It has been a while since we discussed listening to audiobooks on your BlackBerry, and I’ve been meaning to take a look at some developments since we originally published that article a year and a half ago. We did learn about an Audible BlackBerry app, but that’s a somewhat restricted platform. For people looking for further-reaching options, OverDrive has released an audiobook application for BlackBerry, dubbed Media Console. With it you can manage your audiobooks, playing them on the go, whenever you want. 
You’ll probably want to download both the BlackBerry application and the desktop version — which is available for both PC and Mac. From there you can download OverDrive titles and listen to them right on your computer. Then, when you’re ready to take the audiobook on the road, you can transfer the file or files to your BlackBerry with the Transfer Wizard. OverDrive will remember your spot, so there’s no wasted time trying to find the last spot. Power audiobook listeners will be glad to know that OverDrive breaks up its books into chapters, or other logical breakpoints, which you can navigate to using the hyperlinks. You can also adjust the speed, a feature I’ve found essential. Audiobook readers move at a slow pace by design. Some people like that pace, and it’s easier to speed up a voice than slow it down. OverDrive also includes a 15-second back or forward jump, another excellently convenient feature. If you want to give OverDrive a whirl, head to http://www.overdrive.com/software/omc/ and download a copy for your computer and your BlackBerry. Then you can head to their search page and find audiobooks from libraries across the world, or head to their digital bookseller search.
8 comments… read them below or add one
I have a Blackberry Bold and dload-ed the Overdrive Media software. It works great, the only problem is the speaker. I would rather listen to this stuff via my blue tooth headset and I can’t find a way to do that. There is no option to select how I want to listen, it just defaults to the speaker, so I can’t really listen in public, which defeats the purpose entirely. Can you provide any help or ideas on how to fix this? Thnx
@Sandy Not positive but I believe your Bluetooth headset is to blame here. Ensure it has the ability to play mp3s and other audio files.
An example of a headset that provides this functionality is the Jabra BT-8040 Bluetooth ear piece
Sandy i tried doing the same thing but had problems having overdrive sync over to my phone. I had both programs installed. I thought it was only supposed to sync over with ipod stuff?
okay after reading this i tried it again it appears to work. Might have been that I never restarted my OS as well as my phone. Possibly as well I need to start overdrive after I connected my phone to my computer before trying to sync. Now it says though my phone is unable to read WMA files even though it is… :( btw it works with my Bluetooth. Might be your brand of bluetooth. I have a blackberry bluetooth device. Works nice with the phone
… btw your local public library might have an agreement with overdrive and have many selections of ebooks for free
Thanks for the tip about downloading the desktop version and then using the Transfer Wizard. I’ve been trying (without success) to just use the Blackberry version. I had no trouble at all using the desktop version and getting the file to my Blackberry with the Transfer Wizard. I guess the secret is to have a “home base” PC to work from.
Cooper ,
Thanks. It is my headset. I’ve swapped with hubby and things work just swell. Thnx again.
Can somebody tell me how to speed up the overdrive audio books?