Giveaway of the Day Forums

1. 

   Dragonlair
   Member

   Yesterday, I got an email. Here is a "broken" link to the information from the email - https://www.epubor.com/audible-app-windows-10.html

   The key is that Audible has already set the drop-dead date for the Audible app for Windows 10. They stopped offering the app through the Microsoft Store in January and those who currently have the app (including me) can only use it through July. At that time it will stop PERIOD!

   The only way to listen to Audible audiobooks on a PC (without using, sometimes precious, bandwidth or wasting battery power) is to upgrade to Win 11.

   Yes, you can convert the books to mp3 files (or series of files) but you lose sync with the ebooks if it is a whispersync audible book and you lose the ability to pause and restart from the exact same point! In most cases, you can't even go back a few seconds to catch what you missed.

   They claim it's by customer feedback but the fact is - the app has not been updated since 2018 and they just don't want to bother. They want people to use mobile devices.

   They say the Win 11 Audible app is the same as Audible for Android.

   It's also another example of win 11 wanting to look like Android. The Disney site already thinks Edge is Chrome!

   Posted 2 years ago #
2. 

   mikiem2
   Moderator

   I've got a copy of Win11 in the Insider Preview channel that I needed to update anyway, so I took a quick look. When you said: "They say the Win 11 Audible app is the same as Audible for Android." that's maybe more true than you might have thought -- it's the exact same app, installed via the Amazon App Store, if you install Win11's Windows Subsystem for Android. The Windows version of the app is unavailable. Maybe worse, the 1st two reviews for the Android app say it wouldn't work on their Kindles (!).

   Also maybe worse, Win11's Subsystem for Android is only available if the device meets their hardware requirements, which are stiffer than the requirements just to run Win11 -- in my Win11 VM which does not meet those requirements it isn't available.

   pcmag[.]com/how-to/how-to-run-android-apps-in-windows-11

   At this point the potential solutions seem to be trying a 3rd party app [there seemed to be at least one in the Windows store]; waiting for Google to release their Windows Play app to general availability, & hope it includes the Audible app; try one of the Android emulators, e.g., BlueStacks [potentially a chore since they do not include the Play Store]; use an Android tablet or cell phone.

   RE: "The Disney site already thinks Edge is Chrome!"

   techcommunity.microsoft[.]com/t5/discussions/will-edge-always-identify-as-chrome/m-p/2926597

   Because Edge is a relatively new browser, not all websites recognize the Edge UAID (Edg/95.0.1020.40), looking for "Edge" (the Edge Classic UAID) rather than "Edg" (the current Edge UAID).

   If the website does not recognize the "Edg" UAID, then the website reverts to "Chrome". That's why you are seeing what you are seeing.

   Posted 2 years ago #
3. 

   Dragonlair
   Member

   I did as Audible Technical support TOLD me to do just a couple of hours ago on my one laptop that has upgraded to Win 11. I went to the Microsoft Store and searched for "Amazon". I was supposed to be able to download the Amazon Appstore from the list that search provided.

   Guess what? It wasn't there. Before, they kept saying to download the Audible app from the Microsoft Store (2 different reps told me the same thing) without specifying I needed the Amazon appstore, too!

   I can convert the books to audible and I can even listen to them and float forward and backwards in the book (fast forward and rewind) but I lose sync when I do that and I have to stop at the end of a chapter or be forever trying to find my place!

   It's all Amazon bullying again. They decide they want or don't want to do something and then CLAIM it's by customer request. How would they know? They never pay attention to the customer, just their bottom line. It's cheaper to drop the app than to fix it!

   Posted 2 years ago #
4. 

   mikiem2
   Moderator

   The Amazon App Store won't show up in the Windows Store if your device [in this case your laptop] doesn't meet the hardware requirements. You need 8GB RAM, an Intel Core i3 8th Generation or above, or an AMD Ryzen 3000 (minimum) or above, or a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8c (minimum) or above. Windows also has to be installed on an SSD, & the CPU has to have hardware virtualization turned on in the BIOS settings. Those requirements are stiffer than Win11's -- the Amazon Store requires more RAM, an SSD, and a newer CPU than Win11 itself. If your laptop meets those requirements, you might just need to enable hardware virtualization in the BIOS settings -- by default I think it's usually off. Please Note: check the manufacturer's documentation regarding turning on virtualization in the BIOS -- it's often [usually?] not called virtualization [that would be too easy], e.g., my Gigabyte AMD motherboard BIOS calls it SVM.

   Ed Bott over at ZDNet has an article on the Amazon App Store. He says that you can go to this page, click the button that says: "Get the Amazon Appstore", & after prompting you to start the Windows Store app, the Windows Store will load the Amazon Appstore page, and if you scroll down it will tell you if your laptop meets the requirements.

   support.microsoft[.]com/en-us/windows/install-mobile-apps-and-the-amazon-appstore-f8d0abb5-44ad-47d8-b9fb-ad6b1459ff6c

   Ed Bott's article: zdnet[.]com/article/android-on-windows-11-is-it-worth-the-effort/

   Whomever you talked to at Audible tech support that told you just install the Amazon Appstore was an idgit -- they **should** have known about the hardware requirements etc. The reps that told you to look for the app ***might*** be forgiven since I *think* the Windows app [the one that they're ending] was available earlier this month. Audible's web site Help just says it'll quit working this summer, so the news that it's now unavailable in the store may not have reached them yet.

   As for Amazon bullying, personally I think you're being too kind towards Amazon -- they kinda deserve the words that aren't allowed in polite company. Their Kindle app for Windows has been neglected forever, & their terrible attitude stretches to their Fire TV, which is why we use Roku.

   Posted 2 years ago #
5. 

   Dragonlair
   Member

   Kindle for PC has had known bugs that I've reported more than 10 years ago and have never been fixed. I call it the ugly stepsister of the kindle apps. I understand that Kindle for Mac is just as bad and the Cloud reader is even worse!

   I'll access this thread for the links when I power on that laptop again to see if that's what is wrong. I've gotten 2 emails that were the exact same steps and they don't work. Audible's site says that the app is no longer available with a not just above just about every problem listed but they have not changed the text of the helps. That's not very helpful either.

   For now, what I'm going to have to do (under protest) is to use a small seldom used android tablet that has Audible installed but not kindle. It's micro SD card is too small to hold all my books (186 books) but it can hold one series at a time and then swap out. I may have to give it a bigger SD card!

   It's only a 7" screen so too small for reading but fine for listening. I got it to handle the few apps I need that I can't get from the Amazon appstore. All of my other tablets are fires.

   Thanks for the info. You're right - Audible's techs should know this info rather than saying that ALL Win 11 devices can install this app!

   Posted 2 years ago #
6. 

   Dragonlair
   Member

   I was able to use the Microsoft Support link and it seemed to go right past the opening of the Store and directly to the Amazon Appstore page.

   You were spot on! My laptop does NOT meet the minimum requirements. I do not have an SSD drive and I don't have enough memory on that laptop. It's just a backup device anyway.

   I'm willing to guess that there are thousands, if not millions of Win 11 users who don't qualify. It sounds almost like the Windows Vista fiasco where Microsoft "tested" if you were ready for Vista without telling you they only tested for Vista Starter. In this case, they're saying that if you have Win 11, you can have the Amazon Appstore -- NOT TRUE!

   I have complained big-time to Audible. They wasted my time for 2 days and the latest email said for me to use call or chat for "more help". They DON'T KNOW! They have a script and that's all they know! I was kind enough to show them my screen shot of my failure to qualify and tell them the truth. In other words, I did their work FOR THEM.

   Posted 2 years ago #
7. 

   mikiem2
   Moderator

   Glad you've at least got the Android tablet to fall back on. If mobility is not an issue, you *might* be able to use USB sticks for storage, though I've never used Audible so don't know if it would find your books on a USB stick. They have special USB sticks that plug in to the micro USB port, &/or short OTG cables & adapters that plug into the micro USB port on one end, with a female USB socket on the other. I've even got adapters that plug into the micro USB port, & have both a female USB port & a female micro USB port to provide power to an external USB hard drive. Otherwise, in case it helps, noticed Newegg has a sale on Adata MicroSD cards.

   newegg[.]com/p/pl?d=PPSSKSEOSFOMVE&cmmc=ess_group&GroupEss209183=Save%20up%20to%2037%25%20off%20on%20ADATA%20Memory%20Cards

   I've still got my fingers crossed re: Google's Play app for Windows. It's in Beta testing in Asia, & is supposed to be released sometime this year. There's not much info available -- I'm signed up to receive notification when testing reaches the US, so I'll relay any info as soon as I get it.

   Posted 2 years ago #
8. 

   Dragonlair
   Member

   Audible, like Amazon's ebooks are DRMed for each device. You can't "share" them among devices. I know I have the fires, too but audible is such a drain on the batteries and this little pink tablet (it was the cheapest of the models for sale at that time) is rarely used otherwise. I just hate doing it! I've yet to hear from Audible on my reply earlier today where I gave them the snippet saying I can't put the appstore on.

   Posted 2 years ago #
9. 

   freakcount
   Member

   When I restart the laptop to see if that's the problem, I'll check this thread for any relevant links. I've received two emails with the exact same steps, but neither of them work. In spite of the fact that Audible's website states that the app is no longer available, they have not altered the content of the help sections. In addition, that isn't very useful either.

   octordle

   Posted 2 years ago #

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