How to set up Android tablet for e-books reading

ittiandro · 11-05-2013, 10:40 AM

Hello

I am very familiar with computers, but I’am TOTALLY new to Android tablets and I’d like to know how to setup a D2 Pad 4 GB Tablet for reading e-books. My questions may look a bit dumm, but bear with me…

For the moment, I have installed Calibre on my Windows 7 desktop and I have a folder with d/loaded e-books, some of which I have transferred to Calibre.

1. I suppose I have to reinstall Calibre or similar software on the tablet. Should I do it by d/loading Calibre directly through the tablet or can I copy the Calibre exe file from the main computer on an SD card and then transfer and install it it on the Android tablet ? Or perhaps exe files for PC are different from those for Android for the same software?

2. I hear about a software called ALDIKO . Is it an alternative to Calibre or something different which I HAVE to install on the Android tablet in addition to Calibre (or similar software?) If Calibre and Aldiko are but two different softwares doing the same job, which one do you recommend?

Any other hints or suggestions will be appreciated

Thank you for your help

Ittiandro

AnemicOak · 11-05-2013, 10:45 AM

Calibre does not run on Android, it's ebook management/conversion software (& much more) for Win, Mac & Linux.

You need a reader app to read the books with such as Mantano, Moon+, Aldiko, etc. pick one to try or load a bunch, it's up to you. Most apps support ePub as their primary format although there are also apps that support some other formats.

There is also an app called Calibre Companion which is an awesome way to transfer your books from Calibre and keep them organized on your tablet.

afv011 · 11-05-2013, 11:20 AM

Another option is Play Books. You can upload your books for free, and then they are available on any of your Android devices using Play Books, free on the Play Store. The reader is on the basic side - I personally only need day/night mode and increasing/decreasing font size, so it first my needs, but if you need something more fancy, there are other options in the Play Store.

ittiandro · 11-05-2013, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

There is also an app called Calibre Companion which is an awesome way to transfer your books from Calibre and keep them organized on your tablet.

Is Calibre Companion an alternative to Aldiko ( one or the other) or do they have different purposes and functions? Bottom line, does C.C. allow to d/load e-books from the Internet into the Android tablet or does it allow ONLY the transfer and re-organization of e-books from the main computer?

Thank you Ittiandro

AnemicOak · 11-05-2013, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ittiandro

Is Calibre Companion an alternative to Aldiko ( one or the other) or do they have different purposes and functions? Bottom line, does C.C. allow to d/load e-books from the Internet into the Android tablet or does it allow ONLY the transfer and re-organization of e-books from the main computer?

Thank you Ittiandro

Aldiko is a reading app.

Calibre Companion is an organization/transfer app you use in conjunction with Calibre if you're using Calibre to organize/manage your books on your PC.

Mike L · 11-05-2013, 12:13 PM

Ittiandro,

As you will have seen from the other replies you've received, Calibre (and Calibre Companion) are quite different from the reading app that you need to actually read your ebooks.

I suggest you put Calibre out of your mind for the moment. Focus on choosing the reader app that you feel most comfortable with. Never mind what formats it supports. Concentrate on finding the app which gives you the features you want, and that you will enjoy using.

In particular, pay attention to things like how easy it is to turn pages, to open the table of contents, to jump to specific locations, to search the text, and so on.

You've already seen some recommendations for reader apps. You should also visit the Google Play Store, where you'll find many more apps on offer. Look at the descriptions, read the reviews, and download a few apps to experiment with (fortunately, most of them are either completely free or have a free version).

Once you've found an app that you're happy with, that will determine what format your ebooks will be in. Most apps support epub format, but there are others as well.

Now, having done all that, you can turn your attention to Calibre. If you need a utility to convert your existing ebooks to the format of your chosen reader, Calibre will do that. It can also help you edit a book's metadata (for example, if you want to add your own description or rating), change the cover, organise your books into collections or folders, and generally help you keep track of library. Hwever, despite its many uses, it is not essential for reading ebooks.

Calibre runs on a PC or Mac, not on the tablet. This means that you will maintain two copies of each of your books: one in Calibre and one in the tablet app you use for reading. That's where Calibre Companion comes in. It is essentially a tool (which runs on the tablet) for keeping the two libararies in sync. Again, it is not essential, but it is very useful. Depending on your tablet, you should be able to connect it directly to your PC and Mac, and to transfer files without any additional software.

To summarise: first choose your reading app. Then, if you feel the need, install Calibre (on a PC or Mac) and Calibre Companion (on your tablet). But keep in mind that Calibre and Calibre Companion are very useful, but not essential. Above all, don't let all these tools get in the way of your reading. Remember, the end product is to enjoy your books, not to spend your time installing and configuring software.

Mike

ittiandro · 11-05-2013, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike L

Ittiandro,

As you will have seen from the other replies you've received, Calibre (and Calibre Companion) are quite different from the reading app that you need to actually read your ebooks.

If you need a utility to convert your existing ebooks to the format of your chosen reader, Calibre will do that. Hwever, despite its many uses, it is not essential for reading ebooks.

To summarise: first choose your reading app.
Mike

Hello Mike,
From Canada to beautiful Edinburgh..,thank you for your suggestions.!

I understand that Calibre is not for Android and it is not primarilily an e-reader, but I do read books in my PC with Calibre and it seems to be good enough. I am curious, which other e-readers are in your opinion better than Calibre on the Android tablet ? I know it is a subjective matter, but could you throw in a few names, so that I can look them up on the Web?

Thank you again

Ittiandro

cfrizz · 11-05-2013, 07:54 PM

Calibre is ONLY for your computer. One more time, you have to get a reading application that works on tablets. CALIBRE DOES NOT!

My favorite reading app is Aldiko, but there are several more that have been mentioned. These CAN be loaded on to your tablet. then you will have to transfer your books from your pc onto your tablet.

You should have or can make a folder named ebooks on your tablet, put all of your books into this folder. then when you want to read, you will have to open your reader app, upload your books into the app then read away.

Faterson · 11-05-2013, 09:14 PM

I would recommend Moon+ Reader Pro. Gives you everything you need to read e-books on Android devices (both tablets and phones). Seems to me more flexible than Aldiko or Mantano (which I also have).

Kai Winters · 11-05-2013, 09:25 PM

Download and try out several of the Android based ereader apps from the app store.
Try them out and stick with the one you like the most.

They all have "free" versions which are a bit limited in capabilities but perfectly acceptable for reading.

I tried out several and found I prefer Mantano...I started with their free version and wound up upgrading to their paid for version. I like it very much.

Teknikal · 11-05-2013, 10:11 PM

Pretty easy really just make a books folder on your tablet if it doesn't already have one, put your books there and use your reader app of choice to import them I'd recommend Mantano.

You could use Calibre to transfer books over wifi if you set up the content server and added the servers address to your app of choice but to me that's just complicating things especially as I use dynamic DHCP and my computers address constantly changes.

hapmas77 · 11-05-2013, 10:56 PM

To sum it up:

For PC:
1. install Calibre. It will act as library for your e-books

For Android device:
1. Install ebook reader app(s) of your choice such as Aldiko, Moon+ Reader, Mantano, Kindle, etc.
2. If you want, you can also install Calibre Companion. This app will simplify you e-books transfer between Calibre PC and your ebook reader app.

To upload your ebooks into your android device from PC:

1. Using USB cable. If your device is detected by Calibre, you can easily transfer your ebooks into your device. When you open your reader app, you can point it to the folder where you keep your ebooks.

2. Using Calibre Companion together with CAlibre.
Connect your Calibre (PC) as wireless device, and launch the Calibre Companion app. Your Calibre (PC) will detect your android device via Wifi and you can easily transfer book to your Android Device.

3. Use Calibre's content server function as instructed by Teknikal above.

Faterson · 11-06-2013, 12:20 AM

4. use cloud software (Dropbox, SugarSync, Copy.com, Box.net, GoogleDrive...) to get books onto your device(s). My favourite method.

Sweetpea · 11-07-2013, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kai Winters

Download and try out several of the Android based ereader apps from the app store.
Try them out and stick with the one you like the most.

They all have "free" versions which are a bit limited in capabilities but perfectly acceptable for reading.

I tried out several and found I prefer Mantano...I started with their free version and wound up upgrading to their paid for version. I like it very much.

That's what I did too. I have installed about 10 different readers (and used them for at least part of a book), until deciding on Mantano.

And when the Calibre Companion turned up, I bought and installed that too. It's the best way (in my eyes) to keep track of the books I have on my device. From the Companion, you select a book you want to read. It will then open in the reader of your choice.

bfollowell · 11-07-2013, 08:22 AM

Do any of these third party reading apps support embedded fonts, allow turning on publisher defaults, fully support css?

I've tried a few and some aren't much better than reading in Notepad on the computer and some are just plain horrible. The best of the ones I've tried I find just acceptable. I'd love to find one that offers full embedded font/css support if anyone is aware of one.

- Byron

11-05-2013, 10:40 AM	#1
ittiandro Connoisseur Posts: 64 Karma: 24500 Join Date: Nov 2013 Device: JuliusvonJD	How to set up Android tablet for e-books reading Hello I am very familiar with computers, but I’am TOTALLY new to Android tablets and I’d like to know how to setup a D2 Pad 4 GB Tablet for reading e-books. My questions may look a bit dumm, but bear with me… For the moment, I have installed Calibre on my Windows 7 desktop and I have a folder with d/loaded e-books, some of which I have transferred to Calibre. 1. I suppose I have to reinstall Calibre or similar software on the tablet. Should I do it by d/loading Calibre directly through the tablet or can I copy the Calibre exe file from the main computer on an SD card and then transfer and install it it on the Android tablet ? Or perhaps exe files for PC are different from those for Android for the same software? 2. I hear about a software called ALDIKO . Is it an alternative to Calibre or something different which I HAVE to install on the Android tablet in addition to Calibre (or similar software?) If Calibre and Aldiko are but two different softwares doing the same job, which one do you recommend? Any other hints or suggestions will be appreciated Thank you for your help Ittiandro

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11-05-2013, 10:45 AM	#2
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	Calibre does not run on Android, it's ebook management/conversion software (& much more) for Win, Mac & Linux. You need a reader app to read the books with such as Mantano, Moon+, Aldiko, etc. pick one to try or load a bunch, it's up to you. Most apps support ePub as their primary format although there are also apps that support some other formats. There is also an app called Calibre Companion which is an awesome way to transfer your books from Calibre and keep them organized on your tablet.

11-05-2013, 11:20 AM	#3
afv011 Captain Penguin Posts: 2,947 Karma: 2077653593 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Vancouver, BC Device: Kobo Libra 2, Nook Glowlight	Another option is Play Books. You can upload your books for free, and then they are available on any of your Android devices using Play Books, free on the Play Store. The reader is on the basic side - I personally only need day/night mode and increasing/decreasing font size, so it first my needs, but if you need something more fancy, there are other options in the Play Store.

11-05-2013, 12:13 PM	#6
Mike L Wizard Posts: 1,479 Karma: 3846231 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Kindle 3, Samsung Galaxy	Ittiandro, As you will have seen from the other replies you've received, Calibre (and Calibre Companion) are quite different from the reading app that you need to actually read your ebooks. I suggest you put Calibre out of your mind for the moment. Focus on choosing the reader app that you feel most comfortable with. Never mind what formats it supports. Concentrate on finding the app which gives you the features you want, and that you will enjoy using. In particular, pay attention to things like how easy it is to turn pages, to open the table of contents, to jump to specific locations, to search the text, and so on. You've already seen some recommendations for reader apps. You should also visit the Google Play Store, where you'll find many more apps on offer. Look at the descriptions, read the reviews, and download a few apps to experiment with (fortunately, most of them are either completely free or have a free version). Once you've found an app that you're happy with, that will determine what format your ebooks will be in. Most apps support epub format, but there are others as well. Now, having done all that, you can turn your attention to Calibre. If you need a utility to convert your existing ebooks to the format of your chosen reader, Calibre will do that. It can also help you edit a book's metadata (for example, if you want to add your own description or rating), change the cover, organise your books into collections or folders, and generally help you keep track of library. Hwever, despite its many uses, it is not essential for reading ebooks. Calibre runs on a PC or Mac, not on the tablet. This means that you will maintain two copies of each of your books: one in Calibre and one in the tablet app you use for reading. That's where Calibre Companion comes in. It is essentially a tool (which runs on the tablet) for keeping the two libararies in sync. Again, it is not essential, but it is very useful. Depending on your tablet, you should be able to connect it directly to your PC and Mac, and to transfer files without any additional software. To summarise: first choose your reading app. Then, if you feel the need, install Calibre (on a PC or Mac) and Calibre Companion (on your tablet). But keep in mind that Calibre and Calibre Companion are very useful, but not essential. Above all, don't let all these tools get in the way of your reading. Remember, the end product is to enjoy your books, not to spend your time installing and configuring software. Mike

11-05-2013, 07:54 PM	#8
cfrizz Wizard Posts: 1,531 Karma: 34583358 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Quincy, MA Device: Samsung 54A, Kobo Libra H2O, Samsung S6 Lite	Calibre is ONLY for your computer. One more time, you have to get a reading application that works on tablets. CALIBRE DOES NOT! My favorite reading app is Aldiko, but there are several more that have been mentioned. These CAN be loaded on to your tablet. then you will have to transfer your books from your pc onto your tablet. You should have or can make a folder named ebooks on your tablet, put all of your books into this folder. then when you want to read, you will have to open your reader app, upload your books into the app then read away.

11-05-2013, 09:14 PM	#9
Faterson pokrývač škridiel Posts: 1,525 Karma: 3300000 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Bratislava, Slovakia Device: 3iPad, SamsungNote & Tabs, 2OnyxBoox, Huawei 8″, PocketBook	I would recommend Moon+ Reader Pro. Gives you everything you need to read e-books on Android devices (both tablets and phones). Seems to me more flexible than Aldiko or Mantano (which I also have).

11-05-2013, 09:25 PM	#10
Kai Winters Lover of Books Posts: 218 Karma: 1073074 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Northern NY Device: iPhone 7+	Download and try out several of the Android based ereader apps from the app store. Try them out and stick with the one you like the most. They all have "free" versions which are a bit limited in capabilities but perfectly acceptable for reading. I tried out several and found I prefer Mantano...I started with their free version and wound up upgrading to their paid for version. I like it very much.

11-05-2013, 10:11 PM	#11
Teknikal Fanatic Posts: 574 Karma: 5264318 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Belfast Device: Sony T1, Note Pro 12.2, Honor 10	Pretty easy really just make a books folder on your tablet if it doesn't already have one, put your books there and use your reader app of choice to import them I'd recommend Mantano. You could use Calibre to transfer books over wifi if you set up the content server and added the servers address to your app of choice but to me that's just complicating things especially as I use dynamic DHCP and my computers address constantly changes.

11-05-2013, 10:56 PM	#12
hapmas77 Connoisseur Posts: 74 Karma: 691140 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Jakarta, Indonesia Device: iPad Mini 2, Galaxy Tab S2 9.7, Kindle PW	To sum it up: For PC: 1. install Calibre. It will act as library for your e-books For Android device: 1. Install ebook reader app(s) of your choice such as Aldiko, Moon+ Reader, Mantano, Kindle, etc. 2. If you want, you can also install Calibre Companion. This app will simplify you e-books transfer between Calibre PC and your ebook reader app. To upload your ebooks into your android device from PC: 1. Using USB cable. If your device is detected by Calibre, you can easily transfer your ebooks into your device. When you open your reader app, you can point it to the folder where you keep your ebooks. 2. Using Calibre Companion together with CAlibre. Connect your Calibre (PC) as wireless device, and launch the Calibre Companion app. Your Calibre (PC) will detect your android device via Wifi and you can easily transfer book to your Android Device. 3. Use Calibre's content server function as instructed by Teknikal above.

11-06-2013, 12:20 AM	#13
Faterson pokrývač škridiel Posts: 1,525 Karma: 3300000 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Bratislava, Slovakia Device: 3iPad, SamsungNote & Tabs, 2OnyxBoox, Huawei 8″, PocketBook	4. use cloud software (Dropbox, SugarSync, Copy.com, Box.net, GoogleDrive...) to get books onto your device(s). My favourite method.

11-07-2013, 08:22 AM	#15
bfollowell Fanatic Posts: 541 Karma: 1152752 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Evansville, IN, USA Device: Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Nook & Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5	Do any of these third party reading apps support embedded fonts, allow turning on publisher defaults, fully support css? I've tried a few and some aren't much better than reading in Notepad on the computer and some are just plain horrible. The best of the ones I've tried I find just acceptable. I'd love to find one that offers full embedded font/css support if anyone is aware of one. - Byron

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