Audiobooks for children are great ways to help kids get and stay interested in books. Children can read along with audiobooks, they can listen to books during car rides, and Audible's enhanced audio format books sound really good. Most mp3 players can handle Audible formats, but not all of them can play the higher quality enhanced files. For example, only 3rd generation iPod Nanos and newer can play the enhanced audiobooks. It is possible to find inexpensive mp3 players that can handle the enhanced files.
Sansa Fuze
Walmart sells the Sansa Fuze 2GB player for about $50 online, and a 4GB model is available for $5 more. CNET gave the Fuze 2GB four stars, saying, "The SanDisk Sansa Fuze is a great value; a slim design, a simple interface, plentiful features, memory expansion capability, and solid sound quality." The review was published on CNET on November 26, 2008, and CNET includes a video that gives more information about the Sansa Fuze.
Because the Sansa Fuze has expandable memory, the number of books the mp3 player can hold will vary by the use of optional storage. If an audible enhanced audiobook is about 30 megabytes, the Sansa Fuze 2MB can hold a minimum of 65 hours of audiobook recordings.
Ibiza Rhapsody
Amazon is selling the aqua colored version of the 8 GB Ibiza Rhapsody Personal Music Player for $50. The player is available for pre-order, and all other models are at least $30 more. The Ibiza Rhapsody has wi-fi and bluetooth capabilities, and it can play enhanced audiobooks from Audible.
Walmart has a 2G Ibiza Rhapsody with a built in pedometer and heart rate monitor for $58. Tim Gideon reviewed the Ibiza for PC Magazine on November 20, 2007, and he wrote that, "The Ibiza is a surprisingly good player."
RCA MP3 Players
The least expensive mp3 players that are ready for Audible enhanced audiobooks are the RCA mp3 players. Target has two contenders. The RCA 4GB MP3 Player M2104 is $35, and the RCA 8GB Video MP3 (M4508) is $50.
Walmart also has low prices on MP3 players, and they can be ordered online if concerned shoppers want to avoid being photographed on People of Walmart. The RCA 4GB MP3 Player M2204 is $34, and the RCA 4GB Digital Media Player 4604 is $51. Because these different players have varied reviews, smart shoppers will check out product reviews on CNet or PC Magazine before purchasing. However, if they are being purchased for audiobooks, the sound quality does not need to be as sensitive as it would be for music files, because voice ranges for audiobook performers will not be as broad as musical instruments.
For teachers who are writing grants for audiobooks or parents who are looking for a basic mp3 player for their children, the Sansa Fuze, the Ibiza Rhapsody, and the RCA mp3 player lines offer a good value because they can play the highest quality Audible files available. The enhanced audiobook formats also play on far more expensive players, such as the iPod Touch, the Kindle, and the Zune, but expensive electronics might not what parents are looking for if they want their kids to be using the players to listen to audiobooks.
Recommended Reading:
For more information about Audible.com and Apple iPods, read Audible Audiobooks on iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano, and iPod Touch. For information about platforms to transfer audiobooks to mp3 players, read Comparing Audible and Itunes for Audiobooks.
Sources:
All of the prices used in this article were accurate on August 11, 2010, and were accessed at the online storefronts for Walmart, Amazon, and Target.
Audible's book size capacity is from the Audible.com information page Audible Enhanced Audiobooks, as accessed on August 11, 2010. The capacity for different devices to play different formats is from the Audible Device Center.
CNET's review of the Sansa Fuze is from "SanDisk Sansa Fuze (2GB, black)" by Jasmine France. The final version of the review was written on November 26, 2008.
PC Magazine's review of the Ibiza Rhapsody is from "Haier Ibiza Rhapsody" by Tim Gideon. The review was published on November 20, 2007.
Alex Sharp - Alex Sharp is a teacher who has been keeping Suite101 readers up to date with the latest in audio- and e-book gadgetry since 2008.
