Reading on a Blackberry?

phenomshel · 02-10-2009, 05:36 PM

Oh. My. Goodness. NOW I get why they call them Crackberries. My husband got one less than 24 hours ago and he is so addicted I thought he was going to take a vacation day to play with the thing. He insists I have to have one too, and NOW. This is fine with me, especially since from some Google info, it seems mobipocket has application, books and store for Blackberries?

Anyone know anything about this and how well it works?

=X= · 02-10-2009, 07:43 PM

Yes its called mobipocket for BlackBerrys. You can downloaded it directly from the Mobipocket web site (m.mobipocket.com).

I have the BlackBerry Storm and MobiPocket is fantastic on that application. Their blackberry solution allows one to purchase eBooks online (from the BB) you can also download books from your BooksOnBoard, fictionwise accounts.

You can also download books. Feedbook.com and Manybooks from your BB.

I've posted a screen capture of the mobipocket for the Storm here

=X=

phenomshel · 02-10-2009, 09:13 PM

Thank you! That's way cool!

phenomshel · 02-14-2009, 01:14 PM

Ok, so I got the BlackBerry - had to call Verizon to figure out why I wasn't receiving any sort of text messaging - turns out the firewall was blocking everything (boy did I feel like an idiot). First thing after I got that resolved though, I installed mobipocket for BlackBerry, found a couple of books, put them in the folder and disconnected from PC. Voila! Books on the go - even more go than my EZ Reader. The screen is better for reading than I was afraid it would be, actually it's better than I hoped it would be. I did have to bold the font, but I'm VERY pleased with this!

Elsi · 02-14-2009, 03:10 PM

I keep one book on the Blackberry for what I call "stealth reading". Say you're sitting in one of those boring corporate meetings. You look at your pal who has pulled out his Blackberry (or iPhone) and is scanning his e-mail. You smile, whip out your Blackberry, and sneak a quick chapter of your latest book. Everyone around you thinks you're doing something work-related and instead you're having fun.

phenomshel · 02-14-2009, 03:38 PM

Yeah, I don't think I'll be keeping my whole library on it (though I could, this thing takes up to a 32 gig micro sdhc card), but I'll definitely be carrying a few books with me for "emergencies". It may, however, replace my mp3 player - not only does it hold more, it sounds better.

Jack Tingle · 02-15-2009, 11:23 AM

I've been using a PDA of one form or another for the last nine years.

I don't own an MP3 player, an ebook reader, a day planner, or a _simple_ pocket calculator[1]. Yet, amazingly, I listen to music, read ebooks, don't miss many meetings, and my meeting minutes are electronic, so I can futz with them after the meeting and send them to the appropriate people.

My current pocket doohickey now is also my cell phone (Samsung SCH-i760) so I carry one less boat-anchor around. Life is good.

Enjoy your Blackberry.

One suggestion: There's plenty of short fiction available, just the right length for long meetings.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

[1] So sue me. I'm old school enough that I use an RPN scientific calculator, and PDAs can't quite cut that.

DaleDe · 02-27-2009, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Tingle

[1] So sue me. I'm old school enough that I use an RPN scientific calculator, and PDAs can't quite cut that.

Have you tried http://calculator.org/ for an RPN calculator?

Dale

Wrong Writer · 03-05-2009, 10:23 AM

Something I don't understand here. OK, you install a reader on Blackberry to read books.
But doesn't it ALREADY COME with a browser? Meaning that you can read books in html or pdf format as is?

Steven Lyle Jordan · 03-05-2009, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wrong Writer

Something I don't understand here. OK, you install a reader on Blackberry to read books.
But doesn't it ALREADY COME with a browser? Meaning that you can read books in html or pdf format as is?

Not every book is available or readable by a browser... and not all PDFs are tagged, which makes them difficult to impossible to read on a small device (ever try scrolling up and down, AND left and right, to read a document?). So having a reader app is very handy.

Elsi · 03-05-2009, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wrong Writer

Something I don't understand here. OK, you install a reader on Blackberry to read books.
But doesn't it ALREADY COME with a browser? Meaning that you can read books in html or pdf format as is?

I chose not to pay for the cellular data service for my Blackberry. It's a phone and I can send/receive SMS text. But I can't connect it to an e-mail server and I can't browse the Internet. This is an older Blackberry and doesn't have a Wi-Fi component. (Do any of the Blackberries have Wi-Fi?)

PinkBlythe · 03-05-2009, 03:01 PM

yes, some Blackberrys have wifi - like my 8900.

Wrong Writer · 03-07-2009, 04:56 PM

OK, bear with me because I'm trying to understand and don't own a Blackberry myself.

If your BB doesn't have wifi, how would you load a book into it? USB? Dock? Memory slot?

And however you do it, couldn't you load up an html book as easy as a mobipocket book?

And if it doesn't come with a browser, wouldn't it be easier to install a mobile Opera or Firefox brower than the mobipocket reader? (If it does, it seems like it would be a waste of space to have both)

Also wondering, just how much space does a BB have? How many books would it be practical to have aboard?

Thanks

CBroda · 03-11-2009, 03:27 PM

Hi. I'm new to Mobi, been using my Storm for months.
So, I'm alittle confused. The full screen looks great, but...
HOW DO I NAVIGATE?
I keep trying to scroll, tap, etc. but I find the only way to navigate is to turn the keyboard on. Why didn't I stay with the old version (non-Storm beta)?
What am I missing ;-<

GntlmnBndt · 03-11-2009, 04:35 PM

The eReader beta software for blackberry is available now. Has anyone had a chance to try it? JKOnTheRun had a write-up about it a while back, but it is always nice to get a second opinion.

The Bandit

02-10-2009, 05:36 PM	#1
phenomshel ZCD BombShel Posts: 4,793 Karma: 8293322 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: The Frozen North (aka Illinois, USA) Device: iPad, STB Kindle Oasis	Reading on a Blackberry? Oh. My. Goodness. NOW I get why they call them Crackberries. My husband got one less than 24 hours ago and he is so addicted I thought he was going to take a vacation day to play with the thing. He insists I have to have one too, and NOW. This is fine with me, especially since from some Google info, it seems mobipocket has application, books and store for Blackberries? Anyone know anything about this and how well it works?

02-15-2009, 11:23 AM	#7
Jack Tingle Punctuation Fetishist Posts: 557 Karma: 1070000 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: The Bluest Commonwealth In East America Device: Kindle PW, Nexus 7 (2013), Galaxy S5 phone, Galaxy Tab 4 8.0	And it can nag you, too! :) I've been using a PDA of one form or another for the last nine years. I don't own an MP3 player, an ebook reader, a day planner, or a _simple_ pocket calculator[1]. Yet, amazingly, I listen to music, read ebooks, don't miss many meetings, and my meeting minutes are electronic, so I can futz with them after the meeting and send them to the appropriate people. My current pocket doohickey now is also my cell phone (Samsung SCH-i760) so I carry one less boat-anchor around. Life is good. Enjoy your Blackberry. One suggestion: There's plenty of short fiction available, just the right length for long meetings. Regards, Jack Tingle [1] So sue me. I'm old school enough that I use an RPN scientific calculator, and PDAs can't quite cut that.

03-11-2009, 03:27 PM	#14
CBroda Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Blackberry Storm	OK, so I got the beta installed Hi. I'm new to Mobi, been using my Storm for months. So, I'm alittle confused. The full screen looks great, but... HOW DO I NAVIGATE? I keep trying to scroll, tap, etc. but I find the only way to navigate is to turn the keyboard on. Why didn't I stay with the old version (non-Storm beta)? What am I missing ;-<

03-11-2009, 04:35 PM	#15
GntlmnBndt Zealot Posts: 135 Karma: 142 Join Date: Jul 2008 Device: iPod Touch, iPad	Anyone tried eReader? The eReader beta software for blackberry is available now. Has anyone had a chance to try it? JKOnTheRun had a write-up about it a while back, but it is always nice to get a second opinion. The Bandit

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02-10-2009, 07:43 PM	#2
=X= Wizard Posts: 3,671 Karma: 12205348 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Galaxy S, Nook w/CM7	Yes its called mobipocket for BlackBerrys. You can downloaded it directly from the Mobipocket web site (m.mobipocket.com). I have the BlackBerry Storm and MobiPocket is fantastic on that application. Their blackberry solution allows one to purchase eBooks online (from the BB) you can also download books from your BooksOnBoard, fictionwise accounts. You can also download books. Feedbook.com and Manybooks from your BB. I've posted a screen capture of the mobipocket for the Storm here =X=

02-10-2009, 09:13 PM	#3
phenomshel ZCD BombShel Posts: 4,793 Karma: 8293322 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: The Frozen North (aka Illinois, USA) Device: iPad, STB Kindle Oasis	Thank you! That's way cool!

02-14-2009, 01:14 PM	#4
phenomshel ZCD BombShel Posts: 4,793 Karma: 8293322 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: The Frozen North (aka Illinois, USA) Device: iPad, STB Kindle Oasis	Ok, so I got the BlackBerry - had to call Verizon to figure out why I wasn't receiving any sort of text messaging - turns out the firewall was blocking everything (boy did I feel like an idiot). First thing after I got that resolved though, I installed mobipocket for BlackBerry, found a couple of books, put them in the folder and disconnected from PC. Voila! Books on the go - even more go than my EZ Reader. The screen is better for reading than I was afraid it would be, actually it's better than I hoped it would be. I did have to bold the font, but I'm VERY pleased with this!

02-14-2009, 03:10 PM	#5
Elsi Wizard Posts: 2,366 Karma: 12000 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Texas, USA Device: Kindle; Sony PRS 505; Blackberry 8700C	I keep one book on the Blackberry for what I call "stealth reading". Say you're sitting in one of those boring corporate meetings. You look at your pal who has pulled out his Blackberry (or iPhone) and is scanning his e-mail. You smile, whip out your Blackberry, and sneak a quick chapter of your latest book. Everyone around you thinks you're doing something work-related and instead you're having fun.

02-14-2009, 03:38 PM	#6
phenomshel ZCD BombShel Posts: 4,793 Karma: 8293322 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: The Frozen North (aka Illinois, USA) Device: iPad, STB Kindle Oasis	Yeah, I don't think I'll be keeping my whole library on it (though I could, this thing takes up to a 32 gig micro sdhc card), but I'll definitely be carrying a few books with me for "emergencies". It may, however, replace my mp3 player - not only does it hold more, it sounds better.

03-05-2009, 10:23 AM	#9
Wrong Writer Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: None	Something I don't understand here. OK, you install a reader on Blackberry to read books. But doesn't it ALREADY COME with a browser? Meaning that you can read books in html or pdf format as is?

03-05-2009, 03:01 PM	#12
PinkBlythe Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: iPhone, soon Kindle or txtr	yes, some Blackberrys have wifi - like my 8900.

03-07-2009, 04:56 PM	#13
Wrong Writer Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: None	OK, bear with me because I'm trying to understand and don't own a Blackberry myself. If your BB doesn't have wifi, how would you load a book into it? USB? Dock? Memory slot? And however you do it, couldn't you load up an html book as easy as a mobipocket book? And if it doesn't come with a browser, wouldn't it be easier to install a mobile Opera or Firefox brower than the mobipocket reader? (If it does, it seems like it would be a waste of space to have both) Also wondering, just how much space does a BB have? How many books would it be practical to have aboard? Thanks

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