New iOS user: Question on audiobooks

[haertig]

I'm new to iOS. I have a loaner 5S iPhone running iOS 10.something (I think) until I decide what new cellphone I want to buy to replace my defunct Android one. I may just keep the 5S because my needs are meager and new/fancy features don't excite me much. Or I may buy an Android phone, or a newer iPhone. But for now, I should try to learn iOS.

What I want to do, is have an audiobook player that will play local content. I already have several DRM-free audiobooks. Each is a sequence of MP3 files. I would like to get those MP3 files to the iPhone, and listen to the audio book in a sane manner (i.e., not having to select each MP3 file separately, like a music file). I do not want some app where you have to buy audiobooks from their marketplace. I just want to play the ones I already have locally. The way I do this currently (on an Android device) is to use the "ASUS File Manager" app to transfer the files from my Linux desktop to the Android tablet. Then I run an app named "Smart Audiobook Player" on the tablet to listen.

Is there a way to accomplish something similar on iOS? I need to (1) learn a way to transfer files from Linux to iOS and where to put them in the filesystem, (2) install an app to listen to the files I just transferred.

So far, iOS is really alien to me. It seems like you don't get to control iOS, as much as it gets to control you. The concept of files, directories, filesystems, etc. appears quite well hidden. Being a multi-decade Unix/Linux programmer/sysadmin geek I'm using to doing things at a low level. Android puts lots of controls on you, but you can break through those and eventually get something done. iOS is like being locked outside, looking in through a window, and watching it thumb it's nose at you. I'm having a hard time figuring out how to do anything with it, that it doesn't want me to do in a spoon fed manner.

Any pointers to help me figure out how to do what I describe above would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[Zebedi]

I use Book Mower Audiobook Player for audiobooks (available at the App Store) and you can trial it for free if you are interested. Sorry I can’t tell you how much it is since I already bought it years ago and so price doesn’t show. There are others in the store as well.

Sorry I can’t help with the Linux bit.

[pwalker8]

Apple uses iTunes as the primary way of getting content onto an iPhone, however Apple doesn't support Linux. There are ways around that, but I suspect that you won't be terribly happy with them. Dropbox might work for you. I will say that a 5S is a pretty old phone.

iOS has a very different mindset than Android. If you like that level of control, then I suspect you aren't going to be terribly happy with iOS. If it were me, I would just get a cheap android phone.

[haertig]

I am indeed leaning towards an Android phone. But when I saw the prices for the high end ones - Galaxy S9 $720!!! - I about choked. Yes, there are cheaper ones. But they all are multi-hundred-dollar things. So I need to research first. In the meantime, it's hard to get along without a cellphone, so an unused 5S was donated to me. Works just fine at the level I need. Who knows, I may stick with iOS. I need just phone and text messages. Email and maps would be nice. And the ability to play an audiobook when I'm stuck somewhere and need to pass the time would be a great addition. Other than that, I can't think of many other uses for a smartphone for me. So for my meager needs, iOS possibly could be made work ... if I can figure out the audiobook thing.

Probably my biggest issue would be mental. I'm used to having full control of everything computer related, and you certainly don't get that with iOS. Android is better in that department, but still a far cry from what I'm used to with my servers and desktop computers (notice I don't use Windows either).

But an iPhone is worth a shot and a fair trial. Everybody seems to have one, so if I have trouble, I could probably ask a toddler in a stroller for assistance. Of course, the toddler would probably pull out his 10, and laugh at my 5S.

[Tarana]

I'd get an iPhone in a shot if I was still working. As a retiree, a flip phone is enough. I've been experimenting with Walter2.0 to load my Itouch without iTunes. It works pretty well. Still having issues with some books not loading the files in order.

[haertig]

It appears the easiest (most familiar to me) way of moving files from Linux to iOS will be by using the NextCloud server I host for my family/friends. NextCloud is like a DropBox type of thing, except I host and control it on my own hardware and have complete control over all my data, stored in my own databases, handled by my own secured web services.

I just need to install some WebDAV client software on the iPhone to connect to my NextCloud server (or I could use the built in Safari web browser). I found "Documents, by Readdle" (a.k.a. "Documents 6") to be one such WebDAV/filemanager available for iOS. There are others. "Documents" has a built-in music and video player, and this may work for audiobooks. I'm assuming I would need to set up a playlist to get all the individual MP3 files that make up an audiobook to play seamlessly, in order. Remembering where in the audiobook I last was might be an issue however. I'll play with it and see what type of memory/bookmarking it supports.

I just wish there was something like Androids "Smart Audiobook Player" available for iOS. That's a great app.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/docu...364901807?mt=8

https://nextcloud.com/

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...layer&hl=en_US

[Dylrob]

May third party apps let you transfer files into them from your iCloud Drive, which can be accessed on the PC via any web browser. (Hell, you can play files directly from iCloud Drive, the only problem being that it won’t save your progress)

Goodreader is a really powerful app with multiple input/output methods built-in. I’ve been using this to get aroun the limitations in iOS since long before iCloud Drive was even a thing. (Despite the name, it handles video and audio as well, the latter of which can be easily organized into tracks just by placing them in the same folder)

[kyteflyer]

Originally Posted by haertig

...I'm assuming I would need to set up a playlist to get all the individual MP3 files that make up an audiobook to play seamlessly, in order. Remembering where in the audiobook I last was might be an issue however. I'll play with it and see what type of memory/bookmarking it supports.

I just wish there was something like Androids "Smart Audiobook Player" available for iOS. That's a great app.

There are a couple of decent audiobook apps for iOS but IIRC not free. Also, if you can find an app in Linux which can make audiobooks, your bookmarking issues will be solved.

I'm going to research this for you (but also for me, as I am rapidly approaching a time where I can no longer afford to upgrade my MacOS hardware and will need to switch to Linux). ON macOS I use an app called Audiobook Builder, it works well, and you can add covers etc and book info, its not all completely automatic.

I'll update this post as I find links.

Audiobook Creator: https://www.ausge.de/ausge-download/abc-info-english Should solve your bookmarking problems. I havent ever used this but it seems like its probably the only one in existence. And requires Ubuntu (or one of its forks, I would think would be OK.). If you are using a different flavour, you might be SOL. Go buy the Android.

Now looking for the app I want to link. Note that your Audiobooks will all end up in iBooks. When originally they played in itunes, all bookmarking was respected. I think it still is, in iBooks, but if you have a dedicated app on board, it will get the iBooks audio content and info.

And here it is: Audiobooks HQ. There's a free (ad supported) version and a paid one. Link is to the website. http://www.audiobookshq.com. There is an option to get audiobooks from a store, or free site (there are a few links) but you can listen to your own, as long as you can get them on board. Its a while ago now (4-5 years) but I'm pretty sure that it was either Banshee or Rhythmbox which were able to talk to my iPhone, and sync back and forth. Not apps, though, you'll just have to get those via the app store.

[haertig]

Thanks kyteflyer. I expanded on your search for Linux audiobook creation. I did not realize there was a specific audiobook format - .m4b - I thought I just had to use a series of .mp3 files. But a single file containing an audiobook is more appealing.

Here are a few more links on creating audiobooks in Linux, for when you get around to moving to this OS yourself. I cannot vouch for any of these links, as I haven't tried them yet. Quickly scanning over them, the process looks simple (if you know Linux!)

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Audiobook

https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1418085

https://wiki.librivox.org/index.php/...Make_M4B_Files

https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=218906

As a point of reference for you when you finally get into Linux, most everything from the Wiki for ArchLinux is helpful, even if you are not running the Arch distro. You have to modify a few steps for other distros, mostly related to package management, but people that use Arch seem to be the best at documenting things. If someone tells you how to do something in Arch, Slackware or Debian you can usually trust that they have a good idea of what they are doing. That is not always the case when you read something from Ubuntu. Ubuntu is a fine distro, with lots of support, but that is where most new Linux users tend to end up. And sometimes things get confused because a new user tries to help you, but they really don't know what they're doing in the first place. God bless 'em for trying, but just be aware that you may be lead astray.

As you move to Linux, I would recommend the LinuxMint distro as a good place to start for your desktop system. It is based on Ubuntu, which in turn is based on Debian. You can use all the software designed for Ubuntu on Mint. I would say Mint is what you want if you want to get up and running the fastest. Ubuntu would be my second recommendation for that. Next up would be Debian, but that will take a bit more knowledge/learning on your part. If you want to drive yourself crazy as a newbie, by all means go with Arch or Slackware. Great distros too, but they will not hold you by the hand as you learn. Although Arch documentation is probably the best and most reliable out there. Use the Arch documentation, and learn how to apply it to other Linux distros.

Another thing to watch for - you'll find Google hits for five million ways to do each thing. But many of those hits will be describing some older version of a program (that may not even exist anymore). So you have to learn how to filter things and find the help that works on the software installed on YOUR system, at the CURRENT POINT IN TIME.

Check out www.linuxquestions.org That's the best place out there to get good answers, but often times you'll see a delay of a day or two before responses start rolling in to your questions.

Thanks for the pointers on this .m4b file format that I was not aware of!

[haertig]

kyteflyer - Note that the Linux app you linked, "Audio Book Creator", looks like it would do the job nicely if you want a GUI. However, it depends on a specific codec, "Nero AAC enc" that was freely available a few years ago, but I'm having a devil of a time finding it now. Still searching. It appears to have disappeared from the web about 2 years ago. I'm still searching, or possibly I'll hack the Audio Book Creator code to use a different codec.

More likely, I'll just do the conversion from the Linux command line (no GUI). There are many different standard Linux tools that can be used to do it from the command line.

[kyteflyer]

Originally Posted by haertig

...

As you move to Linux, I would recommend the LinuxMint distro as a good place to start for your desktop system. ...

Thanks for all that info, and yes, Mint is the distro I had already decided on. I had used Ubuntu in the past, but I didnt like its more recent UI "innovations". I prefer a fairly bog standard Gnome... oh well.

Its going to be a while, I have updated my elderly laptop with an SSD and more RAM, and my Mac Mini probably has a few good years ahead of it. But I prepare... just in case

Thanks again!

[kyteflyer]

Originally Posted by haertig

kyteflyer - Note that the Linux app you linked, "Audio Book Creator", looks like it would do the job nicely if you want a GUI. However, it depends on a specific codec, "Nero AAC enc" that was freely available a few years ago, but I'm having a devil of a time finding it now. Still searching. It appears to have disappeared from the web about 2 years ago. I'm still searching, or possibly I'll hack the Audio Book Creator code to use a different codec.

More likely, I'll just do the conversion from the Linux command line (no GUI). There are many different standard Linux tools that can be used to do it from the command line.

Whichever way you go, I hope you can do what you want to. As I commented .. maybe better to go back to using Android, but do try to enjoy the 5S. The thing about iOS is that you just dont need to do the fiddling that may be required on Android... its why I stay with it, even though I have Android phones myself. (Also, I dont much like Mr. google knowing absolutely everything about me... I dont google anything, anymore. Duckduckgo if i must)

[mariosipad]

To create audiobooks in linux with a gui: m4baker.

For the right (working with m4baker)version of faac, just add the deb-multimedia repository to /etc/apt/sourses.list.

[johnnyb]

How about you compile your audiobooks into .m4b files and listen to them in iBooks.
There are tools for that and I’m sure Linux will also let you do that in some command-line way
But yeah, you definitely will need iTunes to get files onto your phone into the supplied apps.
Meanwhile, you can download and listen to the fantastic Moby Dick version in the podcast section read by tens of well known speakers and actors.

[sadkingbilly]

Buy MP3 Audiobook Player Pro. It's really easy to use, plays mp3's (duh lol) which can be easily dragged & dropped trough itunes (the complete map the book is in), remembers where you paused the book you're listening to, remembers several books (up to 4 I think), can be put on homescreen as widget (just klick and listen)

To put books in the app:

- open iTunes
- select your device (on top of the screen, left)
- on the left, select "apps" (might be called otherwise on new itunes, the bottom one)
- on the right, select the audiobook app
- now drag any folders with books (or music of course) and drop.

On the very top of the screen under the apple logo you will see a line advance. if that's complete klick "ready" on the bottom right.

Open the app and give a few seconds to update library. Select a folder and go