Problem with OverDrive audiobooks for iPhone/iPod/iPad users

What's the problem?

eAudiobooks in .wma format downloaded from our OverDrive service cannot be successfully transferred to Apple devices. The file names show up as numeric strings, and iTunes returns a message saying that the files cannot be synced.

 

What devices are affected?

• iPod Touch
• iPhone
• iPad

 

What is causing the problem?

The problem appears to be related to an incompatibility between OverDrive Media Console and iOS 5 (the newest version of the operating system for Apple mobile devices, which was released on October 12)  and/or the latest version of iTunes (version 10.5, released on October 11).

 

When and how will this be fixed?

OverDrive has not provided an estimate of the time it will take to fix the problem. When they have a solution, they will release an update to the OverDrive Media Console. Watch for updates from the app store when you sync your device in iTunes.

 

What can I do in the meantime?

If you have a regular (non-Apple) MP3 player or a Blackberry, Windows, or Android device, you can listen to your eAudiobooks from OverDrive on that.

You can also try using MP3 audiobooks from OverDrive. (The problem only affects .wma audiobooks.)

We apologize for the inconvenience and hope this issue will be resolved very soon.