Help! Kindle for PC info needed

BookCat · 10-02-2012, 02:16 PM

I couldn't find this information on Amazon, so came to ask the knowledgeable Kindle users at MR.

Firstly, I don't actually have a Kindle, but do have the Kindle for PC software. I was wondering whether this software did text-to-speech. If anyone knows, please tell me. I can't highlight and copy in order for my free version of Ultra Hal text-to-speech gizmo to faulteringly read the book with Microsoft Anna's voice (yuck). So was wondering if there's a built in reader. (The whole forum must know by now that I have attacks of labyrinthitis.)

Also, with the freebie Kindle books...how do I get them downloaded onto the software?
Sometimes there's a "download to Kindle for PC" link on the Amazon page, but not always. Does this mean it's not available for the PC software? Or that the link is elsewhere?

Sorry for all the questions. Thanks in advance for your help.

susan_cassidy · 10-02-2012, 02:18 PM

No, it doesn't do text-to-speech.

I don't know why there wouldn't be a selection for Download to Kindle for PC, unless it's one of those books that is for iOS only.

sirmaru · 10-02-2012, 02:19 PM

Amazon free BORROWED books are usually only available for Kindle devices, only.

nynaevelan · 10-02-2012, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BookCat

I couldn't find this information on Amazon, so came to ask the knowledgeable Kindle users at MR.

Firstly, I don't actually have a Kindle, but do have the Kindle for PC software. I was wondering whether this software did text-to-speech. If anyone knows, please tell me. I can't highlight and copy in order for my free version of Ultra Hal text-to-speech gizmo to faulteringly read the book with Microsoft Anna's voice (yuck). So was wondering if there's a built in reader. (The whole forum must know by now that I have attacks of labyrinthitis.)

No it doesn't, that is a kindle only feature.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BookCat

Also, with the freebie Kindle books...how do I get them downloaded onto the software?
Sometimes there's a "download to Kindle for PC" link on the Amazon page, but not always. Does this mean it's not available for the PC software? Or that the link is elsewhere?

Sorry for all the questions. Thanks in advance for your help.

I am not sure about this one, I have never encountered a book which I purchased which was not able to be downloaded to K4PC. As a side note, all of my purchased books, those for free, the ones I paid for as well as my borrowed books from the library, are in my K4PC software.

Synamon · 10-02-2012, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BookCat

I couldn't find this information on Amazon, so came to ask the knowledgeable Kindle users at MR.

Firstly, I don't actually have a Kindle, but do have the Kindle for PC software. I was wondering whether this software did text-to-speech. If anyone knows, please tell me. I can't highlight and copy in order for my free version of Ultra Hal text-to-speech gizmo to faulteringly read the book with Microsoft Anna's voice (yuck). So was wondering if there's a built in reader. (The whole forum must know by now that I have attacks of labyrinthitis.)

Sorry, no. If you want to use your gizmo, try the ereader inside calibre, it allows copying and pasting of text.

Quote:

Also, with the freebie Kindle books...how do I get them downloaded onto the software?
Sometimes there's a "download to Kindle for PC" link on the Amazon page, but not always. Does this mean it's not available for the PC software? Or that the link is elsewhere?

Unless the ebook has been specially formatted for the Fire or something it should be available to download to your Kindle for PC app. If you've already bought the book check your Manage My Kindle page, options for downloading those titles appear in the bubble to the right of each book.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirmaru

Amazon free books are usually only available for Kindle devices, only.

Wrong, wrong, wrong. I've never yet come across a free book that I couldn't download to the apps.

sirmaru · 10-02-2012, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Synamon

Wrong, wrong, wrong. I've never yet come across a free book that I couldn't download to the apps.

You are correct. I edited my original post. It is the free BORROWED books that are only available for the Kindles, themselves, not the apps.

nynaevelan · 10-02-2012, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirmaru

You are correct. I edited my original post. It is the free BORROWED books that are only available for the Kindles, themselves, not the apps.

This too is a little misleading. The books borrowed from Amazon's Prime Library are not available to download to K4PC but Overdrive Library books are. But that shouldn't be a problem because I thought you could only borrow them from a kindle device anyway. Though I suppose this would be moot in the Manage your Library on the website.

copyrite · 10-02-2012, 04:30 PM

There is an Accessibility add-on For K4PC that can be used with an external screen reader program. I only know it exists, have never tried it.

I can't figure out what the rhyme or reason is as to why sometimes books can't be downloaded to K4PC. Apparently authors don't necessarily know the answer to that question either!

BookCat · 10-02-2012, 05:24 PM

Thank you for all the advice. I've downloaded the app which copyrite mentions. Initially it looks very much like a normal Kindle for PC download, except that it's 251 MB as opposed to the normal 44 MB. I haven't installed and played with it yet.

It's strange, but earlier I was looking through the "Freebies and Bargains" section on MR at a thread for romance enthusiasts. There was a link to an Amazon Kindle free romance novel where there appeared to be no place to download the novel to the K4PC app. Maybe it was because it was the US site? But I was logged in there. Odd.

I'll install the new program and report back.

Blossom · 10-02-2012, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BookCat

Thank you for all the advice. I've downloaded the app which copyrite mentions. Initially it looks very much like a normal Kindle for PC download, except that it's 251 MB as opposed to the normal 44 MB. I haven't installed and played with it yet.

It's strange, but earlier I was looking through the "Freebies and Bargains" section on MR at a thread for romance enthusiasts. There was a link to an Amazon Kindle free romance novel where there appeared to be no place to download the novel to the K4PC app. Maybe it was because it was the US site? But I was logged in there. Odd.

I'll install the new program and report back.

Which book is that?

BookCat · 10-02-2012, 05:31 PM

"Blaze of lightning, Roar of thunder,".

Blossom · 10-02-2012, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BookCat

"Blaze of lightning, Roar of thunder,".

I always send my books to Kindle4PC and have no problems. I got the book open on K4PC now. I'm not sure why you can't send it.

You could try another browser.

BookCat · 10-02-2012, 05:47 PM

Is "Eastern TN" in the US? I've a feeling the problem might be that I'm in the UK. I had no problems with books on the UK site.

Blossom · 10-02-2012, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BookCat

Is "Eastern TN" in the US? I've a feeling the problem might be that I'm in the UK. I had no problems with books on the UK site.

Yeah I am in Tennessee.
It's also free at BOB. Try over there.

BookCat · 10-02-2012, 07:01 PM

I installed the accessibility add-on, or at least I thought I did, but it was no different from the normal K4PC. I checked the help, and when I pressed ctrl+R it didn't read the open book. I had Utra Hal open. I checked the screen-reading software which Amazon recommends, but neither of them are free.

So I'll either read the books on the PC when I'm not troubled by labyrinthitis; or I'll befriend Alf and put them on my Sony. I have done this before, I just can't remember how. I'll check Alf's site again.

Thanks for the help.
I have some free audiobooks from librivox for when I'm ill.

10-02-2012, 02:16 PM	#1
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,912 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	Help! Kindle for PC info needed I couldn't find this information on Amazon, so came to ask the knowledgeable Kindle users at MR. Firstly, I don't actually have a Kindle, but do have the Kindle for PC software. I was wondering whether this software did text-to-speech. If anyone knows, please tell me. I can't highlight and copy in order for my free version of Ultra Hal text-to-speech gizmo to faulteringly read the book with Microsoft Anna's voice (yuck). So was wondering if there's a built in reader. (The whole forum must know by now that I have attacks of labyrinthitis.) Also, with the freebie Kindle books...how do I get them downloaded onto the software? Sometimes there's a "download to Kindle for PC" link on the Amazon page, but not always. Does this mean it's not available for the PC software? Or that the link is elsewhere? Sorry for all the questions. Thanks in advance for your help.

10-02-2012, 02:19 PM	#3
sirmaru Wizard Posts: 2,426 Karma: 6561538 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: Kindle PW 2013, HDX 2013, Galaxy S5 2014	Amazon free BORROWED books are usually only available for Kindle devices, only. Last edited by sirmaru; 10-02-2012 at 02:55 PM.

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10-02-2012, 02:18 PM	#2
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	No, it doesn't do text-to-speech. I don't know why there wouldn't be a selection for Download to Kindle for PC, unless it's one of those books that is for iOS only.

10-02-2012, 04:30 PM	#8
copyrite Wizard Posts: 1,814 Karma: 4985051 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Maryland Device: ...lots! ;) mostly reading on a Kindle Voyage	There is an Accessibility add-on For K4PC that can be used with an external screen reader program. I only know it exists, have never tried it. I can't figure out what the rhyme or reason is as to why sometimes books can't be downloaded to K4PC. Apparently authors don't necessarily know the answer to that question either!

10-02-2012, 05:24 PM	#9
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,912 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	Thank you for all the advice. I've downloaded the app which copyrite mentions. Initially it looks very much like a normal Kindle for PC download, except that it's 251 MB as opposed to the normal 44 MB. I haven't installed and played with it yet. It's strange, but earlier I was looking through the "Freebies and Bargains" section on MR at a thread for romance enthusiasts. There was a link to an Amazon Kindle free romance novel where there appeared to be no place to download the novel to the K4PC app. Maybe it was because it was the US site? But I was logged in there. Odd. I'll install the new program and report back.

10-02-2012, 05:31 PM	#11
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,912 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	"Blaze of lightning, Roar of thunder,".

10-02-2012, 05:47 PM	#13
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,912 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	Is "Eastern TN" in the US? I've a feeling the problem might be that I'm in the UK. I had no problems with books on the UK site.

10-02-2012, 07:01 PM	#15
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,912 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	I installed the accessibility add-on, or at least I thought I did, but it was no different from the normal K4PC. I checked the help, and when I pressed ctrl+R it didn't read the open book. I had Utra Hal open. I checked the screen-reading software which Amazon recommends, but neither of them are free. So I'll either read the books on the PC when I'm not troubled by labyrinthitis; or I'll befriend Alf and put them on my Sony. I have done this before, I just can't remember how. I'll check Alf's site again. Thanks for the help. I have some free audiobooks from librivox for when I'm ill.

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