Touch New kobo touch user confused

fred_yu_job · 12-09-2011, 10:02 AM

I just bought kobo touch, setup with the newest firmware (1.9.14).

With the kobo touch attached to my windows XP desktop, I just copied the books to the root directory of the kobo.

Unplug it, after it processed whatever it need to process; my books are listed.
and I could start reading. I didn't try to organise the books becasue I don't normally read more than 3 books the same time.

Here I'm confused: why people here use Calibre to load books? any benefit?

I have a first generation kobo, for sure calibre is required on that one, but I don't see why calibre is required for kobo touch.

feedbakbwr · 12-09-2011, 10:53 AM

Its not really required but it will organize your books as well as convert them from any format to epub for the Kobo. That is what I use it for mostly, converting and getting metadata. This way you also have a backup.

fred_yu_job · 12-09-2011, 01:30 PM

I saw many ppl are complaining about issues transfering books with Calibre...
why bring troubles with Calibre when we can simply copy books into the Kobo?!

To convert or organize books on the computer has nothing to do with the Kobo tho.

PeterT · 12-09-2011, 01:39 PM

Fred; there are NO issues these days with calibre. Most of the complaining reports are OLD OLD ones!

One reason for using it, is the ease of managing series for instance; where calbre can massage the books title to include the series name / index in the title, and thus ensure that books are logically sorted.

fred_yu_job · 12-09-2011, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterT

Fred; there are NO issues these days with calibre. Most of the complaining reports are OLD OLD ones!

Thanks for telling me this!
Seeing all those OLD issues, I dear not connect my new Kobo to calibre so far.
Now I'll try!

Ninjalawyer · 12-09-2011, 02:01 PM

Calibre is very useful if you have hundreds or thousands of books.

Latch · 12-09-2011, 02:49 PM

Sideloading via Explorer is dead-simple, so Calibre is only useful as a collection management tool. However, Calibre can also move books to an fro, fetch metadata and covers, and do ebook format conversion among many other functions. I'd be lost without it, but others don't use anything at all so it's just a matter of personal preference.

GoingDown · 12-09-2011, 02:53 PM

I personally have over thousand book on my library (most of them are free books from somewhere). So Calibre is really nice for organizing them. Also, Calibre includes content server which can be used as webserver for books. I am using it on home so that I can browse and download books via wifi

ekster · 12-09-2011, 03:18 PM

I like to use calibre to backup and organize my books, change the titles (especially for series, I like to use 'XX series #1: title' so they're all shown together on my Touch), change covers, and if needed, convert to epub.

therealjoeblow · 12-09-2011, 04:48 PM

Dead simple really -> Calibre is to ebooks as Winamp or iTunes are to music files.

If you have an MP3 player, I'm going to assume you use one of those to manage your music collection on your computer, convert formats as required (eg. aac to mp3, etc), download and add cover art and tags (album, artist info, etc) to the files, and sync your collection and playlists with your player...

Calibre does exactly the same thing with your books and ereader - it manages your collection overall, lets you convert formats and edit the books to suit your preferences, download metadata (author info, synopsis, genre, collection info) and book covers and transfer them to your reader.

I can't imagine too many people managing extensive music collections simply from Windows Explorer. Why would you do so with ebooks?

Cheers
The REAL Joe

The Terminator · 12-09-2011, 06:11 PM

Just wondering why you think it is great for the Kobo 1 and not for the Touch? You load books exactly the same with either one using Windows Explorer.

fred_yu_job · 12-09-2011, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Terminator

Just wondering why you think it is great for the Kobo 1 and not for the Touch? You load books exactly the same with either one using Windows Explorer.

I don't think we can copy books onto Kobo 1 directly with Windows Explorer, can we?

PeterT · 12-09-2011, 11:45 PM

Sure you can. When you connect the Kobo via USB to your computer, it appears as a drive to Windows.

You shoiuld be able to see it in Explorer and copy files to it.

To be safe though, do click on the Windows "Safely remove hardware" icon in the system tray and remove the Kobo before disconnecting the USB cable.

TonyToews · 12-10-2011, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterT

Fred; there are NO issues these days with calibre. Most of the complaining reports are OLD OLD ones!

To add to PeterT's reply. Calibre is updated weekly. Many bugs reported have been fixed within several weeks. New hardware, such as the Vox, have frequently been supported within several weeks.

12-09-2011, 06:11 PM	#11
The Terminator Retired Posts: 2,552 Karma: 37638420 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Vancouver Island Canada Device: Kobo Touch, Optimus One (2.3), Nexus 7 (4.2)	Just wondering why you think it is great for the Kobo 1 and not for the Touch? You load books exactly the same with either one using Windows Explorer. Last edited by The Terminator; 12-09-2011 at 07:01 PM.

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12-09-2011, 10:02 AM	#1
fred_yu_job Connoisseur Posts: 99 Karma: 94636 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: kobo	New kobo touch user confused I just bought kobo touch, setup with the newest firmware (1.9.14). With the kobo touch attached to my windows XP desktop, I just copied the books to the root directory of the kobo. Unplug it, after it processed whatever it need to process; my books are listed. and I could start reading. I didn't try to organise the books becasue I don't normally read more than 3 books the same time. Here I'm confused: why people here use Calibre to load books? any benefit? I have a first generation kobo, for sure calibre is required on that one, but I don't see why calibre is required for kobo touch. Last edited by fred_yu_job; 12-09-2011 at 10:13 AM.

12-09-2011, 10:53 AM	#2
feedbakbwr Redwood Original Posts: 59 Karma: 93478 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Kingston, Ontario Device: Kobo, Kobo Wifi, Kobo Touch	Its not really required but it will organize your books as well as convert them from any format to epub for the Kobo. That is what I use it for mostly, converting and getting metadata. This way you also have a backup.

12-09-2011, 01:30 PM	#3
fred_yu_job Connoisseur Posts: 99 Karma: 94636 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: kobo	I saw many ppl are complaining about issues transfering books with Calibre... why bring troubles with Calibre when we can simply copy books into the Kobo?! To convert or organize books on the computer has nothing to do with the Kobo tho.

12-09-2011, 01:39 PM	#4
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 12,166 Karma: 73448616 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Nexus 7, Clara, Touch, Tolino EPOS	Fred; there are NO issues these days with calibre. Most of the complaining reports are OLD OLD ones! One reason for using it, is the ease of managing series for instance; where calbre can massage the books title to include the series name / index in the title, and thus ensure that books are logically sorted.

12-09-2011, 02:01 PM	#6
Ninjalawyer Guru Posts: 826 Karma: 18573626 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Touch, Nexus 7 (2013)	Calibre is very useful if you have hundreds or thousands of books.

12-09-2011, 02:49 PM	#7
Latch Porcupine Tree fan Posts: 139 Karma: 357322 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Ottawa, Canada Device: Kobo Touch	Sideloading via Explorer is dead-simple, so Calibre is only useful as a collection management tool. However, Calibre can also move books to an fro, fetch metadata and covers, and do ebook format conversion among many other functions. I'd be lost without it, but others don't use anything at all so it's just a matter of personal preference.

12-09-2011, 02:53 PM	#8
GoingDown Zealot Posts: 114 Karma: 1274 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Finland Device: Kobo Touch	I personally have over thousand book on my library (most of them are free books from somewhere). So Calibre is really nice for organizing them. Also, Calibre includes content server which can be used as webserver for books. I am using it on home so that I can browse and download books via wifi

12-09-2011, 03:18 PM	#9
ekster Currently without a title Posts: 203 Karma: 3209914 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Canada, Qc Device: Kobo Touch	I like to use calibre to backup and organize my books, change the titles (especially for series, I like to use 'XX series #1: title' so they're all shown together on my Touch), change covers, and if needed, convert to epub.

12-09-2011, 04:48 PM	#10
therealjoeblow Zealot Posts: 106 Karma: 52102 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Samsung Android Tablet w/Moon+ Pro Reader	Dead simple really -> Calibre is to ebooks as Winamp or iTunes are to music files. If you have an MP3 player, I'm going to assume you use one of those to manage your music collection on your computer, convert formats as required (eg. aac to mp3, etc), download and add cover art and tags (album, artist info, etc) to the files, and sync your collection and playlists with your player... Calibre does exactly the same thing with your books and ereader - it manages your collection overall, lets you convert formats and edit the books to suit your preferences, download metadata (author info, synopsis, genre, collection info) and book covers and transfer them to your reader. I can't imagine too many people managing extensive music collections simply from Windows Explorer. Why would you do so with ebooks? Cheers The REAL Joe

12-09-2011, 11:45 PM	#13
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 12,166 Karma: 73448616 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Nexus 7, Clara, Touch, Tolino EPOS	Sure you can. When you connect the Kobo via USB to your computer, it appears as a drive to Windows. You shoiuld be able to see it in Explorer and copy files to it. To be safe though, do click on the Windows "Safely remove hardware" icon in the system tray and remove the Kobo before disconnecting the USB cable.