Playaway: The Audio Book That Looks Like a Book

Playaway Digital Audio Books are a clever combination of content and delivery system. Rather than requiring an additional player for their books, each title incorporates a player & the book in its entirety, as well as batteries and earbuds. This means that when you purchase, for example, the Anasai Boys you can immediately start listening to Lenny Henry read Neil Gaiman without first having to locate a CD player or fiddle with converting things to MP3s. Or, if you'd like, you can also run the audio through your car stereo system with an FM transmitter to share with your passengers (which, in the case of Lenny Henry + Neil Gaiman, seems like the right thing to do. Especially if I'm along for the ride.)

The books range from about $35 to $50, and have the added bonus of looking like the book you're listening to. This is a very important form factor, because a recent study showed that people who are seen reading books are generally found more attractive - and this way people on the subway will know you're actually engrossed in the Canterbury Tales on your commute like a real intellectual, sexy bookworm, and not just listening to the latest top 40 tunes like the rest of us.

Playaway