Kobo starts offering audiobooks

AnemicOak · 09-06-2017, 12:58 AM

Don't have time to start looking into this now, but saw it and want to pass the basic info on to my fellow MR's...

Kobo has started offering audiobooks. $9.99 per month in the US for one credit ($12.99 in Canada) and they can be listened to in the Kobo app. Not sure if they can be downloaded separately or not yet (doesn't look like it) nor what the selection is like. Free trial available.

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobooks

Quote:

What’s included?

Your first audiobook is FREE and yours to keep

1 monthly credit after trial, good to exchange for an audiobook from our collection

Read your way to rewards with Kobo Super Points

Shop with confidence: Kobo offers a Price Match Guarantee

Enjoy your stories offline without interruptions or advertising

Keep all your audiobooks forever, even if you cancel your subscription

tubemonkey · 09-06-2017, 04:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Don't have time to start looking into this now, but saw it and want to pass the basic info on to my fellow MR's...

Kobo has started offering audiobooks. $9.99 per month in the US for one credit ($12.99 in Canada) and they can be listened to in the Kobo app. Not sure if they can be downloaded separately or not yet (doesn't look like it) nor what the selection is like. Free trial available.

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobooks

Thanks

See this post for additional details about the subscription plan.

JSWolf · 09-06-2017, 04:24 AM

Maybe Kobo's next Reader will support audio.

booklover6 · 09-06-2017, 08:06 AM

Awesome news! I immediately signed up and got an audiobook.

issybird · 09-06-2017, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by booklover6

Awesome news! I immediately signed up and got an audiobook.

Oh, good, a guinea pig! Please let us know what you think of the app. Comparisons to the majors (Audible, OverDrive, Downpour, Hoopla) would be very nice.

tubemonkey · 09-06-2017, 08:37 AM

Which devices can I listen to audiobooks on?

Quote:

You can listen to audiobooks with the free Kobo App on smartphones and tablets running Android version 4.4 or higher or iOS version 9.0 or higher.

Audiobooks cannot be played:

on kobo.com
in Kobo Desktop
in the Kobo App for Windows or BlackBerry
on Kobo eReaders
on Kobo Arc 7, 7HD or 10HD tablets

booklover6 · 09-06-2017, 08:48 AM

As an aside, reading a book in the android app is awful....none of the customizations I am used to on their readers!

I found an audio book I wanted (searching takes a few steps to narrow it down), and clicked on start free trial. My payment details are already there, so didn't have to re-enter any of that. Turns out that gave me one credit, it didn't automatically make me get that book. I re-navigated to that title, and clicked the button indicating I would use my credit. After confirmation, it immediately began downloading to the phone. Quickly downloaded. I started listening, and turned off wi-fi. You can change the speed of the narration, and look at the TOC. All seems well, so far.

Any questions?

issybird · 09-06-2017, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by booklover6

You can change the speed of the narration, and look at the TOC. All seems well, so far.

Any questions?

Sleep timer? What are the gradations on the speed? And, thanks!

Catlady · 09-06-2017, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by booklover6

As an aside, reading a book in the android app is awful....none of the customizations I am used to on their readers!

I found an audio book I wanted (searching takes a few steps to narrow it down), and clicked on start free trial. My payment details are already there, so didn't have to re-enter any of that. Turns out that gave me one credit, it didn't automatically make me get that book. I re-navigated to that title, and clicked the button indicating I would use my credit. After confirmation, it immediately began downloading to the phone. Quickly downloaded. I started listening, and turned off wi-fi. You can change the speed of the narration, and look at the TOC. All seems well, so far.

Any questions?

Once a book is downloaded, can you transfer the files to an mp3 player?

booklover6 · 09-06-2017, 09:58 AM

Yes there is a sleep timer.

After beginning to listen again, (offline) the cover no longer shows.

Speed goes in .2x increments from .06x to 3.0x.

At the top it says "around 14 hours left in this book."
Near the bottom it has a timer counting up the time in the current chapter. The book I got doesn't have real chapter names (i.e. Chapter 1) but I assume that would be above the count up. There is also a moving graphic at the bottom of lines (sort of like piano keys) which slowly move right to left, I guess indicating that the book is playing.

Going back to the library page makes the book stop.

There is no "download" option on the desktop library page. I doubt if there is any way to put it on an mp3 player.

tubemonkey · 09-06-2017, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catlady

Once a book is downloaded, can you transfer the files to an mp3 player?

Books only play on Android and iOS apps. I'm not thrilled with that.

Downloading to other devices would require "liberating the book"if that's possible.

AnemicOak · 09-06-2017, 10:35 AM

I'm wondering if on Android it's like the Audibooks.com app and stores actual MP3 files which you can then copy off the device and use elsewhere. Gonna have to dig out my old LG Volt and look into that later.

Catlady · 09-06-2017, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

I'm wondering if on Android it's like the Audibooks.com app and stores actual MP3 files which you can then copy off the device and use elsewhere. Gonna have to dig out my old LG Volt and look into that later.

Yes, that's what I am hoping. I'm eyeing a 50-hour book for my free trial, but if I'm forced to listen on my phone, I would get a much shorter book.

AnemicOak · 09-06-2017, 11:08 AM

As soon as I can find a book I'll try out the Android thing. Of course the book I was figuring I'd get is from Brilliance Audio who's titles they don't appear to have at all. Gonna have to look around some...

EDIT: Well if someone doesn't get it checked out sooner I will do it, but it'll be awhile. Have spent the last half-hour and nothing that I've looked for so far is available as an audiobook on Kobo (I'm looking on Audible and then checking Kobo, because Kobo's search still kinda sucks after all these years).

IronChaim · 09-06-2017, 11:48 AM

Brilliance Audio is owned by Amazon (since 2007) - so I wonder if that's playing into why their content is not available.

09-06-2017, 09:58 AM	#10
booklover6 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,533 Karma: 14008730 Join Date: May 2008 Location: PA (USA) Device: Kobo Clara, 2E, Libre, PW4, PW5, 2022 Kindle	Yes there is a sleep timer. After beginning to listen again, (offline) the cover no longer shows. Speed goes in .2x increments from .06x to 3.0x. At the top it says "around 14 hours left in this book." Near the bottom it has a timer counting up the time in the current chapter. The book I got doesn't have real chapter names (i.e. Chapter 1) but I assume that would be above the count up. There is also a moving graphic at the bottom of lines (sort of like piano keys) which slowly move right to left, I guess indicating that the book is playing. Going back to the library page makes the book stop. There is no "download" option on the desktop library page. I doubt if there is any way to put it on an mp3 player. Last edited by booklover6; 09-06-2017 at 10:00 AM.

09-06-2017, 11:08 AM	#14
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	As soon as I can find a book I'll try out the Android thing. Of course the book I was figuring I'd get is from Brilliance Audio who's titles they don't appear to have at all. Gonna have to look around some... EDIT: Well if someone doesn't get it checked out sooner I will do it, but it'll be awhile. Have spent the last half-hour and nothing that I've looked for so far is available as an audiobook on Kobo (I'm looking on Audible and then checking Kobo, because Kobo's search still kinda sucks after all these years). Last edited by AnemicOak; 09-06-2017 at 11:27 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Kobo will stop offering books in PDF format	johnnyb	Kobo Reader	2	08-06-2017 04:05 AM
Aura Argos (UK) is offering the Kobo Aura 6"	moofychops	Kobo Reader	5	06-16-2016 04:34 PM
FutureShop.ca offering Kobo Glo bundle with Sleep Cover for $124.99	teija	Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links)	2	05-08-2013 06:41 PM
Kobo Touch starts and ends repeatedly	Arios	Kobo Reader	6	10-11-2012 02:07 PM
B&N offering to transfer Kobo books to NOOK	3d0g	Kobo Reader	4	11-05-2011 03:14 AM

09-06-2017, 04:24 AM	#3
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 74,037 Karma: 129333114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Maybe Kobo's next Reader will support audio.

09-06-2017, 08:06 AM	#4
booklover6 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,533 Karma: 14008730 Join Date: May 2008 Location: PA (USA) Device: Kobo Clara, 2E, Libre, PW4, PW5, 2022 Kindle	Awesome news! I immediately signed up and got an audiobook.

09-06-2017, 08:48 AM	#7
booklover6 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,533 Karma: 14008730 Join Date: May 2008 Location: PA (USA) Device: Kobo Clara, 2E, Libre, PW4, PW5, 2022 Kindle	As an aside, reading a book in the android app is awful....none of the customizations I am used to on their readers! I found an audio book I wanted (searching takes a few steps to narrow it down), and clicked on start free trial. My payment details are already there, so didn't have to re-enter any of that. Turns out that gave me one credit, it didn't automatically make me get that book. I re-navigated to that title, and clicked the button indicating I would use my credit. After confirmation, it immediately began downloading to the phone. Quickly downloaded. I started listening, and turned off wi-fi. You can change the speed of the narration, and look at the TOC. All seems well, so far. Any questions?

09-06-2017, 10:35 AM	#12
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	I'm wondering if on Android it's like the Audibooks.com app and stores actual MP3 files which you can then copy off the device and use elsewhere. Gonna have to dig out my old LG Volt and look into that later.

09-06-2017, 11:48 AM	#15
IronChaim Do-er, All of the Things Posts: 26 Karma: 1970 Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Midwest Device: Androids	Brilliance Audio is owned by Amazon (since 2007) - so I wonder if that's playing into why their content is not available.

Advert

Advert