Send-to-Kindle fix for Mobi files

[hleo12]

Originally Posted by Crca

I'm assuming the reason they enable EPUB conversion is so that people can finally read on Kindle the ebooks they bought elsewhere (without having to use Calibre and sideload them). Preventing these ebooks from showing their covers would defeat the purpose of it, and be very shortsighted of Amazon.

I don't think it's shortsighted. Even the newer mobi don't show covers. They probably want to push people into using Kindle books more. It's kinda a 'miracle' they allowed azw3 now for personal documents.

But I still wish Amazon gives us covers for epub converted books.

[Crca]

Originally Posted by hleo12

I don't think it's shortsighted. Even the newer mobi don't show covers. They probably want to push people into using Kindle books more. It's kinda a 'miracle' they allowed azw3 now for personal documents.

That's the difference though. As of today you can "officially" convert only personal documents, which shouldn't require a cover. That would explain the limitations in the eyes of Amazon: the "send to Kindle" service was never meant to be a way to bypass the Kindle Store.
EPUBs however are hardly personal documents - they can only be books. So if Amazon starts officially supporting ebook conversions into AZW3/KF8, why would they keep leaving the covers out? Either you don't let people read their EPUBs on Kindle, or you do.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by hleo12

I don't think it's shortsighted. Even the newer mobi don't show covers. They probably want to push people into using Kindle books more. It's kinda a 'miracle' they allowed azw3 now for personal documents.

But I still wish Amazon gives us covers for epub converted books.

The whole lack of cover thumbnails on Kindles for personal documents in KF8 format is a strange inconsistency. The Kindle apps for iOS, Android, and Fire tablets do not have that problem.

It used to be possible in Kindle firmware prior to version 5.8.5 to sideload a JPEG cover image thumbnail via USB and have that shown for a personal document. Software was created that would do this automatically. But Amazon changed the firmware to specifically disallow this. I have looked at the change and it appears to have been done intentionally, not introduced as a bug.

My hope is that with recent firmware changes bringing the Kindle user interface more in line with that of the apps, Amazon will reverse eventually course and allow these thumbnails to be shown. If for no other reason than to eliminate support calls asking about missing covers.

[hleo12]

Originally Posted by Crca

That's the difference though. As of today you can "officially" convert only personal documents, which shouldn't require a cover. That would explain the limitations in the eyes of Amazon: the "send to Kindle" service was never meant to be a way to bypass the Kindle Store.
EPUBs however are hardly personal documents - they can only be books. So if Amazon starts officially supporting ebook conversions into AZW3/KF8, why would they keep leaving the covers out? Either you don't let people read their EPUBs on Kindle, or you do.

It's kinda the same with those companies with proprietary software/hardware. You have very limited options if you use other stuff than their own. It's a way to push people into their ecosystem. I wouldn't to it past Amazon to do that.

IMO, they should've just let Kindles read epubs directly without converting them. All other ereader manufacturers are doing that.

And now I'm kinda curious if Amazon's system would still accept mobi files if you change their extensions just like it worked with epubs before this.

[johnnyb]

Originally Posted by jhowell

The whole lack of cover thumbnails on Kindles for personal documents in KF8 format is a strange inconsistency. The Kindle apps for iOS, Android, and Fire tablets do not have that problem.

It used to be possible in Kindle firmware prior to version 5.8.5 to sideload a JPEG cover image thumbnail via USB and have that shown for a personal document. Software was created that would do this automatically. But Amazon changed the firmware to specifically disallow this. I have looked at the change and it appears to have been done intentionally, not introduced as a bug.

My hope is that with recent firmware changes bringing the Kindle user interface more in line with that of the apps, Amazon will reverse eventually course and allow these thumbnails to be shown. If for no other reason than to eliminate support calls asking about missing covers.

Amazon trying to reduce support requests is also my main hope for cover thumbnails to make a return (or in fact, a first appearance if you count out the cover thumbnail script you mentioned).

I don’t know about Android, but on iOS, personal documents are still delivered in mobi, regardless of source used. This is probably also going to change (and maybe, just maybe, they will also consider allowing the iPad app to run on macOS again).

[hleo12]

Originally Posted by jhowell

The whole lack of cover thumbnails on Kindles for personal documents in KF8 format is a strange inconsistency. The Kindle apps for iOS, Android, and Fire tablets do not have that problem.

It used to be possible in Kindle firmware prior to version 5.8.5 to sideload a JPEG cover image thumbnail via USB and have that shown for a personal document. Software was created that would do this automatically. But Amazon changed the firmware to specifically disallow this. I have looked at the change and it appears to have been done intentionally, not introduced as a bug.

My hope is that with recent firmware changes bringing the Kindle user interface more in line with that of the apps, Amazon will reverse eventually course and allow these thumbnails to be shown. If for no other reason than to eliminate support calls asking about missing covers.

It's Amazon so it doesn't surprise me it was done deliberately.

I also hope they'll reverse this. I think even Calibre could do it with a plug-in if Amazon removes that blockage (I actually don't know enough about coding if it's possible with just a calibre plug-in but I hope it can, just to make it easier for users).

Something tells me Amazon really don't care about the support call volumes tho. If they did, they would've spent more resources to their agents so they can answer your concerns and not just doing a factory reset

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by Crca

EPUBs however are hardly personal documents - they can only be books.

Why do you say that?

It is simply not true. There are multiple ways to make an EPUB from a single page of text.

[Crca]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Why do you say that?

It is simply not true. There are multiple ways to make an EPUB from a single page of text.

I'm not questioning that it is technically possible - I do it myself - but a personal document usually isn't an epub.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by Crca

I'm not questioning that it is technically possible - I do it myself - but a personal document usually isn't an epub.

Fine, but you wrote EPUBs can only be books.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by jhowell

It used to be possible in Kindle firmware prior to version 5.8.5 to sideload a JPEG cover image thumbnail via USB and have that shown for a personal document. Software was created that would do this automatically. But Amazon changed the firmware to specifically disallow this. I have looked at the change and it appears to have been done intentionally, not introduced as a bug.

This post implies that manipulation of /var/log/cc.db might work. That would require jailbreak, of course.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...31&postcount=6