New to eBooks!

[church mouse]

Originally Posted by stumped

that is misleading, they can be read on any device capable of running the kindle for xxx app: e.g. Pcs, Mac, ipads, android tablets....

simply install the free app and link it to your amazon account, download the books. no drm stripping or hard technical skills needed. if you can install an app then you are good to go

Apologies - you are correct. I think of the Kindle App as Kindle, but that does not excuse the inaccuracy in my post.

[ZodWallop]

You might be best buying a Paperwhite, not a Voyage. Use it for a while, get used to the world of e-books. Find what you like and what you don't and then when it's time for a newer device, you'll have some experience under your belt.

I don't own a Kindle, but for an e-book newbie, they are a nice place to start and almost foolproof.

Besides the PDFs you mentioned, do you already have some e-books?

[mistermr]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

You might be best buying a Paperwhite, not a Voyage. Use it for a while, get used to the world of e-books. Find what you like and what you don't and then when it's time for a newer device, you'll have some experience under your belt.

I don't own a Kindle, but for an e-book newbie, they are a nice place to start and almost foolproof.

Besides the PDFs you mentioned, do you already have some e-books?

Howdy to everyone;

I'm grateful for all the responses.

At the moment I only have some PDF files, however I've bought books from amazon and admire their diverse range of books. I don't like carrying books on travels so I'm looking into the eBook reader alternative thus a tablet is out of scope. I want to be able to read in bed without annoying my partner so the back light is an important feature.

So what differs paper white from a voyage?

/mistermr

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

You might be best buying a Paperwhite, not a Voyage. Use it for a while, get used to the world of e-books. Find what you like and what you don't and then when it's time for a newer device, you'll have some experience under your belt.

I don't own a Kindle, but for an e-book newbie, they are a nice place to start and almost foolproof.

Besides the PDFs you mentioned, do you already have some e-books?

Given that the OP wants a device that can read all formats including PDF, there is no Kindle that will do what the OP wants. That is why I am suggesting an 8" or 9.7" Reader that uses Android and allows apps to be installed. This way the OP can have the ability to handle more formats and better handle PDF.

[church mouse]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Given that the OP wants a device that can read all formats including PDF, there is no Kindle that will do what the OP wants. That is why I am suggesting an 8" or 9.7" Reader that uses Android and allows apps to be installed. This way the OP can have the ability to handle more formats and better handle PDF.

I understand what you are saying, but do you not agree that the Kindle app on an e-ink Android reader is quite sub-optimal? Potentially, the OP would be left with a poor reading experience for the Kindle books.

If the OP wanted to get in to drm stripping, then an Android e-ink reader would be more viable.

@mistermr

The Paperwhite and Voyage have the same screen, but perhaps the two major differences are the Voyage has automatic frontlight adjustment (Paperwhite is manual) and page turn buttons/sensors (the Paperwhite requires the user to touch the screen).

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Given that the OP wants a device that can read all formats including PDF, there is no Kindle that will do what the OP wants. That is why I am suggesting an 8" or 9.7" Reader that uses Android and allows apps to be installed. This way the OP can have the ability to handle more formats and better handle PDF.

You are selling a Maserati to a new driver. The OP said they've bought all their books from Amazon and seems unclear as to what they mean when they say they want to handle "all formats". From the original post and their answer to my questions, a Kindle seems like an obvious choice.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by mistermr

Howdy to everyone;

I'm grateful for all the responses.

At the moment I only have some PDF files, however I've bought books from amazon and admire their diverse range of books. I don't like carrying books on travels so I'm looking into the eBook reader alternative thus a tablet is out of scope. I want to be able to read in bed without annoying my partner so the back light is an important feature.

So what differs paper white from a voyage?

/mistermr

If you've bought books from Amazon in the past and you buy a Kindle, when you sign in to your Amazon account, all those books will show up on it.

The Paperwhite and the Voyage have the same screen and operating system. The Voyage has a nicer build (metal chassis) and a few bells and whistles (auto-adjusting light, semi-buttons for page turns). The Voyage is very nice.

The reason I mentioned the Paperwhite is that this is your first e-reader and the Paperwhite is cheaper (in case you don't like it).

In fact, for less than the cost of a Voyage, you could get a Paperwhite and a cheap Fire tablet to handle those PDFs you mentioned. E-ink readers can handle PDFs, but they don't handle them well. The best e-ink reader is likely to give a worse PDF experience than the cheapest tablet.

[stumped]

clarify - when the OP says he's bought books from amazon, he may mean printed paper books. he needs to know that you don't get free e-versions of those automatically.
if you don't need a reader with a built in light, then the basic kindle is cheaper than the paperwhite, and so is another possible starting point.
Also, I recommend checking out the prices of all the amazon range. it is no longer the case that tablets cost more than e-ink - the cheapest fire tablet is much cheaper than the kindle paperwhite ,and the e-ink kindle oasis is I think more expensive than any current range fire tablet.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by stumped

clarify - when the OP says he's bought books from amazon, he may mean printed paper books. he needs to know that you don't get free e-versions of those automatically.

I asked what, if any, e-books he already had. But you may still be right.

if you don't need a reader with a built in light, then the basic kindle is cheaper than the paperwhite, and so is another possible starting point.

Egads! No front light and a lower resolution screen. I'd avoid the basic Kindle.

Also, I recommend checking out the prices of all the amazon range. it is no longer the case that tablets cost more than e-ink - the cheapest fire tablet is much cheaper than the kindle paperwhite ,and the e-ink kindle oasis is I think more expensive than any current range fire tablet.

Yeah, but they aren't e-ink. Otherwise a tablet would be the ideal solution to his dilemma. And at that point, I'd buy a non-Amazon tablet.

[Sydney's Mom]

I have a paperwhite, and use Calibre. I have had no problems with any formats; Calibre converts them flawlessly, if they do not have DRM. I read library books and purchased books from Amazon.

Be careful. After 8 years, I have a problem readying a paper book. It just seems so clumsy. I originally bought the kindle for exactly the reason you mentioned-bringing books on vacation.

The main advantage to the paperwhite versus the tablet is if you want to read in bed ort outside in the sun. A tablet is less than ideal for both of those. i found it took me longer to fall asleep when I read on a tablet in bed, versus a paperwhite.

[JSWolf]

The problem is the OP is saying eBooks from Amazon AND PDF. Kindle's are not good for PDF. The screens are too small. So for PDF, you need something bigger than 6". So that leaves out Kindles and that Denver Reader.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The problem is the OP is saying eBooks from Amazon AND PDF. Kindle's are not good for PDF. The screens are too small. So for PDF, you need something bigger than 6". So that leaves out Kindles and that Denver Reader.

I guess it all depends on how important PDFs really are to the person. If they have just a couple of PDFs, the Kindle may be fine. Then again, if PDFs are a big thing, the user would likely be better off with a tablet.

No e-ink reader seems to be good with PDF. Some are just less bad than others.

[mistermr]

Originally Posted by church mouse

Kindle books are essentially in azw or KF8 formats. Both are locked with drm (usually) and cannot be read on a non-Kindle device without stripping the drm.

The easiest way to get your Kindle book on to your Kindle device, is by connecting the device to the internet (wifi or 3g - depending upon your Kindle) and downloading directly on to the Kindle. Alternatively, one can download to a computer and then sideload.

Hi again

Is it possible to convert .azw or kf8 to other formats without any legal infringement?

/mistermr

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by mistermr

Is it possible to convert .azw or kf8 to other formats without any legal infringement?

If they don't have DRM, yes. Format shifting is allowed. Circomventing DRM to do so may or may not be legal, depending on where you are and what your local laws say about it.

[stumped]

i am not sure that format shifting for all media is 100% legal in all countries, if we are going to get all legalistic about it. But I have never read of anyone being sued for altering their copy of a purchased e-book.

pedantically, here's no way to format shift a kindle book delivered by amazon without stripping the DRM first,

but if you edit a file only for your own private use, not to re-sell or share , then
1) where's the harm, 2) who's to know