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The eDigitalMediaStoreSM downloadable files use a high voice-quality MP3 encoding scheme. This provides a near CD quality recording while maintaining a reasonable file size and a format that plays on most computers and mobile audio devices.

For customers who choose to listen on their desktop computer, we recommend use of the standard audio players (the “Windows Media Player” for Windows users and “itunes” for Macintosh users). There are also many free software players which have features such as bookmarking and cataloging. Out of the box, any computer that you have purchased within the past 5 years should be capable of playing the eDigitalMediaStore.comSM files. This includes Windows and Macintosh desktops and laptops as well as Unix computers.

There is a wide variety of portable audio players that will play the eDigitalMediaStore.com SM MP3 format. Depending on the model, the Rio devices (Rio 500/600/700/800/900) have 64 - 192MB of built-in memory. These and other similar devices are expandable up to 256MB of memory using MMC cards - that's 16 hours of the eDigitalMediaStore.comSM MP3 audio book format. Some of these portable players actually use a small hard disk. The Archos Jukebox and the Apple ipod can hold up to 20GB of MP3 files - that's 640 hours of audio books. These players have special features allowing you to pause and save your place, even when the device is turned off. This is especially useful when listening to audio books.

All of the latest Compaq Pocket PC, Sony Clie and Palm Tungsten devices will play MP3 files. These handheld computers are generally sold with 64MB of memory. They are expandable through use of CompactFlash or Memory Sticks which are available in sizes up to 1GB. Therefore, these handhelds can hold from 4 to 64 hours of audio book content. Some handhelds, like the Compaq IPAQ 5450 come with wireless networking allowing users to download audio books directly into the unit over wireless networks such as those found in many Internet cafes.

Car stereos, portable and home CD players now come shipped with the capability to play "MP3 CDRs" (CDROMs which have been created on a desktop computer including MP3 files such as the Downloadable Audiobooks). This, new, "MP3 CDR" medium can hold over 40-times more audio than a conventional CD and you can create them on your desktop computer using audio books downloaded from eDigitalMediaStore.comSM. The Phillips Expanium 300 (and higher) portable players have bookmarking ability, allowing you to save your place, even when the unit is turned off or when the CDR is removed. The Kenwood KDC-MPV7019 car stereo plays CDs, MP3 CDs and the radio. Sonicblue makes portable MP3 CD players such as the RioVolt and the new EX 1000 home stereo system. These new devices make it possible for you to download audio books and play them just as you would with a regular audio CD with 2 other major advantages - you can fit 40 hours of audio on a single CDR and you can save your place just as you would with a cassette.

Through use of MediaTunnel.comSM file transfer and organization technology, the eDigitalMediaStore.comSM system addresses some of the key issues which are related to playing audio book content on computers and portable audio devices. At first, you may think that audio book content is just like music. It isn't. Most songs are less than 8 minutes in length, allowing the average user to download a music file and store it on their home computer. However, a full-length audio book may run 10 or more hours. "War and Peace, " often called the greatest novel ever written, performed by "Frederick Davidson" is 64 1/2 hours of audio. The average audio book listener probably doesn't have the capability of downloading and storing such a novel.

The MediaTunnel.comSM personal library solves the issues of long audio books. Once a file has been purchased, you can connect to eDigitalMediaStore.comSM from any web browser anywhere in the world and download sections of your audio books. You do not need to download and store the entire book at one time. You can download a section, listen to the section and delete it from the computer or portable device knowing that you can connect to eDigitalMediaStore.comSM to retrieve the section again. The files are named, tagged and cataloged intelligently, so when transferred to portable devices or MP3 CDRs, the names all make sense. Imagine having all of War and Peace on 2 CDs!

The eDigitalMediaStore.comSM MP3 files are encoded at a rate of 32Kbps. The download time will depend on the speed of your Internet connection. Our testing has shown that an hour of audio book content takes from 44 minutes on a 56K modem to 4 minutes on a DSL or cable modem. So, even for the slowest connections, download of eDigitalMediaStore.comSM files is still faster, and certainly cheaper, than the fastest express mail.

Please tell us how our download service can enhance your listening. Do you have a favorite author, title that you would like to ensure is available? What do you think the download price should be for a 6 hour, 10 hour work? How will downloading a title change the way you listen to audiobooks?

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