Using Kindle to read other ebook?

fnatic · 12-11-2010, 12:43 AM

I'm thinking about buying a Amazon Kindle DX and Amazon Kindle 3. Can I use it to read other ebooks that I download from the internet or does it only read ebooks you buy from amazon

Despite the apocalyptic predictions of lovers-tech era, the paper did not die, but will have stiff competition. Show business so formidable that are drawn around the e-book and reading media, such as Amazon Kindle. These new e-readers are all the rage in the U.S. today.

But in five years, will look as archaic as the Commodore 64. "Do you remember those prehistoric e-book readers? -Tell. Using electronic ink displays black text on gray background. Without color. Without a touchscreen. And every time you turn the page you gave, you had that rare black-white flash-black. Can you believe that someone wanted to buy them? ".

Well, it's time to progress. Nook The new Color (250 dollars U.S.), Barnes & Noble is the first reader e-books a major firm that brings color touch screen.

He looks confused, but is light years better than the slow Nook, white and black, erratic, last year.

The hardware is attractive. It is a tablet 8 x 5 inches (20 cm x 13 cm), half-inch thick (less than 1.5 cm) with an aluminum edge and the rear rubber coated.

Has a triangle cut into the bottom left, where you can swipe your finger. This is an original design detail, but it may also serve to attach to your keychain.

The Nook weighs 450 grams, and is among the Kindle (about 250 grams) and the iPad (750 grams). The color screen means you have to recharge every few days instead of every few weeks, as the previous version. The animations are rather choppy, and the screen often do not "respond" when it first touches. But otherwise, the Color Nook is fast enough.

Regarding the touch screen, you know what? All e-book readers should have touch screens. Once, with a touch, you open a book, slide your finger to turn the page and drag your finger across the bar for brightness adjustment, using a joystick to move the cursor or an electronic ink display seems indirect and outdated.

The color screen is bright and beautiful. Magazines, for instance, look spectacular. You can subscribe to any of 70 magazines (the first two weeks are free) or purchase individual copies. The get with the whole design, including advertising.

Obviously, it will not be possible to read a magazine full size when zoomed to a screen of 7 inches (18 cm). You can navigate like an iPhone: using two fingers to zoom in, and dragging a finger to rotate.

You can also use the colorful row of thumbnail pages that slides to the bottom of the screen for easier navigation. Some magazines even bring a Article View (Item Viewer): A vertical column that moves, which contains few elements of black text on white, and is easy to read. The original design of the magazine is below to give context.

Books for Children also benefit greatly from the color, and receive special treatment in the Color Nook. At the touch of the text on any page, it gets bigger.

Some titles -300 end of this year, according to the company, come with a button called "Read to Me" ("Readme"), for the young reader can follow the book with a recorded voice.
Like other e-readers, you can subscribe to newspapers, if you are in a Wi-Fi, the newspaper arrives at your device automatically in the middle of the night, ready to read it when directed to work. The photos look great in color.

But the rest of the diary is strangely spartan and lacking in imagination, especially as compared to the magazine, which is so elaborate. There is no design.

The color does not add too common books (Barnes & Noble said that its online store, attractively redesigned, offers two million books. However, about 1.5 million of these books are often obscure scanned copies Google, free and very old).

But all the books benefit autoiluminante screen, laptop style, the Nook.
Sunlight can also read the Color Nook, although not as easily as an electronic ink display (the reflection is sometimes a problem, too.)

The Color Nook has numerous functions. Notes, highlighter, bookmarks, dictionary definitions instantly, quickly search Wikipedia and Google for a chosen word. You can select parts of the text and post them on Twitter or Facebook account (Nook Color online access only places with Wi-Fi).

The device comes with a basic Internet browser built. A music player. An image and video editor. It is equipped with a MicroSD memory slot to expand storage to Nook of 8 gigabytes (6,000 books) to 40 gigabytes (35,000 books).

The Nook is very customizable. It has three "home screens", where you can drag icons for books and magazines, and a rack Library (library), to install, label and fill new shelves. You can also change the source (of books) and character size, width of margins, spacing between lines and even the wallpaper.

It runs Android, the new operating system Google's free, but no applications designed for Android. And some own incorporated, such as Sudoku, a puzzle and a Pandora radio application.

The price you pay is the complexity. The Color Nook offers too many pop-up control commands. Is the Quick Nav Bar (quick navigation bar), the Status Bar (status bar), the Media Bar (media bar), the Library (Library), the Daily Shelf (rack daily), and the Recent Items menu ( of recent items.) It will take a while to learn where everything is.

The biggest problem, in fact, is the great weakness of the features it brings. It's as if Barnes & Noble reading applications had assigned a team of magazines, books to another, and a third day.

In summary, Color Nook does not approach the sophistication or consistency of, say, an iPad or a Kindle. At the same time, the Nook Color looks more modern and powerful than the Kindle.
It also gives an impression of computer electronic book reader from Amazon, which is both a blessing and a curse

FF2 · 12-11-2010, 12:55 AM

Two separate issues in that question.

1. The kindle can read pdf files - some are easier to read than others due to the formatting. Next, there are 3rd party sites that have books that are UNprotected by drm but are in the mobi and other formats that the kindle can read including Smashwords, bewrite and even this site which has edited a number of public domain works for free.

2. Depending on how you view ethics and legality and what country you are in, you can get books in other formats and convert them to a format that kindle can use. Search for Calibre (which has a forum on this site). It can convert free books that are legal. But there are also tools (can't be fully discussed here) which can remove the encryption/coding that protects the books and their format so you can, again, convert and read them. Some folks believe if they buy a book in another format, they should be able to read on their choice of reader and have no compunction about stripping the protection. Others think you should not buy books in a format not supported by your reader.

erictoma · 12-11-2010, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fnatic

I'm thinking about buying a Kindle. Can I use it to read other ebooks that I download from the internet or does it only read ebooks you buy from amazon?

it does only read ebooks from amazon or free ebooks.
You cannot buy ebooks from other stores.

GoversAU · 12-11-2010, 01:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erictoma

it does only read ebooks from amazon or free ebooks.
You cannot buy ebooks from other stores.

That's not true. I've bought mobi formatted books from other sites that work fine on my Kindles (without conversion of any kind):

http://www.smashwords.com/

http://dreamspinnerpress.com/

are just two of them.

TheKindleWorm · 12-11-2010, 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erictoma

it does only read ebooks from amazon or free ebooks.
You cannot buy ebooks from other stores.

Welcome op

Now that's not entirely true is it! When I moved from a Sony reader which used epubs that I'd bought from "other stores" I managed to convert these and produce mobi files which obviously work on my Kindle.

So it can be done, just requires a bit more know-how and effort. Depends on the individual really.

But the Amazon store is huge in itself. Then you have plenty of other sites which offer free mobi files: feedbooks.com, manybooks.net, the mobileread library here, baen free book library, some of the smashwords content ...

erictoma · 12-11-2010, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoversAU

That's not true. I've bought mobi formatted books from other sites that work fine on my Kindles:

http://www.smashwords.com/

http://dreamspinnerpress.com/

are just two of them.

You did buy only non protected Mobi format and from amazon owned sites !
non protected books are really no protected books, thousands of titles are missing in those Amazon owned sites !

You cannot buy books from other stores.

GoversAU · 12-11-2010, 01:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erictoma

You did buy only non protected Mobi format .......You cannot buy books from other stores.

You're contradicting yourself.

As I've said I've bought lots of books from online stores other than Amazon.

TheKindleWorm · 12-11-2010, 01:49 AM

Erictoma - be specific please, which stores CAN'T Kindle owners buy from? That way other people can share their personal experience.

As far as I'm aware you can pretty much buy from anywhere if you're prepared to do some conversion - except perhaps the iBookstore.

abookreader · 12-11-2010, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erictoma

it does only read ebooks from amazon or free ebooks.
You cannot buy ebooks from other stores.

And yet - the book I'm reading right now on my Kindle was purchased from KoboBooks.

Maybe if you actually finally bought a Kindle erictoma, you could learn how to give correct answers.

FF2 · 12-11-2010, 10:59 AM

The gentleman or lady, erictoma, is persistent if not wrong in making this constant statement that you cannot buy or get (free) books from other sites. While Amazon has a large offering, there are smaller sites that offer books in the kindle format. Again, the persistence is as amazing as it is wrong.

ficbot · 12-11-2010, 11:07 AM

I read books from all sorts of places because I have no issues with fiddling with them to do so. But if you are non-techie and don't want to fiddle, your main commercial sources are:

- Amazon (obviously)
- Smashwords
- Fictionwise (multiformat books only)
- Baen Books
- Bookview Cafe and other indie storefronts
- Free books from Feedbooks, Many Books and other freebie aggregators

desertgrandma · 12-11-2010, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FF2

The gentleman or lady, erictoma, is persistent if not wrong in making this constant statement that you cannot buy or get (free) books from other sites. While Amazon has a large offering, there are smaller sites that offer books in the kindle format. Again, the persistence is as amazing as it is wrong.

As is his totally false signature.

Kindle cannot read RDM Mobit books, it can only read non protected ebooks, this means thousands of titles are missing.
With ePub readers, you can find anything you want.

What is a "RDM Mobit" book?

With epub readers, you CANNOT find anything you want.

Not all books have been digitally converted.

Depending on the part of the world/cave you live, there is such a thing as Geographical Restrictions. Some books are available in England that are not available in the US, and vice-versa.

How about a little honesty in your signature, instead of bald faced lies?

abookreader · 12-11-2010, 11:40 AM

and given that even if you aren't willing to "fiddle" with your books, many people are now using the Kindle to read Google eBooks via their Kindle browser - that statement is even more utterly ridiculous.

jocampo · 12-11-2010, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erictoma

it does only read ebooks from amazon or free ebooks.
You cannot buy ebooks from other stores.

FALSE!

On my Kindle 3:

-DRM free epub book converted via Calibre (from Google)
-Amazon azw books
-PDF (not bought from Amazon, I had those already)
-Several Novels in PRC file format
-Lot of DRM free MOBI files (O'Reilly)

I can see that you are jumping from forum to forum spreading confusion and false statements and arguing without facts.

1st, buy an ereader, read and learn about its technology, then come back here and start a healthy debate with facts, not opinions.

YES, YOU CAN BUY AND READ BOOKS FROM OTHER STORES!

montalex · 12-11-2010, 08:51 PM

Please, everyone, can we just agree to ignore erictoma? He trolls for any thread mentioning Kindles, then posts uninformed opinions. Don't respond to him.

12-11-2010, 12:43 AM	#1
fnatic Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: PRS 350	Using Kindle to read other ebook? I'm thinking about buying a Amazon Kindle DX and Amazon Kindle 3. Can I use it to read other ebooks that I download from the internet or does it only read ebooks you buy from amazon Despite the apocalyptic predictions of lovers-tech era, the paper did not die, but will have stiff competition. Show business so formidable that are drawn around the e-book and reading media, such as Amazon Kindle. These new e-readers are all the rage in the U.S. today. But in five years, will look as archaic as the Commodore 64. "Do you remember those prehistoric e-book readers? -Tell. Using electronic ink displays black text on gray background. Without color. Without a touchscreen. And every time you turn the page you gave, you had that rare black-white flash-black. Can you believe that someone wanted to buy them? ". Well, it's time to progress. Nook The new Color (250 dollars U.S.), Barnes & Noble is the first reader e-books a major firm that brings color touch screen. He looks confused, but is light years better than the slow Nook, white and black, erratic, last year. The hardware is attractive. It is a tablet 8 x 5 inches (20 cm x 13 cm), half-inch thick (less than 1.5 cm) with an aluminum edge and the rear rubber coated. Has a triangle cut into the bottom left, where you can swipe your finger. This is an original design detail, but it may also serve to attach to your keychain. The Nook weighs 450 grams, and is among the Kindle (about 250 grams) and the iPad (750 grams). The color screen means you have to recharge every few days instead of every few weeks, as the previous version. The animations are rather choppy, and the screen often do not "respond" when it first touches. But otherwise, the Color Nook is fast enough. Regarding the touch screen, you know what? All e-book readers should have touch screens. Once, with a touch, you open a book, slide your finger to turn the page and drag your finger across the bar for brightness adjustment, using a joystick to move the cursor or an electronic ink display seems indirect and outdated. The color screen is bright and beautiful. Magazines, for instance, look spectacular. You can subscribe to any of 70 magazines (the first two weeks are free) or purchase individual copies. The get with the whole design, including advertising. Obviously, it will not be possible to read a magazine full size when zoomed to a screen of 7 inches (18 cm). You can navigate like an iPhone: using two fingers to zoom in, and dragging a finger to rotate. You can also use the colorful row of thumbnail pages that slides to the bottom of the screen for easier navigation. Some magazines even bring a Article View (Item Viewer): A vertical column that moves, which contains few elements of black text on white, and is easy to read. The original design of the magazine is below to give context. Books for Children also benefit greatly from the color, and receive special treatment in the Color Nook. At the touch of the text on any page, it gets bigger. Some titles -300 end of this year, according to the company, come with a button called "Read to Me" ("Readme"), for the young reader can follow the book with a recorded voice. Like other e-readers, you can subscribe to newspapers, if you are in a Wi-Fi, the newspaper arrives at your device automatically in the middle of the night, ready to read it when directed to work. The photos look great in color. But the rest of the diary is strangely spartan and lacking in imagination, especially as compared to the magazine, which is so elaborate. There is no design. The color does not add too common books (Barnes & Noble said that its online store, attractively redesigned, offers two million books. However, about 1.5 million of these books are often obscure scanned copies Google, free and very old). But all the books benefit autoiluminante screen, laptop style, the Nook. Sunlight can also read the Color Nook, although not as easily as an electronic ink display (the reflection is sometimes a problem, too.) The Color Nook has numerous functions. Notes, highlighter, bookmarks, dictionary definitions instantly, quickly search Wikipedia and Google for a chosen word. You can select parts of the text and post them on Twitter or Facebook account (Nook Color online access only places with Wi-Fi). The device comes with a basic Internet browser built. A music player. An image and video editor. It is equipped with a MicroSD memory slot to expand storage to Nook of 8 gigabytes (6,000 books) to 40 gigabytes (35,000 books). The Nook is very customizable. It has three "home screens", where you can drag icons for books and magazines, and a rack Library (library), to install, label and fill new shelves. You can also change the source (of books) and character size, width of margins, spacing between lines and even the wallpaper. It runs Android, the new operating system Google's free, but no applications designed for Android. And some own incorporated, such as Sudoku, a puzzle and a Pandora radio application. The price you pay is the complexity. The Color Nook offers too many pop-up control commands. Is the Quick Nav Bar (quick navigation bar), the Status Bar (status bar), the Media Bar (media bar), the Library (Library), the Daily Shelf (rack daily), and the Recent Items menu ( of recent items.) It will take a while to learn where everything is. The biggest problem, in fact, is the great weakness of the features it brings. It's as if Barnes & Noble reading applications had assigned a team of magazines, books to another, and a third day. In summary, Color Nook does not approach the sophistication or consistency of, say, an iPad or a Kindle. At the same time, the Nook Color looks more modern and powerful than the Kindle. It also gives an impression of computer electronic book reader from Amazon, which is both a blessing and a curse Last edited by fnatic; 12-22-2010 at 07:56 AM.

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12-11-2010, 12:55 AM	#2
FF2 Wizard Posts: 1,105 Karma: 1025784 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: WiFi Kindle3	Two separate issues in that question. 1. The kindle can read pdf files - some are easier to read than others due to the formatting. Next, there are 3rd party sites that have books that are UNprotected by drm but are in the mobi and other formats that the kindle can read including Smashwords, bewrite and even this site which has edited a number of public domain works for free. 2. Depending on how you view ethics and legality and what country you are in, you can get books in other formats and convert them to a format that kindle can use. Search for Calibre (which has a forum on this site). It can convert free books that are legal. But there are also tools (can't be fully discussed here) which can remove the encryption/coding that protects the books and their format so you can, again, convert and read them. Some folks believe if they buy a book in another format, they should be able to read on their choice of reader and have no compunction about stripping the protection. Others think you should not buy books in a format not supported by your reader.

12-11-2010, 01:49 AM	#8
TheKindleWorm Guru Posts: 860 Karma: 177868 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: East Anglia UK Device: Kindle 3G, iPhone 3G, iPod 4G, PB 360, Sony 600 sold, Kindle 2i sold	Erictoma - be specific please, which stores CAN'T Kindle owners buy from? That way other people can share their personal experience. As far as I'm aware you can pretty much buy from anywhere if you're prepared to do some conversion - except perhaps the iBookstore.

12-11-2010, 10:59 AM	#10
FF2 Wizard Posts: 1,105 Karma: 1025784 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: WiFi Kindle3	The gentleman or lady, erictoma, is persistent if not wrong in making this constant statement that you cannot buy or get (free) books from other sites. While Amazon has a large offering, there are smaller sites that offer books in the kindle format. Again, the persistence is as amazing as it is wrong.

12-11-2010, 11:07 AM	#11
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	I read books from all sorts of places because I have no issues with fiddling with them to do so. But if you are non-techie and don't want to fiddle, your main commercial sources are: - Amazon (obviously) - Smashwords - Fictionwise (multiformat books only) - Baen Books - Bookview Cafe and other indie storefronts - Free books from Feedbooks, Many Books and other freebie aggregators

12-11-2010, 11:40 AM	#13
abookreader Wizard Posts: 1,516 Karma: 2567610 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindles - Keyboard, Fire, 2-US, iPhone, iPAD	and given that even if you aren't willing to "fiddle" with your books, many people are now using the Kindle to read Google eBooks via their Kindle browser - that statement is even more utterly ridiculous.

12-11-2010, 08:51 PM	#15
montalex Fanatic Posts: 556 Karma: 1283268 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: KindleDX,Kindle 4, Kindle Keyboard 3G	Please, everyone, can we just agree to ignore erictoma? He trolls for any thread mentioning Kindles, then posts uninformed opinions. Don't respond to him.

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