Spotify’s announcement of the introduction of audiobooks in the U.S. comes with an infographic about audiobook listening habits.

A month after bringing audiobooks to users in the U.K. and Australia, Spotify has extended the offer to the United States.

If you are a Spotify Premium member, you can get instant access to a large selection of audiobooks, with no extra cost.

You can go directly to this link on the web to browse the catalog of Spotify audiobooks. Currently, there are over 200,000 audiobooks included, compared to 150,000 at the beginning of October 2023.

However, you have to keep in mind that you can listen to Spotify audiobooks for only 15 hours per month. An average audiobook takes around 10 hours, so your Premium subscription will let you finish one audiobook.

The blog post announcing Spotify audiobooks coming to the U.S. includes a few interesting facts about audiobook listeners. The data was gathered in a consumer survey of over 1,000 Americans.

The key outcome is that Gen Z and millennials lead in audiobook listening. 72% of 18-to-34-year-olds report that they listen to audiobooks. Relaxation (63%) and comfort (51%) are the top reasons for audiobook listening.

Here are other interesting facts:

▸ 37% of audiobook listeners have listened to an entire audiobook a second time or more.

▸ 66% of 18-34-year-old audiobook listeners in relationships say they’ve listened to audiobooks with their partner to “spice things up”.

▸ Almost half of audiobook listeners consume audiobooks while traveling or on vacation.

▸ 70% of audiobook listeners are more likely to listen to additional audio content after listening to audiobooks.

Are you a Spotify Premium subscriber? If yes, are you going to try the audiobooks?

Source: 200,000+ Audiobooks Are Now Available to Spotify Premium Listeners in the U.S. – Spotify Blog

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This shopping season, forget about the Kindle, and get Kindle books instead. In three combines deals, well over 1,000 books are featured – and Cyber Monday hasn’t started yet.

Many users are waiting for Black Friday to get an upgraded Kindle model for a lowered price.

The thing is that there have been no new Kindle models this year. And e-readers, as a category, are evolving at a much slower pace, compared to, for instance, tablets.

You can still save on Kindle e-readers, although the Black Friday 2023 is over. But ask yourself a question: Do I really need a new Kindle for the purpose of getting it at a slashed price?

Why not consider packing your current Kindle or Kindle app with new books that you could delve into this holiday season?

Especially, that right now there are 1,090 Kindle books on sale, with prices starting at $0.99.

For the first time ever, Amazon offers not one, but three short-term Kindle deals. And I’m not counting in the ongoing Kindle Monthly deals and Kindle Exclusive deals.

Al three deal offers area featured on the official Kindle Daily Deal home page, and I will list them below so that you can get a quick glimpse at what you can get.

One of the deals, Treat your Kindle with great reads, ends tomorrow, so it will be valid on Cyber Monday 2023. However, two other ones, are valid only on Sunday – and there are 960 ebooks that you can grab at discounted prices.

Tip: Scroll down the individual page with deals to reveal the full list of books, not only the featured ones.

Epic Kindle reads starting at $0.99

Books featured: 101
End date: November 26, 2023, 11:59 PST

The latest, 13th novel from the Harry Hole series by Jo Nesbo, Killing Moon, was released in May 2023. The brilliant but troubled detective must confront a chilling serial killer who preys on young women and leaves behind a disturbing signature. The regular price of the Killing Moon is $29.99 (hardcover), but you can get the Kindle edition for only $3.99.

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro is the timely novel about an artificial friend named Klara, who navigates the complexities of human relationships and the explores the nature of love and belonging. The book costs today $3.99, instead of $14.99.

There are 99 other books to explore in this deal. Which one caught your attention?

Black Friday Kindle Savings

Books featured: 759
End date: November 26, 2023, 11:59 PST

The largest Kindle deal so far includes 759 books from, this time not only fiction, but also biographies and spirituality.

The prices range between $0.99 and $6.99. I suggest using the category widget on the left side to narrow down the list of results to books from your favorite genre.

In the New York Times bestseller, Upstairs at the White House, J. B. West, the chief usher of the White House offers a unique, behind-the-scenes look at America’s first families. The regular price of the book is $17.99 (hardcover), but you can grab the Kindle edition for only $1.99 today. If you have an active Kindle Unlimited subscription, you can get it for free.

This particular deal offers several books that have been published by Macmillan and HarperCollins Publishers this year, including S. A. Cosby’s All the Sinners Bleed ($2.99) or The Air Raid Book Club by Annie Lyons ($2.99).

Treat your Kindle with great reads

Books featured: 230
End date: November 27, 2023, 11:59 PST

Most of the books are from the literature & fiction, mystery and thrillers, romance, and science fiction categories.

Karin Slaughter’s After That Night is a chilling tale of suspense and betrayal, as the past comes back to haunt a doctor whose life is shattered by a violent attack. The book costs today and tomorrow only $3.99, instead of $14.99.

After Death by Dean Koontz is $2.99. You will pay the same for the Goodreads Choice, Kate Quinn’s The Diamond Eye.

Make sure to visit the Kindle Daily Deal home page tomorrow to grab Cyber Monday 2023 Kindle deals.

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The audiobook market is poised for continued growth. With the rise of smart speakers and the growing popularity of podcasts, audiobooks are well-positioned to become an even more integral part of our lives.

Market Us has just released a report that shows that the global audiobook market will reach an estimated USD 39.1 billion by 2032 from USD 4.2 billion in 2022.

North America was the market leader in 2022, driven by the widespread availability of digital devices and the popularity of subscription-based services, such as Audible, Apple Books, or Scribd.

However, Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region, “with increasing smartphone adoption and a growing interest in English-language content.”

The non-fiction segment accounted for the largest revenue share in audiobooks market in 2022.

Self-help and personal development audiobooks continue to be popular, along with business and finance audiobooks for professionals.

Adults constitute the major target audience, utilizing audiobooks for entertainment during commutes or multitasking activities.

This incredible growth of the audiobook market is driven by the increasing popularity of digital media, the convenience of smartphones, and the growing trend of consuming content on the go.

Source: Global Audiobooks Market Report – Market.Us

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Are you looking for a library-themed gift that you can adjust to a specific occasion, sense of humor, or taste? You can customize any of the following designs by just adding your own text.

On the web, you can find thousands of products designed to be great gifts for librarians or library lovers. 

The thing is that you may still not find the right one. The fonts are too childish, the colors are too bright, the message is fine… but you would change it a bit.

To solve this problem, I have spent several recent weeks on creating custom library-themed designs that you can quickly adjust to your specific needs. And all you need to do is replace the blank text with your own one.

User customization is one of the greatest things about Zazzle – one of the leading online sites connecting designers and consumers.

On Zazzle, you will be able to quickly change the text and see the product as you would receive it. Obviously, you can pick up a different background color of the t-shirt.

What’s even more important, you can transfer any of these designs to dozens of other products, including personal accessories, different apparel items, or home decor.

All newly added, customized products can be found in this Zazzle collection: Personalized Library Gifts by Geek Updated.

Tip: You can transfer any of these designs to any other product that’s offered on Zazzle. Just use the “Transfer this design” option.

How can I personalize a design on Zazzle?

Many designs on Zazzle can be quickly personalized by replacing a blank text with the one you want.

If this option is available, you will see a large “Personalize” button next to the product image.

When you type the text, it will appear almost instantly on the product image!

Do you want to add your own graphic element, change the font color or size? Just hit the “Edit using Design Tool” button to open a design dashboard.

All the designs in the following list let you quickly replace the text with your own one.

Customized gifts for librarians

The best spot to enjoy life is [personalize] t-shirt

Libraries matter because they make people wiser, healthier, and happier. This cozy, minimalist, lively artwork says: “The best spot to enjoy life is the reading room of my library”.

Not clever enough? Just use the “Personalize” button to start typing your own message. You can change both the beginning and end of the sentence. So, how would you phrase it? ⇢ Customize

Drink coffee and support libraries personalized mug

This modern, college-style artwork says: “Drink coffee and support libraries. They are awesome!”. You can type your text in as many as five areas. Just use the “Personalize” button to start typing.

The design works well on both light and dark backgrounds. Available in five different colors. ⇢ Customize

Urban library support squad t-shirt personalized

Are you supporting libraries and librarians? Now you can express it. This vintage artwork shows an engraved image of a skyscraper city. The text goes: “Urban Library Support Squad”. You can replace both the “library” and “squad” texts. ⇢ Customize

Celebrate [personalize] Day Every Day t-shirt

Celebrate the happy day every day! This vintage artwork lets you express your support for libraries all year long. The text goes: “Celebrate Library Day Every Day.”

The design lets you customize two fields. You can also pick up several colors of the t-shirt. ⇢ Customize

Calm down and [personalize] mouse pad

Can’t find what you are looking for? This cozy artwork comes with handwritten typography that says: “Breathe, calm down, and just ask the librarian”. A great idea for a library supporter or as an accessory for a library’s reading room.

You can customize every single text in this design. The only limitation is your imagination. Start creating! ⇢ Customize

Periodic table of the earth’s most awesome humans : [personalize] t-shirt

Are you looking for a clever way to express appreciation of your librarian? Use “The Periodic Table of the Earth’s Most Awesome Humans.” The only entry in this table is “Lb – Librarian”.

You can customize the text by replacing the abbreviation and profession with the name of your favorite librarian. ⇢ Customize

Silently [personalize] t-shirt

After you’ve silently corrected all the grammar errors around you, it’s time for something new. This cute, vintage artwork says: “Silently making a list of your overdue books”.

There are many ways you can use the “silently” meme on a t-shirt. Got an idea? Just start typing. ⇢ Customize

Library announcement foam board personalized

Are you a fan of a vintage typography? Check out this artwork that sports the 19th century display font and says: “Believe it or not, but in this library, we are using the silence to calm the loud guys down”.

All text fields in this design can be customized so that you can adjust the message to even the most specific needs. A light colored version of this vintage-style typography artwork is also available on Zazzle. ⇢ Customize

All I need is love and [personalize] sweatshirt

Love is the most important thing in life… but sometimes it’s not. This vintage, gothic artwork says: “All I need is love and another reason to go to the library today”. A great gift idea for a library supporter in your life.

Not clever enough? Just use the “Personalize” button to quickly add your own text. You can transfer this design to any other apparel. All you have to do is pick up the right type in the Style section on the right. ⇢ Customize

[Personalize] matter t-shirt

Who or what matters to you the most? Now you can easily express it. This vintage artwork is fully editable. You can place your text in three text areas. Libraries matter, bookstores matter, banned books matter. Act now! ⇢ Customize

Minimalist typography fully customized

Are you looking for a minimalist typography artwork that could be easily customized with a library-themed text you provide? This modern, sleek artwork says: “I’m here, but my mind is still at the library”. You can change it whatever you want, be it a library quote, a name of your favorite librarian, or the name of the upcoming event.

This artwork lets you write down your message in a thin, elegant font, as well as add a background icon, for instance a letter or symbol. ⇢ Customize

Visit a library more than once personalized tote bag

Everybody says: “It’s a good day.” Do the opposite. This cute, positive artwork has a twist. It says: “It’s definitely not a good day to visit a library just once”. Obviously, you can change the message to anything you find funnier, brighter or more relevant. ⇢ Customize

I’m not a librarian [personalize] t-shirt

Librarians are all unique individuals with their own passions, interests, and personalities. This modern handwritten typography artwork provides just one of the many possible descriptions: “I’m not a librarian. I’m just a walking knowledge machine with a built-in snooze button”.

Not funny or clever enough? Use the “Personalize” button to quickly add your own text. There is also a dark-themed color version available on Zazzle. ⇢ Customize

The list first appeared on Reader Updated blog.

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AI chatbots are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and can now hold conversations about even the most complex topics.

It’s no surprise that every industry, including publishing, investigates how to benefit from AI, while keeping an eye on possible threats, naming only the case of training large language models (LLMs) on pirated books.

Imagine that you host a private book club meeting, where you can discuss the book you are currently reading – any time, anywhere. And the other book club member is a chatbot trained to talk about nothing else than this particular book.

It may happen sooner than you think.

YouAI is a startup that offers tools for building custom AI-powered apps. They have just added a new app to their growing collection of ready to use tools.

Called Book AI, this template “will let you turn any book into an AI”. All you need to do is upload your book’s content as a data source.

Will Knight, a senior writer for WIRED, uploaded Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to Book AI app to test it.

The Franken-bot did a decent job summarizing the book and its themes.

The chatbot also noticed some interesting similarities between the classic story of scientific hubris and the current concerns about artificial intelligence.

Once the chatbot content is ready (and every publisher or author can already do it, using tools like Book AI), the remaining task would be to include the chat seamlessly into the book.

Some companies, naming only Solution Tree, already plan to offer AI conversational companions to go with their new titles.

It would require the redesign of book reading apps to include the option to start the chatbot in one or two taps. And, ideally, this chatbot should be able to speak and recognize the voice.

Actually, the Kindle ecosystem offers two features that make it easy to imagine the chat companion coming to the Kindle even in the upcoming months.

One is Whispersync for Voice. It lets you seamlessly switch between reading your Kindle ebook and listening to its audiobook companion. Text and sound go hand in hand, and this has been doable since 2012. Already, over 60,000 Kindle books come with audiobook companions.

The other feature that makes ebooks one step closer to book chat companions is Kindle X-Ray. It provides readers with further details about the characters, places, and themes in the book they are reading.

And the best part is that Amazon doesn’t need to produce chatbot companions themselves. All they can do is provide a reliable tool for KDP self publishers, just like they do it with X-Ray. 

Having in mind how easy the process is with YouAI’s chatbot generator, it shouldn’t be the hard task to accomplish.

If you were given an opportunity to buy an ebook with a chatbot companion for an extra $3, would you test it?

Source: Why Read Books When You Can Use Chatbots to Talk to Them Instead? – Wired / Cover image: Midjourney

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This move is part of Spotify’s broader strategy to become a one-stop shop for all things audio, offering users a wide range of content to choose from, including music, podcasts, and now audiobooks.

By offering instant access to a large selection of 150,000+ audiobooks, Spotify is making it easier for Premium subscribers, as well as managers for Family and Duo accounts, to discover and listen to audiobooks.

The company has partnered with respected audiobook publishers, including Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, and RB Media, to bring its users a wide range of titles, including bestsellers, new releases, and classics.

We believe that offering personalized music, podcasts, and audiobooks on a single platform gives you a superior way to connect with your favorite artists, podcasters, creators, and authors—all in one spot.

Spotify is also making it easy for Premium subscribers to find and manage their audiobooks. The company has created a dedicated audiobook hub on its website and app, where subscribers can browse and search for audiobooks by title, author, genre, and more.

If you are a Spotify Premium member, and live in the U.K. or Australia – where the new feature is already available, you can go directly to this link on the web to browse the catalog of Spotify audiobooks.

Spotify Premium audiobooks will be available for the U.S. users in the following months. The company does not reveal plans for the rest of the world.

What the company is not boasting about is the monthly usage. You will be able to listen to Spotify audiobooks for only 15 hours per month.

15 hours? Really? An average audiobook takes around 10 hours, so within your “unlimited” Premium access to Spotify audiobooks, you will be able to finish one audiobook.

Hopefully, it may change, as the company claims it’s working on more ways to unlock access to Premium audiobooks.

Are you planning to try Spotify audiobooks when they finally arrive in your country?

Source: Spotify Premium Will Include Instant Access to 150,000+ Audiobooks – Spotify Blog

Amazon’s second Prime Day event this year will take place on October 10 and 11. More are more deals are being added to Prime Big Deal Days 2023.

Interestingly, the deals featured on Prime Big Deal Days, are available for all Amazon customers, not only Prime subscribers – and they are the same as the ones listed on the main Amazon Device Deals page.

For instance, you can save up to 70% on Echo Show devices and smart home bundles. If you plan to buy a Fire tablet, the good news is that all models come with slashed prices right now, and you can save up to 50%.

Kindle e-readers are also on sale, and non-Prime Amazon customers are also eligible. 

There is only one model you can save on right now, and – quite surprisingly – it’s the top-shelf Kindle Scribe.

Four variants are offered. The entry-level Scribe with 16 GB of internal storage and the Basic Pen costs today $265 instead of $340, which means you save 22% ($75).

For reference, the same variant of Kindle Scribe was offered during the summer Prime Day 2023 for $255. Prime subscribers can expect the same price during the upcoming Prime Day.

Amazon doesn’t reveal when the deal will end, but you can be sure it will be gone by October 10, the first day of the autumn 2023 Prime Day event.

I predict the price of the basic variant of Kindle Scribe to go down to $249 this Black Friday or Cyber Monday.

P.S. Deals on refurbished Kindle Scribe models are now gone.

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A refurbished Kindle is the one that has been returned by a customer and tested by Amazon for functionality and defects.

The software is updated by Amazon to the latest available version, and the device comes with the same limited warranty as a new device.

If you accept the refurbished status of the device, you can save a significant amount of money – as soon as you know such a device is available.

The best destination to shop for refurbished Kindle e-readers and Fire tablets is the home page of Amazon Device Deals, where are currently discounted new and refurbished models appear.

Currently, Amazon is offering a deal on refurbished Kindle Scribe models. A deal on refurbished devices? Don’t refurbished devices are a deal already?

Yes, they are always cheaper than the new ones, but even they are subject to price cuts – what’s happening right now.

For instance, the Kindle Scribe with the most affordable configuration (16 GB plus Basic Pen), in the “like-new” condition, costs today only $235. On the product page, you will read that its list price is $285 – but it’s the list price of the refurbished model. The new one costs $340.

In other words, you don’t save $50 but $105, if you compare the like-new model to the new one.

There is also the refurbished Kindle Scribe with 64 GB and Premium Pen, which costs $280 instead of $420, which means you save $140.

Is it better to buy the refurbished Kindle Scribe now or wait for the autumn edition of Prime Day 2023?

Having in mind that Kindle Scribe (16 GB with the Basic Pen) was $255 during Prime Day Summer Edition 2023, you can’t expect the much lower price this year for a new device.

The deal on the refurbished Kindle Scribe will let you save $20 more right now.

The only disadvantage is the unboxing moment that won’t raise your adrenaline level. Refurbished Amazon devices are being shipped in generic Amazon-branded boxes.

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Amazon is right now sending out emails to Kindle users informing about two major improvements made to the Send to Kindle feature.

These changes apply to documents that are being added to your Kindle library through the Kindle e-reader or the app for iOS, Android, and Mac.

Improvements to pdf files

First of all, from now on, if you import a pdf file with the “Keep original layout” option enabled, the imported document will support text selection, search, and hyperlinks.

You will be able to highlight the text, as well as make text notes. Smart Lookup feature will also work in this document.

Improvements to epub, html, txt, and rtf files

Do you want to add to your Kindle library a file in epub, htm, html, txt or rft file format, or a doc, docx or pdf with “Make layout adjustable” enabled?

The new feature will let you benefit from Page Flip on your Kindle or in a Kindle app. Page turn animation is now also supported, as well as some Enhanced Typesetting features.

Page Flip is an advanced Kindle book navigation feature that makes it easy to explore books without loosing your latest read position.

Send to Kindle is Amazon’s free tool that allows you to send documents to your Kindle library on your Kindle e-reader, Fire tablet, or Kindle app. 

You can upload documents through the web, an authorized email address, the Kindle app for iOS and Android devices, or a Send to Kindle application (if available). 

It’s worth highlighting that all documents sent through Send to Kindle are protected with end-to-end encryption.

Note: Just a reminder that since the beginning of 2023 you can’t add mobi files to your Kindle. Epub is now the file format that’s accepted by Amazon.

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If you are hunting for a reasonable Kindle Scribe deal, you know that it’s not easy to spot the one that’s worth grabbing.

Unless you start thinking about the Kindle Scribe based bundle.

Usually, Kindle bundles are cheaper by more than 10% than the sum of their parts. But sometimes, these bundles go on sale, as well.

And this is the big time for Kindle Scribe bundles. Out of nowhere, Amazon decided to slash their prices by 25%. There is one condition, though: you have to be an active Prime member.

If you are, you can save between $115 and $130 on every single Kindle Scribe bundle that’s offered on Amazon right now.

The lowest price – $305 – is offered for the bundle that includes:

• Kindle Scribe with 16 GB of storage and a Basic Pen
• Amazon’s original fabric folio in Black, Denim or Rose
• Amazon’s original power adapter

You save $115 on the bundle with these specs, but you can pick up a model with larger internal memory and save even more.

For instance, the Kindle Scribe bundle with the 64 GB on board and premium Pen costs today $370 instead of $500 – just make sure to select a relevant option to see the final deal price for this variant.

Kindle Scribe is Amazon’s most advanced device. It combines the reading experience of a Kindle with the writing capabilities of a notebook. It features a large 10.2-inch display with a stylus that allows you to write and sketch directly on the screen.

What are you going to do with your savings? What about getting a hands-free accessory or a decent Kindle Scribe case cover?

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