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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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Audio Books Lose Copy Protection

Major publishers' downloads can be played on all devices

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(Newser) – Some major book publishers are planning to remove anticopying protections from digital audio books, allowing customers who download them to transfer the files between their computers and portable players. The world’s biggest publisher, Random House, will offer all its audio books as unrestricted MP3s this month, reports the New York Times, and Penguin Group seems ready to do the same.

Simon & Schuster will also make some titles available as unprotected files in the next few months. The publishers hope the move will boost sales. Removing the restrictions from audio books means various online retailers will be able to sell files that can play on any device, in particular iPods, which only play unrestricted files or files downloaded from one supplier.

Jim Dale rehearses at a recording studio in New York, on June 18, 2003, as he prepared to record one of the Harry Potter audiobooks. (AP Photo/Akira Ono)
Jim Dale rehearses at a recording studio in New York, on June 18, 2003, as he prepared to record one of the Harry Potter audiobooks. (AP Photo/Akira Ono)   (Associated Press)
Apple iTunes Gift Cards and Apple TV on display at Costco store in San Jose, Calif., Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2007. Book publishers want to avoid making iTunes the only source for audio book downloads. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
Apple iTunes Gift Cards and Apple TV on display at Costco store in San Jose, Calif., Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2007. Book publishers want to avoid making iTunes the only source for audio book downloads. (AP Photo/Paul...   (Associated Press)
In a file photo Nessia Frazier listens on a Apple Computer iPod nano at the Apple store in Palo Alto, Calif., Monday, July 17, 2006. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
In a file photo Nessia Frazier listens on a Apple Computer iPod nano at the Apple store in Palo Alto, Calif., Monday, July 17, 2006. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)   (Associated Press)
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online retailers • DRM free music • iPod • copyright • digital downloads • DRM • iTunes Store • portable media players • MP3s • Random House • Penguin Group • Simon & Schuster • audio books

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