The Internet is undeniably the biggest resource of information in our times. Traditionally, web pages and emails are the main mediums of information transfer on the Internet. However, as we develop technologies that make information transfer more robust we begin to see more information transfer mediums being used.
Two of the most popular methods of information transfer on the Internet are electronic books (often referred to as ebooks) and audiobooks (an online spin of traditional cassette and CD audiobooks). In this article, I will describe the advantages of both ebooks and audiobooks.
Advantages of ebooks
Ebooks are popular not by accident. Some of its most significant advantages are as follows:
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Lots of reader applications
The huge majority of ebooks are in PDF format; therefore regardless of computing platform, there will definitely be an application on it that can read this format. For those on Windows, I highly recommend Foxit Reader.
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Can be read at your own pace
This is the beautiful thing about information presented in text, you can read as slow or as fast as you want. Navigating forward and back between sections can be done very easily.
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Simple to bookmark
Most reader applications can bookmark pages of an ebook very easily. In fact you can read a few ebooks within the same period and have the reader application remember where exactly you stopped at. The next time you read the ebook, you can resume precisely at that point.
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Small download size
Eventhough most of us connect to the Internet via broadband, it’s helpful that you can access your desired information quickly and easily. Due to the compact file size of common ebook formats, downloads are usually very quick. I’m sure that you’ll agree that spending time reading an ebook is more beneficial than waiting for it to download.
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Can be printed and read without a computer
There are times when an ebook is more useful when it’s no longer an ebook. Printing your ebook would be useful for reading it in those long commutes in the train or bus.
Advantages of audiobooks
Now we understand why ebooks are so popular. What about audiobooks then? Glad you asked!
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Can be listened to while doing something else
Listening is mostly a passive activity where you can absorb what you’re listening to even when you’re cooking or working on a creative project. Those who can multi-task effectively can benefit from audiobooks more than others.
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Can be listened to on portable audio players
Whether you have an iPod, mobile phone or even your car’s CD player; chances are you can download your audiobook to these devices or burn the contents as an audio CD. These methods of listening to an audiobook can make your otherwise boring commutes more beneficial.
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Easy to produce
If you’re an audiobook publisher, you’ll nevertheless find that audiobooks are easier to produce as compared to ebooks. All the required software for recording, editing and converting your recordings are already pre-installed on your computer or can be downloaded for free. You’ll also need not worry about fonts, graphics and other supporting media for your audiobooks.
I’m very sure there are more advantages to these two educational media. Maybe you know of a few that I missed. Why don’t you share your thoughts in the comments?
Did you also know that you can make a lot of money selling ebooks and audiobooks online? Even if you don’t have your own material to sell, you can always become an affiliate and sell third party ebooks and audiobooks for a handsome commission. Interested? I suggest you check out PayDotCom, one of the biggest resource for information product vendors and sellers.