Technical stuff > Importing Audiobook CD's to Android Phone

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I recently got an Android phone--Galaxy 4S. I have four audiobooks on CD that I would like to listen to using my Galaxy. If worse comes to worse, I can always load them on my iPod, but I'd kind of like to get down to one device. So, how do I get these audiobook CD's onto my Android device. Is there an app for that?

I have an S4, too. Love it. If their Audible books, you just need to download the Audible app. You should be able to find the books through that and download them to the phone. I haven't moved books over from the computer, but I would assume it's the same as music. Drag and drop. One note: they must be mp3 file. WMA format won't play.

I use the Smart AudioBook app on my Galaxy SII for audiobooks that were on CD, and it works great. Just download the CD's to your computer (I suggest you join all the tracks on a CD together into one file) and then move the files over to the downloads/music file on your phone. (If the book entails multiple files, create a main folder within your music folder to put all the files in.) The app will find your files, will bookmark as you play, etc. I've only listened to a couple audiobooks on the app, but it worked great.

Do you transfer the audio to the computer using Media Player?

I use iTunes, but I would think media player should work as well.

I have always used iTunes in the past, but don't I need to convert to MP3 for the Android?

ITunes will let you import the CD in mp3 format. I am not at home to look at it to tell you where that setting, but it is easy enough.

It's under 'Import Settings,' which is found in different places, depending on which version of iTunes you have. When you're in Import Settings there's a drop-down that usually defaults to 'AAC Encoder.' Click on the drop-down to find 'MP3 Encoder.' It's that easy. :)
Good luck!

Ok so has anyone actually tried this? I currently have an IPhone because of this need for audiobooks and I was under the assumption that there is no way to have audiobooks on androids like how iPhones have them. But if this app works then the door to androids is finally open. I don't use audible because ain't nobody got money for that! So if someone can confirm this method it'd be much appreciated!

message 11: by Kristie (last edited Aug 13, 2014 03:15PM) (new)

Javier wrote: 'Ok so has anyone actually tried this? I currently have an IPhone because of this need for audiobooks and I was under the assumption that there is no way to have audiobooks on androids like how iPho..'
Yes, it works. Burn the CD's as MP3 files onto your computer, then put them on your phone. (I put them in the music folder.) I then use the Smart AudioBook app on my android phone to listen. Works great. And of course, delete the files off your device and computer when you're done, so you're not keeping the library's books.

I actually use EAC (Exact audio copy) and it has the ability to copy each disc as one file (Shift F7 - extract range). I rip directly to M4B file extension (it is just aac/m4a with a different extension) so Itunes automatically identifies it as an audiobook.
I use iSyncr to sync it to my android phone. I have an 'Audiobook' playlist that I sync, and I put the book I'm listening to on that, and just sync wirelessly.

I also rip library audiobooks and use Smart Audiobook on my Android as well. I think I had to pay a couple bucks for the app but I love it. I love the many playback speeds, the ability to skip back 10 secs or 1 min, and the bookmarking option. I actually like it more than itunes and the audible app.

Thanks for the info from everybody on this thread! It is really helpful.

I use MortPlayer
https://play.google.com/store/apps/de..
Just rip your CDs to MP3, create a folder on your Android (suggest creating folder on SD card instead of using up internal memory) and launch MortPlayer. Mort has a ton of handy features.. it's pretty trick.

You won't find anything an iPhone will do that an android won't. Here's another vote for the Smart Audiobook Player app. I combine all but the longest of my books into single tracks, but the app will handle multiple tracks just as well.

J. wrote: 'You won't find anything an iPhone will do that an android won't. Here's another vote for the Smart Audiobook Player app. I combine all but the longest of my books into single tracks, but the app..'
Yeah? Well on my old iPhone I had one audio player that handled music, audible audio books, and non audible audio books, and syncing was so damn easu. On android I damn well need three different audio players one for music one for audible one for others, and other programs to sync. Android is so clunky.

Michael wrote: 'J. wrote: 'You won't find anything an iPhone will do that an android won't. Here's another vote for the Smart Audiobook Player app. I combine all but the longest of my books into single tracks, ..'
I'm curious what the syncing program is. Is that to be able to move files without plugging in the phone? I just plug in my phone to my computer, move the files into my music folder, and Smart AudioBook finds them there. Not as slick as iTunes obviously, but I find iTunes to be a little less than perfect at times as well.

Don't know what to tell you, I don't have any trouble with mine. I should have said 'You won't find anything an iPhone will do that an android won't except be oversimplified for the masses.' lol
I use a separate player for audiobooks and music, but to me that makes sense. I don't want the same settings for audiobooks and music. I'm fairly confident the music player I use, Rocket..something, could handle my audiobooks if that's what I wanted.
But what you're describing isn't even an android issue, that's an app issue. The makers of that app have apparently decided not to pursue both ios & android. I truly doubt they wanted to make the app for android and ran into limitations.

Kristie wrote: 'I'm curious what the syncing program is. Is that to be able to move files without plugging in the phone? I just plug in my phone to my computer, move the files into my music folder, and Smart AudioBook finds them there. Not as slick as iTunes obviously, but I find iTunes to be a little less than perfect at times as well. '
ISyncr - it is great, and the closest you'll get to itunes/iphone syncing
J. wrote: 'But what you're describing isn't even an android issue, that's an app issue. The makers of that app have apparently decided not to pursue both ios & android. I truly doubt they wanted to make the app for android and ran into limitations.
'
The point is, on an iphone you have both an all in one solution that works great (the ios player even has multiple playback speed for books), or you can use audibles player. With android you have exactly ONE choice for playing audible books. Then you HAVE to get another player to play non-audible books. It is an unintegrated mess where you don't even have the level of choice ios has

What device do you have? The default player on my S4 has multiple speed settings.
Again though, this sounds like an app issue more than anything. I suggest switching back to the iphone in the future, it is definitely the simpler option a certain group needs.
I haven't looked for an alternate audible player. Audible's DRM pisses me off, so I convert all my audible files to mp3s. Doing so pretty much removes all the fuss of picking a player.
What app was it that you were using on the iphone? Isyncr is still around.

J. wrote: 'What device do you have? The default player on my S4 has multiple speed settings.
Again though, this sounds like an app issue more than anything. I suggest switching back to the iphone in the futu..'
Xperia Z.
On the iphone? I was just using their standard iOS all in one music player.
Yes the DRM is annoying. I'd prefer just using Smart audiobook player for all, but there just aren't efficient enough ways for dealing with it. At least, none I'm aware of. I really dislike the fact that you have less choice on android for listening to audible content than you do on iOS.

If you meant to import audiobooks from Audible or iTunes to your Android phone, this tutorial will help you: http://www.tuneskit.com/audiobook-tip..

To Sandi and Kristie and Javier.
I just installed Smart AudioBook Player on my Galaxy Note 3, just a minute ago. (after reading Kristie's comment).
I have the audio ebook, The Martian, that I downloaded from an ebook website, saved to my PC
It is:
The Martian (Unabridged)
AAC audio book (.m4b)
I used my PC to open the files on my Galaxy Note 3, and I dragged and dropped the entire file into the Audible app file:
Russell's Galaxy Note 3PhoneAudible
I then opened the Smart AudioBook Player app, let it scan my cellphone for ebooks, and boop, there it was..The Martian.
It has a cover, it is reading to me perfectly well, and I am now listening the beautiful voice of R. C. Bray narrating the audio ebook, The Martian.
I hope this helps y'all.

Russell wrote: 'To Sandi and Kristie and Javier.
I just installed Smart AudioBook Player on my Galaxy Note 3, just a minute ago. (after reading Kristie's comment).
I have the audio ebook, The Martian, that I dow..'
Thanks Russell. I hope you enjoy The Martian and the Smart AudioBook player!

Kristie wrote: 'Russell wrote: 'To Sandi and Kristie and Javier.
I just installed Smart AudioBook Player on my Galaxy Note 3, just a minute ago. (after reading Kristie's comment).
I have the audio ebook, The Mar..'
Thank you Kristie. :)

For anyone thinking of switching from iPhone to Android or wondering which is easier for audio files:
I had an iPhone and hated having to go through iTunes to get my audio files on my iPhone. I used it to listen to both audiobooks and music. I rarely used the Audible app to download the audiobooks as my internet connection wasn't always consistent and it took too long to download compared to dragging a file to i-Tunes. I hated the synching process as it meant my entire audio folders were affected even if I just want to add/delete one file!
I finally switched to an Android, Samsung Galaxy S6 and love how easy it is to import my audio files! The phone's directory automatically opens up when I connect the phone to my PC. I create a folder for my audio files - one 'AUDIOBOOKS' and one 'MUSIC' then just drag&drop the files I want into the folders. They are automatically in my S6 without having to do that stupid synching thing or having to go through an external program.
To play my audiobooks, I installed SMART AUDIOBOOK PLAYER which is miles better than the Audible app player (gives several speeds options, equalizer, volume booster, etc) and also MAPLE PLAYER JB when I want to adjust the pitch of a narrator's voice (I dislike high-pitched female narrators). Maple allows me to deepen a voice without alterating the speed.
I have absolutely no regrets ditching my iPhone for the Android and can play all my audiobooks and music using just the Smart Audio Player. I've even deleted the Audible app since I don't need it - but note that you have to convert the Audible format to mp3 first or the Audible files won't play.

I just traded my Windows Phone for a Galaxy S7 Edge, because no one makes apps for Windows Phones any more. I was using the Windows App Audiobooked to listen to audiobooks. This app allowed you to load all the CD's for a book (if it was not an mp3) and then combine them into one book so that you didn't have to fumble with the phone each time you got to the end of a CD. I downloaded Smart Audiobook Player on the Edge, but it doesn't seem to allow CD's to be combined. I tried moving all the files into one directory, but on the second CD, there were duplicate file names, so that is not going to work. Does anyone know of an Android App that will let you combine the audio files from several CD into one book and then keep up with where you are in the book?

Have you tried putting all the CD folders under a single folder? I haven't tried this, but I haven't found much that Smart Audiobook Player won't do.

J. wrote: 'Have you tried putting all the CD folders under a single folder? I haven't tried this, but I haven't found much that Smart Audiobook Player won't do.'
Smart Audiobook Player looks in the same folder for a book. And they have to be named the same. So you may need to go back and name them all Book1.mp3, Book2.mp3 (or Book1.wav, etc), for SAP to play them sequentially.

I rip audiobook CD's to my PC as disc length mp3 files (I use EAC to do this on a low bitrate setting to save space). I name them 'book01.mp3, book02.mp3..etc), all in the same folder. EAC's a bit fiddly, so if you have another perferred ripper, use whatever you like. I like to get the best sounds out of the smallest file for books, since they can be so big, and EAC's allowed me to get some good settings to do so.
Once that's done, I use a program called MP3Tag (http://www.mp3tag.de/en/) to edit the metadata on the files.
Select the folder in mp3tag. Highlight all the files in the file list on the right. In the box on the left, I fill in Title, Artist, and Genre (audiobook). Save. Once you've done that, keep all the files highlighted, go to 'Tools' on the menu bar, and do the auto-numbering wizard. Use a leading zero, and let it number the tracks for you sequentially. Hit OK. That last step adds the track number to the metadata, which I think is what gets the books to play in the proper order. I'm not sure if it's required with the Android apps, but it was back when I used a Sansa Clip, so I continue to do it.
That should always work with whatever app you use. I personally like 'Listen', but Smart Audiobook player is good, too. I go back and forth.

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