Well, some of each. MP3 files aren’t specifically designed to support bookmarks the way some other formats are, but there’s no reason a device’s software couldn’t keep track of the position you left off playing. There might be an app available for your Blackberry that plays MP3 files and supports bookmarking, but I’m not familiar with Blackberry.
The player that was already on my BB lets me stop in the middle and then move the slider to that point (as I described above) when I want to listen again. That’s close enough for me. I’m not in a frame of mine to search for or download anything else.
It’s very easy to keep your place booked on your Ipod. Most book files will do so automatically. If it doesn’t and MP3’may not default to it, just right click on the file in Itunes, select get info, select the options tab, tick remember playback position, that’ll do it.
It’s not that the iPod doesn’t remember where you stopped. As I said above, it does. But if you accidentally click on the right side of the wheel so that you’ve accidentally advanced to the next chapter when you didn’t intend to, and there are no built-in stopping places within a chapter, you will have to go back to the beginning of the chapter. And this could be 15-20 minutes. I know. This has happened to me with numerous audiobooks. Yes, usually it will go back to the place where you left off, all things being equal. This function is limited in its flexibility. Actually, it has no flexibility.
My BlackBerry player lets you use the timeline bar like the one you find (for example) at the bottom of a YouTube playback window so you can go anywhere you want to in the recording. This function also lets you “rewind,” which is something you can’t do on the iPod or on a cd.
ETA. Anyway, I’m not listening in iTunes. I’m usually in my car or walking.
I’ve been using Audible for awhile now. Mainly for sitting in traffic in the DC area. That being said, I know I can move around within a chapter and skip by predetermined amounts. You can also bookmark as well, which is why I am surprised people are complaining.
Maybe some were using an old or outdated version of Audible, or, simply don’t know how to use it? I really like how if I gave not listened to a book in awhile it actually will skip back a little to get one back in to where you left off. I thought that was nifty.