Not yet a beginner questions for Nexus 7

[AlexBell]

I don't even have a Nexus 7 yet, but I expect to get one in 19 days and would like to get ready.

I expect to be using ebooks and music (mp3 files) that I already have, rather than buy from Google Play, but wonder how I can side load them, and whether what app I use to read or hear them will be able to find them.

On an iPad2 if I want to see how one of the ebooks I have designed looks in iPad, Bluefire, and Marvin I have to load the ebook three times, once through each app. So far as I know once it's in the iBooks 'folder' there is no way to get to that ebook with one of the other apps without loading it through that app - in which case I have three copies of the same ebook on my iPad2.

Is it the same with a Nexus 7? If I want to check how an ebook looks on the Sony Android reader and with Moon+ and with the native Google ereader, and so on, will I have to load them through each individual reader? Or is there a way of loading an ebook into one 'folder' and then accessing that one ebook with any of the ereader apps I have on the Nexus?

Will I be able to set up folders myself on the Nexus? If so, how do I do that?

How does one side load ones own ebooks to a Nexus anyway?

Thanks in advance for any advice, or pointers to where I can get the information. I'll probably have more questions still, so thanks in advance for your patience.

[hapmas77]

Originally Posted by AlexBell

I don't even have a Nexus 7 yet, but I expect to get one in 19 days and would like to get ready.

I expect to be using ebooks and music (mp3 files) that I already have, rather than buy from Google Play, but wonder how I can side load them, and whether what app I use to read or hear them.

On an iPad2 if I want to see how one of the ebooks I have designed looks in iPad, Bluefire, and Marvin I have to load the ebook three times, once through each app. So far as I know once it's in the iBooks 'folder' there is no way to get to that ebook with one of the other apps without loading it through that app - in which case I have three copies of the same ebook on my iPad2.

Is it the same with a Nexus 7? If I want to check how an ebook looks on the Sony Android reader and with Moon+ and with the native Google ereader, and so on, will I have to load them through each individual reader? Or is there a way of loading an ebook into one 'folder' and then accessing that one ebook with any of the ereader apps I have on the Nexus?

Will I be able to set up folders myself on the Nexus? If so, how do I do that?

How does one side load ones own ebooks to a Nexus anyway?

Thanks in advance for any advice, or pointers to where I can get the information. I'll probably have more questions still, so thanks in advance for your patience.

this is the beauty of Android.
You can set your own folder for e-books, and access it from any reader of your choice. No need to upload ebooks repeatedly for each app.

To sideload your ebooks, you can do it in several ways:

1. Connect your Nexus to computer via cable. It will appear as folder in your computer and you create a new folder in Nexus and do the usual copy and paste for your ebooks.
   
2. If you use Calibre, you can use Calibre Companion app and connect your Nexus to PC wirelessly via WiFi.
   
3. This is my favourite: Use dropsync app for android. It will sync a specific folder in your Dropbox (PC) with one specific folder in your Nexus.

My setting is to create a folder in my android tablet named 'ebooks', and to create a subfolder in my Dropbox folder in PC, named 'ebooks-sync'. When I want to upload books to my tablet(s), I just use Calibre's 'connect to folder' facility, and choose 'ebooks-sync' folder. All books that I sync to this folder will automatically be synced to all my android tablet. No need to upload same books for each tablet.

[AlexBell]

Thanks, Hapmass77, that's most helpful.

I'll try out your suggestions when it arrives.

I presume the same principles will work for mp3s.

[Dopedangel]

Originally Posted by AlexBell

Thanks, Hapmass77, that's most helpful.

I'll try out your suggestions when it arrives.

I presume the same principles will work for mp3s.

Yes Android works more like windows where you can set a default app for different formats. But can open your media with different players. A few reader apps import the ebooks into their own folders I avoid those apps personally.

Even if you dont buy music from google play store you can still store as many as 20000 songs of your own mp3s. That you can use to stream from your different devices or download to your device.

[AlexBell]

Originally Posted by Dopedangel

Yes Android works more like windows where you can set a default app for different formats. But can open your media with different players. A few reader apps import the ebooks into their own folders I avoid those apps personally.

Even if you dont buy music from google play store you can still store as many as 20000 songs of your own mp3s. That you can use to stream from your different devices or download to your device.

Thanks.

[Adoby]

You should get a file browser for your device as well. I use ES File Explorer. Using that app I can connect to my NAS over wifi and play movies directly from the share or copy over folders with mp3 files or with ebooks or other media.

For ebooks I use calibre to manage them on my computer, and then save them to a shared folder on my NAS. And use the app FolderSync to automatically keep a folder on my device synced to the folder on the NAS, over wifi.

[AlexBell]

My wife gave me the Nexus 7 for our 51st anniversary today, rather than for Christmas, and I'm having a lot of difficulties.

I've downloaded some freebies from Google Play, and though I can read them with Google reader which comes with the tablet I can't find those ebooks on the Nexus when I connect it to my Windows 7 computer. Is there any way to find and open 'My Library?' And to copy those ebooks to my computer?

I've made a books folder on the Nexus, and copied an ebook from my computer into this folder. But when I detached the Nexus from the folder I couldn't find the ebook, and can't open it with the Google reader. Am I doing something wrong? Or do I need to use Moon+ or another reader?

Also, is it necessary/possible to eject the Nexus from the computer?

I'm sorry to be so dumb; I'm sure a twelve year old could handle it. But it's been a long time since I was twelve, and I don't have a twelve year old handy.

[Dhevi]

I do hope someone will step in and correct me if I am wrong.

I believe the location of the Google Play Books directory may only be available for accessing on Rooted devices.

You could go to https://play.google.com/books and download the .Epub files of the purchased/freebie Google Play books to save a copy to your computer.

As to sideloading your own books to your Nexus, the Google Play Books app does not read/import ebooks from the device storage. Instead you must/can upload your files at the same link I've provided previously, to Google Play Books, to store them on the cloud to have them accessible on your android devices. You can pin the book on your device to then store it on the device storage for offline reading.

For reading/importing books from the device storage, instead of uploading to Google Play Books, you would want to look to alternative ereader apps like Aldiko, Moon+ reader, Mantano, FBreader, Coolreader and the likes, which will/can read from a folder on the device that you can access to simply copy/paste to/from.

[AlexBell]

Thanks, Dhevi.

But the plot thickens, and gets worse.
- I made a folder on my Nexus and put an ebook I designed into that folder. This ebook is a complex ebook containing poetry. It validates with EPUB.Checker, and looks good on my Sony, Kobo, and iPad.
- I then installed Moon+ Pro on the Nexus, and was able to open the book. But the rendition was very poor indeed, apparently because Moon+ ignores the carefully designed CSS in the ebook. I managed to deselect the Moon+ option of ignoring CSS, but it made no difference.

What I need, I think, is an Android ebook reader which is designed for ePub, and will allow me to read an ebook from the folder I've installed on the Nexus. Does anyone have any suggestions? I do NOT want an ereader which is designed to get people to buy from a particular store, and do NOT want an ereader which tries to open every kind of ebook and ignores the CSS.

[Bilbo1967]

.....

[AlexBell]

Originally Posted by hapmas77

[*]If you use Calibre, you can use Calibre Companion app and connect your Nexus to PC wirelessly via WiFi.
[*]This is my favourite: Use dropsync app for android. It will sync a specific folder in your Dropbox (PC) with one specific folder in your Nexus.[/LIST]

My setting is to create a folder in my android tablet named 'ebooks', and to create a subfolder in my Dropbox folder in PC, named 'ebooks-sync'. When I want to upload books to my tablet(s), I just use Calibre's 'connect to folder' facility, and choose 'ebooks-sync' folder. All books that I sync to this folder will automatically be synced to all my android tablet. No need to upload same books for each tablet.

Thanks again, hapmas. But what ereader do you use to read your ebooks with? I need one which is designed for ePubs, and honours the CSS.

[hapmas77]

Hi Alex.
I'm using Moon+ Reader Pro. But, as you said, Moon+ does not fulfill your need.

[AlexBell]

Originally Posted by hapmas77

Hi Alex.
I'm using Moon+ Reader Pro. But, as you said, Moon+ does not fulfill your need.

I am making some progress; I've been able to install Calibre Companion and have downloaded a couple of ebooks with it. I'm now going through the readers available to find one that will honour their style sheets. Mantano looks best so far, but the free version seems to stall quite often.

[Barty]

Originally Posted by AlexBell

Thanks, Dhevi.

But the plot thickens, and gets worse.
- I made a folder on my Nexus and put an ebook I designed into that folder. This ebook is a complex ebook containing poetry. It validates with EPUB.Checker, and looks good on my Sony, Kobo, and iPad.
- I then installed Moon+ Pro on the Nexus, and was able to open the book. But the rendition was very poor indeed, apparently because Moon+ ignores the carefully designed CSS in the ebook. I managed to deselect the Moon+ option of ignoring CSS, but it made no difference.

What I need, I think, is an Android ebook reader which is designed for ePub, and will allow me to read an ebook from the folder I've installed on the Nexus. Does anyone have any suggestions? I do NOT want an ereader which is designed to get people to buy from a particular store, and do NOT want an ereader which tries to open every kind of ebook and ignores the CSS.

I don't know if you'll want to do this, but it's an option.

Install nook app. You do have to register. If you don't intend to ever buy from them and don't want to give them your personal info, use a throwaway email.

Put your ePubs in Nook/MyDocuments. In the nook app's library screen, select all items. Your book should show up.

If the formatting does not look quite right, tap the Aa icon and check "publisher defaults". Unfortunately this will disable night mode and your choice of font.

The nook app is a pretty nice, accurate, ePub reader if you don't mind the limited options.

[AlexBell]

Thanks, Barty, but I live in Australia, and Barnes and Noble refuse to have any dealings with us.

I am using Mantano, and am reasonably happy with it.