The best way of delivering an ePub

[robcub]

I have created an ePub for a client who wants to sent it to people with a variety of different handheld devices.

I know you can't seem to email an ePub to an iPhone as it won't download the attachment. So I have tried putting it online at http://bookworm.oreilly.com/ but I can't get it to validate despite numerous attempts at changing the code with Oxygen.

The ePub looks OK in Adobe Digital Editions.

Is there any other way of getting an ePub to it's intended destination without having to get it to validate?

[troymc]

I don't have an answer about your delivery issues, but if you can post the errors you get when attempting to validate your epub, you might get some input on how to fix them.


Troy

[robcub]

Thanks, Troy, will do.

[JSWolf]

There is a solution for the iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad. Create an account at http://txtr.com and post the ePub there. Then have those clients install the free txtr app. Given them the UN/PW to that txtr account and they can use the txtr app to download and read the ePub eBook you've posted.

[Hatgirl]

The "best" method depends on your requirements.

• Does your client only want specific people to be able to access the epub, or are they OK with the public at large having access to it?
• Does your client want people to pay for the epub and so need a "shopping cart" service of some kind as well?
• Do they want DRM added to the epub (hiss, boo)?
• Do the people they are targeting have access to a PC, or do they need it to be possible to download the epub directly to the iPad via Wi-Fi?

When we know the answers to these questions we can give you the best (and probably contradictory ) advice.

I find "by magic" is the ultimate best method.

Barring that, the next best would have to be by herald bearing a red silk cushion with gold spun tassels. That really tends impress the masses.

[robcub]

Very good, shall.

Hatgirl, please see the answers to your questions below:

Does your client only want specific people to be able to access the epub, or are they OK with the public at large having access to it?

Only specific people, not for the public at large.

Does your client want people to pay for the epub and so need a "shopping cart" service of some kind as well?

No

Do they want DRM added to the epub (hiss, boo)?

Not bothered

Do the people they are targeting have access to a PC, or do they need it to be possible to download the epub directly to the iPad via Wi-Fi?

This is a newsletter that is usually distributed as a PDF by email, however, some people have requested a format that you can read on a mobile, etc., which is why I've done this. So they all have access to PCs plus some of them have handheld devices - not sure which ones but I would think iPhones and iPads are the most popular.

I hope this helps. Thank you.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by robcub

Do the people they are targeting have access to a PC, or do they need it to be possible to download the epub directly to the iPad via Wi-Fi?

This is a newsletter that is usually distributed as a PDF by email, however, some people have requested a format that you can read on a mobile, etc., which is why I've done this. So they all have access to PCs plus some of them have handheld devices - not sure which ones but I would think iPhones and iPads are the most popular.

I hope this helps. Thank you.

If email works for PDF, use email for a EPUB "attachment".
If they are requesting EPUB, they probably know what to do with it after it arrives.

Someone could create a "private" (not in the distribution) news plug-in for Calibre. (The News plug-in Gurus can confirm that it supports account and password abilities.)

[robcub]

They couldn't work out, when receiving an ePub as an attachment in an email, how to open it with an iPhone! And, nor could I?

But, I think the option of uploading to Ibis seems to be OK.

[Hatgirl]

Originally Posted by robcub

They couldn't work out, when receiving an ePub as an attachment in an email, how to open it with an iPhone! And, nor could I?.

Arrrgh!!! Oh for the love of Mike. I'm having a flashback to my tech support days...

Right.

The method that involves the least stress for you is to send the epub as an attachment to an email, the same way you already do with the pdf of your newsletter. Any other way involves hosting it on a server somewhere (similar to how you host a webpage) and because you don't want the general public to have access you'd need passwords and it'll all get a bit messy. So, yeah, I'd recommend you just email it out.

There are, of course, a huge variety of mobile devices out there apart from the Apple range (Blackberry, Windows Smartphones, Palms, Android Smartphones, my weird Samsung touchscreen piece of cr*p...). However, as far as I am aware, Ibis Reader can be accessed from every device that has some form of decent web browser. So if you like how Ibis Reader works, you are right that it's probably the best option, especially if you make sure your readers are aware of the "no distractions" mode and the Apple app.

However, some iPad/iPhone users may wish to use their iBooks app. The method is basically the same used for adding music to iTunes. Baen have a nice step by step guide.

I'd be really curious to know what kind of feedback you get from your users about the new format. Do let us know if you can.

Good luck!

[charleski]

Originally Posted by robcub

They couldn't work out, when receiving an ePub as an attachment in an email, how to open it with an iPhone! And, nor could I?

But, I think the option of uploading to Ibis seems to be OK.

The iPhone/iPad can't open epubs directly from an email attachment, they need to be downloaded and synced through iTunes. Its mail client only recognises certain file types (listed at http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1666 , halfway down the page). This is a built-in limitation of iOS.

I hate to say it, but if the majority of your clients are using Apple devices, it would probably be more convenient to send it to them as a doc or rtf file, as those can be opened directly from the email without jumping through hoops.

[robcub]

Thank you, everybody, I will probably be using Ibis. Some really useful links there, Hatgirl and charleski