DDinTV

The Audible compatibility issue has annoyed me for a long time. I actually canceled once, then went back when I bought an IPod Touch. Now I have a Samsung Moment, and the two are pretty much redundant (although the IPod seems to run more stable, and has louder audio). I don't understand the DRM. It's not like I'm going to make a million copies of an audiobook and sell them to everyone I see on the street, any more than I'm going to Xerox a book and distribute the pages to everyone I know. Even if I wanted to, I don't have time for that. Most people just want to buy a book, or an audiobook, and enjoy it, but the industry assumes that we're all potential pirates. In fact, there are a number of authors who don't want DRM management on their material, but if they want their books distributed by Audible, they've got to play by Audible's rules. I remember hearing that Amazon was going to discontinue the DRM when they bought Amazon, but obviously, they didn't follow through.

I legally convert my .aa files using Tunebite, which includes a virtual CD burner. Once the files are "burned", Tunebite converts them to multiple MP3 files, which I rejoin after the conversion, using a program called Direct MP3 Joiner. It's quicker than Sound Taxi, which now uses ITunes to convert files (instead of WMP), and does so in real time. It's a pain, but until there's an Audible app for Android, it's the best option I've got.

As for Leo Laporte, I really like him and I like his show. I think he's really knowledgeable about the tech industry, but Audible is one of his primary sponsors, so when it comes to Audible, his opinion might not be what I would call the most objective.