Can I share Sony ebooks with a Kobo?

mom23kids · 05-14-2012, 01:17 PM

I have a Sony touchscreen ereader and my mom and sister have Kobo's. Can we share books and what is the easiest way to do this?

Thanks!

bibahbuzemann · 05-14-2012, 02:17 PM

If you bought your ebooks at Sony or Kobo(or any number of other online sites) there will usually be some sort of copy-protection, which would ordinarily prevent you from sharing. This "protection" is usually referred to as "DRM".

Some people think DRM is OK, but lots and lots of people think it's more of a rip-off.

Regardless, it is possible and even quite easy to commute your bought and payed for ebooks to other ereaders, which is only fair since an ereader only lasts a couple of years and your next model might not be from the same company. In essence this is the same as "sharing" or letting somone "borrow" your ebooks, which, again, is only fair since poeple do it with real books all the time.

Many people(myself included) consider the freeware program "Calibre" the best way to take care of the problem. You'll have to learn how to use the program and add "plugins" to it make it work.

But there is a really easy way, ePUBee(also freeware)! It's a three step "drag&drop" method and all my technophobic acquaintances are using it.

Here's what a blogger I respect has to say about the whole thing:
http://www.the-digital-reader.com/20...y-against-drm/

mom23kids · 05-14-2012, 03:40 PM

Thanks for your reply

I talked to Sony and they said I can move my books to a third party so that I can put them on a Kobo. They suggested the Adobe reader edition. I am technologically challenged and just trying to find the easiest way to do this.

bibahbuzemann · 05-14-2012, 04:43 PM

Those people at Sony know nothing. Not understanding what they suggest makes you normal, not tech-challengend.

The "Adobe reader edition" their talking about is probably ADE(Adobe Digital Editions) and it doesn't work with the latest model, PRS-T1.

While ADE does work with earlier Sony Touchscreen models, you still need to take complicated steps to do what YOU want(sharing), like registering all the devices in your family to one account.

I recommend you save yourself the hassel and just go with my earlier recommendation.

vxf · 05-15-2012, 01:45 AM

As above, Calibre + Apprentice Alf are the way to go.
It will take a bit of work - a couple of hours, if you are not tech savvy, to set it all up. But you can find detailed instructions if you google it.

carpetmojo · 05-15-2012, 03:36 AM

And what's more.... you'll never regret you followed the advice.

[ as will mum & sis

)

chrisridd · 05-15-2012, 06:36 AM

Further to the other answers - if they bought books from the Kobo store using the Kobo app, those books will have Kobo-specific DRM and nothing else can read that. Result: you can't move those books to non-Kobo readers.

You can buy books from the Kobo store's web site and get them with DRM that your Sony reader can read. You might want to investigate if you can re-download all those bought books in what Kobo calls "Adobe DRM EPUB" format - that is compatible with the Sony T1.

filmo · 05-15-2012, 09:52 AM

Some Kobo Store's books are not available in Adobe DRM EPUB Format as they are restricted by publishers.

Cdesja5 · 05-15-2012, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisridd

Further to the other answers - if they bought books from the Kobo store using the Kobo app, those books will have Kobo-specific DRM and nothing else can read that. Result: you can't move those books to non-Kobo readers.

You can buy books from the Kobo store's web site and get them with DRM that your Sony reader can read. You might want to investigate if you can re-download all those bought books in what Kobo calls "Adobe DRM EPUB" format - that is compatible with the Sony T1.

You can download any of their books (as long as they are not pdfs) in "epub" format from the Kobo website to a PC rather than directly to the reader which gets the kPub format. I read my Kobo books on my Sony with no problems.

filmo · 05-15-2012, 04:21 PM

From my reading Kobo Mobile Read Forum some books from Kobo store are not available in Adobe DRM EPUB Format because of publisher restrictions. Just as some publisher's books can't be discounted. Kobo makes every book they can available in Adobe DRM EPUB Format.

05-14-2012, 01:17 PM	#1
mom23kids Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2012 Device: none	Can I share Sony ebooks with a Kobo? I have a Sony touchscreen ereader and my mom and sister have Kobo's. Can we share books and what is the easiest way to do this? Thanks!

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05-14-2012, 02:17 PM	#2
bibahbuzemann Addict Posts: 217 Karma: 28060 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: FRG Device: PRS-T1	If you bought your ebooks at Sony or Kobo(or any number of other online sites) there will usually be some sort of copy-protection, which would ordinarily prevent you from sharing. This "protection" is usually referred to as "DRM". Some people think DRM is OK, but lots and lots of people think it's more of a rip-off. Regardless, it is possible and even quite easy to commute your bought and payed for ebooks to other ereaders, which is only fair since an ereader only lasts a couple of years and your next model might not be from the same company. In essence this is the same as "sharing" or letting somone "borrow" your ebooks, which, again, is only fair since poeple do it with real books all the time. Many people(myself included) consider the freeware program "Calibre" the best way to take care of the problem. You'll have to learn how to use the program and add "plugins" to it make it work. But there is a really easy way, ePUBee(also freeware)! It's a three step "drag&drop" method and all my technophobic acquaintances are using it. Here's what a blogger I respect has to say about the whole thing: http://www.the-digital-reader.com/20...y-against-drm/

05-14-2012, 03:40 PM	#3
mom23kids Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2012 Device: none	Thanks for your reply I talked to Sony and they said I can move my books to a third party so that I can put them on a Kobo. They suggested the Adobe reader edition. I am technologically challenged and just trying to find the easiest way to do this.

05-14-2012, 04:43 PM	#4
bibahbuzemann Addict Posts: 217 Karma: 28060 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: FRG Device: PRS-T1	Those people at Sony know nothing. Not understanding what they suggest makes you normal, not tech-challengend. The "Adobe reader edition" their talking about is probably ADE(Adobe Digital Editions) and it doesn't work with the latest model, PRS-T1. While ADE does work with earlier Sony Touchscreen models, you still need to take complicated steps to do what YOU want(sharing), like registering all the devices in your family to one account. I recommend you save yourself the hassel and just go with my earlier recommendation.

05-15-2012, 01:45 AM	#5
vxf Guru Posts: 944 Karma: 1490348 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Norman, OK Device: Sony PRS 350, 900, 950; Kindles (ALL of them!); Kobo Aura One	As above, Calibre + Apprentice Alf are the way to go. It will take a bit of work - a couple of hours, if you are not tech savvy, to set it all up. But you can find detailed instructions if you google it.

05-15-2012, 03:36 AM	#6
carpetmojo Wizard Posts: 3,117 Karma: 9269999 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: UK Device: Sony- T3, PRS650, 350, T1/2/3, Paperwhite, Fire 8.9,Samsung Tab S 10.5	And what's more.... you'll never regret you followed the advice. [ as will mum & sis )

05-15-2012, 06:36 AM	#7
chrisridd Guru Posts: 939 Karma: 2146660 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: London, UK Device: Kobo Aura, Kobo Aura ONE, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	Further to the other answers - if they bought books from the Kobo store using the Kobo app, those books will have Kobo-specific DRM and nothing else can read that. Result: you can't move those books to non-Kobo readers. You can buy books from the Kobo store's web site and get them with DRM that your Sony reader can read. You might want to investigate if you can re-download all those bought books in what Kobo calls "Adobe DRM EPUB" format - that is compatible with the Sony T1.

05-15-2012, 09:52 AM	#8
filmo Wizard Posts: 1,326 Karma: 1077205 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: Kobo Touch, Sony T1, Kobo Mini	Some Kobo Store's books are not available in Adobe DRM EPUB Format as they are restricted by publishers.

05-15-2012, 04:21 PM	#10
filmo Wizard Posts: 1,326 Karma: 1077205 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: Kobo Touch, Sony T1, Kobo Mini	From my reading Kobo Mobile Read Forum some books from Kobo store are not available in Adobe DRM EPUB Format because of publisher restrictions. Just as some publisher's books can't be discounted. Kobo makes every book they can available in Adobe DRM EPUB Format.

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