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Old 03-21-2014, 03:16 PM   #16
chrisridd
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Originally Posted by Alfy View Post
- Do kePubs play nice with Alf? Considering my recent experience with Sony, this is now clearly a must...
There's no support for kepub in Alf's calibre plugin, but there's a separate python script provided which (apparently) will clean kepubs.

Personally I just download the Adobe DRM'ed version of anything I buy from the Kobo store, and relied on the Calibre plugin. So far, everything I've wanted has had an Adobe DRM version.
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Old 03-21-2014, 03:36 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alfy View Post
I am not well acquainted with the kePub format, so I would have a couple of questions:

- Why do you actually need a Kobo reader? Isn't just a question of proprietary software? In which case I'm wondering if the Sony readers will get updated for it...

- Do kePubs play nice with Alf? Considering my recent experience with Sony, this is now clearly a must...

But it's nice to hear some good things about Kobo. For one, I like what I have seen from their most recent hardware, although I'm still loath to drop that much on a product I have not been able to physically hold.
The Kobo eReaders use two rendering engines: the standard Adobe ePub rendering engine and a second one called ACCESS. It's the ACCESS engine that renders kePubs but the device will render your book in whatever format it finds it.

Quote:
There's no support for kepub in Alf's calibre plugin, but there's a separate python script provided which (apparently) will clean kepubs.

Personally I just download the Adobe DRM'ed version of anything I buy from the Kobo store, and relied on the Calibre plugin. So far, everything I've wanted has had an Adobe DRM version.
Also, there are Calibre plugins to create kePub files. Of course, Calibre only works on files without DRM. But if I'm reading the Sony message right, the plan is for Sony to send notice to Kobo with proof of the books you bought at Sony Store, and Kobo will create a pointer to those books that they already have in the Kobo Store. In that case, you could use the kePub or the ePub, the normal Kobo method.

Last edited by 6charlong; 03-21-2014 at 03:39 PM.
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Old 03-21-2014, 03:38 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chrisridd View Post
There's no support for kepub in Alf's calibre plugin, but there's a separate python script provided which (apparently) will clean kepubs.
It may "clean" it, but it's rarely a valid epub once it's done.
This is not entirely (or even mostly) the fault of said script--to be fair/clear.
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Old 03-21-2014, 06:12 PM   #19
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Originally Posted by Alfy View Post
I am not well acquainted with the kePub format, so I would have a couple of questions:

- Why do you actually need a Kobo reader? Isn't just a question of proprietary software? In which case I'm wondering if the Sony readers will get updated for it...
You're right, it's the firmware (proprietary software that runs the device) that renders kepubs, so it could in theory be ported to any other device. The reason for kepub primarily seems to be have been that it is closer to an epub 3 renderer and allows proper vertical line display (i.e. Chinese/Japanese) which for Kobo were an important market.
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Old 03-22-2014, 12:20 AM   #20
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Originally Posted by 6charlong View Post
I also disagree with the sometimes expressed notion that kePub formatted books are not good. To me, it is the opposite, they are the first presentation of an eBook on an eInk screen that really duplicates the best practices of traditional publishing. I have many ePub books and many kePubs, and it is apparent that some publishers do better than others when they publish, but you have to blame the publishing house for that. When the publisher does their job right the resulting kePub is fabulous.
Kobo, at least in the beginning, not sure about now, made the kePub's themselves and often they are missing basic formatting such as italics and stuff (something lost in the conversion). When books like these are reported to Kobo they do nothing to make them better and even when they acknowledge a problem continue to offer them for sale. Some of the ePub's they sell also have screwed up formatting NOT from the publisher, but due to the way the books were handled by Kobo, or as they were known at the time Shortcovers. This has been verified through at least two publishers and it took Kobo over six months to fix titles after someone else, me, did the legwork with the publisher. The publisher re-sent the files within a week of being contacted. If I have any beefs with kePub it's those older books (& don't get me wrong it's not all older books, just some) and also the books they sell as kePub only, but don't tell you that ahead of time.

Quote:
Kobo sells their books in plain vanilla ePub OR in kePub format although to get the kePub version you need an eReader capable of rendering kePub, which means a Kobo reader.
It's generally not an either or thing. Most books they sell get you both the ePub and kePub versions. The problem comes in when folks buy a book expecting both formats and only get kePub which they can't use without a Kobo device or app. Wasn't a huge deal with their old site as they told you if you got an ePub or not in the books details, but on the new site they don't do that. I personally usually prefer kePub's on my Aura HD, but still want to be able to download a regular ePub as well.

Quote:
I'm excited to discover whether my old Sony books will be available for download to my Aura HD in kePub form.
I'd assume so. When Borders closed down and folks transferred to Kobo you got what ever it was Kobo offered that matched the closest for that title (either kepub & epub or kepub & PDF). Just as I assume if it's one of those older screwed up titles that was fine at Sony you'll now have the messed up version from Kobo.


Quote:
Their newest and best eReaders, the Auras, are state of the art--presently a generation ahead of Kindle.
They're nice devices, but not so sure about them being a generation ahead. If you mean the flush screen I think I've seen as many complaints as I have praise for it. I don't think I'd call their buggy firmware a generation ahead at all.


Their CS definitely seems to have gotten better no doubt and they certainly seem to be trying.

Last edited by AnemicOak; 03-22-2014 at 12:23 AM.
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Old 03-22-2014, 04:13 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AnemicOak View Post
Kobo, at least in the beginning, not sure about now, made the kePub's themselves and often they are missing basic formatting such as italics and stuff (something lost in the conversion). When books like these are reported to Kobo they do nothing to make them better and even when they acknowledge a problem continue to offer them for sale. Some of the ePub's they sell also have screwed up formatting NOT from the publisher, but due to the way the books were handled by Kobo, or as they were known at the time Shortcovers. This has been verified through at least two publishers and it took Kobo over six months to fix titles after someone else, me, did the legwork with the publisher. The publisher re-sent the files within a week of being contacted. If I have any beefs with kePub it's those older books (& don't get me wrong it's not all older books, just some) and also the books they sell as kePub only, but don't tell you that ahead of time.


It's generally not an either or thing. Most books they sell get you both the ePub and kePub versions. The problem comes in when folks buy a book expecting both formats and only get kePub which they can't use without a Kobo device or app. Wasn't a huge deal with their old site as they told you if you got an ePub or not in the books details, but on the new site they don't do that. I personally usually prefer kePub's on my Aura HD, but still want to be able to download a regular ePub as well.
The Kobo internet site is identifying the format now. Using a browser for their online store (kobobooks.com from the US or use your local indie bookstore portal), find the book you want and there will be two buttons: BUY or PREVIEW. If you want to know the format before you buy it click "PREVIEW" rather than BUY. It puts a preview copy of the book in your MY LIBRARY page.

The LIBRARY page lists the titles of books you own and books you are previewing, it shows a button to download the EPUB version of the books, and for each one it lists:

Download Options: Adobe DRM EPUB
or
Download Options: EPUB (DRM-FREE)
or
if that message is missing, the book is a kePub only.

I only found 5 of my 130 odd books that do not have an ePub option and three of those are Manga. Most of the Manga I've seen are available in ePub though.
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Old 03-22-2014, 09:50 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 6charlong View Post
The Kobo internet site is identifying the format now. Using a browser for their online store (kobobooks.com from the US or use your local indie bookstore portal), find the book you want and there will be two buttons: BUY or PREVIEW. If you want to know the format before you buy it click "PREVIEW" rather than BUY. It puts a preview copy of the book in your MY LIBRARY page.
Well, yes you're of course correct, but I find this a total PITA as opposed to the old site that just flat out told you on the books page without jumping through that particular hoop.
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Old 03-22-2014, 10:03 PM   #23
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Well, yes you're of course correct, but I find this a total PITA as opposed to the old site that just flat out told you on the books page without jumping through that particular hoop.
It IS a PITA. I've been doing it for a while now and it's still every bit the PIMA it was when I started doing it.

Don't get me wrong: I'm glad I can get the data I need, but ... DAMN if it doesn't suck to have to remember to do that before clicking the "Buy" button each time.
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Old 03-27-2014, 09:12 AM   #24
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Just received the transition email. no problem with sony US account, and FR kobo account.

Some more of my book into my kobo library
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Old 03-27-2014, 09:18 AM   #25
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I got the email this morning and all of my books purchased from Sony transferred to my Kobo library without problems.
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Old 03-27-2014, 09:48 AM   #26
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I got my email this morning and most of my books transferred. 15 didn't because they weren't available at Kobo.

On checking my Calibre library I was aghast that I didn't have some of these already backed up, breaking my always keep an Alf-copy of everything rule. I then began looking at the books and these must have been freebies in my early ebook days when I would grab anything that was free, because they are books I would never read and don't want in my library even for free.

More concerning to me is my credit which generated this message --

Sorry, but we couldn’t transfer your Reader Store credit to Kobo.
Please contact Kobo Customer Care at 1-855-732-3662 and quote this reference number.

I called and was assured it's just a glitch they're working on, but we'll see. At least it is all from when Target had that amazing sale on Sony ebookstore gift cards -- I bought $200 worth.
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Old 03-27-2014, 10:35 AM   #27
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I haven't gotten an email yet. I wonder if they're sending them in batches? Hope I'm still going to get the email.
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Old 03-27-2014, 11:19 AM   #28
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I haven't gotten an email yet. I wonder if they're sending them in batches? Hope I'm still going to get the email.
I haven't got an email yet either so you aren't the only one.
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Old 03-27-2014, 03:41 PM   #29
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I haven't gotten doodley-squat.
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Old 03-27-2014, 03:53 PM   #30
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I haven't gotten doodley-squat.
I haven't gotten diddly-squat. What's doodley-squat?
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