Search for free audio books and eBooks

An audio book is a recording of a text read aloud, either word for word or abridged. They are a convenient alternative to traditional books and an important media for the visually impaired. Audio books have come a long way since the 1930s when the first full length recordings appeared for people with disabilities. They were made available to the general public in the 1950s, but it wasn’t until the 1970s with the release of cassette tapes that popularity began to rise, especially among commuters while driving. Today, we no longer use bulky recording formats to listen to audio books. New digital devices with space for thousands of files allow you to carry a library around, and download or stream audio directly online. Popular audio formats like mp3 files play on the majority of digital devices. Platforms such as Google Books and Amazon, provide access to huge libraries of books, while smaller non-profit organizations, such as Librivox, allow public domain access to free audio books read by volunteers.

An eBook (or Electronic Book) is a version of a printed book in digital format. They are cheaper and quicker to publish and therefore provide a more convenient way to circulate literature. During the 1970s the Internet provided a huge step forward for sharing digital texts and making them available on screen and ready to download. By the end of the 1990s, publishers started to provide digital versions alongside their printed counterparts. EBooks are typically read using an e-reader, such as the popular Kindle, although most digital devices can read EPUBs, the most common format used today. Some devices even allow you to listen to the spoken word and read at the same time. There are plenty of free eBooks available in the public domain, from sites such as Gutenberg and although not likely to replace printed books in the near future, eBooks and audio books are changing the way we consume literature. Digitalbook.io aims to facilitate this by bringing together the best digital books from all the top online sources.

A podcast is an audio recording usually based around a specific theme or topic, which you subscribe to through an app on your mobile device. In the year 2000, before the term “podcast” was coined, RSS feeds started to support audio and video files as the world was introduced to it’s first on demand offerings. It wasn’t until 2004 that the term “podcasting” first appeared and the commercial aspect was realized. Media outlets quickly picked up on the latest trend to consume media and rushed to provide their listeners with a podcast option. The following year, Apple introduced podcasts into its iTunes platform, as the race to attract the most subscribers had officially begun. Today, some of the more popular podcast series are radio shows, inspirational talks, and language learning, just to name a few. Digitalbook.io enables you to search and listen to a wide variety of free podcasts, which are provided by Listen Notes, the best free podcast search engine on the web.