Newbie question re Aura H20

[WillW]

Quick question from an Amazon escapee -

I'm on the verge of buying an Aura H20. Presumably this device has aeroplane mode, like my Kindle, and doesn't have to be online always?

Thanks.

[Quoth]

No Kobo needs to be online, ever. I Get Firmware updates via download to PC.

Even the Kindle, I use Download to PC & Transfer via USB. Books or Firmware.

Keep your Kindle and put its serial number into a plugin in Calibre, then you can read your Amazon books on the Kobo. The only advantage really compared to a Paperwhite 3, is better export of Annotations. Calibre also.

Unlike Kindle you don't need to enter a real email account or your credit card. You can make up an imaginary email address at the start screen.

Neither the Kindle or Kobo needs any PC software other than Calibre (Mac, Windows or Linux).

[WillW]

Thanks, I thought it was probably the case.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by WillW

Quick question from an Amazon escapee -

I'm on the verge of buying an Aura H20. Presumably this device has aeroplane mode, like my Kindle, and doesn't have to be online always?

Thanks.

I've only had WiFi on once on my H2O. That was to register it. I've never had WiFi on since.

[WillW]

Thanks. I've always used my Kindle the same way, I was pretty sure the Kobo would be the same, but just checking before laying out the money.
Kindle's fine for reading, but I really want to be free of Amazon! This H20 looks to be a real improvement - nice size, and no Big Brother deciding what I can have or not have on it!

[Quoth]

Amazon doesn't decide what's on your kindle, especially books from Gutenberg or bought on Smashwords.
Download to PC and Transfer via USB from Calibre and they can't delete them either, if you do ever turn on WiFi.

TBH, I'd worry more about MS & Google, than the Kindle. Though it's true Amazon wants a monopoly of paper & ebook sales online.

Adobe DRM "spies" on ereaders. So does Kobo, unless you never connect, they sync even when sync is turned off.

Buy a Kobo because you want one, not out of paranoia of Amazon deleting books, which is easily avoided.

I don't trust anyone's cloud for anything. I have backups of everything.

[WillW]

Really, I know about Calibre & side loading the Kindle. I've been using both for years.
New Kindle apparently deletes all side loaded books from the device.

[NiLuJe]

Originally Posted by WillW

New Kindle apparently deletes all side loaded books from the device.

Err, what? Where did you pickup this nonsense?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by WillW

New Kindle apparently deletes all side loaded books from the device.

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

Err, what? Where did you pickup this nonsense?

Pehaps he's been following the B&N Nook threads?

[WillW]

Read it somewhere but can't remember where. Either way, if you've bought Kindle books on Amazon at any time, but generally use the Kindle offline with Calibre, then you take it off aeroplane mode, even for a minute, at your peril. The point being, the Amazon system interferes.
I've been using Kindle, and previously Sony, ereaders for years, and my setup was a mess, so I settled the matter by going to Amazon devices page and deleting everything from my Kindle for Mac, Kindle for Windows, and the Cloud. I have everything on the laptop, and double backed up, so nothing was lost.
It was a good move. Everything as I like it now. Except the whacky Kindle file system.

Question - on the Kobo, can you have folders within folders? For example, My Bernard Cornwell folder on the Kindle contains several series of books, which all appear in the one folder. I'd like to have the Bernard Conwell folder, and separate folders within it for each series. As you would on your computer hard drive. Is this an option on Kobo?

[Kindleing]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

Adobe DRM "spies" on ereaders. So does Kobo, unless you never connect, they sync even when sync is turned off.

When you say "spies", do you mean they sync pages read in DRM books where they manage the license, or do you mean they take inventory of side-loaded DRM-free books? I've been wondering about that - I remember news reports some years ago Adobe was found uploading a list of all titles loaded on a reader, even side-loaded DRM-free books, rather than just doing DRM verification. I believe they finally said it was a "bug" and and promised to stop doing that, but it's been a few years and my memory is a little fuzzy.

I understand ADE is required for library books, but does the ADE software only manage the license for a current book or does it try to watch everything on the reader? If I buy a Kobo (or Nook) and only side-load DRM-free books do "They" keep a record of my reading list?

I'm ok with my Kindles but I have been toying with the idea of getting an additional reader just for epub books. If I buy titles from Baen or any of the other publishers that sell DRM-free books I see no need for Adobe or anyone else to make a record of their existence on my reader.

Wally

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by WillW

Read it somewhere but can't remember where. Either way, if you've bought Kindle books on Amazon at any time, but generally use the Kindle offline with Calibre, then you take it off aeroplane mode, even for a minute, at your peril. The point being, the Amazon system interferes.
I've been using Kindle, and previously Sony, ereaders for years, and my setup was a mess, so I settled the matter by going to Amazon devices page and deleting everything from my Kindle for Mac, Kindle for Windows, and the Cloud. I have everything on the laptop, and double backed up, so nothing was lost.
It was a good move. Everything as I like it now. Except the whacky Kindle file system.

I haven't used a Kindle, but, based on what I have seen here, your experience was unusual. A lot of people seem to have sideloaded, purchased and emailed books on their Kindles with no issues.

Question - on the Kobo, can you have folders within folders? For example, My Bernard Cornwell folder on the Kindle contains several series of books, which all appear in the one folder. I'd like to have the Bernard Conwell folder, and separate folders within it for each series. As you would on your computer hard drive. Is this an option on Kobo?

Not in the Kobo interface. There is a book list with several filters (all, unread, read, reading, purchased, imported, overdrive, downloaded) and sort orders (recent, date added, title, author, series, file size and file type). Then there is an Authors list that shows each author with the number of book. Tapping the author opens the list of their books. There is also a collections list that works in the same way. Books can be on multiple collections. The filters and sorts work the same in a collection and an author.

[WillW]

Ah, thanks.

[JSWolf]

Amazon does not remove eBooks from your Kindle when it's in WiFi.That's 100% rubbish.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Amazon does not remove eBooks from your Kindle when it's in WiFi.That's 100% rubbish.

Only once.
They said sorry and that it won't happen again. Ironically 1984 by Orwell.

I'm plenty sceptical of anything any big company says. I just make sure I have copies of everything and don't rely on the cloud.

It's pretty unlikely that Amazon will remotely delete books ever again.