According to a New York Times article by Joseph Plambeck; worldwide sales of CD audio, CD-ROM, and CD-R reached about 30 billion disc in the year 2004. By 2007, 200 billion CDs had been sold worldwide.
Plambeck goes on to state that as of today; compact discs are increasingly being replaced or supplemented by other forms of digital distribution and storage, such as downloading and flash drives, with audio CD sales dropping nearly 50% from their peak in 2000. Wow, I had to read this quote twice because of the information this guy is dropping serious numbers and the method to my madness is evolution ladies and gents.
Out with the old and in with the re- newed. The times they are changing right before our eyes new American innovation. With that being said duration of audio media is important and here is its piece of its evolution.
A group of creators housed in a company called Findaway World brought to market a media device called Playaway which is basically a preloaded portable audio that you can call your own? Unlike CDs, audio cassettes or downloads, Playaway does not need a separate player. Instead, Playaway comes pre-loaded and ready to use with one audiobook per device which includes great ease of usage features.
I had the pleasure of operating the device and I must say it's the coolest little object about the size of a mini iPod and it’s actually a great alternative to using an iPod. The iPod is basically a multi-functioning flash drive that holds a variety of media formats such as audio and video. However, the Playaway basically is a multi-functioning flash drive that holds one audio book.
The great news about this technology is the public will get to experience the Playaway at no price to them through a local library. Playaway can be found in public libraries across the country. If your local library does not currently carry them (no worries), you can find a quick form here online and suggest it to your local library to request them. If you’re interested in more details about the Playaway click here.
