Tales2Go 4.0 delivers unlimited audiobooks for kids
Call it "Netflix for audiobooks," but with a decidedly kid-friendly selection.
There's a Netflix for everything these days. Oyster is "Netflix for e-books." Next Issue is "Netflix for magazines." GameFly is "Netflix for videogames." There's even a Netflix for high-end wristwatches.
It may come as little surprise, then, that there's an audiobook service that likewise emulates the Netflix all-you-can eat model: Tales2Go lets you stream unlimited selections for a flat monthly rate. But the app has a special niche: It's all audiobooks for kids.
The name may not ring a bell, but Tales2Go actually made its debut back in 2010, then offering around 900 children's books -- for streaming only. Now, the library numbers in the thousands, and the app allows for downloads so you can listen offline.
Earlier this week, the company introduced Tales2Go 4.0, which brings a variety of updates and new features to the iOS version of the app. (Tales2Go for Android is now available as well, though it hasn't been updated since its debut last November.) In addition to an iOS 7-style redesign, the app now offers improved menus, multivariable search options, more book covers and information on each book, and shared bookmarks if the app is being used with a school.
Speaking of which, Tales2Go has proven very popular in schools, where an annual license buys unlimited access on all school-owned devices and a take-home license for each student and faculty member.
But if you're simply looking for a great way to pass the time during long car rides or you want to give the kids something to do that doesn't involve Minecraft or Candy Crush Saga, Tales2Go offers considerable bang for the buck. The catalog includes a wealth of current and classic tales, everything from the "39 Clues" and "Junie B. Jones" series to "Encyclopedia Brown" and "Treasure Island." Even the "Hunger Games" trilogy is here.
An individual Tales2Go subscription (which is good across five devices) costs $9.99 per month or $99.99 annually. Although my kids have just about outgrown the age bracket (3-12), I remain a huge fan of this "Netflix for children's audiobooks" service.