Hi All My wife recently went to the local library to get me some audio books and came home with a new version of audio books. These were pre loaded digital audio books. These basicly are similar in size to an ipod with approximately nine buttons on the front . These buttons are very distinctive and very easily operated even with big fingers. The book takes a triple aa battery and again this can be very easily replaced. The library only recently got these books in stock but according to my wife they have a large and varied collection of them. Definetly the answer to solve the hassle of carrying large Discmans around. Regards. Niall Fitzpatrick