to play the "missing" audiobook, you can email their customer support and they are _supposed_ to be able to email you the audiobook back, as a drm-free attached file.

So, good support and not really missing audiobooks. They are (hopefully) working on the issues found with the app and web listening app.

One can always download the files immediately and back up on their own, if not wanting to rely on the company to stick around (the same as many other ebook/audiobook stores out there).

Catlady · 06-18-2015, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Froide

Gee, that's unfortunate! I have not had the same problem, but then I always login and then wait for confirmation that the audiobook has been downloaded to my Android device. I then back up the audiobooks from my device to my laptop.

What are you doing to get them from the device to your laptop? When I download one of these titles, I can't even locate it when I connect my phone to the computer via USB. I don't care about most of these freebies, but I would like to be able to have the titles I got earlier in the free trial.

TrevorViking · 06-18-2015, 09:15 PM

Today's book is Nancy Drew Diaries something or other.

AnemicOak · 06-18-2015, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by koland

Once pulled from the store, they are _currently_ disappearing from the web view (and apparently the Android app, although I can't confirm that).

I can confirm that for me they show up in both the iOS and Android app (just not on the website). I was able to download the missing titles to an Android device and copy them to my computer (they're MP3's).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catlady

What are you doing to get them from the device to your laptop? When I download one of these titles, I can't even locate it when I connect my phone to the computer via USB. I don't care about most of these freebies, but I would like to be able to have the titles I got earlier in the free trial.

Download them using the app and the files are stored Internal Storage/Android/data/com.audiobooks.androidapp (that's the path on my LG Volt anyway). Then I just copied the files from there to my desktop.

Note that every time I download something with the app I have to restart the device before I can see the files in Explorer for some reason.

skinmaan · 06-18-2015, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Note that every time I download something with the app I have to restart the device before I can see the files in Explorer for some reason.

Same here.

Catlady · 06-18-2015, 11:07 PM

Thanks. I will have to try it again. Last time I downloaded from the site, I found what I thought was the right path but the folder was empty. Maybe restarting will do the trick!

ETA: Success! After restarting I was able to see the files. Many thanks!

AnemicOak · 06-19-2015, 12:50 AM

This weeks Sync titles are...

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein

Anne Frank Remembered by Miep Gies, Alison Leslie Gold

cadele · 06-20-2015, 06:38 PM

I have received an email from Audible saying that if you use 4 credits by 24 June (4 credits in 4 days) you will get a $10 voucher.

I think I'll get the next 4 C.J. Cherryh audiobooks in the Foreigner series I am listening to. So good!

06-18-2015, 07:36 PM	#622
GtrsRGr8 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,334 Karma: 27815322 Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Southeastern U.S., ya'll Device: Kindle; Kindle (10.1.1) for PC; Kindle Cloud Reader	I haven't ever bought or gotten anything free from Audiobooks.com, so I'm following the discussion very lightly and only getting the gist of things (hopefully that much). Please keep that in mind, and deal with me mercifully if I'm wrong somewhere. First, someone mentioned that you can still stream the titles that you have, but can't download them. I wonder if the following might be a workaround. I'll preface the remarks with this caveat--I've never used one of the programs that I'm about to mention. There exists software that lets you capture whatever you would ordinarily hear on your speakers or headphones, and turn it into MP3's and maybe other formats; Perhaps they are not even lossy. Audacity, a free, highly regarded audio program might be able to do the job; if not, there are a plethora of programs out there which will, many free. Yes, I know that it would be a pain in the gluteous maximus to have to copy your books this way, especially if you have more than a few. Second, early on in the discussion someone mentioned, I think, that only the titles that they got free were affected. If that is the case, the Audiobooks.com's CS response doesn't seem to make sense--they imply, at least, that all books that the publishers lose rights to are removed. So, if that is true, not only would the free ones be affected, but also the ones that you bought. Have I missed something? Oh, and this. There sounds like there is a lot of unfairness in the situation, especially if you lose, or lose ways to utilize, some of the audiobooks from Audiobooks.com. If I was a betting man (and I'm not), I would wager dollars to doughnuts that there is something in what was called the "terms and conditions" (or whatever it might be called) that permits Audiobooks to do what it is doing. You know, the thing that you (and I) never read, but just click that we've read it so we can get on with busines? The situation still might be unfair, but if what I said was true, we were forewarned. Last edited by GtrsRGr8; 06-18-2015 at 08:12 PM.

06-18-2015, 11:07 PM	#628
Catlady Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,419 Karma: 52613881 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite, AGPTek Bluetooth Clip	Thanks. I will have to try it again. Last time I downloaded from the site, I found what I thought was the right path but the folder was empty. Maybe restarting will do the trick! ETA: Success! After restarting I was able to see the files. Many thanks! Last edited by Catlady; 06-19-2015 at 10:00 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
FREE/BARGAIN - Cookbooks - 2015	gabby98	Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links)	907	01-01-2016 07:11 AM
FREE/BARGAIN - Romance + Discussion - 2015	library addict	Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links)	2037	01-01-2016 01:05 AM
FREE/BARGAIN - Non-Fiction - 2015	koland	Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links)	1165	12-31-2015 10:52 PM
FREE/BARGAIN - Christian Interest - 2015	koland	Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links)	397	12-31-2015 10:49 PM
FREE/BARGAIN - Children's, YA - 2015	gabby98	Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links)	51	12-30-2015 07:39 PM

06-18-2015, 01:34 PM	#618
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	Just heard back from their CS and he indicates that they were removed from the site at publisher request. I replied for clarification if it was their policy that when something is removed from sale they are also removed from a customer's library in essence stealing it back. No other audio or ebook seller I know of does this. They will remove something from sale of course, but not also from libraries that already "own" it.

06-18-2015, 08:00 PM	#623
koland Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,560 Karma: 8033155 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: TN, USA Device: kindle(all), nook, nookcolor, Sony, Kobo, epic, iphone, iPad, pc	Ok, me again. In the iPad app, you can download the title. Not sure if I can copy it from the ipad to the PC after that, but I've downloaded the two "missing" titles to the iPad for now, in case they disappear from streaming on that app, also. Checked with someone at the company with a bit more knowledge than the front-line guy quoted above. Once pulled from the store, they are _currently_ disappearing from the web view (and apparently the Android app, although I can't confirm that). They do, though, show up in the iPad app and are still in your library. If you can't figure out any way to play the "missing" audiobook, you can email their customer support and they are _supposed_ to be able to email you the audiobook back, as a drm-free attached file. So, good support and not really missing audiobooks. They are (hopefully) working on the issues found with the app and web listening app. One can always download the files immediately and back up on their own, if not wanting to rely on the company to stick around (the same as many other ebook/audiobook stores out there).

06-18-2015, 09:15 PM	#625
TrevorViking Wizard Posts: 1,454 Karma: 4895157 Join Date: Jul 2014 Device: Kindle Fire	Today's book is Nancy Drew Diaries something or other.

06-19-2015, 12:50 AM	#629
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	This weeks Sync titles are... Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein Anne Frank Remembered by Miep Gies, Alison Leslie Gold

06-20-2015, 06:38 PM	#630
cadele Addict Posts: 372 Karma: 3710372 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: Kindles, Sony 650	I have received an email from Audible saying that if you use 4 credits by 24 June (4 credits in 4 days) you will get a $10 voucher. I think I'll get the next 4 C.J. Cherryh audiobooks in the Foreigner series I am listening to. So good!