People love to listen to audio books on tape or CD, but for quite some time they have been provided with alternative methods of enjoying various literary works. Technological advancements have served to accommodate many different types of media output and more recently, downloadable audio books are becoming very popular. Complete volumes are available in downloadable format and have become a great alternative to printed books.

Audio books have been developed not only as a mainstream method of entertainment but also for providing educators with cutting edge teaching aids for both children and adults who have special needs. Recently, audio books have gained widespread popularity among multi-taskers who want to acquire particular information on a wide range of subjects while involved in other activities like commuting and exercising. Audio books are available in various formats including unabridged (word for word), abridged (text edited out), and dramatized volumes, which include actors, musical scores and sound effects. What Type of Audio Book is Right for Me? As digital devices like iPods and MP3 players become more miniaturized and technologically advanced, they are readily accepted by everyone. Creators of audio books have been quick to take advantage of this trend and thousands of audio books have been developed with various techniques for downloading and retrieval of files.

There are many options available for anyone interested in listening to audio books. If you are a sedentary person and would like to enjoy your audio book from the comfort of your couch or favorite chair, cassette tapes may be the option for you. Perhaps you spend a lot of time on your computer. As most PCs come already loaded with digital audio players, listening to audio books on your computer is simply a click away.

Programs like RealOne Player are perfect for this. If, for some reason your computer does not have the program, you can download it from the RealOnePlayer website. For those on the go, the new iPods and MP3 players allow users to listen to their favorite audio book while they walk, exercise or commute.

Just Exactly How Do I Download An Audio Book to My Computer? Most of us have downloaded software files from the internet to our computers at one time or another. Downloading audio books is just as simple. Because audio books are digitally produced with software consisting of sound files, it is quite simple to transfer the files from an internet site that specializes in audio books right onto your home computer. For a nominal fee, your chosen audio-book site will provide you with easy to use instructions for downloading your selection. It only takes a few minutes and then you will be ready to enjoy your audio book. From there you can either enjoy them via the speakers in your computer, burn them to a CD, which can then be played in any audio CD player or transfer directly to your PDA.

The selection is vast and the choice is yours. Copyright: Helen Wall.

Helen Wall is the author of this article. Visit http://www.AudioBooksBonanza.com to download audio books from an extensive range of titles from top publishers. Join the free newsletter now and get to know about the latest hot off the press titles, receive time limited special offers and discounts, before anyone else.