My computer knowledge is basic...better than it used to be, but still pretty basic. And I wouldn't know an Android if it jumped up and bit me...thought it was a character in Star Wars actually. But a friend mentioned audio books and I was thinking how grand it would be to be sitting crocheting while listening to a story...I've already tried to read at the same time and it didn't really work...
So I settled myself down in front of my laptop prepared to read all about gadgets to listen to books on...
Amazon had one that was just under ten pounds sterling...read the reviews which went from horribly scathing to the inevitable person praising it to the heights...then there are others...fifty pounds sterling...two hundred and fifty...that one was only available in black whereas the cheap one came in a whole rainbow of colours...
The light finally dawned when I happened across a site which has a programme you can download to listen to a book on your pc...so I downloaded it. And the book came up and I was so pleased with myself. Except I couldn't work out how to start it...went through all the help questions and answers...nothing about how to switch the book on...
Asked Google to see if it knew and it sort of fobbed me off with click on this and then click on that and I don't have those buttons on my pc anyway so I couldn't have clicked them...
Had a think and then tried again...
This time it was a site belonging to Amazon itself...looked at the books on offer...the prices are horrendous! So found some of the freebies and clicked on this, that and the other and up came the free thriller I'd chosen.
Plugged my earphones in and away it went. And I found it impossible to listen to. I'll devour cheap and trashy thrillers that are sprinkled with four letter words without any problem whatsoever...but listening to them spoken out loud was quite different. And one of the main characters is female...spoken by the narrator trying hard to sound like a woman, but actually sounding as though he was desperate to go to the loo...
Trying to wear my specs...the oxygen tube...and earphones didn't help...poor ears feel as though they've been squashed.
I think a separate gadget is the way to go...but the choice is bewildering and I'm not sure what to get. I'd like something portable to take into hospital when the need arises...
Separate gadget is really so easy if you can stretch to an Android tablet. Android is just the language that tablets and smartphones use, just like laptops use Windows. There is a huge company called Apple who use slaves in China to make their versions of all of these things and you could pay them a large extra amount of money and use their's instead.
An android smartphone or tablet will allow you to download a free version of Kindle Reader from Amazon amazon.co.uk/gp/digital/fio...
This will allow you to download books to read and there are tens of thousands of free ones. There are free audiobooks there but they use a product called Audible. Audible only give a free 30 day trial and £7.99 per month there after.
The great thing with an android tablet is that it can play the free books from Youtube. The cheapest 7" tablets that I know of are £29.99
Trying hard to follow this as I am in the same boat. That sounds very cheap for a tablet I thought they were expensive, can the type be enlarged as I have vision problems as well?
The 7" tablet that I referred to is remainder stock. They would have only a few and they are major brand. It was a recommendation as a cheap method of playing audio books and reading free Kindle books. I would not recommend this model for all the functions of an Android.
Generally yes Android does allow resizing of the screen. Pinch stretch etc just the grows or shrinks the area of screen. Also one can load different size and style fonts to make reading easier. I recommend stretching the budget to a 10" if possible. Although I write and read HU on my phone for the most part. So it is possible to do all this on a 6 inch screen. Unfortunately HU doesn't allow me to stretch the text boxes, so I read with a larger font.
The important thing with all tablets etc is to look at them as a tool. All tablets are not created equal. Make a list of what you want to be able to use it for and then make sure that your chosen tablet is able to oblige before you buy.
Hi I believe you can get audio free books from the libary. Haven't done it yet because I'm so disorganised but I do listen to audio books & knit I get them as presents from My family who never know what to get me ( I do drop hints about diamonds & things but they say it's a waste as I don't go anywhere to wear them. Anyway have fun xoxoxo
Certainly can get audio books at English public libraries but I don't know if Vashti will get the same in Ireland. My Local Authority does them free for the disabled. Tape, CD, and download versions available.
There is also a service of Audio books for the Blind and vision impaired. These too can be accessed via the library.
Hello vashti, audio books are great. When i go to bed they read to me for an hour. Currently, i am reading or listening to the pyramid a wallander novel. Love mx
Hi Vashti. You do make me laugh - in a good way I mean! You remind me of that Irish comedian - Jimmy something I think his name was? He used to say (in his broad Irish accent) "It's the way I tell 'em."
I think you should consider getting a tablet or reader like Kindle or similar, they're much cheaper now. Beside just normal armchair stuff, you could then read in bed while himself is snoring, as well as in the garden when the weather gets warmer! XX
The thing with a Kindle is that they are unbeatable in screen quality and battery length etc at allowing one to read books. So far as I am aware they don't play audio books. They certainly don't enable the vast range of activities that an Android tablet does. Android would allow you to do nearly everything that a PC would do.
Thank you for your input Rib - I have been wondering for some time how to choose something a little more mobile than my desk-top p.c - my son shares your opinion of Apple - his GF got one last year and he says it's really restrictive and never worth what it cost her.
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