Kobo vs Kindle, sideloading and syncing

[Canuck_in_Japan]

I currently have a Sony PRS 650 and while I quite like it I feel like I definitely bought it at the wrong time (back when $240 wasn't an outrageous price for an e-reader) and I'm missing out on wifi connection and being able to sync my books. I have an iPhone and an Asus Transformer both with Kindle and Kobo installed on it. I thought it would be neat to get a Kindle or a Kobo Reader so that I could have all my books and bookmarks synced across all platforms so that I could continue reading my books anywhere. I buy most of my books from the Kobo book store but I also get a few from the Sony store and now Amazon.com (thank you VPN!). What I'm wondering is, do both of these devices (Kindle/Kobo) allow sideloading and syncing of books not bought specifically from their stores?

[susan_cassidy]

Kindle does not support syncing of sideloaded books, unless you use a plug-in that you can get with Calibre.

[Synamon]

The Kindle Personal Documents Service will allow you to sync non-Amazon books between a Kindle and the iPad/iPhone/iPod Kindle apps. I expect that Amazon will expand this to include other Kindle apps.

[ProfCrash]

If you want to read books purchased fromm Kobo on a Kindle you are going to need something like Calibre anyway to remove the DRM and convert the format. So adding the necessary meta data to be able to synch will happen with that process.

[Mrs. Marple]

I have a Kobo Vox. I buy my favorite authors with coupons from Kobo, and I downloaded the Kindle app, and just grab the freebies in the genres I like from Amazon. Love my fantastic little Vox!

[Canuck_in_Japan]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

If you want to read books purchased fromm Kobo on a Kindle you are going to need something like Calibre anyway to remove the DRM and convert the format. So adding the necessary meta data to be able to synch will happen with that process.

Yes I use Calibre already with de-DRMing. Is this magical meta-data adding automatically done with Calibre whenever you convert to mobi or do I need to find a plugin somewhere?

If I did this and converted all my books to mobi and then say connected a new Kindle touch to calibre and uploaded all my books would those books then magically appear on all my other devices as well?

[ProfCrash]

I don't think you can sync between different types of devices.

[Doitsu]

IMHO, from a sideloading perspective, the Kindle is the better choice. All you have to do to sideload a book is copy it the documents folder on the Kindle and you're done.
AFAIK, both the Kobo app and the actual Kobo store all books in a sqlite database, which means that you cannot simply copy or delete a book without using Calibre or a sqlite manager.

[robko]

Originally Posted by Doitsu

AFAIK, both the Kobo app and the actual Kobo store all books in a sqlite database, which means that you cannot simply copy or delete a book without using Calibre or a sqlite manager.

That's not correct. Kobo uses the sqlite database for Kobo e-pubs (kepubs) but you can side load and manage any other non-DRM'ed e-pubs with drag and drop via windows explorer. Most (not quite all) books at the Kobo store are available in their proprietary kepub format or a normal Adobe DRM e-pub.

[Doitsu]

Originally Posted by robko

That's not correct. Kobo uses the sqlite database for Kobo e-pubs (kepubs) but you can side load and manage any other non-DRM'ed e-pubs with drag and drop via windows explorer. Most (not quite all) books at the Kobo store are available in their proprietary kepub format or a normal Adobe DRM e-pub.

I stand corrected. However, IIRC, many Kobo users had to use an sqlite manager to get rid of the free books that come with the Kobo and according to the official Kobo FAQ sideloading of books is not possible with the Kobo Desktop app.

The Kobo Desktop will not show any books or documents that you have bought from non-Kobo sources or have added to your eReader by sideloading (dragging and dropping) or from SD cards.

[robko]

Originally Posted by Doitsu

I stand corrected. However, IIRC, many Kobo users had to use an sqlite manager to get rid of the free books that come with the Kobo and according to the official Kobo FAQ sideloading of books is not possible with the Kobo Desktop app.

You are correct that you can't use the desktop to add sideloads, but there is no need to. Personally I drag and drop, others use Calibre. The free books aren't on the Touch, so no need to get rid of them. A firmware update added an option on the original Kobo's to hide them, but if you actually wanted them off the reader you would have had to do some hacking. No need for any of this with the Kobo Touch (current reader).

[Suzanna]

Originally Posted by Synamon

The Kindle Personal Documents Service will allow you to sync non-Amazon books between a Kindle and the iPad/iPhone/iPod Kindle apps. I expect that Amazon will expand this to include other Kindle apps.

Is this available outside the U.S.? The OP is in Japan. I see you're in Canada, but generally we don't have access to the Kindle Personal Documents Service unless we jump through some hoops to hide the fact we're not in the U.S. (Which I tried to do following instructions others have offered here and couldn't get it to work. And frankly, it's too much of a bother to worry about.)

[Canuck_in_Japan]

I have a VPN which I use to fool Amazon into thinking that I'm from the US all the time
I have no concerns about sideloading as I'm sure that I can do that no problem on either device-I just want to make sure that those sideloaded books will then also show up on all my other devices which use either the Kindle or Kobo apps.

[kyteflyer]

Originally Posted by Canuck_in_Japan

I currently have a Sony PRS 650 and while I quite like it I feel like I definitely bought it at the wrong time (back when $240 wasn't an outrageous price for an e-reader) and I'm missing out on wifi connection and being able to sync my books.

I have the same reader (though I read far more on my iphone and ipad than the Sony)... but it is able to be synced with Calibre SO easily. Have you tried? From that PoV its better for me than the iphone/ipad which calibre refuses to acknowledge.

Not having a wifi can be a bit of a disadvantage, but not much, when you consider the capacity of this thing.