University Becomes First in the Nation to Offer Students and Faculty a Service that Brings Literature and Learning to Students` Ears
WAYNE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE via COLLEGIATE PRESSWIRE)--Apr 29, 2004--Audible, Inc. (OTCBB:ADBL), the leading provider of digitally delivered spoken word audio, and The Pennsylvania State University announced today they have teamed up to offer the audible.com(R) Internet audio service at special pricing to Penn State students, faculty, and staff through Penn State`s Computer Store (a division of Information Technology Services). This partnership, at no cost to Penn State, will launch by Friday, May 7. It allows members of the Penn
State community to purchase individual Audible(R) audiobook and subscription titles at a 20% discount and the opportunity to join the AudibleListener(R) monthly membership service on a free trial basis.
Many of Audible`s more than 20,000 titles are, or relate to, the non-textbook reading materials assigned in most college-level liberal arts and business curricula. With today`s college students enthusiastically seeking Internet-based study resources and tools, audible.com brings print works to life, is easy to use, inexpensive, and offers the freedom to burn one`s own audio CDs or transfer digital files to portable MP3 players, such as the Apple iPod or one of the more than thirty MP3 players or personal digital assistants (PDAs)compatible with Audible`s service (www.audible.com/devices). Students, faculty, and staff may also purchase AudibleReady(R) devices from Penn State`s Computer Store at two University Park, PA, locations or online at https://computerstore.psu.edu/.
Discounted Audible audiobooks can be purchased by students who would like to save time and money while expanding the options for when, and how, they access reading material. Audible helps students save time by enabling them to listen to course-related material while on the bus, in the gym or on the go. Audible`s more than 100 categories of literate listening include classic works of literature, histories, language instruction programs and Audible`s audio editions of magazines such as Scientific American or Harvard Business Review and others, as well as audiobooks by political and business leaders, historic speeches, author and poet readings and other hard-to-find audio.
''College students have been telling us for some time how helpful the Audible service has been as they pursue their studies. Audible can be used effectively by any student with Internet access, and by any student who has -- or wants to have -- an MP3 player or PDA for listening on the move. We think the demand for this type of content is there, waiting for the right delivery service,'' said Matthew Fine, senior vice president, Enterprise Development. ''Penn State has already demonstrated critical leadership in the area of partnering with online
media companies and is paving the way for universities around the country to create a legitimate marketplace for online media distribution.''
''Penn State Information Technology Services (ITS) has an ongoing mission to bring legally-obtainable digital content to our students, faculty, and staff. We feel that Audible`s content is relevant to many in our community and is delivered in a flexible, portable format that helps fit literature and information into busy lifestyles,'' added Janda Hankinson, Director of ITS Entrepreneurial Services.
About Audible.com
Audible.com, recently named the best consumer Web service by CNet.com, and one of the ''Best of Today`s Web'' by PC World features daily audio editions of The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times -- available on a subscription basis in time for the morning drive to work each day -- as well as Forbes, Harvard Business Review, Scientific American and Fast Company. The site offers a powerful collection of audiobook best sellers and classics by authors such as Tom Clancy, Stephen King, John Grisham, Janet Evanovich, James Patterson, the Dalai Lama, David McCullough, Stephen Hawking, William Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson and Jane Austen. There are also speeches, lectures, and on-demand radio programs including Marketplace, All Things Considered, Car Talk, Fresh Air and This American Life, and original shows such as [email protected]. All of the programs at audible.com are available for computer-based playback, burning to audio CD, and on-the-go listening using numerous AudibleReady(R) portable digital audio players offered by leading consumer electronics and computer manufacturers.
About Audible, Inc.
Audible(R) (www.audible.com(R)) is the Internet`s leading premium spoken audio source. Content from Audible is downloaded and played back on personal computers, CDs, or AudibleReady(R) computer-based mobile devices. Audible has more than 40,000 hours of audio programs from more than 135 content partners that include leading audiobook publishers, broadcasters, entertainers, magazine and newspaper publishers and business information providers. Audible.com is Amazon.com`s and the Apple iTunes Music Store`s pre-eminent provider of spoken word products for downloading or streaming via the Web. Additionally, the Company is strategically aligned with Random House, Inc. in the first-ever imprint to produce spoken word content specifically suited for digital distribution, Random House Audible. Among the Company`s key business relationships are Apple Corp., Creative Labs, Gateway, Inc., Hewlett-Packard Company, Microsoft Corporation, palmOne, Inc., PhatNoise Inc., RealNetworks, Inc., Rio Audio, Roxio, Inc., Sony Electronics, Texas Instruments Inc., and VoiceAge Corp.
About The Pennsylvania State University
Penn State is a multi-campus public land-grant university that improves the lives of the people of Pennsylvania, the nation, and the world through integrated, high-quality programs in teaching, research, and service. Information Technology Services (ITS) is a service organization within the University that supports the efforts of students, faculty and staff with information technology tools, services and infrastructure. ITS additionally provides cost-effective information technology resources to foster continuous improvement in Penn State`s ability to fulfill its diverse mission. For more about ITS, go to https://its.psu.edu/about.html. To learn more about the Pennsylvania State University, see https://www.psu.edu/ur/about.html. University press resources can be found at https://www.psu.edu/ur/presspass/.
Audible, www.audible.com, Audible Otis, AudibleListener, and AudibleReady are registered trademarks of Audible, Inc. and all are part of the family of Audible, Inc. trademarks.
Other product or service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.
This press release contains information about Audible, Inc. that is not historical fact and may be deemed to contain forward-looking statements about the company. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in any forward-looking statements as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, Audible`s limited operating history, history of losses, uncertain market for its services, and its inability to license or produce compelling audio content and other risks and uncertainties detailed in the company`s Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
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