Google has rolled out its audiobooks here but, sadly, not its Google Home yet.
You can now instruct Google Assistant on your Android devices to play audiobooks which have just made their debut on the Google Play store.
Google Play Books head of product management Greg Hartrell said users can simply say “ok Google, read my book” to read hands free through a phone or speaker, or “ok Google, stop playing in 20 minutes” to set a timer for bedtime reading.
He added that the Google Assistant integration with audiobooks was currently available only on Android phones and smart speakers globally in English, though it would soon be added to the Google Assistant on Android Auto in the United States.
You can also listen to audiobooks on non-Android devices, such as iOS or through the Web with Google Play Books.
Hartrell said the experience would be seamless across multiple devices, transitioning from a Google Home speaker, to your smartphone after you leave home.
“Read more. Every year it’s one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions. But with all the time spent battling traffic, working out, or picking up groceries, there often doesn’t seem to be a minute to simply sit down with a book,” he said, in a statement on Google blog.
Google’s audiobooks would be purchasable per book, rather than on a subscription basis. Hartrell said users could get a free preview of the book to make sure they’re hooked by the story and enjoy listening to the narrator’s voice.
Audiobooks could also be shared with other family members through Family Library, for no additional fee, even if they’re using a different device.
For the first phase, Google has so far introduced audiobooks in 45 countries, including Malaysia, with books available in nine languages.
The audiobooks will also be available as eBooks.
A check of the Google Play store showed many audiobooks are on discount, including bestsellers like Stephen R. Covey’s The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People (RM94, down from RM118.45), Stephen King’s Dark Tower I (RM59, down from RM79.06) and Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast And Slow (RM59, down from RM79.39).
There were also free audiobooks like Mark Williams and Danny Penman’s self help book Mindfulness: A Practical Guide To Finding Peace In A Frantic World, as well as classics like Charles Perrault’s Beauty And the Beast and The Brothers Grimm’s Hansel And Gretel.
Limited time offer:
Just RM5 per month.
