How to download Sony ebooks with Calibre?

[javajoe]

Dear All,

Im a newbie, so apologies for being naive.

I cant seem to figure out how to download/purchase Sony ebooks with Calibre? When I go to the Sony Ebook site it says I need to installed the Sony program....Am i missing something here.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by javajoe

Dear All,

Im a newbie, so apologies for being naive.

I cant seem to figure out how to download/purchase Sony ebooks with Calibre? When I go to the Sony Ebook site it says I need to installed the Sony program....Am i missing something here.

To purchase from the Sony store you need Sony's reader program just like they stated.

[HistoryWes]

Originally Posted by dwanthny

To purchase from the Sony store you need Sony's reader program just like they stated.

Absolutely true. I only use Sony's reader program to buy books on their site. I then import them into Calibre. I do the same thing with other books. I have a book download folder that I download books into (natch) and once I import them into Calibre (which then makes a copy of them in its own file system), I delete them from the download directory.

[rcrh]

Originally Posted by HistoryWes

Absolutely true. I only use Sony's reader program to buy books on their site. I then import them into Calibre. I do the same thing with other books. I have a book download folder that I download books into (natch) and once I import them into Calibre (which then makes a copy of them in its own file system), I delete them from the download directory.

So, how does Calibre deal with Sony's DRM? Does it strip it off? If not, how can you then send your books to your reader using Calibre?

Maybe there's some magic here that I'm missing.

thanks in advance.

[chaley]

Calibre can copy DRMed books from here to there. Importing into calibre is a copy into the library. Sending to device is a copy from the library. What calibre can't do is open them for reading, convert them a different format, or otherwise see the book's content.

In order to read the book, the device must be authorized. This is done with either Adobe Digital Editions or Sony Reader. My guess is that you have already done it.

[Chrysanthemum]

Originally Posted by rcrh

So, how does Calibre deal with Sony's DRM? Does it strip it off? If not, how can you then send your books to your reader using Calibre?

Maybe there's some magic here that I'm missing.

thanks in advance.

After you have installed the Sony software, and purchased the book you want, you must authorize your computer and eReader device with Adobe Digital Editions.

http://www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/

This allows you to read your legally purchased Sony books on your eReader. This is a recent change for Sony. I have been using a Sony for over a year, as well as a recently purchased Nook. When the change occurred Sony did not make it clear that authorizing with Adobe was now a requirement. That was one frustrating day when suddenly all my purchased books were locked!

Once you have registered with Adobe, connect your eReader to your computer with Adobe Digital Editions open. Adobe will detect an eReader and will ask you if you want to authorize it for your Adobe account. You are allowed up to 6 devices at this time.

After this point, Calibre will be able to import (and allow you to read) the books by using the Add Books tab, when you select the Sony ebook folder, and then the book you want to add.


Just curious, are you going to be using a Sony eReader, or another one/just computer? If you will be using a Sony one, Calibre is more than you need for just loading ebooks from Sony or any free source or even documents. Sony readers are capable of reading many formats that other readers are not. And their software is easy to use. But if you are using a different eReader (such as I am by also using a Nook) that needs specific file types, Calibre allows you to add those Sony books to your reader, as well as making ePub files and getting those news sources for free that Sony charges for.

[Worldwalker]

You should also check out the world of DRM-free ebooks. Not every author or publisher thinks their readers are their blood enemies. I buy from Baen (Webscriptions), BookView Cafe, and just recently BeWrite. There are more good books in the world than I could read in ten lifetimes (and as fast as I read them, they keep writing more!), so for every book that I choose not to buy in order to avoid voting in favor of DRM with my wallet, there are at least two more I can read instead. This has also helped expand my reading horizons (I didn't realize how badly I'd become stuck in "safe" genres/authors/publishers, and how many treasures I was missing). And, of course, I don't have to worry about all my books locking their covers shut forever. After all, I bought an ebook reader to make my life easier, not harder.

I disagree that Calibre is overkill for just one computer and one device. Being able to put your books into collections without having to drag them around, using Calibre's tags and metadata, etc., is a huge thing. If you're just buying DRM-locked books from the Sony bookstore once a month or so, true, you can get by with the Sony software. But if that's all you're going to do, pbooks are probably a better deal. I've done it both ways, and managing 2500 books with Calibre is less hassle than managing 25 books with the Sony software (admittedly, last year's version). As always, of course, your mileage may vary.

[Chrysanthemum]

Originally Posted by Worldwalker

I disagree that Calibre is overkill for just one computer and one device. Being able to put your books into collections without having to drag them around, using Calibre's tags and metadata, etc., is a huge thing. If you're just buying DRM-locked books from the Sony bookstore once a month or so, true, you can get by with the Sony software. But if that's all you're going to do, pbooks are probably a better deal. I've done it both ways, and managing 2500 books with Calibre is less hassle than managing 25 books with the Sony software (admittedly, last year's version). As always, of course, your mileage may vary.

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply Calibre was overkill. Just that if the OP just wants to be able buy a few books from Sony and read them, then Sony's software is sufficient for that purpose. I agree that Calibre has many uses well beyond what the Sony software can do though.

Having put rtf files on my Sony for a while, and now learning how to make those files into ePubs on Calibre, I discovered that Calibre's end-product looked much better on the eReaders than an rtf file does by itself. I just didn't know what I was missing all these months by not using Calibre!