Home Forums Peripherals & Multimedia iTunes, iPhone, iPod, iPad, Apple TV I pod touch for Audible?

Thinking of getting ipod touch for Audible for elderly mom. I got Kindle white, but no speaker in it and wont pair with two bluetooths, such a piece of junk, so thinking of ipod touch.

If one buys that now, how secure with it be for a few years to come? Is it possible to just having nothing on it to break, ie, apple wont transfer my ID.. maybe make a new one/ ID

It can be just a dumb book player? At least with apple the interface is intuitive as opposed to KIndle which is clucky. I think the touch even has decent speaker to read off the books? Any better idea?

The Kindle app and select Kindle Readers can play audio books. Sorry, you just bought the wrong one for mom. So…if you install the Kindle app on current Apple products you can play audio books.

I just discovered an old iPod Touch Wheel (even older than the iPod Touch). I charged it and it worked like new. Two downsides: I had to remember the pushes and spins to make it do anything; and current apps won't run on it, although the old ones loaded on it still work. I have other old iPods and they all still work. There is just a limit to which apps will run on them. iPods seem pretty sturdy in my opinion.

To answer your question, you can make any iPod or iPhone just a dumb book player, as long as the appropriate app will run on it and the player can connect to the Internet. You might look into comparing the cost of an "old-ish" iPhone (that you never activate as a phone) to an iPod.

Ira, new paperwhite kindle has NO speakers, and was very confusing, so done with it, returned it.

I do have a old iphone 6.... so maybe that could work as dumb book reader.. work with the Aubile app? if not then..?

So no worry out ios updates? You are saying the key is the app works with the old device? in this case Audible? No ios issue or security issues , no worries there.

I also tried Kindle unlimited but audio option seemed very confusing. So for an old person who want to "hear" the book, seem Audible is best choice?

I don't know about Audible, but yes, the key is that the app works on the old device. And continues to work, which may change if the app is updated to coincide with something in a new iOS.

Just audible, that said Ira what old "dumb" device you buy for mom? If you were in my shoes.

I have no problem spending other people's money.

I would get the newest old iPhone that fits your budget. Apple seems to support old iPhones for quite some time. Wipe the phone, install the latest iOS that it can take and install whatever you need for mom.

kevs will need to determine in advance whether the available version of his app will run on the iPhone he considers buying.

I've found that while installed versions of apps may continue to run in outdated versions of iOS, newer versions may not be compatible, i.e., installable.

Thanks Ira good answer, ok I have MY old iphone 6 I've kept as a backup video camera. Battery dead.

So you say: buy new battery for that.. what $50

Wipe it clean: good idea, otherwise it'll have my old stuff.. contact... and have security issues. What best way or tool to wipe it clean?

Then down load, Audible app and hope it works right? Test it..... sign up with Audible direct on the newly wiped 6 and see if works?

Love this idea Ira thanks.. using old cheap iphone as dumb book readers or video camers. only issue is if works...... can get online

It would be a good idea to contact the developer and make sure that the version of the app you'll download will run on your phone before you spring for the battery.

I just took a quick look for you on <https://www.audible.com/ep/apple> and found:
"iPhone, iPad & MacOS
You can play your audiobooks through the iOS app on the iPhone 6s and higher, the iPad mini 4 and higher, and on MacOS M-chip devices with Ventura 13.3 and higher."

Your iPhone may not be a viable solution.

Cannot get through to Audible, don't answer the phone or email or anything.

Use the iPhone's own tool to erase the device. I don't know exactly what it is called in the iPhone 6, but in Settings>General (probably at the bottom of the list) is an option to reset or restore or restore factory settings; something like that will do it.

Ira got new ipad for Mom, 89, only $250 here is rub...

To get all this going, have to do a new apple ID, and a new amazon account... I could use mine but then someone steals ipad at moms house all my info there. to risky.

but then even creating all this new stuff just to have books read, if someone steals it then this new amazon account and new apple ID is at risk. There will be credit card tied to that correct? for audible..?

I have not even done a hard password to get into the ipad, or thumb, just 1111111 pass for now....

Right, hugh PITA, even to get a new ipad as a dumb book reader for 89 year old correct. That sits around a house you are not at... opinion?


to round out Ira: you forced to have apple id card, and amazon with card, and mom dozes off, someone grabs ipad... all exposed, right.. No easy way to get book read to her if want use best place audible.

Give your Mom a FREE family account, she will have her own APPLE ID, password, etc., but she will not have access to any of your data, passwords, credit cards and vice versa unless specifically granted. You can give her access to the App store on your account or you can "gift" her with apps you purchased on your account. You can set her up with her own Audible account without having an Amazon account, $14.95 a month will get two new books each month and you can put that on your credit card without her having any access other than choosing and downloading each month's books.

thanks Joe, I'm a bit lost.

You are saying on new ipad... use my apple ID, and Amazon... but in that case , no need to gift, but..
Then, that ipad, in that house where I'm not living.... vendors, who knows could steal the ipad....

I guess I could get the mom's fingerprint going but still, considerable security risk right? maybe dozes off, ipad is on.. with links to amazon, apple with card tied to it.... Hoping for just dumb book read device no one could order anythnig of value if got in wrong hands.

And even start with fresh apple ID and amazon: ( Lot of work,) and even those new ones will have credit cards tied to them right?
even then, long shot, but you have to think of unit being stolen and someone can go in and order something on amazon, or apple store? again I'm not in house.. so...

maybe better just to use internet, you tube and see if books read aloud there do job on that? or audible is that much nicer? Hope that made sense.

I think you missed joemikeb's point. Check out Apple Family Sharing. I am not that familiar with it but it looks like it is one-way—you, as the primary, send "stuff" to the other family member. That person, or someone who steals the iPad, has no access to your info, etc. And you control what the family member can do in the shared account, so you could heavily restrict most everything else except Audible.

Ira thanks, Joe thanks, ok that flew over my head -- got it. Still discombobulated opening this new ipad. and choosing not to transfer and trying it to be a dumb book reader which is impossible right.. Need apple ID, need credits cards, Need sign up for Amazon... or use my account, need password, lot of work.

So Ira, maybe just use / test internet you tube which can read back classics? that might be as good as Audible? Someone mentioned that idea You Tube. She mostly wants classics like great expections. .. or is audible experience that much better worth all that trasnferring and family share?

Thanks Joe! GEtting those malts out right now!

My mom btw, will not... no experience with internet all. It's all me. Her card though would be one with AMazon, Audible.

Question, what about my idea of just internet to read classics outloud, That's all this experiment is for. Look:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeYodU8Gwik&list=PLdiacl_Q6LOZAv-wDvnltDYn5ZUXXvu1c

see chapters on right?

My guess, your opinion? is that as easy as audible? This is only for these classics.

Then I don't have to do anything right, just show how to get into ipad....currently just password of brain dead easy passowrd, not thumbprint yet. Bringing device Sunday.

And no possibility -- got stolen, all thinking is lost $250 ipad... not wondering if somone came into room while on, and then got to amazon, or apple id etc

Is audible that much better user experience than you tube. The $15 month not big deal... but hassle of amazon apple ID, worth time kill..

The YouTube content is well done, but the content is very limited. If you bought the Audible subscription on your credit card using your device, and installed the Audible app on your mother's iPad and logged her into the account, there would be no record of your credit card information on your mother's iPad and a thief would have to know your Mom's Password, fingerprint, or face to access anything of value. I share your reservations about Amazon, but your mother does not have to have an Amazon account to have an Audible account -- they are separate entities. Whether the content comes from Audible or YouTube, your mother will need an Apple ID and password and a password or PIN to access the iPad. The only difference would be which app your mother used, Audible or YouTube to access the content and both require a logon ID and password, which can be ameliorated by fingerprint or facial recognition. If I were making the choice, I would give her access to both so she can choose her own options. One benefit of Audible is it can be used without an internet connection, while YouTube is basically a streaming service. An app I would install for my mother is Facebook. While I eschew Facebook the great majority of women of every age that I know are addicted to it as a means of keeping track of her friends.

Regarding the possibility of theft of the iPad, Apple has gone to great lengths to protect your data from loss, even if they steal your iPad. Be sure you have Settings > Apple ID > Share my location turned ON. Experience indicates the biggest risk in elder care facilities is not outright theft, it is another resident absent-mindedly wandering off with the device. If Share My Location is on, recovery becomes a lot easier.

Jeez...I hope you have a MUCH easier time making business decisions!

Why don't you do this: Forget about Audible for the moment, and listen to chapter one on YouTube yourself. Then, if you're satisfied with it...reader's voice, reader's delivery, no commercial breaks, whatever else you may think of, pass the iPad on to your mom, and let her either second your decision or reject it, in which case you'll then have no option but to go with Audible, your mom having made your decision for you.

ARtie, yes, I tested briefly seemd ok the you tube. Don't even think commercials, though not sure. AGain it's all fair use classics.

Joe:

1-- I did not make an Apple ID yet, and no problem getting into the ipad, with the 6 digit pin.

2-- Audible, you sure? I think it's owned by Amazon now.. so I think Amazon has to be in the mix-- Also think need to be on internet to download deal with Audible... downloading etc.

She'll need to be on the Internet under any circumstances...Amazon or YouTube.

Quit agonizing and start out with YouTube. All you need to do is get mom on the Internet, bookmark the appropriate YouTube page, and set up a "brain-dead" password that nobody can do any damage with, even if they guess it.

Let her make her own decision...yes or no, as opposed to you GUESSING for her.

That's an interesting point.

When I launch Find My, it tells me that my MBP and iPhone are located somewhere in my 54 unit building, and beyond that it's useless, because nobody's about to be knocking on 50 some odd doors asking people if they're the thief.

Is the staff in a facility any more likely to be questioning all their residents or searching their rooms? There'd probably be hell to pay in either case, with residents jumping to the conclusion that they've been accused and calling in a hoard of irate relatives.

Is there any way to wire up a building to pin down the precise location of a device/

Yes Artie, sounds good.

Why knock on the doors? It may take a few minutes to narrow the location down, but Find My can generally get the location down to within a 30 to 60 foot radius (even if the location is in a car traveling 70 mph) then go to the general area, tell Find My to "Play Sound" and listen at the doors for the "Chime".