New iOS user: Question on audiobooks

[haertig]

I have the audio book converted from a series of MP3 files into a single M4B file. Plays fine (using VLC on my Linux desktop where I converted it). Trying to get this file down onto the iPhone, to a place where it can be accessed by the iBooks app, WITHOUT USING ITUNES, seems to be nearly impossible. I can tranfser it using a WebDAV app (I used a free app named "Documents"). The file is now on the iPhone, but in a directory that only the "Documents" program appears to be able to see. I can't get it to someplace that the default app "iBooks" can access it. I can listen to the M4B file using the built-in MP3 played inside the "Documents" app. That is not a great player, since you don't have fine control of where you are in the audiobook. You have one slider, but when you're trying to slide it for only a few minutes or seconds, that is impossible in a long file, like a 12 hour audiobook. The slider doesn't have the required resolution. And while I can pause the audiobook and come back to the same paused place later, I think it is pretty unlikely that if I pause audiobook #1, go listen to some of audiobook #2, then try to come back to audiobook #1 that it will remember where I was. You probably need a dedicated audiobook player (like the one in iBooks) to retain this memory. Except I can't get this audiobook into iBooks. Maddening!

I guess Apple is of the mindset, "You buy audiobooks only from us, and use only our iTunes program (thus forcing yourself to switch to a Mac or Windows computer, dump Linux) - or you don't get to listen to your audiobooks at all!"

When someone says "It's our way or the highway", I will admit I usually head for the highway. I'll keep working with things to see if I can figure this out, but as of right now, iOS looks to be a turd. It might be OK for folks who are satisfied to be controlled, but I'd rather be the one holding the leash, not the one being held by it. We'll see ... I have more learning to do before I can fully form an opinion on iOS.

I very much appreciate the replies I've gotten in this thread. Thanks!

[pwalker8]

That's a bit of an over statement, IMPO. Basically, you are frustrated because Apple isn't Android and won't let you do thing precisely like you want to do them. There are a number of ways to get audiobooks on to an iOS device - dropbox, and iCloud come to mind. Your issue is you want to roll your own, but you don't want to learn how to do that on an iOS device. I will go back to my original advice to you, you will likely be a lot happier with an Andriod device than an iOS device.

[mariosipad]

@haertig

Just like you I have not been able to upload (in any conceivable way) an audiobook file (m4b and or mp3) to the iBooks app without iTunes.

However it is possible to play audiobook files with other (free and paid) apps on an iPhone or iPad. Most apps only seem to connect to fixed audiobook libraries on the web but some should be able to use audiobook files with Dropbox, iCloud, etc.
It should even be possible to upload files through a http connection. I would like smb (samba) access capabilities (but have not found so far).

2 apps that should be able to do this are:
- Bookmobile (60 days free -> try it out, afterwards U$D 4 as in app purchase for the full version)
- Bound U$D 4
They can be found in the App Store.

As a side question: how did you convert mp3 files to m4b file(s). And is that with or without chapters and art/covers?

Edit: Bookmobile works for me and my workflow:
My workflow is:
- do what I have to do to make an audiobook
- put the audiobook in a samba share on my debian server (or put it in dropbox if copyrights are ok)f
- use the iOS app FileBrowser to connect to the samba share, select the audiobook
- in FileBrowser use the option "open in ...." choose Bookmobile
- audiobook is visible in Bookmobile (file, chapters and cover art!)
In short: it works for me. (so far......;-) )

[haertig]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

There are a number of ways to get audiobooks on to an iOS device - dropbox, and iCloud come to mind.

Can you be more specific on how to do the transfer with either of the two cloud providers you mentioned?

I can get an audiobook up to DropBox from my Linux desktop. But how do I get it down from DropBox to the iphone? Does iOS let you pull random (non-Apple) audiobooks down from DropBox and into iBooks? Do you know of any URL links that would point me to the process?

Alternately, if using iCloud instead, my assumption is that once I have an audiobook in iCloud, that i could then easily get it down from iCloud and into the iPhone (remember, my audiobooks were not purchased from Apple). I haven't tried this - no iCloud account is set up yet - but one would assume that this is exactly what Apple wants to supply with iCloud. So my next question here is, how do I get the audiobook UP from my Linux desktop to iCloud? I have researched and it appears that iCloud does not support Linux. Maybe there's some web browser-based method to upload files though. I still need to research if that might be available. And is my assumption that once I get a non-Apple audiobook up to iCloud, then it is easy to get is down into iBooks on the iPhone?

I don't have to use iBooks. That just seemed like a convenient app that is already there by default. The fewer 3rd party apps that have to be installed, the better (from a non-expandable iPhone storage consumption standpoint).

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by haertig

Can you be more specific on how to do the transfer with either of the two cloud providers you mentioned?

I can get an audiobook up to DropBox from my Linux desktop. But how do I get it down from DropBox to the iphone? Does iOS let you pull random (non-Apple) audiobooks down from DropBox and into iBooks? Do you know of any URL links that would point me to the process?

Alternately, if using iCloud instead, my assumption is that once I have an audiobook in iCloud, that i could then easily get it down from iCloud and into the iPhone (remember, my audiobooks were not purchased from Apple). I haven't tried this - no iCloud account is set up yet - but one would assume that this is exactly what Apple wants to supply with iCloud. So my next question here is, how do I get the audiobook UP from my Linux desktop to iCloud? I have researched and it appears that iCloud does not support Linux. Maybe there's some web browser-based method to upload files though. I still need to research if that might be available. And is my assumption that once I get a non-Apple audiobook up to iCloud, then it is easy to get is down into iBooks on the iPhone?

I don't have to use iBooks. That just seemed like a convenient app that is already there by default. The fewer 3rd party apps that have to be installed, the better (from a non-expandable iPhone storage consumption standpoint).

The dropbox app has always had the ability to open a file in whatever application supports that filetype. In recent years, Apple has provided the files app, which supports opening files on the local phone as well as dropbox and icloud. You will be given the option in opening the files in whatever apps support that filetype. I haven't tried audiobooks explicitly but I open PDF's in goodreader all the time. You simply copy the file to your dropbox account via your computer. I use dropbox mostly as a backup for calibre, as well as a repository for various PDF's that I don't keep in calibre.

[mariosipad]

@pwalker8

Yes that works for pdf, epub, etc., but NOT for transferring and opening audiobooks (in m4b format) in iBooks.

It works for opening m4b audiobooks in 3rd party apps (like bookmobile) though.

[haertig]

Thanks for those tips. It looks like the solution may just be, "Use DropBox, and a 3rd party audiobook player". That would work for me. Most of the time I use my Kindle Fire with an external bluetooth speaker for audiobooks. But for the occasions where I'm out and about, find myself waiting for something/someone, I was hoping to be able to listen to an audiobook on the iPhone - which will always be with me (unless/until I buy a different cellphone). If I'm planning to be somewhere where I might have idle time, I always take my Fire and my Kindle. It's for the unplanned times that I'd potentially use the iPhone.

[Dylrob]

Originally Posted by haertig

Can you be more specific on how to do the transfer with either of the two cloud providers you mentioned?

I can get an audiobook up to DropBox from my Linux desktop. But how do I get it down from DropBox to the iphone? Does iOS let you pull random (non-Apple) audiobooks down from DropBox and into iBooks? Do you know of any URL links that would point me to the process?

Alternately, if using iCloud instead, my assumption is that once I have an audiobook in iCloud, that i could then easily get it down from iCloud and into the iPhone (remember, my audiobooks were not purchased from Apple). I haven't tried this - no iCloud account is set up yet - but one would assume that this is exactly what Apple wants to supply with iCloud. So my next question here is, how do I get the audiobook UP from my Linux desktop to iCloud? I have researched and it appears that iCloud does not support Linux. Maybe there's some web browser-based method to upload files though. I still need to research if that might be available. And is my assumption that once I get a non-Apple audiobook up to iCloud, then it is easy to get is down into iBooks on the iPhone?

I don't have to use iBooks. That just seemed like a convenient app that is already there by default. The fewer 3rd party apps that have to be installed, the better (from a non-expandable iPhone storage consumption standpoint).

I really do highly recommend getting GoodReader. It can connect to everything and will handle just about all your media.

[kyteflyer]

The Dropbox app on iOS will play from the cloud, and the Files app will play too you can save the file to your phone from dropbox inside files, but I have no idea about their bookmarking capabilities. I have tried a dozen ways to get an m4a file into ibooks or audiobooks but am unable to do so. Instead, it wants to go to Telegram, or KIndle. I suspect that this is all about the sandboxing that Apple introduced so that one app cannot access the data from another. I understand why they did it but its a royal pita.

[edit] Nope. No bookmarking.

[Dylrob]

Originally Posted by kyteflyer

The Dropbox app on iOS will play from the cloud, and the Files app will play too you can save the file to your phone from dropbox inside files, but I have no idea about their bookmarking capabilities. I have tried a dozen ways to get an m4a file into ibooks or audiobooks but am unable to do so. Instead, it wants to go to Telegram, or KIndle. I suspect that this is all about the sandboxing that Apple introduced so that one app cannot access the data from another. I understand why they did it but its a royal pita.

[edit] Nope. No bookmarking.

No, the Files app and sharing feature get around the sandboxing just fine. You can even share PDFs and epubs to iBooks, no problem. Apple doesn’t want you transferring audio and video to the built-in apps (or even set custom ringtones) on your device directly for one reason: to encourage you to buy from the iTunes Store.

That said, other than lack of Siri integration, third party apps are perfectly suitable replacements.

[Tarana]

FWIW, the Audible app will play nearly all local content. There has only been a handful of audio books that I couldn't get to play- the app would crash. It's an excellent app. I sideload a lot of content on my I touch.

[haertig]

I tried Audible. It has something called "My Library", which I assume is all your stuff, including local content. However, I don't see how you put your local content into "My Library".

[Dylrob]

As far as I know Audible only lets you import through iTunes file sharing. (Like Apple, Amazon’s primary interest is in selling your their content, not letting you use your own...)

[kyteflyer]

Well, if I were you, @haertig, I would stick with what works. ie, your Android. enjoy the iOS device for a while but it sounds like its not going to do the job you want it to.

[haertig]

I tried yet another iOS app, named "Book Mower" (weird name, and yes, the icon has a lawn mower blade in it!) It seems pretty good. It's a nice audiobook player, and it has a good feature for moving audiobooks to your iOS device - you can switch on an internal webserver in it. Then you go to your normal desktop computer, where you have the source audiobook, and connect to the "website" hosted by the Book Mower app on your iPhone. You then upload the audiobook via that website interface, and yeah!, then it's there on the iPhone and playable by the Book Mower app. I still have no idea what directory the audiobook files went into, but the Book Mower app knows and can play them. Plus, I do not need to convert my audiobooks from a "series of mp3 files" into a single m4b file. Book Mower will handle the audiobook in either format.

So with this newly found app, my quest has come to an end. It allows easy playback of audiobooks, and allows an easy way to get them onto the iPhone without needing iTunes, DropBox, a physical cable connection, etc.

Some day, a genius needs to invent an app that runs on Linux, Windows, Mac's, Android, and iOS that will play audiobooks, and sync all your bookmarks and current position between all devices (syncs to some server that you personally run, not a 3rd party cloud that tries to tie you in to their ecosystem). I won't be holding my breath for that programming breakthrough though!

p.s. - I think this ordeal/learning experience has indeed convinced me that I am an Android person, not an iOS person. Just like I'm a Linux person and not a Windows person. I like control!