# I now have a MP3 player. Now what? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 25, 2004, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-now-have-a-mp3-player-now-what/281612 "2004-12-25T21:32:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2004, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-now-have-a-mp3-player-now-what/281612/1 "2004-12-25T21:32:00Z")
It is a Sandisk digitial audio player. Where do I go? What should I listen too? Will I be more popular and trendy that I already am? Is that possible? Can I download audio books? Does this thing make me look 10 pounds lighter? šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-now-have-a-mp3-player-now-what/281612/2 "2004-12-26T00:32:57Z")
Tell us what music you already own and like, and then we can help a bit more. Regarding audiobooks, Iā€™m not really into them much myself, but Iā€™ve heard that [audible.com](http://audible.com) is considered the best place for mp3 audiobooks. I donā€™t know the brand you have, but I bet youā€™ll be surprised by how much it can hold. Have fun! ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-now-have-a-mp3-player-now-what/281612/3 "2004-12-26T05:56:14Z")
I donā€™t think [Audible.com](http://Audible.com) sells audio books in MP3 format. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-now-have-a-mp3-player-now-what/281612/4 "2004-12-26T14:32:39Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > I donā€™t think [Audible.com](http://Audible.com) sells audio books in MP3 format. Nope. They _are_ compatible with some MP3 players, but I donā€™t see sandisk anywhere in their list, not even in the ā€˜popular players we donā€™t support yetā€™ section. Not sure about _anyone_ selling audio books in MP3 format over the netā€¦ I know books on tape can sell you an ā€˜MP3 diskā€™ book with MP3 tracks you can copy from the CD-ROM over to your playerā€¦ some other publishers may do the same. Hope this helps. And to the OP: One thing Iā€™d suggest straight off is learning to convert your own CD collection into MP3 format so you can listen to them on your player. Thatā€™s a good place to start. ---
**Author:** ![Archergal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Archergal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archergal)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-now-have-a-mp3-player-now-what/281612/5 "2004-12-26T15:22:19Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > I donā€™t think [Audible.com](http://Audible.com) sells audio books in MP3 format. No, but you can download and burn books onto CD. From there, I suppose you could transfer them to your MP3 player, if you wanted to go to that much trouble. (Note: I havenā€™t done this, so Iā€™m not certain it would work.) [Fictionwise](http://www.Fictionwise.com) has some MP3 stuff you can buy and download, but itā€™s mostly science fiction. Archergal, who listens to Audible content on her Palm Zire 71. ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-now-have-a-mp3-player-now-what/281612/6 "2004-12-26T16:15:48Z")
Shirley Ujest: You can download audiobooksā€¦ there are lots of them in mp3 formatā€¦ I mean free illegal ones. It seems there are even free legal ones: [http://www.audiobooksforfree.com/screen\_main.asp](http://www.audiobooksforfree.com/screen_main.asp) For more audiobooks, do a google search for: buy mp3 audiobook download ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-now-have-a-mp3-player-now-what/281612/7 "2004-12-26T16:18:29Z")
Shirley Ujest: Regarding those free audiobooks, it looks like the it is only free if it is really bad quality (e.g. 8 kb/sec). Audio books should be at least 48 kb/sec. ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-now-have-a-mp3-player-now-what/281612/8 "2004-12-26T16:21:11Z")
A google search for mp3 audio book download seems to give better results. ---
**Author:** ![kiffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/d78d45/32.png) [@kiffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiffa)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2004, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-now-have-a-mp3-player-now-what/281612/9 "2004-12-26T16:27:55Z")
Santa gave me an IPOD and a whole family of spouse plus three teens to help me figure out how to manipulate this gadget. Iā€™ve got music in my head since yesterday. Looking forward to downloading books so many thanks for the sites. Any other helpful hints would be greatly appreciate by me and my experts [who are getting tired of my gazillion "how do you doā€¦? ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2004, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-now-have-a-mp3-player-now-what/281612/10 "2004-12-27T05:32:38Z")
Note that the iPod _will_ play [Audible.com](http://Audible.com)ā€™s audiobook format directly. You can use the iTune Music Store (open iTunes, click ā€œMusic Store,ā€ then browse for audio books) to buy them directly and download them on your iPod. Sometimes they even have sales for audio books ā€“ I picked up the Audible version of ā€œLies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Themā€ for $0.99 onceā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2004, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-now-have-a-mp3-player-now-what/281612/11 "2004-12-28T14:48:59Z")
Thanks for the inputs. Music I like: Classical Folk Classic Rock & Roll Some Euro Technobeat (good to walk too.) ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2004, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-now-have-a-mp3-player-now-what/281612/12 "2004-12-28T15:16:55Z")
You are going to need a way to convert your music that you have on CD to MP3 format. [cdex](http://www.download.com/CDex/3000-2140-10226370.html) is awesome at doing this.