Simply Audiobooks Inc.

Want a fun way to decide your next vacation? Watch the Euro Championship and make a pact with friends to visit the country of the winning team. It makes the games even more interesting then when David Beckham was playing, and that’s saying something. Have you seen his newest ads?

Not only will you find yourself cheering enthusiastically for your favorite team vacation spot (and getting so upset when they lose in a shoot out… oh Italy) you’ll also know that no matter what, you’ll end up with a fun vacation with your friends.

I must admit that despite Italy’s painful loss, I am pleased to know I am either going to Germany or Spain. I’ll find out whether I’ll be learning German or Spanish this Sunday. Thankfully we’ve got 108 language audiobooks, so I’m confident I’ll ready for the trip!

Members received an email with these website FAQ’s last week. However, we thought it was worthwhile to post some frequently asked questions about our new site on the blog as well. Use this as your quick reference guide while surfing our site.

How do I login?
Use the login box in the top right corner of any page or click “Login” to see the full login page.

Where is my Rental Shelf or Download Library?
All your audio book lists (including the new Wish List) are found under My Books after you login.

What’s the Wish List?
This is a list of books you may be interested in, but perhaps aren’t ready to download or rent yet.

You can move books from your wish list to your download or rent lists with one click. Or, as always, add books to your download or rent list directly from any book detail or book list page!

How do I find books?
Simple title searches can be done from the “Find Books” search bar in the top right hand corner of any page.

Advanced Search can be found by clicking on Browse Books. Search by download or rental titles, abridged or unabridged titles, and any genre, author, title, narrator combination.

Where are the recommended book lists (i.e. NY Times Bestsellers, Oprah, etc)?
Click Browse Books and look in the “Browse By” column on the right side to browse by author, genre, list, narrator, or newest titles.

Are you iPod-compatible now?
Yes! We have over 600 iPod-compatible titles to be found under the genre “iPod Audiobooks”.

How do I rate or review a book I’ve listened to?
View your shipping history under My Books > Rentals and click “See My Full Rental History”. Check the rating star beside any title you’d like to review.

Have more questions?

Check out our FAQ section or contact our friendly Member Services Team.

Remember playing that game in school? Each kid would have to go around the circle and name one thing they would take with them on a summer vacation. Then you’d have to repeat what your classmates were “bringing” and add your own item to the end of the list. Kindergarten flashback aside, it is getting to be time for summer vacations, and we want to know what you’re planning to take with you. Specifically, what books you’re going to pack.

Contest Alert!

Add a comment with your summer reading suggestions below. We’ll be selecting our favorite responses to send to our members in our summer reading newsletter.

The finalists in our summer reading contest will receive a free upgrade for their next month of service.

Our grand prize winner receives a Simply Audiobooks Road Trip Gift Basket worth $200 including audiobooks and a gas card!

We’d like to thank everyone who participates in sharing their summer favorites. We’re really looking forward to reading about your picks. Please note that this contest ends July 7, 2008 – don’t forget to check back on the 8th to see who the winner is!

My iPod has always been jam packed with music. But now, I am very excited that it can also be filled with audiobooks. Really good audiobooks. Choose from amazing authors like, Sue Grafton, Sandra Brown, John Grisham, Danielle Steel and many others. Don’t think it can get any better? New titles are being added daily to expand the library- and we’ve already got 600 iPod compatible books online now.

To help my iPod make the transition from music to audiobook-listening-device, I’m planning to make the first book I listen to Clapton, by Eric Clapton, rock icon and living legend. I have to say I am a bit disappointed that he didn’t opt to record himself reading his autobiography for the audiobook version. Nonetheless, the stories of sex, drugs and rock and roll sound too good for me to resist.

With all the recent activity at Simply Audiobooks, we forgot to mention this month’s free download, Anne Of Green Gables. I know, its a classic, how could we forget?! Not to worry, you still have until the end of the month to download the audiobook absolutely free.

When Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert of Green Gables send for a boy orphan to help them out at their farm, they mistakenly get Anne Shirley, a feisty, independent but warm-hearted 11 year-old girl. Fortunately her sunny nature and quirky imagination win the hearts of her reluctant foster parents and everyone in the community. But not a day goes by without some memorable adventure or prank in the tragicomedy of her life. Lucy wrote that Anne is an extension of herself and represents the independent, “new” woman of the emerging 20th century. Individualistic, resourceful, and of a great humanitarian heart, she remains a great role model for girls and women today.

Our new site is up and ready! We hope you noticed.

Simply Audiobooks was in major need of a make over and we hope you’re feeling our new look. In addition to being a cleaner, prettier version of our old selves, we also improved some usability issues with the old site. Many of those changes stem from the Member Website Survey we did a few months ago, asking our members what they liked about the old website and what they felt could be improved.

Below are a few of the sweet new features you’ll find while using the new Simply Audiobooks website…

iPod-compatible Downloads: Over 600 iPod compatible downloads with more added daily. Yes, daily, and you can listen on your iPod. W00t!

New Wish List: Easily create a list of books you’re interested in, then add these books to your Rental or Download lists with one click. You can also combine rental and download subscriptions easier than ever before!

Faster Site Loading: You’ll spend less time waiting to view pages.

Cleaner Design: Every page has been redesigned to be cleaner, clearer and easier to read.

Smarter Book Recommendations: See more recommendations for every title, check out the new Members Favorites section, or sort search results by Top Rentals or Top Downloads.

Fill Your Shelf Faster: Now you can add almost any book you can see to your Rental or Download list with one quick click.

We hope you’re enjoying our new look. But we recognize there may be a few bugs to get worked out with our new system. If you do have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact our friendly Member Services Team (9am-5pm EST, M-F).

…until its time to help me with my homework.

Its the final day of our Father’s Day book picks, and today we celebrate Geeky Dad. Star Wars jokes (and audiobooks) aside, though we do have 44 Star Wars related titles if you’re wondering, here are some books that are sure to get Dad thinking.

An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America By Henry Wiencek

The Art of War By Sun Tzu

A Briefer History of Time By Stephen Hawking

Eragon By Christopher Paolini

If you’re still stuck thinking of what to get Dad this Father’s Day, a Simply Audiobooks gift certificate gives him access to these featured titles and thousands more through our rental and download programs. Let him pick the books, and we’ll take care of the rest.

Dad’s love to give advice. Sometimes its good advice. Other times, well, they might want to try these audiobooks. Dad, if you’re reading this, of course you always give great advice, and of course I always listen. Now that that’s out of the way…

Our first pick is one of the best selling audiobooks of all time. An oldie, but a goodie; just like Dad! (Groan, I know, but I couldn’t resist.)

How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie will teach Dad:
- the 6 ways to make people like him
- the 12 ways to win people to your way of thinking
- the 9 ways to change people without arousing resentment

Our next pick, Social Intelligence by Daniel Goleman is sure to transform his understanding of relationships and redefines what it means to be smart.

Because difficult conversations are unfortunately inevitable, the appropriately titled Difficult Conversations, by Bruce Patton, Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen can help Dad handle these tricky situations.

Last, but certainly not least, Learn In Your Car Spanish Level One By Henry N. Raymond. When I was growing up, my Dad would frequently ask me, “Am I speaking Spanish or something?!” Well yes Dad, now you can.

One Christmas, my Grandma made a sweater for my Dad with a teddy bear carrying a briefcase, and the saying, “Business Is Where Its At.” Yes, seriously. If I could find a photo, I would have posted it- albeit with my Dad’s face blacked out to protect his identity. Grandma was in her sweater making phase, which lasted from approximately the winter of 1992 to sometime in 1994. While it was sort of cute on us kids, the homemade sweaters didn’t share the same effect on my 37 year old Dad.

I had a good laugh when I remembered the sweater while starting to write todays blog devoted to business books. In keeping with the father’s day theme, we’ve got book picks for Dad’s (or anyone really) with an interest in business– briefcase carrying teddy bear sweater not required, though I’m sure you’d look cute.

Blink: The Power Of Thinking Without Thinking, by Malcolm Gladwell
Rich Dad Poor Dad, by Robert T. Kiyosaki, Sharon L. Lechter
The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People, by Stephen R. Covey
Jim Cramer’s Mad Money, by Jim Cramer

Physical fitness is good bodily health, and is the result of regular exercise, proper diet and nutrition, and proper rest for physical recovery. Of course, we’ve got audiobooks covering all of these areas to get Dad working on his fitness!

For good bodily health, try, You: The Owner’s Manual CD by Michael Roizen, and Mehmet C. Oz. Dr. Oz is a frequent guest on the Oprah show, who often talks about medical issues and fields questions from the audience.

To motivate Dad to start a regular exercise routine, check out Fit To Lead, by Christopher Peck. It will get Dad started on an executive fitness plan using the best knowledge available to help busy leaders to achieve not only the health benefits, but also a more effective performance on the job.

Think Dad needs to eat better? Try Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, by Barbara Kingsolver, a novel chronicling her family’s move to a farm in Appalachia to realign their lives with the local food chain.

Finally, Deepak Chopra’s The New Physics of Healing challenges the traditional view of the human body, and asks you to consider new possibilities about what sustains and influences our physical health.