Got my very 1st ebook reader, now what?

[Mel_Putra]

Hi Guys,

I really need help!!!! I bought a Sony PRS-300 and am keen to down load books into it. I am totally new to ebook reading. I have installed Adobe Digital Editions and Calibre into my PC as well as fully charged the ereader. I had done extensive read-ups on the Geographical Restriction issue since even though I am currently in NYC for a 6weeks visit I live in Malaysia. However, I need some help to start... Probably try to purchase from BooksOnBoard. But I don't know what are the steps? Despite a lot of research, after I charged the ereader and connected the USB to my PC I realised I didn't know what to do next... Do I down load the books from the ebook stores to my PC without needing to connect the ereader first? After successful download into my PC then what?
I intend to use ADE followed by Calibre and avoid Sony Library...

Would really appreciate it if someone would be kind enough to give me a step-by-step pointer...

Secondly, I will be getting a new PC shortly. Should I just wait for that PC or is it simple to change from 1 PC to another for downloading books and transferring to the ereader?


Mel

[Bilbo1967]

Hi Mel.

If I were you, I'd start with a book from MobileRead (they're free!) and try putting that on your Reader first.

Download any epub or .lrf book from the E-Books tab in the blue bar near the top of the MobileRead page - remember where it is downloaded to on your computer.

Then, start Calibre and click on Add Books (top left). This will bring up a normal Explorer dialogue where you can navigate to the book you downloaded and click on Open. The book will then be placed in your Calibre library. Then, connect your Reader to your computer. After a few seconds, Calibre will detect the reader and you will be able to move the book from the Calibre library to your reader by clicking on the Send to Device button. After disconnecting the Reader, it will then be on the list of books avalable on the Reader.

Hope this helps If you have any issues with using Calibre I'd suggest you take a look at the Calibre Forum on MobileRead. Lots of people who know way more than I do about Calibre on there (like, say, the people that are writing it).

With regard to your second query about changing PC's, I'm really not sure; Calibre won't care, but I'm not sure about ADE. Which is why I suggest you start with a free book first.

Hope you enjoy your reader as much as I'm enjoying mine!

[eric11210]

Once you pay for the book (assuming you can -- there are geo restrictions which mean some books cannot be purchased, but that's another discussion), download the ePub version of it. Right click the book and click "Open with" then select "Adobe Digital Editions." Plug in your reader. ADE should recognize that the reader is attached to the computer and you should be able to simply drag and drop the book from the ADE library to your reader. If it is not DRM protected, I find Calibre much easier to use for this. Just do the same, but open with "the main Calibre program" instead of with "Adobe Digital Editions" and then, when your reader is attached, Calibre should again recognize that it's there. Just click the title of the book and cick "Send to Device." Super simple.

Good luck.

Eric

P.S. If one or both of these options doesn't automatically show up when you click "open with," click browse and then look under Program files for Calibre or Adobe and you should be able to find the .exe file for them. Just select it and the system should open the ebook in the program you want to use. Also, all this assumes you have Windows. If using a Mac or Linux, I can't help you since I don't have either environment running here to see what to do.

[shanghaichica]

Have you set up an account with ADE and authorised your PC and your reader with ADE yet??? You need to do that before you can use it.

I usually download my purchased books directly to ADE and then I connect my PRS-300 to the computer and drag and drop the book from ADE to the PRS-300 tab to transfer to my reader. You need to use ADE to open and transfer books to your reader with DRM protection. I usaually just upload all my purchased books to ADE as rule because most of the sites I buy from have DRM books.

If your purchased books do not have DRM you could download them to your PC. Open calibre and go to the add file tab, select the book from your PC to add it to the calibre library. Once the files are in calibre you can connect your device to the PC and then select send to device, and the books will be put onto your reader.

If you have any unprotected books on your PC in a format that the reader can handle you can use calibre to transfer them to the reader as I described above. If you have any DRM free books already on your PC which are not in a format accepted by your reader you can use calibre to convert them to an apporpriate format and then put them on your device.

Well you can back up your purchases and then download ADE on your new PC, authorise it and then you will be able to read your old purchases on the new PC and obviously any new ones you make.

You can also back up your calibre library and then transfer it to your new PC. All the books you already have on your reader will still be there when you buy your new PC.

[lacymarie7575]

Try the Sony Store first! maybe not the best prices but there is a 1-800 number that you can call where they can walk you through a download. Yeah!! Im soo excitd for ya!! Welcome to the eReader club!

[Mel_Putra]

Originally Posted by shanghaichica

Have you set up an account with ADE and authorised your PC and your reader with ADE yet??? You need to do that before you can use it.

I usually download my purchased books directly to ADE and then I connect my PRS-300 to the computer and drag and drop the book from ADE to the PRS-300 tab to transfer to my reader. You need to use ADE to open and transfer books to your reader with DRM protection. I usaually just upload all my purchased books to ADE as rule because most of the sites I buy from have DRM books.

If your purchased books do not have DRM you could download them to your PC. Open calibre and go to the add file tab, select the book from your PC to add it to the calibre library. Once the files are in calibre you can connect your device to the PC and then select send to device, and the books will be put onto your reader.

If you have any unprotected books on your PC in a format that the reader can handle you can use calibre to transfer them to the reader as I described above. If you have any DRM free books already on your PC which are not in a format accepted by your reader you can use calibre to convert them to an apporpriate format and then put them on your device.

Well you can back up your purchases and then download ADE on your new PC, authorise it and then you will be able to read your old purchases on the new PC and obviously any new ones you make.

I just bought a new laptop today so will download both Calibre and ADE again to the new laptop. Do I need to set up a new ADE account with this new Laptop or just use the same account but merely authorize the new laptop?

Secondly, does that mean if the book I buy is ePub format and DRM protected I just use the ADE and need not use the Calibre at all? My books will all be recent release. Probably the oldest one may be no more than 5 years old popular novels. So I assume those will all be DRM protected?

Thanks so much guys for all your helps! I think now with both new Sony laptop and ebook readers (both new to me I may have taken too much on my hand!).

Mel

[shanghaichica]

Originally Posted by Mel_Putra

I just bought a new laptop today so will download both Calibre and ADE again to the new laptop. Do I need to set up a new ADE account with this new Laptop or just use the same account but merely authorize the new laptop?

Secondly, does that mean if the book I buy is ePub format and DRM protected I just use the ADE and need not use the Calibre at all? My books will all be recent release. Probably the oldest one may be no more than 5 years old popular novels. So I assume those will all be DRM protected?

Thanks so much guys for all your helps! I think now with both new Sony laptop and ebook readers (both new to me I may have taken too much on my hand!).

Mel

Use your old account login details when you set up ADE on your new computer, that way you will be able to read all your old purchases on the new pc.

Yes if the book is DRM protected you must use ADE to be able to put it onto your reader, calibre will not work with protected files. If you are in a doubt about your files, you should just use ADE. Even if they are not protected you will still be able to view them on your reader/PC.

[neilmarr]

If you like, Mel, bob into the bookstore section of my website at http://www.bewrite.net and pick out a couple of titles that catch your eye. Email me with your preferred format (probably ePub for a Sony) and I'll happily send them over with our compliments. This way you can experiment without worries because, if you screw up first time around, you can simply drop me another email and I can send the books again. Good luck and best wishes. Neil -- ntmarrATbewrite.net (use the @ sign, of course)

[GlenBarrington]

Originally Posted by neilmarr

If you like, Mel, bob into the bookstore section of my website at http://www.bewrite.net and pick out a couple of titles that catch your eye. Email me with your preferred format (probably ePub for a Sony) and I'll happily send them over with our compliments. This way you can experiment without worries because, if you screw up first time around, you can simply drop me another email and I can send the books again. Good luck and best wishes. Neil -- ntmarrATbewrite.net (use the @ sign, of course)

I've seen you do that a couple of times for people Neil, and I think that is one of the 'coolest', most generous things I've seen anyone do to support a given community. You've got some serious K coming your way, and I'm not talking about the few 'pretend K' that users of this site can toss towards each other.

Back to the OP:

All the advice you've gotten so is pretty good. But as one poster mentioned, I wouldn't discount the Sony Bookstore completely. Bear in mind, I've only used the US version, I've never had to concern myself with geographic restrictions as such (or maybe, I've not been smart enough to recognize the problem!), and I've only been using my PRS300 since December.

I consider myself an avid reader, but a casual ebook consumer. If it is too much work or cost, I'll just buy a paper book. I'm here for the reading not the technology!

In spite of its numerous problems, and boy does the Sony Software have problems, it is still a prety convenient way for a PRS300 user to acquire ebooks.

I've been buying mostly from Sony, Kobo, and Smashwords. I have ADE, but I don't really use it. I don't really pay much attention to DRM, I buy what I want. Everything I've bought so far has been ePub.

I assume most of the books I buy from Kobo and Sony are DRM'ed. I know some are. But I just download the books, and If I can't load directly into Caliber, I import them into the Sony Reader Library. Of course, with the Sony store, you have to use the Sony Reader Library. I would assume that ADE could work the same way.

I don't know if there is any advantage to using one over the other. I guess you just pick one and use it! Does anyone else know?

[shanghaichica]

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

I've seen you do that a couple of times for people Neil, and I think that is one of the 'coolest', most generous things I've seen anyone do to support a given community. You've got some serious K coming your way, and I'm not talking about the few 'pretend K' that users of this site can toss towards each other.

Back to the OP:

All the advice you've gotten so is pretty good. But as one poster mentioned, I wouldn't discount the Sony Bookstore completely. Bear in mind, I've only used the US version, I've never had to concern myself with geographic restrictions as such (or maybe, I've not been smart enough to recognize the problem!), and I've only been using my PRS300 since December.

I consider myself an avid reader, but a casual ebook consumer. If it is too much work or cost, I'll just buy a paper book. I'm here for the reading not the technology!

In spite of its numerous problems, and boy does the Sony Software have problems, it is still a prety convenient way for a PRS300 user to acquire ebooks.

I've been buying mostly from Sony, Kobo, and Smashwords. I have ADE, but I don't really use it. I don't really pay much attention to DRM, I buy what I want. Everything I've bought so far has been ePub.

I assume most of the books I buy from Kobo and Sony are DRM'ed. I know some are. But I just download the books, and If I can't load directly into Caliber, I import them into the Sony Reader Library. Of course, with the Sony store, you have to use the Sony Reader Library. I would assume that ADE could work the same way.

I don't know if there is any advantage to using one over the other. I guess you just pick one and use it! Does anyone else know?

I don't know either, but whatever works is my motto. ADE and calibre are working fine for me so I use them. Haven't bothered with the Sony because I haven't needed to use it.

[Mel_Putra]

From what I have read I won't be able to use Sony Store once I leave US. So that's why I want to go straight for ADE and Calibre... Yet to download ADE into my new VAIO. Trying in a minute... Gud luck to me and thanks for the advices so far!

Mel

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by Mel_Putra

From what I have read I won't be able to use Sony Store once I leave US. So that's why I want to go straight for ADE and Calibre... Yet to download ADE into my new VAIO. Trying in a minute... Gud luck to me and thanks for the advices so far!

Mel

Selemat Detang, Mel! I live in Japan and use the Sony store with no problems. When I installed the Sony software, I turned off my Internet connection first, installed the program telling it I am IN the US, and turned off the automatic updates. Then I turned the Internet back on, connected to the Sony store and bought some books... from Japan. No problem.

If you are in New York right now, why not sign up for all the stores, letting the software show them that you are IN the city? Often, once the initial connection is made, you have free sailing from that point on. That has been my experience over the past year purchasing from various on-line shops. Be aware though, that many have had different histories with this.

Stitchawl

[benong]

Hi Mel_Putra,
If you still not too sure about how to make full use of the Sony Reader, you can contact me when you are back in Malaysia. I'm living in Petaling Jaya and I will be glad to help you out. I have been using the Sony Reader for over 3 years now and I am confident that I'll be able to help you out.
Currently I'm using the Digital Edition.
My contact is: ben.ong@gmail.com

[Mel_Putra]

When I want to activate my ADE account and register my PC I keep on getting this message: E_ADEPT_REQUEST_EXPIRED http://adeactivate.adobe.com/adept/Activate 2010-08-12T06:37:14-07:00%20(1281620234000)%20is%20before%202010-08-12T18:08:09-07:00%20(1281661689624)

Why is that so?

[Mel_Putra]

Hi Ben,

Thanks so much for contacting me! Highly likely I will take up your offer once I am back in KL.

Mel