MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Forma Just got my first-ever erader device. What should a new user like me do/know?

droopy · 08-17-2019, 05:43 AM

I just got my first dedicated ereader device.
I've been lightly scanning the topics on this forum about different things but not sure I completely understand. Hope you don't mind my creating this thread.

Some things about me:
I plan to do all (or most) ebook-reading on it (and no longer on my smartphone or laptop).

I have about 200 ebooks that I want to now read on my new Kobo Forma. None of my ebooks are from Kobo Bookstore, and I don't plan to buy any ebooks from the Kobo Bookstore. I'd say 95% are in ePub file format, 4% is PDF, while 1% or less is in mobi file format. My ebooks are non-DRM.

Kobo Forma's "software version" is 4.15.12920 (b231bfea36, 5/27/19).

I run Linux Mint. (I don't have Apple or Windows.)

Questions:
What should I do before adding the files into my Forma via USB connection? (I assume USB is the best/only way to get the epub books onto my Forma, and that WiFi is only an option for adding books from Kobo Bookstore.)

I sometimes am in an environment where I don't want people to know what book I'm reading. I noticed that when the Forma is sleeping, the book's cover appears. How can I hide that info?

When going from Power-Off to Power-On, is there a way to add a lock so that no one can snoop around on my books when I'm away from my Forma?

Do I need to use Calibre? What is this shelf management I read about?

On my Kobo Forma, how are books arranged? Alphabetically? By date added? By filesize?
Can I set them in groups of my making? For example:
1. First-Priority-to-read books
2. Productivity books
3. Books about health
4. All books by Fyodor Dostoevsky

(In the above example, there may be a book that is found both in "Priority" and in "Books about health".

On my Samsung phone, when I'm not looking at the phone's screen, I make it habit to tap the power button to immediately save on power (since lighting up the "display" consumes much of the battery energy). Should I carry on that habit and press the power button when my eyes are not going to be off the page for more than 5 seconds? If so, how is sleep different from "powered off"?

Has anyone bought a sleepcover case off of AliExpress? I see them going for about $10USD (for example, https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33001809548.html), while original ones are $50USD. If you have, what are your thoughts on these inexpensive sleepcover cases? I'd love to save money on a case.

Anything else I should do/know?

08-17-2019, 05:43 AM	#1
droopy Guru Posts: 834 Karma: 2912460 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: Kobo Forma	Just got my first-ever ereader device. I have some questions I just got my first dedicated ereader device. I've been lightly scanning the topics on this forum about different things but not sure I completely understand. Hope you don't mind my creating this thread. Some things about me: I plan to do all (or most) ebook-reading on it (and no longer on my smartphone or laptop). I have about 200 ebooks that I want to now read on my new Kobo Forma. None of my ebooks are from Kobo Bookstore, and I don't plan to buy any ebooks from the Kobo Bookstore. I'd say 95% are in ePub file format, 4% is PDF, while 1% or less is in mobi file format. My ebooks are non-DRM. Kobo Forma's "software version" is 4.15.12920 (b231bfea36, 5/27/19). I run Linux Mint. (I don't have Apple or Windows.) Questions: What should I do before adding the files into my Forma via USB connection? (I assume USB is the best/only way to get the epub books onto my Forma, and that WiFi is only an option for adding books from Kobo Bookstore.) I sometimes am in an environment where I don't want people to know what book I'm reading. I noticed that when the Forma is sleeping, the book's cover appears. How can I hide that info? When going from Power-Off to Power-On, is there a way to add a lock so that no one can snoop around on my books when I'm away from my Forma? Do I need to use Calibre? What is this shelf management I read about? On my Kobo Forma, how are books arranged? Alphabetically? By date added? By filesize? Can I set them in groups of my making? For example: 1. First-Priority-to-read books 2. Productivity books 3. Books about health 4. All books by Fyodor Dostoevsky (In the above example, there may be a book that is found both in "Priority" and in "Books about health". On my Samsung phone, when I'm not looking at the phone's screen, I make it habit to tap the power button to immediately save on power (since lighting up the "display" consumes much of the battery energy). Should I carry on that habit and press the power button when my eyes are not going to be off the page for more than 5 seconds? If so, how is sleep different from "powered off"? Has anyone bought a sleepcover case off of AliExpress? I see them going for about $10USD (for example, https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33001809548.html), while original ones are $50USD. If you have, what are your thoughts on these inexpensive sleepcover cases? I'd love to save money on a case. Anything else I should do/know? Last edited by droopy; 08-17-2019 at 06:42 AM.