| For more than two decades now, people have been | | | | Still, some people prefer the cassette format over |
| given the opportunity to absorb the content of | | | | CDs because cassette tapes do not easily break and |
| published books without actually having to sit down | | | | playing cassettes in players are simpler. Some people |
| and read the pages. | | | | are also just determined to not bid goodbye to their |
| The purpose of audio books is to provide people the | | | | cassettes easily. |
| knowledge and the important content that is written in | | | | Downloadable formats of audio books make up about |
| a book, in a manner that would be massively | | | | 6% of the current audio book market globally. An |
| appreciated and more easily accessed by all people. | | | | online user can easily download an audio book in a |
| Audio books are basically one of the modern ways on | | | | Web site for such activities. |
| how education is being provided to people. They are | | | | However, some people do not rely on online |
| fun, easier and sometimes are far cheaper than the | | | | purchases, especially if the transactions would require |
| published edition of books. | | | | credit card accounts. Quality and speed of |
| Because audiobooks are recorded, they obviously can | | | | downloading also depend on the Internet connection, |
| reach more people. In one audio book playing session, | | | | whether its broadband or the slower dial up, and the |
| lots of people can listen to the content and learn. | | | | memory capacity of the computer. |
| Comparatively, only one person can read a book at a | | | | Playing audio book downloads also is not that |
| time, and it would take days, sometimes months, | | | | convenient because people can only play them using |
| before a single book is completely read. | | | | the computer. Otherwise, the audio book download |
| Modern educators also recognize the potential of audio | | | | must be burned or transferred to a CD. That way, the |
| books in teaching children. Thus, currently, there are | | | | format becomes CD, but the source is Internet |
| numerous audio books that are designed to basically | | | | download. |
| teach children to write and read. | | | | Listening practices for audio books |
| Aside from that, some audio books also learn learning | | | | It is estimated that currently, there are close to 25,000 |
| strategies that help listeners raise the level of their | | | | titles of audio books on the format types of cassettes, |
| reading comprehension skills. Experts assert that | | | | downloads or CDs. These titles also range from |
| young people can easily retain knowledge that they | | | | novels, to learning books, to simple know hows to |
| heard than read. | | | | history. |
| Listening to books is also appealing and makes learning | | | | Whatever the content type, audio books are truly |
| more interesting because of the creative ways of | | | | effective means of imparting knowledge to people. |
| presentation. Dramatization techniques and the use of | | | | Because listening is not as tedious as other physical |
| music and sound effects make up for a better and | | | | activities, people find audio books more advantageous. |
| more lively form of presentation. | | | | Thus, a listener can also do other activities or chores |
| While it is not possible to do in print media, it is the | | | | while at the same time, listening to an audio book. |
| strength of the audio media. | | | | For example, a housewife can listen to an audio book |
| Different formats of audio books | | | | while doing the laundry. An executive can listen to an |
| There are three major format types of audio books. | | | | audio book while driving his way to the office. |
| There are CDs, cassette tapes and Internet | | | | Blind people can also make use of audio books. Since |
| downloads. All formats have specific uses and | | | | they cannot read, and books published especially for |
| advantages and all cater to different audience. | | | | the blind are limited in number and are hard to find, blind |
| CDs today dominate the audio book format because | | | | people can always opt to buy audio books instead. |
| they are easily accessible, easily carried and produces | | | | Audio books are also great because they can be |
| better sound quality. Almost all audio equipment | | | | replayed or paused anytime. Thus, a learner could |
| nowadays are equipped with CD playing capacities. | | | | easily retrieve data by simply clicking the rewind button, |
| Cassette tapes are the pioneering format because the | | | | or skip unnecessary portions of a book by pushing the |
| first audio books introduced to the market more than | | | | fast forward function button. |
| two decades ago were in the form of cassette tapes. | | | | |