Does a Sony Walkman Support Audiobooks?

By Ashley Poland

Convert your M4a files to audiobook files.
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The Sony Walkman models are not expressly designed with audiobook support, but that doesn't mean that you can't use one to listen to your audiobook collection. If you have audiobooks in the supported audio formats, you can listen to them as you would any music file. If you're using a model that runs on Android, you can use a specific app for playing audiobook files.

Walkman Models

The Sony website offers three Walkman models: the W series, the E series and the F series. The F series, as well as the discontinued Z series, are powered by Android and come with the Android Marketplace installed. You can install and use audiobook listening applications via the Marketplace or via sideloading.

Supported Audio Formats

The Walkman models all support the MP3, WMA, and AAC audio file formats – though all without DRM protection, as DRM restricts which devices you can use to play a file. If you have an audiobook in a compatible format, you can add it to your Walkman with the same software that you use to load your music files.

Audiobooks for Android

Several distributors of audiobooks provide applications for Android devices, allowing you to play your audio files over a Wi-Fi connection without having to worry about DRM or file compatibility. Some such applications include the Audible for Android application and the Android version of the OverDrive Media Console. You can also search the Android Market for third-party audiobook applications.

Conversion and File Management

If you have your own versions of audiobook files that are DRM protected, you might consider finding a program that can remove the DRM and convert them to a Walkman-compatible format – but if you do so, you must not share the resultant files with others. Generally speaking, it is considered legal to break DRM only for your own use. If you have audiobooks on CD, you can rip them onto the computer and create WMA or MP3 files. You can use a program like a Windows Media Player to create files from your CDs.

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