Audio download help? "Legacies" trilogy"

[Therin of Andor]

I'm confused by the audio downloads of the "Legacies" trilogy.

I already have the first two paperbacks, and when I tried to get Book 1 as an audio download last month (and pre-order the other two), I ended up with an eBook of Book 1 and a "Whispersync" audio track, which could be added to my purchase for a few extra dollars. (I usually get a CD, but "Legacies" will be audio download only.)

Is the Whispersync the same product as the regular audio download?

Now my Book 2 pre-order has arrived automatically - and ended up being an eBook only. Audible tells me there is no Whispersync available. I just want the audios, dammit. Grrrrr. What have I done wrong? I can see a "Legacies" Book 2 audio on Amazon.au, but do I have to pay full price already having the eBook? Am i just being impatient? Do I get offered a Whispersync upgrade when it's available?

I loved my CDs...

The message from Audble says:

"Legacies #2: Best Defense (Star Trek: The Original Series) is currently not available as a Whispersync for Voice or Immersion Reading-ready audiobook. While there may be several editions of both the Audible audiobook or Kindle eBook, these editions have not been precisely paired and therefore will not sync across devices or work together in any way. And also to get the discounted price of the audio version or the audio narration of the book. In order for a title to become Whispersync for Voice or Immersion Reading ready, both pieces of content must be paired together and extensively tested to make sure they sync properly. We are working hard to make all Audible audiobook and Kindle eBook titles eligible for this feature, so please check back later for Whispersync/Immersion Reading eligibility. We're sorry for the inconvenience."

 

[Steve Roby]

Notice the sync part of Whispersync? It's not a conventional audiobook, it's about synchronizing an ebook with an audiobook, so you can listen while you read, or switch between modes. If you check the Simon and Schuster website, there are links to other sellers who probably have conventional audiobook versions available.

 

[Dayton Ward]

I think the Whispersync is an add-on feature for Audible ebooks who also have the Kindle ebook, but you should still be able to listen to it on your audio device without that bit. Unless Audible's changed the way they do things, you should be able to download it in a "regular" digital format.

 

[Thrawn]

Yeah - the Whispersync version is exactly the same as the normal version. For some reason, the ebook and audio versions of book 1 were paired and the versions of book 2 weren't. Which is kind of irritating; I wonder what the deal is there.

But: I listened to the Whispersync add-on version of book 1, and I separately bought the audio for book 2 (it isn't ridiculously expensive, as it happens, which some audiobooks are) and they're both awesome. Just would've been nice if they matched book 2 like book 1 was.

 

[ATimson]

It sometimes takes Amazon a few weeks after release to get the Whispersync added. It sounds like the Best Defense audiobook was made pretty late (I thought I saw Greg Cox say they didn't record it until early July?), so hopefully Whispersync - and making the audiobook available from non-Amazon retailers as Captain to Captain was - are just delayed as a side effect of that and not an S&S policy change.

 

[Dayton Ward]

They only just recorded Book 3 within the last couple of weeks, so these things are moving through production at a pretty rapid clip.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Yeah - the Whispersync version is exactly the same as the normal version. For some reason, the ebook and audio versions of book 1 were paired and the versions of book 2 weren't. Which is kind of irritating; I wonder what the deal is there.

But: I listened to the Whispersync add-on version of book 1, and I separately bought the audio for book 2 (it isn't ridiculously expensive, as it happens, which some audiobooks are) and they're both awesome. Just would've been nice if they matched book 2 like book 1 was.

Thanks all!

Not having bothered with digital downloads of Trek audios before (I always got the audiocassettes, and then CDs), I wasn't really sure what I was doing. I haven't bought many eBooks over the years (I have more than enough piles of unread hardcopies!), and the download procedure always seems to be different each time. I expected these files to appear on my iBooks app, but they turned up in my iPhone's Kindle app instead. (Hide and Seek?) I got auto-shunted from Amazon US to Amazon AU to make the purchase, and the almost-stilted delivery of the first few paras of Book 1's Whispersync, when I tested it, had me doubting if I'd bought the right thing. I was fairly sure it wasn't an auto-bot reading. (I do miss the backing music, SX and celebrity voices of all those early abridged audiobooks.)

I thought I was pre-ordering the same deal for Books 2 and 3. Drat. By Audible's Help Desk response via email, it sounds like synced versions might one day be offered? Meanwhile, I would have much preferred audio only.

I think the Whispersync is an add-on feature for Audible ebooks who also have the Kindle ebook, but you should still be able to listen to it on your audio device without that bit. Unless Audible's changed the way they do things, you should be able to download it in a "regular" digital format.

Ah! It seems a regular audio of Book 1 is now available at .au. I could only see the paired option a few weeks ago. Grrrrr.

Well, I don't mind a paired version, but I want my trilogy to match.

Much appreciated!

 

[Steve Roby]

I expected these files to appear on my iBooks app, but they turned up in my iPhone's Kindle app instead. (Hide and Seek?)

Walled gardens. Buy from Amazon, look in Amazon's app. Buy from Apple, look in Apple's app. Buy from Kobo...

 

[Therin of Andor]

Walled gardens. Buy from Amazon, look in Amazon's app. Buy from Apple, look in Apple's app. Buy from Kobo...

Yeah, but the generic instruction (and the email from Audible) said it would be in the iBooks app. It had been over a year since I bought a eBook, and this was my first audio download.

 

[ATimson]

Yeah, but the generic instruction (and the email from Audible) said it would be in the iBooks app. It had been over a year since I bought a eBook, and this was my first audio download.

If you bought it from Audible (including buying the Audible book via Amazon), you have two options to get it onto your phone that I'm aware of:

1) Download it via computer, sync to your phone via iTunes. That will put it in iBooks.
2) Download over the air. That will show up in the Audible app.