The Tuscarawas County Public Library is excited to announce the arrival of PLAYAWAY to its circulating collection.  PLAYAWAY is a preloaded, self-contained digital audio book that contains full-length works of fiction and non-fiction.  Not an MP3 player and not software, PLAYAWAY weighs less than six ounces and is smaller than a deck of cards.  There are no cassettes, no CDs, and no downloads—just plug in your headphones and enjoy!  Because of its light weight, PLAYAWAY is ideal for those who travel or who like to listen to a good book while they exercise.

The Basics

A PLAYAWAY is a self-playing digital audio book that comes pre-loaded on a small storage device. Each PLAYAWAY can hold content that ranges from 6 to 24 hours of play time.

We are asking that you provide your own headphones, or you can purchase an inexpensive set of earbuds for $1.00 at the library. The PLAYAWAY device was designed with a universal headphone jack to work with almost any type of headphone, speaker, or car adapter.

The PLAYAWAY devices circulate like audio books. A title can be checked out for 21 days, renewed twice, and reserved or transferred to other branches.

You can check our catalog to see what titles we own by doing a title keyword search for "book on digital player.”

Getting Started

The PLAYAWAY is controlled by 8 buttons that allow the listener to turn the device on and off, control the speed of the narrator's voice, and digitally bookmark up to 50 spots. To get started, press the PLAYAWAY button once to power on the device. The PLAYAWAY button is the center button on the bottom row, just beneath the LCD screen with the PLAYAWAY logo on it. When you are ready to begin listening, plug your earphones into the headphone jack located on the right side of the unit, press the PLAYAWAY button again, and enjoy!

Playaway Device buttons

1. Volume Control Button: Located in the upper left corner. The PLAYAWAY has ten volume settings. Each time the button is pressed, the volume will increase until it reaches the highest volume possible. Pressing the volume button again will return the device to its lowest setting. It is not possible to jump to a specific setting; you must cycle through the levels.

2. Speed Control Button: Located in the middle of the top row. The PLAYAWAY has three speed settings. Each time the button is pressed the speed of the narrator's voice will increase until it reaches the fastest speed possible. Pressing the speed button again will return the device to its first setting.

3. Bookmark Button: Located in the upper right corner. The PLAYAWAY allows the listener to bookmark up to 50 spots. This button is used to mark a specific passage that you would like to be able to easily find again. When you are at a passage that you want to bookmark, simply press the bookmark button and it will be marked for future reference. If you want to remove the bookmark, go to the passage that you have marked, and while it is playing, press the bookmark button again. The bookmarks will remain when the unit is turned off or the battery is changed.

4. Skip Back to Previous Chapter or Bookmark: Located in the middle row to the left of the LCD screen. This button allows you to go back to the beginning of the previous chapter or, if there is a passage that has been bookmarked, it will go back to that passage. Please note that the device will go back to the part of the book that the listener is closest to when the button is pressed. For example, if you have bookmarked a passage in the middle of Chapter 2 and you are presently listening to Chapter 3, when you press the button it will go back to the beginning of Chapter 3. When the button is pressed again, it will go back to the bookmarked passage. If the button is pressed again, it will go back to the beginning of Chapter 2.

5. LCD Display: Located in the middle of the device. The LCD Display shows the time remaining in a passage by counting down to zero. There is also a small battery icon that is displayed on screen. There are four levels of battery life reflected in the icon. When one bar is left in the battery icon, you have 20% power left.

6. Skip Forward to Next Chapter or Bookmark: Located in the middle row to the right of the LCD screen. This button allows you to go forward to the beginning of the next chapter or, if there is a passage that has been bookmarked, it will go forward to that passage. As with the Skip Back button, the device will go forward to the part of the book that the listener is closest to when the button is pressed. For example, if you have bookmarked a passage in the middle of Chapter 2 and you are presently listening to Chapter 1, when you press the button it will go to the beginning of Chapter 2. When the button is pressed again, it will go to the bookmarked passage. If the button is pressed again it will go ahead to the beginning of Chapter 3.

7. Rewind Button: Located in the lower left corner. This button can be pressed to rewind while the book is playing and will take you back 15 seconds every time it is pressed.

8. PLAYAWAY Button: Located in the middle of the bottom row. Press the PLAYAWAY button once to turn the player on. Press it again to start the recording. While you are listening to the device, you can press the PLAYAWAY button to pause the book. When you are ready to resume listening, simply press the PLAYAWAY button again. If left on pause, the device will automatically turn off after five minutes. To stop the unit and turn it off, press and hold the PLAYAWAY button until device powers down and the LCD screen reads OFF, then release. When the PLAYAWAY is restarted, the recording will pick up where you left off.

9. Fast Forward Button: Located in the lower right corner. This button can be pressed to fast forward while the book is playing and will take you ahead 15 seconds every time it is pressed.

Changing the Battery

Each PLAYAWAY comes pre-loaded with a standard AAA battery that should allow for up to 12 hours of uninterrupted playtime. While this device is in your possession, certain circumstances, such as the length of the recording or the remaining battery life, may make changing the battery necessary.

To determine how much battery life is left in the unit, look at the PLAYAWAY LCD screen which has a small battery icon on it. There are four levels of battery life reflected in the icon. When one bar is left in the battery icon, you have 20% power left.

To change the battery, hold the PLAYAWAY so that the smooth side is facing you and locate the battery cover at the wide base of the player. Find the slot in the middle of the base and use your thumb or small tool, like a screw driver, to carefully lift up and unsnap the plastic battery cover. Remove the old battery and replace with a fully charged battery, putting the positive side of the battery (side with protrusion) to the right. Snap the cover back into place and continue listening.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What do I do if the PLAYAWAY locks up?

Like any good storyteller, sometimes the PLAYAWAY just needs a moment to catch its breath. First, turn it on and off. If that doesn't solve the problem, remove and reinsert the battery.

What does the audio sound like on a PLAYAWAY?
PLAYAWAY audio is of equal or greater quality to digital downloads available today.

How does PLAYAWAY compare to audio on cassette or CD?
PLAYAWAY is more convenient and easier to enjoy than juggling multiple CDs, cassettes or a separate player. PLAYAWAY also offers various enhanced digital features, including the ability to control the speed of the narrator's voice and digitally bookmark up to 50 favorite spots.

How does PLAYAWAY compare to digital downloads and other forms of on-the-go downloading like cell phones?
PLAYAWAY comes pre-loaded with digital content, so it does not require information transfer fees, subscriptions, memberships, or even an Internet connection. Just plug-in your headphones and listen wherever you go.

Why can't I add, delete or transfer content to or from a PLAYAWAY?
In order to protect the copyrighted works of authors and publishers as traditional books do, you are unable to make copies of PLAYAWAY.

Can I use the PLAYAWAY in my car?
Yes, each PLAYAWAY has a universal headphone jack that can be used with most of the commonly available car adapters on the market, including cassette adapters and FM transmitters.

Is the PLAYAWAY waterproof?
While the PLAYAWAY should not be harmed if it gets splashed, it should not be used under water.

If the Playaway starts acting funny (skipping, et cetra) what can I do?
While the PLAYAWAY should not be serviced by anyone other than certified personnel, simply changing the battery seems to fix most glitches that can occur.