What are we listening to? (audiobooks)

[ApK]

I'm in the middle of "Lost Girls" by Bob Mayer, part of "The Cellar" series that was free on Audible a while back.

I was a bit burned out on Lee Child, so was looking for another decent Men's Adventure kind of thing.
I'm about half way through. Not bad so far, I guess, but Gant sure doesn't have the wit or charisma of Reacher, and while I could always adequately accept that Reacher was doing the "the right thing," I'm not yet sold that this "Cellar" outfit has the moral high ground in what they do.

ETA: Just finished the book. It was OK. But I've learned that this is book two of a currently two book series. I'm really sad that the giveaway got me to start with book two, because they talk SO MUCH about the characters and events of book one, that not only did I feel like I was being excluded from some clique's private conversations, but according the descriptions I just read for the first book, I apparently now know all the outcomes of all the major plot lines.

Need to find a new series again, I guess.

I strongly recommend that if anyone care to try these books, they read/listen to the first book, "Bodyguard of Lies," first.

[Autonomous]

Listening to Crooked Heart by Lissa Evans. Good so far, and I really like the narrator for this one.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Kway?? I wish you were kidding!!

Currently reading the 6th Sharpe book, Sharpe's Haven. Read by Patrick Tull.

Still reading Sharpe's Haven (and enjoying it), but added a different book for my morning swim -- David Weber's Fire Season, read reasonably well by Khristine Hvam. This is second book in the YA series from Weber (and Jane Lindskold) about the early days of treecats. A very light read, but perfect for swimming.

[ApK]

How do you do the audiobook thing while swimming??

[CRussel]

Ah, yes, that's something that we've covered before, but happy to again. You need two things, really

• A set of headphones/earbuds that are waterproof
• A waterproof case to hold your iPod/iPhone/MP3 player

There are lots of earbuds that claim to be waterproof, and some of them even are, though none of them seem to last more than a year in regular swimming. I'm currently using the X-1(Powered by H2O Audio) earbuds. They work well, but they will likely last about a week or two past their one year warranty if the previous two version of these are anything to go by. OTOH, they're comfortable, they fit well, they provide acceptable sound, and they do a decent job of staying in my ears.

Waterproof cases are a problem. It used to be that Otterbox made an excellent case for the iPod Nano but they stopped making those cases sometime around the Gen5 Nano. Fortunately, I have a pair of Gen3 Nanos and the case for them, and they're still going strong. I change them out to charge and update the book list. The current best solution seems to be the waterproofed iPod Shuffles that are available - at least two different companies are doing it. Basically, they fill the entire inside of the shuffle with something (silicone?) that prevents water from getting in, and then reseal them. The problem, for me, is that I don't like the lack of interface that the shuffle has, so I'm holding off as long as I can with my current iPod Nano 3G solution. Some day either the case will fail, or both my 3Gs will die, and then I'll have to update. But so far we're doing well. This case is 8 years old, as are the two Nanos (one bought off eBay a few years ago to replace its predecessor that failed when it got dropped in the pool as I was changing it out for the charged one.)

I swim in an Endless Pool that I built when we moved up here. It's my second, and I still love it.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Ah, yes, that's something that we've covered before, but happy to again. You need two things, really

• A set of headphones/earbuds that are waterproof
• A waterproof case to hold your iPod/iPhone/MP3 player

There are lots of earbuds that claim to be waterproof, and some of them even are, though none of them seem to last more than a year in regular swimming. I'm currently using the X-1(Powered by H2O Audio) earbuds. They work well, but they will likely last about a week or two past their one year warranty if the previous two version of these are anything to go by. OTOH, they're comfortable, they fit well, they provide acceptable sound, and they do a decent job of staying in my ears.

Waterproof cases are a problem. It used to be that Otterbox made an excellent case for the iPod Nano but they stopped making those cases sometime around the Gen5 Nano. Fortunately, I have a pair of Gen3 Nanos and the case for them, and they're still going strong. I change them out to charge and update the book list. The current best solution seems to be the waterproofed iPod Shuffles that are available - at least two different companies are doing it. Basically, they fill the entire inside of the shuffle with something (silicone?) that prevents water from getting in, and then reseal them. The problem, for me, is that I don't like the lack of interface that the shuffle has, so I'm holding off as long as I can with my current iPod Nano 3G solution. Some day either the case will fail, or both my 3Gs will die, and then I'll have to update. But so far we're doing well. This case is 8 years old, as are the two Nanos (one bought off eBay a few years ago to replace its predecessor that failed when it got dropped in the pool as I was changing it out for the charged one.)

I swim in an Endless Pool that I built when we moved up here. It's my second, and I still love it.

Fascinating. Curious, since you're in an endless pool, and therefore pretty much always in the same place, have you considered just worrying about water proofing some Bluetooth earphones, and leaving the player dry on the side, maybe just in a baggie?

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by ApK

Fascinating. Curious, since you're in an endless pool, and therefore pretty much always in the same place, have you considered just worrying about water proofing some Bluetooth earphones, and leaving the player dry on the side, maybe just in a baggie?

Yes. But it turns out Bluetooth doesn't work very well through water. As in, not at all. Others have tried an equivalent, and report universal failure. Because I agree, that would be the best solution and would let me just use my cell phone with its built in Audible app. But by all means if you hear of some bluetooth solution that works, let me know.

ETA: Hmmm. Since I last looked, there are now several headsets rated IPx7 (short term immersion to 1 M), and even some rated IPx8 (long term immersion to 3Meters). This would seem to indicate that it might just be possible to make this work. I'm going to give it a try. Will report back.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by ApK

How do you do the audiobook thing while swimming??

Or, you can get a waterproof mp3 player. I have this one and I love it; it's sleek and reliable. The one caveat is that it won't play Audible audiobooks, but I'm content loading it with books from OverDrive, Downpour and Tantor.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by issybird

Or, you can get a waterproof mp3 player. I have this one and I love it; it's sleek and reliable. The one caveat is that it won't play Audible audiobooks, but I'm content loading it with books from OverDrive, Downpour and Tantor.

Yeah, that's a deal breaker for me. Even though I can, and do, convert all my Audible books to mp3, that's purely for archival purposes. I much prefer to listen with the Audible player and with chapters, etc.

[badgoodDeb]

Remind me how one converts to mp3? I've got mine extracted as aax (iTunes) but if that too ever went away, I couldn't access them.

[CRussel]

Several options. I use dbPowerAmp, but it must be the 32-bit version - there isn't the necessary driver for the 64-bit version. There's also inAudible.

[badgoodDeb]

I'll try inAudible -- I'm on a Mac so the other is right out! I think I downloaded it, but will test run it tomorrow.

[issybird]

I've finished Sharpe's Prey which was a great listen. Perfect mindless entertainment. I'll note, however, as I did on Goodreads, that the survival rate for Sharpe's love interest in the two books I've heard is currently at 0 for 2. One of the problems with prequels. Run, ladies! I note that the next book is read by Frederick Davidson. I like him as well as Patrick Tull; I hope it won't be hard to switch gears.

So. My usual MO is to alternate fiction and nonfiction and I've cued up The History of the Ancient World: From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome, read by John Lee. This would meet one of my reading challenges (good!), but I have some trepidation, as it's unlikely to suck me in the way Sharpe did, and thus keep me exercising. I figure I'll bail if it's not working out; at this time of year, the exercise factor is more important than a check mark next to one of my challenges. This is a long one, too, at over 26 hours; however, I know from experience that John Lee (who I think is wonderful) is improved by bumping up the speed, so that will help.

[ApK]

An ancient history text read by a slow speaking narrator to keep you motivated while excerising?
Somehow you've made exercise seem EVEN LESS appealing to me!

[issybird]

Originally Posted by ApK

An ancient history text read by a slow speaking narrator to keep you motivated while excerising?
Somehow you've made exercise seem EVEN LESS appealing to me!

Yeah, I may be going to plan B.