Using Aldiko for Android instead of Kobo for Android

[leitz]

I have a Kobo e-reader and the Samsung Galaxy S5. In those days when I don't have my Kobo e-reader with me, I want to read the e-books I buy from Kobo on the Samsung Galaxy S5.

I don't want to install the Kobo for Android, instead I want to install Aldiko for Android to read the e-books on the smart phone. I will continue to buy books from Kobo but on the smart phone, I want to read them using Aldiko. These e-books from Kobo are all Adobe DRM e-Pub and I believe Aldiko can open/read these Adobe DRM e-Pub e-books.

This is what I want to do:
1. Buy books from Kobo
2. Download the e-Pub to computer
3. Copy the e-Pub from computer to SD card
4. Read book on smart phone using Aldiko
5. On completion of reading, delete books from SD card/add new books to SD card

Is the above possible? Will I run into any technical issues?

[eschwartz]

It will be a lot easier if you follow the directions here: http://apprenticealf.wordpress.com

[leitz]

I've heard of Apprentice Alf but never bothered as it is not as simple as a "one click" solution. Besides Aldiko can read Adode DRM e-Pub, so I don't need to remove the DRM. I just want to use Aldiko to read the Kobo e-books on the smart phone. I thought it is more complicated, if not cumbersome, to take the Apprentice Alf approach.

[darryl]

The Calibre plugins from Apprentice Alf, once setup, which is not too onerous, are a transparent solution which work automatically whenever you import a book to Calibre.

Assuming, however, that you wish to download the adobe drm epub from Kobo and read on Aldido without removing DRM:

1. You need an Adobe ID and password. If you do not have one, then visit Adobe and get one.

2. With Aldido you can apparently avoid using the computer altogether by using your Android browser to download the epub file directly from Kobo, which will in fact not be an epub but an .acsm file. One you have authorised Aldiko with your Adobe ID you can simply import the .acsm file to Aldiko and it will download and let you read the EPub in Aldiko.

3. To do it the way you describe in your first post, you will need to download Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) to your computer, and authorise it with your Adobe ID. You should also authorise Aldiko with the same Adobe ID.

4. You then select the Adobe DRM Epub (or if you must, pdf) option for the book you want from Kobo, which will result in your browser downloading an .acsm file. When you add this file to ADE (if you are on Windows you can simply drag and drop) it will automatically download the DRM protected Epub file which you can read on your computer in ADE. ADE also gives you options to transfer the files to a reader via USB, or you can simply locate where ADE has stored the epub (in Windows usually <user>\My Documents\My Digital Editions) and transfer via SDCard. Provided Aldiko has been authorised with the same Adobe ID you can import the EPub directly to Aldiko.

[leitz]

Thank you for the guide on Aldiko. I might use Calibre one day, I haven't found the info from Apprentice Alf's blog on where to get the plugins and if I can get the plugins to work. My wish is the developers of Calibre would include popular plugins eg. Kobo, Amazon etc into the Calibre setup.exe, so then it is a "one click" approach, install Calibre and I can be assured I can remove the DRM without having to go through additional steps of searching for plugins, installing plugins, testing plugins. For now, since Aldiko can read Adobe DRM e-Pub, I don't need to use Calibre.

I have all my Adobe DRM e-Pub files which I downloaded using Adobe Digital Editions. I downloaded the Adobe DRM e-Pub file each time I buy a book from Kobo in case Kobo close shop and I may lose all my ebooks.

From your reply, to do what I planned to do, I will do this:

1. Download/install Aldiko on smart phone
2. Authorise Aldiko with the same Adobe ID that I use
3. Copy the e-Pub file from my computer to SD card
4. Open Aldiko and import the e-pub file

When I finish a book, I can remove it from the library via Aldiko, and import more books into Aldiko. The library on the Aldiko will be free of "clutter" since I can add/remove books to/from Aldiko at will. I have no worry over potential "loss" of the e-books, whether from Kobo or Aldiko, since I have the e-pubs on my computer.

[eschwartz]

Well, the front page of Apprentice Alf's website has a big shiny link screaming "click me"... that has the plugin.

It cannot be distributed through calibre, because then the developer becomes complicit in publishing the DeDRM plugins. Which *can* raise legal issues, as distributing (but not using) DRM-circumvention tools can make one liable for prosecution under the DMCA, which is a headache the developers do not wish to get into. (Nor, for that matter, do the owners of MobileRead.)

[leitz]

Good info on why the plugins cannot be included in Calibre.

Screaming for "click me"? Don't see it, not unless you mean the "latest tools_v6.2.1.zip". For someone new in this Calibre and plugin, the term "latest tools" doesn't ring a bell, "plugin" would.

[eschwartz]

"To get started on removing DRM from your ebooks, just download the tools archive from the link below."

Scroll down a bit and there is a post that guides you step by step through installing the DeDRM plugin for calibre.

[darryl]

Originally Posted by leitz

Thank you for the guide on Aldiko. I might use Calibre one day, I haven't found the info from Apprentice Alf's blog on where to get the plugins and if I can get the plugins to work. My wish is the developers of Calibre would include popular plugins eg. Kobo, Amazon etc into the Calibre setup.exe, so then it is a "one click" approach, install Calibre and I can be assured I can remove the DRM without having to go through additional steps of searching for plugins, installing plugins, testing plugins. For now, since Aldiko can read Adobe DRM e-Pub, I don't need to use Calibre.

I have all my Adobe DRM e-Pub files which I downloaded using Adobe Digital Editions. I downloaded the Adobe DRM e-Pub file each time I buy a book from Kobo in case Kobo close shop and I may lose all my ebooks.

From your reply, to do what I planned to do, I will do this:

1. Download/install Aldiko on smart phone
2. Authorise Aldiko with the same Adobe ID that I use
3. Copy the e-Pub file from my computer to SD card
4. Open Aldiko and import the e-pub file

When I finish a book, I can remove it from the library via Aldiko, and import more books into Aldiko. The library on the Aldiko will be free of "clutter" since I can add/remove books to/from Aldiko at will. I have no worry over potential "loss" of the e-books, whether from Kobo or Aldiko, since I have the e-pubs on my computer.

Give it a try. If you get stuck, post with all the details you can about the problem and either I or someone else here should be able to help. Otherwise, post anyway to let us know that you have succeeded.

However, I do urge you to consider eschwartz's excellent advice and look at removing the DRM. Whilst you are very wise to download the epub files to protect yourself from Kobo failing in the future, these epub files are nevertheless held hostage by DRM. They are to this extent dependant on, in this case, the future availability of programs that read files with this DRM. Kobo is now owned by Rakuten, a huge Japanese Corporation. I don't know that their failure is any more or less likely than that of Adobe. Aldiko and other apps compatible with DRM are of course much smaller concerns. EPub itself is an open, published standard. If not tainted with DRM, you can actually unzip them and read the contents in, say, a web browser. You can see for yourself. Try unzipping one of your epubs. If it is tainted with DRM, the actual book content will be gibberish. Without DRM, you will be able to read the html contents in a normal browser.

Many of us are a touch paranoid on this topic, including yourself, since you have downloaded your Kobo files as epubs. What I would suggest is that you become just slightly more paranoid, and liberate your epubs from DRM. Always assuming, of course, that you can do so legally in your jurisdiction.

A little suggestion to ease you into it. Seeing as you are buying from Kobo, install Kobo desktop and sync it to your library if you have not already done so. Then install Calibre. Then install the Obok plugin following the directions here http://the-digital-reader.com/2014/0...es-wont-allow/. Then run the Obok plugin. The result from this quick and simple process is that you will have epub files of all of your Kobo books in Calibre without DRM, ready to download to just about any device, convert to any other format etc.

Should take you no more than 5 minutes.

[leitz]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

"To get started on removing DRM from your ebooks, just download the tools archive from the link below."

Scroll down a bit and there is a post that guides you step by step through installing the DeDRM plugin for calibre.

Ok, I missed that, it was such a long page with lots of change history that doesn't "concern" a first timer like me. Darryl has provided a good link from digital-reader.com, I'm going to explore that..

[leitz]

Originally Posted by darryl

Give it a try. If you get stuck, post with all the details you can about the problem and either I or someone else here should be able to help. Otherwise, post anyway to let us know that you have succeeded.

However, I do urge you to consider eschwartz's excellent advice and look at removing the DRM. Whilst you are very wise to download the epub files to protect yourself from Kobo failing in the future, these epub files are nevertheless held hostage by DRM. They are to this extent dependant on, in this case, the future availability of programs that read files with this DRM. Kobo is now owned by Rakuten, a huge Japanese Corporation. I don't know that their failure is any more or less likely than that of Adobe. Aldiko and other apps compatible with DRM are of course much smaller concerns. EPub itself is an open, published standard. If not tainted with DRM, you can actually unzip them and read the contents in, say, a web browser. You can see for yourself. Try unzipping one of your epubs. If it is tainted with DRM, the actual book content will be gibberish. Without DRM, you will be able to read the html contents in a normal browser.

Many of us are a touch paranoid on this topic, including yourself, since you have downloaded your Kobo files as epubs. What I would suggest is that you become just slightly more paranoid, and liberate your epubs from DRM. Always assuming, of course, that you can do so legally in your jurisdiction.

A little suggestion to ease you into it. Seeing as you are buying from Kobo, install Kobo desktop and sync it to your library if you have not already done so. Then install Calibre. Then install the Obok plugin following the directions here http://the-digital-reader.com/2014/0...es-wont-allow/. Then run the Obok plugin. The result from this quick and simple process is that you will have epub files of all of your Kobo books in Calibre without DRM, ready to download to just about any device, convert to any other format etc.

Should take you no more than 5 minutes.

I'm the type who don't like to install unnecessary software, not unless I absolutely have to. So I did not install Kobo Desktop, I didn't think I need it, on the computer, I was able to download the e-pub from ADE and ADE also let me read the books on my computer, so I didn't need Kobo Desktop. For the Kobo ereader, I sync/download books into the Kobo e-reader through wifi. If I need Kobo Desktop for any other reason, particularly in my Calibre project, please let me know.

I'm going to consider giving the Calibre a try, the link you provide is helpful, it seems to be for kepub but none of my Kobo books are in this format. They are all Adobe DRM ePub, not unless it is the same as kepub. So that obok thing may not be applicable in my case.

I'll post back on the results of either the Aldiko or Calibre, I'm going to see which app is better for reading and try that app out first. Before I do that, I need to get myself familiarize with the Samsung Galaxy S5 that I just bought. I didn't get the Galaxy S6 because it does not support an external SD card and the battery is non-removable.

Thanks again for the guidance. I'm pretty sure I will have questions later.

[darryl]

If you want to use the obok plugin, you will need Kobo desktop. What happens is that Kobo desktop syncs with your Kobo library, downloading all your books as Kepubs. Most will probably have drm but some will not. This is completely independant of Adobe Digital Editions. What Obok (Kobo spelled backwards) does is access the Kobo desktop database and files, decrypts the files if necessary and imports them to Calibre as EPubs. (For what it is worth, they are in fact kepubs with an epub extension, though for practical purposes this can be ignored. The reason I recommended you start with Obok is that you are buying your books from Kobo and it is such an easy process. Whilst I also am not a fan of installing software for the sake of it, it is probably worthwhile for you to do so in this case. To get your downloaded Adobe DRM into Calibre free of DRM you would need Apprentice Alf's tools, which you are reluctant to do, though if you do change your mind that process also is uncomplicated.

As for Obok, remember it will not work without Kobo Desktop.

[davidfor]

As an alternative, can Aldiko download DRM protected books? If so, you can use the browser to visit the Kobo shop and your library there. Each book should have a download button. For Adobe DRM books, this will be a link to the ACSM file. If Aldiko can accept that, you will be able to get the books wherever you have net access.

[leitz]

Originally Posted by darryl

If you want to use the obok plugin, you will need Kobo desktop. What happens is that Kobo desktop syncs with your Kobo library, downloading all your books as Kepubs. Most will probably have drm but some will not. This is completely independant of Adobe Digital Editions. What Obok (Kobo spelled backwards) does is access the Kobo desktop database and files, decrypts the files if necessary and imports them to Calibre as EPubs. (For what it is worth, they are in fact kepubs with an epub extension, though for practical purposes this can be ignored. The reason I recommended you start with Obok is that you are buying your books from Kobo and it is such an easy process. Whilst I also am not a fan of installing software for the sake of it, it is probably worthwhile for you to do so in this case. To get your downloaded Adobe DRM into Calibre free of DRM you would need Apprentice Alf's tools, which you are reluctant to do, though if you do change your mind that process also is uncomplicated.

As for Obok, remember it will not work without Kobo Desktop.

Thanks for the info. Do I understand that after I run through the Kobo Desktop process with Obok , I would still need to send the resulting EPub to Calibre for further processing with Apprentice Alf's tools?

I am running Windows 8 and at present I have all my ebooks in Adobe DRM EPub. I took a look at the zip file from Alf's tools, which folder in the zip file should I use?

1. DeDRM_calibre_plugin : unclear if I need this, readme.txt mentioned Adobe Epubs (Kobo) and Windows
2. DeDRM_Macintosh_Application : not applicable in my case
3. DeDRM_Windows_Application : I need this, it is for Windows
4. Obok_calibre_plugin : Don't need this if do not have books in Kepub format which comes from Kobo Desktop
5. Other_Tools: Looks like relating to Kepub

For the Calibre approach, I think I need #3. I don't know if #1 is needed.

It looks like to take the Calibre approach, using folder #3, I need to install Python as well?

[leitz]

Originally Posted by davidfor

As an alternative, can Aldiko download DRM protected books? If so, you can use the browser to visit the Kobo shop and your library there. Each book should have a download button. For Adobe DRM books, this will be a link to the ACSM file. If Aldiko can accept that, you will be able to get the books wherever you have net access.

Aldiko can import Adobe DRM books and read books from the library. I haven't use the Aldiko app yet, still prepping on my Samsung device as I bought it few days ago, so I do not know if Aldiko can download them direct.

In any case, I would prefer the import method, if it is different from download, as I would have full control on which ebooks goes to the device, which ebooks can stay or which ebooks to delete from device.

http://www.aldiko.com/features.html

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