Can it be done - Use Overdrive with linux computer to PW3?

JWK · 05-10-2016, 04:04 PM

I've been reading on my wife's PW2 now for a couple of years and I really want to get my own PW3. I always use the smallest font and think the improved resolution of the PW3 will be worth it. However, I don't want to get a PW3 through my wife (who has had numerous Amazon devices). We borrow a lot of e-books from the library and are finding ourselves short on books sometimes because we are limited to one library account.

The problem is that my computer is linux Mint and I've been using Mint for years. I'm not going to change that. In poking around for all this stuff (I'm not much of a computer geek any more; haven't been for years) I find out that Amazon only makes a kindle reader app for Windows and Mac.

Can someone please explain how this all works? If I'm getting this correctly, you can download a library book for epub using calibre and then side load it to your reader (kobo or some epub reader, obviously). However, if you download a book for a kindle device, it goes through Amazon. Is this correct?

Can you use calibre with a linux laptop to get a book from Overdrive to a Kindle?

AnemicOak · 05-10-2016, 04:20 PM

Any Kindle lending goes from OverDrive and then passes through Amazon as they host the Kindle format book files, not OverDrive. You don't need any kind of app/software for your PC, the book can be sent directly to your Kindle.

OD has a step by step here on how it's done...
http://help.overdrive.com/customer/p...m-your-library

JWK · 05-10-2016, 04:58 PM

OK, thanks. I think I get it now. I guess I was getting confused with the people that were trying to download and read, listen to mp3 on their computers.

eschwartz · 05-10-2016, 05:00 PM

As a linux user myself, I've always been fairly happy with OverDrive.

As AnemicOak said, OverDrive to Kindle is handled via a redemption link which sends you to http://amazon.com to add the checkout to your Kindle account, and you can then download it directly via your Kindle.
In fact, I sometimes checkout a book using the Kindle's Experimental Browser, redeem it, then exit the browser and download the book from my Cloud items... all without going near the computer!
(Note: this is only to show what can be done. The E-Ink Kindle is not very powerful and the browser is "experimental" for a reason. But it works in a pinch.)

...

If you want to checkout EPUB books to use with a Kobo, then Adobe Digital Editions is available on Linux using winetricks. It is pretty stable and works well (in the sense that it successfully runs and is fully functional, although I happen to despise Adobe software and much prefer the Kindle checkout if possible).

05-10-2016, 04:04 PM	#1
JWK Enthusiast Posts: 29 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2012 Device: Kindle Oasis, 9th generation	Can it be done - Use Overdrive with linux computer to PW3? I've been reading on my wife's PW2 now for a couple of years and I really want to get my own PW3. I always use the smallest font and think the improved resolution of the PW3 will be worth it. However, I don't want to get a PW3 through my wife (who has had numerous Amazon devices). We borrow a lot of e-books from the library and are finding ourselves short on books sometimes because we are limited to one library account. The problem is that my computer is linux Mint and I've been using Mint for years. I'm not going to change that. In poking around for all this stuff (I'm not much of a computer geek any more; haven't been for years) I find out that Amazon only makes a kindle reader app for Windows and Mac. Can someone please explain how this all works? If I'm getting this correctly, you can download a library book for epub using calibre and then side load it to your reader (kobo or some epub reader, obviously). However, if you download a book for a kindle device, it goes through Amazon. Is this correct? Can you use calibre with a linux laptop to get a book from Overdrive to a Kindle?

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05-10-2016, 04:20 PM	#2
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	Any Kindle lending goes from OverDrive and then passes through Amazon as they host the Kindle format book files, not OverDrive. You don't need any kind of app/software for your PC, the book can be sent directly to your Kindle. OD has a step by step here on how it's done... http://help.overdrive.com/customer/p...m-your-library

05-10-2016, 04:58 PM	#3
JWK Enthusiast Posts: 29 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2012 Device: Kindle Oasis, 9th generation	OK, thanks. I think I get it now. I guess I was getting confused with the people that were trying to download and read, listen to mp3 on their computers.

05-10-2016, 05:00 PM	#4
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	As a linux user myself, I've always been fairly happy with OverDrive. As AnemicOak said, OverDrive to Kindle is handled via a redemption link which sends you to http://amazon.com to add the checkout to your Kindle account, and you can then download it directly via your Kindle. In fact, I sometimes checkout a book using the Kindle's Experimental Browser, redeem it, then exit the browser and download the book from my Cloud items... all without going near the computer! (Note: this is only to show what can be done. The E-Ink Kindle is not very powerful and the browser is "experimental" for a reason. But it works in a pinch.) ... If you want to checkout EPUB books to use with a Kobo, then Adobe Digital Editions is available on Linux using winetricks. It is pretty stable and works well (in the sense that it successfully runs and is fully functional, although I happen to despise Adobe software and much prefer the Kindle checkout if possible).

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