Sideload EBOK through "Send to Kindle via Email"?

[lairdb]

(Some introductory material to make a short question slightly longer to help any future searchers.)

My long term goal is to be able to switch back and forth between the iPad and a Kindle device (likely a Paperwhite) seamlessly, using non-Amazon books. It is highly desirable that I be able to load books to my Kindle Library through Send To Kindle via Email. (Otherwise I would have to sideload the devices independently, right?)

Almost all of my books are (legitimate, unDRMed) EPUBs stored and catalogued in Calibre.

Searching and reading lots of sideloading articles let me to these tentative conclusions:

- Personal Documents do not sync highlights, furthest read, etc. This turned out to be false: I finally got around to loading a few test MOBIs and the furthest-read, highlights, etc., properly sync between Kindle-on-iPad and Kindle-on-iPhone. I assume, though I don't yet have a device to verify, that if the sync works iPad/iPhone that it will also work to/from Kindle Devices.

- MOBI 501 (cdetype) set to EBOK instead of PDOC is generally thought to govern whether a sideloaded book appears in Books or Personal Documents, and whether certain sharing features are enabled. (MOBI 113 being present, or having some content accurate or not, or having accurate ASIN content, is occasionally discussed, but there's less clarity whether it's necessary.) Some have reported success sideloading Kindle Devices and having the results show up as Books, given some combination of the correct metadata.

(If you're reading this and can clarify or add detail, that would be great.)

I have experimented with various procedures to convert selected EPUBs to MOBIs and set 501 and 113 and then send them to Send to Kindle email address. So far, all of my attempts have ended up with them showing in Personal Documents rather than Books despite (as best I can tell) setting 501 and/or 113.

Q: Does the Send to Kindle by email service force the Personal Documents category, regardless of MOBI metadata? If not, what are the critical elements? (113, 501, etc.?)

(I can probably live with my books being in the Personal Documents area, now that I see that progress does sync, and assuming it does sync to the Paperwhite as well. Having them recognized as books so they are available through Cloud Reader would be a bonus, but is not crucial.)

Q: Given that I want to use cloud delivery (not USB, etc.) is there a workable alternative approach that I should be using to get my EPUBs on and syncing?

Thanks.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by lairdb

Q: Does the Send to Kindle by email service force the Personal Documents category, regardless of MOBI metadata?

Yes.

Originally Posted by lairdb

Q: Given that I want to use cloud delivery (not USB, etc.) is there a workable alternative approach that I should be using to get my EPUBs on and syncing?

No.

[eschwartz]

As jhowell said, the Send-to-Kindle service modifies all books to set the cdetype to PDOC (and set the exth 113 to a Personal Documents Service-format ASIN).

Since this happens after you send it once the book reaches Amazon's servers, there is no workaround unless you want to hack Amazon's servers and "fix" their service for them.

[NullNix]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

As jhowell said, the Send-to-Kindle service modifies all books to set the cdetype to PDOC (and set the exth 113 to a Personal Documents Service-format ASIN).

Since this happens after you send it once the book reaches Amazon's servers, there is no workaround unless you want to hack Amazon's servers and "fix" their service for them.

This can actually be beneficial if you do *all* your sideloading that way -- you can use it to keep track of which things were sideloaded. (Of course, there's not much reason to do that if you're doing all your sideloading that way: the principal reason to do it is to track which things you need to copy onto a new device by hand rather than syncing them from Amazon, and if you've been using documents-by-email plus personal archiving you don't need to copy *anything* onto a new device... but it's half a solution.)

[shamanNS]

Also, Cloud Reader doesn't have access to Personal Documents Archive books (= the ones you converted and send using SendToKindle app or Kindle's email address). The same applies to "Kindle for PC" & "Kindle for Mac".

[lairdb]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

As jhowell said, the Send-to-Kindle service modifies all books to set the cdetype to PDOC (and set the exth 113 to a Personal Documents Service-format ASIN).

Bummer, but thanks for the clarity.

Since this happens after you send it once the book reaches Amazon's servers, there is no workaround unless you want to hack Amazon's servers and "fix" their service for them.

Let's leave that option for later.

While I'm at it, though -- a further question about Whispersync and PDOCs: if a PDOC is sent through free.kindle.com (or if I set my WhisperSync budget to 0), does Furthest Page Read still sync through 3G?

[eschwartz]

I don't know, I don't have a 3G device.
But I wouldn't *think* it would be treated differently from the book itself.

Is there a significant problem with depending on WiFi?

[lairdb]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

I don't know, I don't have a 3G device.
But I wouldn't *think* it would be treated differently from the book itself.

Is there a significant problem with depending on WiFi?

Less developed areas, etc. Theoretically in such a situation I could find a hotspot, or tether -- but it kinda kills the seamlessness.

[eschwartz]

Well, you are already having to download the book itself over WiFi, and the page number is comparatively less important. I dunno, I don't usually think about this anyway -- I sideload on my single ereading device.

Amazon would say you should buy the book from them.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Well, you are already having to download the book itself over WiFi, and the page number is comparatively less important. I dunno, I don't usually think about this anyway -- I sideload on my single ereading device.

Amazon would say you should buy the book from them.

Why do you have to download the book over WIFI? I'm pretty sure that my mother has been able to download PDOCs using 3G, and I haven't been charged. I could be wrong, but I think I'd remember being charged. I know she didn't use WIFI because I didn't set it up on her device, and she has no idea how to do it herself.

Shari

[eschwartz]

Because Amazon explicitly says they will charge you?

Don't ask me, ask Amazon.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Because Amazon explicitly says they will charge you?

Don't ask me, ask Amazon.

Shari,
I do believe on the 3g models, you essentially pay up front so there are no data charges.
IIRC the 3g models are about $70 higher than non-3g models.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Shari,
I do believe on the 3g models, you essentially pay up front so there are no data charges.
IIRC the 3g models are about $70 higher than non-3g models.

The device is sold at or near cost.
3G modules are expensive.

Once again, Amazon explicitly says they will charge you to download PDOCs over Amazon-supplied 3G.
If Amazon aren't following their own declarations, ask them why not -- I certainly don't know.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

The device is sold at or near cost.
3G modules are expensive.

Once again, Amazon explicitly says they will charge you to download PDOCs over Amazon-supplied 3G.
If Amazon aren't following their own declarations, ask them why not -- I certainly don't know.

Oh that isn't just on 3g models.
IIRC: depending on the way you send to kindle there is a 5 or 10 cent fee for larger docs.
If Shari's mom is downloading books bought on Amazon, there are no fees.

[eschwartz]

Yes, that is just on 3G models.

If you still, repeatedly, don't believe me... then just go right ahead and read Amazon's official help page: http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custom...deId=201974310