Deal breaker for all e-readers

hermes · 02-16-2012, 01:59 AM

Both the teeny Sony e-reader and now the Kobo touch have died. Neither allowed back up at their sites of reader content (highlights, scribbles, notes) - it is as if all my reading has been in vain. When the hardware goes so do all my additions to the text. Last time I checked (6ish months ago) Calibre did not have this feature either. I want to get a Kindle but it will the same all over, no?

ATDrake · 02-16-2012, 02:11 AM

For Mobipocket format books, the Kindle actually stores your notes in a separate file with an .mbp extension for each book, so you can move your notes with the actual corresponding book file between readers.

However, they've changed the .mbp format so that it no longer stores the text of the highlights and have done something so that files created on a hardware Kindle can't be read on a Kindle for App unless you set them up in a particular manner. See this thread in the Mobi/PRC format forum for details.

The actual hardware Kindle does auto-export your highlights and notes the first time you make them to a text file on the Kindle, and Amazon does auto-backup for notes associated with your paid purchases onto their website. But you can't re-export your highlights/notes on your non-Amazon books at will, as far as I can tell.

If you can still pull data off the drive of your Sony/Kobo, it may be worth your time to ask around in those respective forums if anyone knows where the highlights/notes are stored. IIRC Sony keeps them in a particular file which you may be able to try and retrieve and see if it's exportable in some fashion.

Hope this helps.

ETA: Apparently Sony keeps the full text of your notes and highlights in an SQL database which you can manage with standard tools? This thread in the Sony forum may be of help.

hermes · 02-16-2012, 02:33 AM

ATDrake wrote "Apparently Sony keeps the full text of your notes and highlights in an SQL database which you can manage with standard tools?"

Then, I must er, read more and not listen to the salesmen in big box stores. I took my dead Sony back to where I bought it and was told my own data was irretrievable. You mean if I can locate my access code for my Sony account my notes are still there? But how could they even know as I was unable to backup? Doesn't make sense to me. The same thing happened with the Kobo. I have a dead device that cannot be turned on - the salesman at Chapters tells me it is not the cable but the actual device.

I don't want to buy anything until it is possible to easily backup notes, preferably by an auto-backup software with hardware as we use on computers, second preference on one's own computer by an online independent software such as Calibre, and thirdly by the manufacturer itself asa las resort. It appears that none of these exist that are very user-friendly, if they exist at all.

ATDrake · 02-16-2012, 02:42 AM

Sorry, I think you would need to have access to the actual drive or SD card you used with the Sony and pull out one of the hidden system files via computer.

It may also be just barely possible that your notes might also have been preserved on whatever computer you use to sync the reader using Sony's Reader Library software or whatever they call it. I remember giving karma once to someone in the Sony forum who helped a guy retrieve his entire library plus highlights from a backup after the software ate all his stuff.

Unfortunately, nothing currently on the market will easily let you backup/export your notes. They all want you tied into their system, as far as I can tell.

The best option I was able to give the other guy who asked is now pretty much defunct, and the best one can do for non-Amazon books on a Kindle is to save the generated .mbp + the e-book file and MyClippings.txt and manually copy them over to a computer/online storage service once in a while.

I really wish there were some kind of unified annotations open format proposal to accompany ePub (and an official dictionary format, and a pony with good resale value, while I'm wishing for things).

dwig · 02-16-2012, 01:02 PM

I've always done a backup of my Kindle by copying everything visible to a dated folder on one of my hard drives. Since most of my books come from sources other than Amazon (I read a lot of PD books) I can't rely on their archive for most of my library.

What modest number of personal annotations I make are easy enough to access from the My Clippings.txt file. Here is a clip of a section of the file that shows some notes I made while proofreading a book, Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett, I was working on:

Spoiler:

You can see that I took a break from RH and read a little of Lysistrata before returning to RH.

Since the mobi format's "location" numbers are consistent across all devices and all user settings (text size, display orientation, ...) the annotations can be matched up to the original text on any replacement device.

susan_cassidy · 02-16-2012, 01:30 PM

If sync'ing is enabled, the Kindle also backs up your notes and highlights to an online-accessible version at kindle.amazon.com, where you can easily cut and paste.

HarleyB · 02-18-2012, 12:37 AM

I've never used the annotation feature in the Kobo but I thought that your annotations, bookmarks etc were all saved when you synced? Supposedly notes you make on your Touch should be available on the Kobo app on your iPhone or on your Desktop app or (in your case) another Touch which syncs to the same account.

If you ask on the Kobo forum I'm sure someone who uses that feature could help you.

BTW what incredible bad luck to have 2 ereaders fail!

Fozzybear · 02-18-2012, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwig

I've always done a backup of my Kindle by copying everything visible to a dated folder on one of my hard drives. Since most of my books come from sources other than Amazon (I read a lot of PD books) I can't rely on their archive for most of my library.

What modest number of personal annotations I make are easy enough to access from the My Clippings.txt file. Here is a clip of a section of the file that shows some notes I made while proofreading a book, Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett, I was working on:

Spoiler:

You can see that I took a break from RH and read a little of Lysistrata before returning to RH.

Since the mobi format's "location" numbers are consistent across all devices and all user settings (text size, display orientation, ...) the annotations can be matched up to the original text on any replacement device.

When I bought my Kindle I thought this was a really good aspect - a lot of kit doesn't give you access of this kind so being able to just drag everything from the kindle 'drive' to your computer for a backup is excellent and I've been backing mine up in this way too. Much better than having to use applications to carry out backups - I'm always rather suspicious of those as you can't really be sure what it's actually backed up!

darknessangel · 02-18-2012, 01:46 PM

Well. dude... apple has it's icloud thingie. You cough up the money you got your synch all oooooover your iDevices. And I just don't get it... how's your reading in vain? You forgot everything? Or are you dealing with technical literature?

Krystl · 02-19-2012, 08:03 AM

*delete*

02-16-2012, 01:59 AM	#1
hermes non-techy Posts: 110 Karma: 50586 Join Date: May 2011 Location: wherever I can afford to get laid and eat vegetarian Device: Sony pocket edition and Kobo touch both died - looking at Kindles	Deal breaker for all e-readers Both the teeny Sony e-reader and now the Kobo touch have died. Neither allowed back up at their sites of reader content (highlights, scribbles, notes) - it is as if all my reading has been in vain. When the hardware goes so do all my additions to the text. Last time I checked (6ish months ago) Calibre did not have this feature either. I want to get a Kindle but it will the same all over, no?

02-16-2012, 02:11 AM	#2
ATDrake Wizzard Posts: 11,517 Karma: 33048258 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Roundworld Device: Kindle 2 International, Sony PRS-T1, BlackBerry PlayBook, Acer Iconia	For Mobipocket format books, the Kindle actually stores your notes in a separate file with an .mbp extension for each book, so you can move your notes with the actual corresponding book file between readers. However, they've changed the .mbp format so that it no longer stores the text of the highlights and have done something so that files created on a hardware Kindle can't be read on a Kindle for App unless you set them up in a particular manner. See this thread in the Mobi/PRC format forum for details. The actual hardware Kindle does auto-export your highlights and notes the first time you make them to a text file on the Kindle, and Amazon does auto-backup for notes associated with your paid purchases onto their website. But you can't re-export your highlights/notes on your non-Amazon books at will, as far as I can tell. If you can still pull data off the drive of your Sony/Kobo, it may be worth your time to ask around in those respective forums if anyone knows where the highlights/notes are stored. IIRC Sony keeps them in a particular file which you may be able to try and retrieve and see if it's exportable in some fashion. Hope this helps. ETA: Apparently Sony keeps the full text of your notes and highlights in an SQL database which you can manage with standard tools? This thread in the Sony forum may be of help. Last edited by ATDrake; 02-16-2012 at 02:17 AM.

02-16-2012, 01:02 PM	#5
dwig Wizard Posts: 1,613 Karma: 6718541 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Paradise (Key West, FL) Device: Current:Surface Go & Kindle 3 - Retired: DellV8p, Clie UX50, ...	I've always done a backup of my Kindle by copying everything visible to a dated folder on one of my hard drives. Since most of my books come from sources other than Amazon (I read a lot of PD books) I can't rely on their archive for most of my library. What modest number of personal annotations I make are easy enough to access from the My Clippings.txt file. Here is a clip of a section of the file that shows some notes I made while proofreading a book, Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett, I was working on: Spoiler: Red Harvest (Dashiell Hammett) - Note Loc. 1384 \| Added on Friday, September 24, 2010, 12:27 PM incorrect <p> just after 'Sure you was,' ========== Red Harvest (Dashiell Hammett) - Note Loc. 1434 \| Added on Friday, September 24, 2010, 12:37 PM false p here ========== Lysistrata - Note Loc. 58 \| Added on Friday, September 24, 2010, 05:44 PM whoops... should be self and no extra space ========== Red Harvest (Dashiell Hammett) - Note Loc. 1491 \| Added on Friday, September 24, 2010, 05:56 PM look... ========== Red Harvest (Dashiell Hammett) - Note Loc. 1938 \| Added on Friday, September 24, 2010, 11:15 PM chapter out of order ========== You can see that I took a break from RH and read a little of Lysistrata before returning to RH. Since the mobi format's "location" numbers are consistent across all devices and all user settings (text size, display orientation, ...) the annotations can be matched up to the original text on any replacement device. Last edited by dwig; 02-16-2012 at 01:05 PM.

02-19-2012, 08:03 AM	#10
Krystl Connoisseur Posts: 62 Karma: 513697 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Salzburg, Austria Device: sony prs-t1	delete Last edited by Krystl; 02-19-2012 at 08:19 AM.

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02-16-2012, 02:33 AM	#3
hermes non-techy Posts: 110 Karma: 50586 Join Date: May 2011 Location: wherever I can afford to get laid and eat vegetarian Device: Sony pocket edition and Kobo touch both died - looking at Kindles	ATDrake wrote "Apparently Sony keeps the full text of your notes and highlights in an SQL database which you can manage with standard tools?" Then, I must er, read more and not listen to the salesmen in big box stores. I took my dead Sony back to where I bought it and was told my own data was irretrievable. You mean if I can locate my access code for my Sony account my notes are still there? But how could they even know as I was unable to backup? Doesn't make sense to me. The same thing happened with the Kobo. I have a dead device that cannot be turned on - the salesman at Chapters tells me it is not the cable but the actual device. I don't want to buy anything until it is possible to easily backup notes, preferably by an auto-backup software with hardware as we use on computers, second preference on one's own computer by an online independent software such as Calibre, and thirdly by the manufacturer itself asa las resort. It appears that none of these exist that are very user-friendly, if they exist at all.

02-16-2012, 02:42 AM	#4
ATDrake Wizzard Posts: 11,517 Karma: 33048258 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Roundworld Device: Kindle 2 International, Sony PRS-T1, BlackBerry PlayBook, Acer Iconia	Sorry, I think you would need to have access to the actual drive or SD card you used with the Sony and pull out one of the hidden system files via computer. It may also be just barely possible that your notes might also have been preserved on whatever computer you use to sync the reader using Sony's Reader Library software or whatever they call it. I remember giving karma once to someone in the Sony forum who helped a guy retrieve his entire library plus highlights from a backup after the software ate all his stuff. Unfortunately, nothing currently on the market will easily let you backup/export your notes. They all want you tied into their system, as far as I can tell. The best option I was able to give the other guy who asked is now pretty much defunct, and the best one can do for non-Amazon books on a Kindle is to save the generated .mbp + the e-book file and MyClippings.txt and manually copy them over to a computer/online storage service once in a while. I really wish there were some kind of unified annotations open format proposal to accompany ePub (and an official dictionary format, and a pony with good resale value, while I'm wishing for things).

02-16-2012, 01:30 PM	#6
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	If sync'ing is enabled, the Kindle also backs up your notes and highlights to an online-accessible version at kindle.amazon.com, where you can easily cut and paste.

02-18-2012, 12:37 AM	#7
HarleyB Fanatic Posts: 565 Karma: 1113286 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast Australia Device: Kobo (RIP), iPad, iPhone 4, Kobo Touch x2, Kobo Glo	I've never used the annotation feature in the Kobo but I thought that your annotations, bookmarks etc were all saved when you synced? Supposedly notes you make on your Touch should be available on the Kobo app on your iPhone or on your Desktop app or (in your case) another Touch which syncs to the same account. If you ask on the Kobo forum I'm sure someone who uses that feature could help you. BTW what incredible bad luck to have 2 ereaders fail!

02-18-2012, 01:46 PM	#9
darknessangel Addict Posts: 297 Karma: 1018140 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: PRS-505, iPad	Well. dude... apple has it's icloud thingie. You cough up the money you got your synch all oooooover your iDevices. And I just don't get it... how's your reading in vain? You forgot everything? Or are you dealing with technical literature?

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