New to eBooking

[lilfoot]

I tried searching the forums but came up with nothing... :/
I just got a PRS-600 and I was wondering if the software that came with it is the best solution to organizing files/books?
I tried to add a word document and it couldn't convert to an RTF because I don't have MS Word (only OpenOffice).
Also I want to be able to easily synch up RSS feeds and have a set number of the latest updates downloaded into my device. It doesn't seem like the eBook Library software supports this...
Can anyone help? Thank you!

[AnemicOak]

Check out Calibre

[pilotbob]

Check out calibre. There is a large user base of it here on MR, including the primary developer.

http://calibre.kovidgoyal.net/

BOb

[Patricia]

Welcome to the forum, lilfoot.
Can you save your doc in rtf format in Open Office?

As for your other requests, go and look at the Calibre section of the forum. Calibre is a rather brilliant free program, designed by Kovid Goyal, which allows you to convert books, synch things and organises your library.

[nomesque]

Originally Posted by lilfoot

I tried searching the forums but came up with nothing... :/
I just got a PRS-600 and I was wondering if the software that came with it is the best solution to organizing files/books?
I tried to add a word document and it couldn't convert to an RTF because I don't have MS Word (only OpenOffice).
Also I want to be able to easily synch up RSS feeds and have a set number of the latest updates downloaded into my device. It doesn't seem like the eBook Library software supports this...
Can anyone help? Thank you!

You'll probably get some better answers in the next day or so, but just in case all the PRS-knowledgable people are asleep - you should be able to open the .doc file in OpenOffice and save it as a .rtf?

[Scarpad]

Another Recommendation for Calibre, it's how I organize and transfer my Ebook collection, I only use the Official software if I am going to buy from Sony's store.

[DixieGal]

I'm low tech. I save everything in a desktop folder called "ebooks" and then plug in the reader, open the device in "my computer," and click until you get to "media" folder, then drag those books from the desktop folder into the media folder. No need for the library software anyway.

Now, right click on the icon for your Word doc, then select "open with" and click on Wordpad or something. That should let you save it as a txt or rtf thing. If it has lots of charts or drawings or pics, well, yer on yer own.

[susan_cassidy]

In OpenOffice, I often save .doc files as html for conversion. OpenOffice's html is much better than Word's.

[dura]

Calibre is great but it doesn't yet support my PRS300, so I fear it will be the same for the PRS600.
Not all is lost though, Calibre support for the new readers is on its way I heart.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by dura

Calibre is great but it doesn't yet support my PRS300, so I fear it will be the same for the PRS600.
Not all is lost though, Calibre support for the new readers is on its way I heart.

AFAIK Kovid already has it working with the 600 and I'm sure he'll have it working with the 300 once he has whatever info he needs.

[lilfoot]

Thank you, you've all been very helpful.
Also for other newbs like me, using Calibre might have some battery-draining issues as opposed to the built in software.
But I'm still trying to figure this one out.

[khalleron]

Originally Posted by lilfoot

Thank you, you've all been very helpful.
Also for other newbs like me, using Calibre might have some battery-draining issues as opposed to the built in software.
But I'm still trying to figure this one out.

Calibre sits on your computer, not your ereader, so it doesn't affect the battery.

[lilfoot]

Originally Posted by khalleron

Calibre sits on your computer, not your ereader, so it doesn't affect the battery.

Right, but I have two laptops. Once has eBook Library, the other has calibre.
I left the prs600 plugged into the one that has calibre, with calibre running, all night long. I wake up next morning and I check the ereader, and the battery was completely drained.

But once I installed eBook Library, the prs600 charged.
I dunno...it might not be calibre. But even if I hadn't plugged it in, I'm assuming the battery shouldn't have drained COMPLETELY.
Either way, I'll try to do some testing and figure it out.

[dordale]

I really don't think it has anything to do with Calibre. I think you might have to have the Sony software installed on your computer for your reader to charge properly though. When you plug it in, as long as the red light on the reader (I'm assuming that the 300's have the same red light the 505's do) is on, the reader is charging.

I do know that I had my reader plugged in to my computer, but used the button to eject it within the reader software. At that point, the battery stopped charging and actually started draining.

By the way you can have the Sony Reader software and Calibre installed on the same computer, just don't run them at the same time with your reader connected.

dordale

[khalleron]

Originally Posted by lilfoot

Right, but I have two laptops. Once has eBook Library, the other has calibre.
I left the prs600 plugged into the one that has calibre, with calibre running, all night long. I wake up next morning and I check the ereader, and the battery was completely drained.

But once I installed eBook Library, the prs600 charged.
I dunno...it might not be calibre. But even if I hadn't plugged it in, I'm assuming the battery shouldn't have drained COMPLETELY.
Either way, I'll try to do some testing and figure it out.

If your computer shut down or went to sleep with your reader connected, that would drain the battery.

I don't charge my 505 through the USB, but whenever I move books to my reader with Calibre, the battery charges a little while it's connected, so I really doubt it's Calibre draining your battery.

I don't use the Sony software at all except to check for freebies from the Store.