| I used to dread the time I have to spend on my | | | | audio books on CDs. Departmentstores do as well. |
| treadmill several times a week. | | | | And of course, there are abundant websites that |
| It really was a love/hate affair. | | | | offer an evenbigger selection of audio books on CD, |
| It's not that using a treadmill is all that difficult, painful | | | | often at a considerable discount. |
| or uncomfortable. | | | | What is really new, however, is the trend toward |
| However, it can be the most painfully boring activity | | | | offering downloadableaudio books online. This |
| known to man. | | | | provides the added benefit of immediate availability |
| Or I should say it used to be. Now, I have finally | | | | inaddition to the lower price that is made possible by |
| found the cure fortreadmill boredom. It's called audio | | | | the very low cost of productionand distribution |
| books and they are all the rage right now. | | | | compared to the traditional method. There is a near |
| Audio books have exploded on the scene over the | | | | zero cost ofproduction and distribution. The vendors |
| last couple of years. | | | | main costs are the acquisition of theproduct license |
| Actually, audio books have been around for more | | | | and advertising. |
| than 50 years in the form ofbooks on tape, which | | | | The increasing prevalence of high-speed Internet |
| were popularized a long time ago by the Lighthouse | | | | connections has made it practicableto download the |
| forthe Blind as it was called then. (It's now called the | | | | large files required for CD-Quality audio books. |
| Lighthouse for the Blind and | | | | In many cases, when you purchase an audio book |
| Visually Impaired.) | | | | online, you get an immediatedownload of the |
| Later, public libraries began to offer books on tape. | | | | product, and are permitted to transfer it to a CD or |
| With the CD explosion thatoccurred in the Fall of | | | | to an iPod(tm) orother portable audio device. |
| 2003, it was inevitable that audio books would begin | | | | This makes if possible to listen to your favorite book |
| to beproduced on CDs. Although CDs had been | | | | while driving, jogging, working outin a gym, or even |
| around for a number of years, it wasin the Fall of | | | | at work. |
| 2003 that most new automobiles came with CD | | | | Some online websites, including my own, provide a |
| players instead ofaudio cassette players. | | | | 100% money-back guarantee thatoffers an |
| After that, most audio products were being | | | | unconditional refund on any audio book, within 30 |
| produced on CDs instead of audiocassettes, though | | | | days of purchase if for anyreason you're dissatisfied |
| some vendors produced both formats. | | | | with your purchase. |
| Now, most public libraries offer a large selection of | | | | Copyright 2007 EduComm, Inc. |