Anothe newbie question

ernietd · 01-07-2008, 05:04 PM

I've been lurking for quite a while, but now have some specific questions.

I want an e-ink reader, first because it seems like fun and second because my eyes are getting bad. I don't need "large type" books yet, but a little bigger type would be wonderful.

I get most of my books from my public library. Although they don't yet offer e books, they usually adopt things after they've been around for a few years, so I expect they will soon.

For those of you who's public libraries offer e-books, which formats do they use. I get most of my books from the library, I couldn't possibly afford to buy as much as I read.

My research indicates that, although I read mostly fiction, the Iliad is the best bet for me mostly because of the bigger screen, but also because as Adam B points out on his website, I could get a planner and do suduko, and maybe even crosswords.

My question re that is, is it too techie for me? I wouldn't mind paying my computer guy to come out and set it up, but I wouldn't want him coming over everyday to download a new book for me.

Although this is a big purchase for me, it's not the biggest I've ever made, but for one reason or another I'm stressing out about like crazy. I guess I've got such a close relationship with my books that I'm terrified of letting anything come between us.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Ernie

RWood · 01-07-2008, 07:38 PM

First, welcome to MobileRead.

Second, if your library is like mine then the ebooks that they lend are expiring PDFs. I know that the Sony Reader will not read them and even my home PC (Windows XP) is not crazy about them. Give your library a call or check on their website.

I have not heard of any eink device that will read protected or expiring PDFs. (I have been wrong before, this would not be the first time if I am wrong.)

With Adam's instructions and help you should not need your computer guy to set things up. He is most likely as new to the devices as you are. For downloading and putting ebooks on your device that should be a piece of cake (after the first few.)

Alisa · 01-07-2008, 08:14 PM

My library also has a few expiring Mobipocket books but the vast majority are DRM-ed PDFs. I think the Iliad can read those, but I may be wrong. Hopefully someone here will correct me if I am. I believe the Cybook can read the Mobipocket books as long as the clock is synched with your PC. If you power it all the way down, you have to resynch, though. It's such a shame that we can't take full advantage of our libraries with these readers.

Ordinaryuser · 01-12-2008, 01:23 PM

ernietd,
I don't have an e device yet either but have been reading ebooks from an east TN library for about a year. I also have problems with small fonts so I finally bought a 22 inch LCD screen on sale ($269) so that I could see more easily. My library uses the Adobe drm'ed expiring format. It is easy to set up and although the library told me to use Adobe 7.0, the books work fine with the 8.1 Adobe Digital Editions. After the book expires, (or if you send it back or delete it as the software says), you still have to manually go to My Digital Editions folder on your computer and delete the book yourself other wise it just takes up disk space. Don't expect your librarian to know much about Adobe and even the TN administrator didn't seem to know much about questions that I had. My library primarily has best sellers, romance novels and a small mixture of sfi/fantsay novels. Sometime I have even been able to read a novel before it was available at Amazon in hardcover (amazingly). I would recommend this as a way to read e books but like the other posters, don't know of a device that you could read the library ebooks on. Hope this helps a little. I'm still deciding on a ebook reader my self!

HarryT · 01-13-2008, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alisa

My library also has a few expiring Mobipocket books but the vast majority are DRM-ed PDFs. I think the Iliad can read those, but I may be wrong. Hopefully someone here will correct me if I am. I believe the Cybook can read the Mobipocket books as long as the clock is synched with your PC. If you power it all the way down, you have to resynch, though. It's such a shame that we can't take full advantage of our libraries with these readers.

No, the iLiad can't read them, I'm afraid. The only way to read them that I'm aware of is with the Adobe software on a PC.

wallcraft · 01-13-2008, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alisa

My library also has a few expiring Mobipocket books but the vast majority are DRM-ed PDFs. I think the Iliad can read those, but I may be wrong.

I assume the iLiad can read time-limited MobiPocket books, although I have never tried and can't recall any comments about this one way or the other. The Cybook can also read library MOBIs, and the Kindle could read them but Amazon has decided not to allow this (presumably because they want you to buy books, not borrow them from the library).

No e-book device can currently read DRMed PDFs, although Adobe Digital Editions should be on the Sony PRS-505 "soon" and this might (or might not) allow you to read library PDFs.

HarryT · 01-13-2008, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallcraft

although Adobe Digital Editions should be on the Sony PRS-505 "soon" and this might (or might not) allow you to read library PDFs.

What is your definition of "soon" in this particular context?

01-07-2008, 05:04 PM	#1
ernietd Member Posts: 10 Karma: 14 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: none	Anothe newbie question I've been lurking for quite a while, but now have some specific questions. I want an e-ink reader, first because it seems like fun and second because my eyes are getting bad. I don't need "large type" books yet, but a little bigger type would be wonderful. I get most of my books from my public library. Although they don't yet offer e books, they usually adopt things after they've been around for a few years, so I expect they will soon. For those of you who's public libraries offer e-books, which formats do they use. I get most of my books from the library, I couldn't possibly afford to buy as much as I read. My research indicates that, although I read mostly fiction, the Iliad is the best bet for me mostly because of the bigger screen, but also because as Adam B points out on his website, I could get a planner and do suduko, and maybe even crosswords. My question re that is, is it too techie for me? I wouldn't mind paying my computer guy to come out and set it up, but I wouldn't want him coming over everyday to download a new book for me. Although this is a big purchase for me, it's not the biggest I've ever made, but for one reason or another I'm stressing out about like crazy. I guess I've got such a close relationship with my books that I'm terrified of letting anything come between us. Thanks in advance for any help. Ernie Last edited by ernietd; 01-07-2008 at 05:06 PM. Reason: grammar

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01-07-2008, 07:38 PM	#2
RWood Technogeezer Posts: 7,233 Karma: 1601464 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Sony PRS-500	First, welcome to MobileRead. Second, if your library is like mine then the ebooks that they lend are expiring PDFs. I know that the Sony Reader will not read them and even my home PC (Windows XP) is not crazy about them. Give your library a call or check on their website. I have not heard of any eink device that will read protected or expiring PDFs. (I have been wrong before, this would not be the first time if I am wrong.) With Adam's instructions and help you should not need your computer guy to set things up. He is most likely as new to the devices as you are. For downloading and putting ebooks on your device that should be a piece of cake (after the first few.)

01-07-2008, 08:14 PM	#3
Alisa Gadget Geek Posts: 2,324 Karma: 22221 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Paperwhite, Kindle 3 (retired), Skindle 1.2 (retired)	My library also has a few expiring Mobipocket books but the vast majority are DRM-ed PDFs. I think the Iliad can read those, but I may be wrong. Hopefully someone here will correct me if I am. I believe the Cybook can read the Mobipocket books as long as the clock is synched with your PC. If you power it all the way down, you have to resynch, though. It's such a shame that we can't take full advantage of our libraries with these readers.

01-12-2008, 01:23 PM	#4
Ordinaryuser Enthusiast Posts: 32 Karma: 144 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: East TN Device: Kindle Touch, Nook Reader	ernietd, I don't have an e device yet either but have been reading ebooks from an east TN library for about a year. I also have problems with small fonts so I finally bought a 22 inch LCD screen on sale ($269) so that I could see more easily. My library uses the Adobe drm'ed expiring format. It is easy to set up and although the library told me to use Adobe 7.0, the books work fine with the 8.1 Adobe Digital Editions. After the book expires, (or if you send it back or delete it as the software says), you still have to manually go to My Digital Editions folder on your computer and delete the book yourself other wise it just takes up disk space. Don't expect your librarian to know much about Adobe and even the TN administrator didn't seem to know much about questions that I had. My library primarily has best sellers, romance novels and a small mixture of sfi/fantsay novels. Sometime I have even been able to read a novel before it was available at Amazon in hardcover (amazingly). I would recommend this as a way to read e books but like the other posters, don't know of a device that you could read the library ebooks on. Hope this helps a little. I'm still deciding on a ebook reader my self!