Cybook on a Mac

[tommy still]

I have posted before about using a Cybook with a Mac, but have still not taken the plunge, the fact that there is no software needed to sync is great, just drag and drop. I have just read on the Bookeen site that the reader software is upgraded by the SD card. Is this simply downloading a file and copying it on to the card to install to the reader, or is Windows software needed somewhere along the line ? Another problem I am not quite clear about is buying books with DRM, if I dont use the Mobipocket windows software for instance how do I download a protected book to a Mac ? I know about each device having its own unique ID number, can I enter this number on the website somewhere along the purchase path to allow the book to be read, or do I have to resort to Windows again ? After I have read the book will there be any problem in copying it back to the reader at a later date to re-read ? I am sure these questions have been asked before so sorry to ask them again.
One more thing, I find it strange to be considering spending money on a device I cant even handle before I purchase, the same goes for all the readers as I live in the UK, and as far as I am aware none of them are available over the counter. Thanks in advance for any help.

[mrkai]

Wow.

I have a Sony 505 that I'm not feeling the love for anymore and use OS X and was just asking about these things...below are the answers I got/what i know:

If you want to buy books, you don't need windows software at all. None. Nada. Zero. The Cybook shows its PID clear in its "About" info i was told, and you enter this on a bookseller website and download.

Its ready to xfer to your mac at this point.

Since its on your machine, you can add and subtract titles at will.

Hope that helped!

-K

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by tommy still

Another problem I am not quite clear about is buying books with DRM, if I dont use the Mobipocket windows software for instance how do I download a protected book to a Mac ? I know about each device having its own unique ID number, can I enter this number on the website somewhere along the purchase path to allow the book to be read, or do I have to resort to Windows again ? After I have read the book will there be any problem in copying it back to the reader at a later date to re-read?

The way secure MOBI works is that there can be up to 4 PIDs in the file. These are the devices that can read the file. So, you first register your PID with the seller of the e-book (type it into a web page) and then download the e-book. At this point you have an e-book file that will always be readable on your device. It is just a file, and can be handled like other files. The important point is that it has the appropriate PID in the file.

This means that the only time you have to interact with an e-book seller for your existing e-books is when you want to add a new device PID. If you do this, you have to download the files again for them to work on the new device. Note that with most sellers the new file will also work with the old PIDs, unless you go over the 4 device limit (some sites have a lower device limit). Once over the device limit there are extra hoops to jump through - but in any case if you keep the old files they will always work with the old devices.

The Windows MobiPocket Reader handles registering new device PIDs and re-downloading the files for you (at least for some sites). But this is simple to do manually - with the advantage that you can more easily make backup copies of the files in case you ever need to drop an old PID because of the number of devices limit (the archived files will still work on the dropped device).

[tommy still]

Thanks both for the help, thats cleared up my main problems. The only hurdle to overcome now is actually handling a Cybook before shelling out £245. Quite how I overcome that I dont know.

[tommy still]

I have just realised I am still unsure about the reader software upgrades, is it simply a matter of downloading the upgrade file to an SD card, plugging it into the reader and running it, or do I need windows software somewhere along the line ?

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by tommy still

I have just realised I am still unsure about the reader software upgrades, is it simply a matter of downloading the upgrade file to an SD card, plugging it into the reader and running it, or do I need windows software somewhere along the line ?

You'll need unzipping software, but you download the ZIP'd firmware update file, unzip it, drag-n-drop the .img file to the formatted SD card (into the root directory - I always just delete everything off one of the smaller (<512MB) ones, directories and all) and insert into the TURNED OFF Cybook. Following the directions they post/email one turns the Cybook on and do the update process. It's just that simple.

As I have an older engineering sample version of the Cybook, I've had to update several times to get it to v1.0.

Derek

[tommy still]

Thats great, no problem with a mac then, Thanks very much.