Confused on PW models & jailbreaking

ksburgess · 02-22-2018, 10:20 AM

I am considering getting a PW - I have a 3 year old Fire that I really use only for reading and think a PW might be better for my needs. I use Calibre to manage our ebooks and Calibre Companion on the Fire. That works really well.

We homeschool and I use tags to organize via grade level and subject so it's easy to find what I need at the moment. Plus my own personal books are organized with tags.

It looks to me like a jailbreak and Calibre Collections is the best way to manage books in a similar fashion.

From what I'm seeing, the newest PaperWhite cannot be jailbroken? Should I look at a refurbished older model? Is there a certain firmware I need to look at?

Or is there another option using the newest other than manually adding to collections (I have found some tips for doing that quickly if need be, but it doesn't sound ideal).

Any help is greatly appreciated - or if there's a guide that really breaks down which generations are available, which can be jailbroken, etc. I can look at that. I'm just honestly not sure which generation the current PW on Amazon is, the firmware, etc...

Thank you!

datanoise · 02-22-2018, 12:02 PM

Even refurbished or second hand, you cannot be sure that the firmware won't be already upgraded. But if you end up with a unit non-downgradable, you can lock future upgrades and wait until a jailbreak is possible.

Note that several people have been able to downgrade and jailbreak their recently bought pw3... even a new unit might come to you with a firmware that will let you downgrade & jailbreak!

knc1 · 02-22-2018, 12:35 PM

Read post above ^^^
+
Once jail broken, we have an add-in that will create collections on the Kindle from Calibre.
Also, you can add KOreader, which supports many more book file formats than a stock Kindle.

The PW3, a three year old model Kindle, is still the best value for the price.
Even Amazon claims that is its best selling model, and I don't buy that many of them.

(This isn't a Facebook trending scam.)

Also consider the "refurbished" PW3 devices you can purchase through Amazon.
I don't recall any complaints about those and you might save a few bucks.

ksburgess · 02-22-2018, 09:08 PM

Thanks guys, that helps. I think I'll go with the PW3 and hope that it comes to me with a firmware version I can jailbreak

badgoodDeb · 02-23-2018, 01:50 PM

With no jailbreaks involved, Amazon's built in cloud collections is pretty good, I find. You don't have to add items one at a time -- it's available online, from your Mac/PC. Click Manage Your Content and Devices. Checkmark a bunch of books (maybe that you found by authors, or something in the title). This will enable a button marked "Add to Collections". So you can add a bunch of things at a time, into a collection. At Mac/PC speed, without the delay that comes from doing it *on* the Kindle device.

ksburgess · 03-01-2018, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

With no jailbreaks involved, Amazon's built in cloud collections is pretty good, I find. You don't have to add items one at a time -- it's available online, from your Mac/PC. Click Manage Your Content and Devices. Checkmark a bunch of books (maybe that you found by authors, or something in the title). This will enable a button marked "Add to Collections". So you can add a bunch of things at a time, into a collection. At Mac/PC speed, without the delay that comes from doing it *on* the Kindle device.

Okay, got my new Paperwhite for my birthday today and it's at 5.8.11, so it looks like I'm going to be trying this route for the Amazon content, and I'll have to manually add side-loaded books to collections.

ilovejedd · 03-01-2018, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ksburgess

Okay, got my new Paperwhite for my birthday today and it's at 5.8.11, so it looks like I'm going to be trying this route for the Amazon content, and I'll have to manually add side-loaded books to collections.

Just a comment, you can't use the website method to add ebooks side-loaded via USB to your Kindle collections. It does work for "Docs" emailed to your Kindle though.

You can still add ebooks side-loaded via USB to Cloud Collections directly on the Kindle. It just doesn't carryover if, for example, you get an Oasis 2 or a newer model to replace your Paperwhite.

ksburgess · 03-01-2018, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

Just a comment, you can't use the website method to add ebooks side-loaded via USB to your Kindle collections. It does work for "Docs" emailed to your Kindle though.

You can still add ebooks side-loaded via USB to Cloud Collections directly on the Kindle. It just doesn't carryover if, for example, you get an Oasis 2 or a newer model to replace your Paperwhite.

Yep, that's why I said I'll have to manually add the side-loaded ones

In case it helps anyone else, the method June describes in this thread has been pretty quick for helping me get homeschool texts added to collections:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh....php?p=3634610

badgoodDeb · 03-01-2018, 01:24 PM

That does look like a cool technique! Remember though, that if book XYZ was already ON the kindle then it won't show up as newer-than your marker book. I.E. You may have to look around for books you've sideloaded or downloaded previously. I have that problem when "sending" Amazon books to my Mom, several states away. If I sent it before, then it doesn't pop up at the top. She has to look for it among the older stuff.

ilovejedd · 03-01-2018, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ksburgess

Yep, that's why I said I'll have to manually add the side-loaded ones

In case it helps anyone else, the method June describes in this thread has been pretty quick for helping me get homeschool texts added to collections:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh....php?p=3634610

Lol, didn't realize someone made a write-up.

Anyway, I've done the same thing when transferring small batches. Alas, it doesn't really work when adding a library of 2,000+ books (hence, I'm searching for a Paperwhite alternative with better collections support).

ksburgess · 03-01-2018, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

That does look like a cool technique! Remember though, that if book XYZ was already ON the kindle then it won't show up as newer-than your marker book. I.E. You may have to look around for books you've sideloaded or downloaded previously. I have that problem when "sending" Amazon books to my Mom, several states away. If I sent it before, then it doesn't pop up at the top. She has to look for it among the older stuff.

Yeah I noticed that happen with a couple of books that are multi-year books for homeschool. I had to hunt to add them to Year 4 after having brought them in initially for Year 2.

Since I had to highlight them in Calibre to transfer, I left Calibre sitting as-is when I ejected the Kindle. Then I could see the list of books I needed to hunt up (the ones that weren't highlighted due to already being on the device).

A little more time but still not bad

ksburgess · 03-01-2018, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

Lol, didn't realize someone made a write-up.

Anyway, I've done the same thing when transferring small batches. Alas, it doesn't really work when adding a library of 2,000+ books (hence, I'm searching for a Paperwhite alternative with better collections support).

Wow we are at 1000+ in Calibre but fortunately I don't need ALL Of them on the PW at a time

It does sound like a hassle, especially if you can't have Calibre easily transfer things over. I do already miss Calibre Companion...

ilovejedd · 03-01-2018, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ksburgess

Wow we are at 1000+ in Calibre but fortunately I don't need ALL Of them on the PW at a time

It does sound like a hassle, especially if you can't have Calibre easily transfer things over. I do already miss Calibre Companion...

One reason I use tablets for reading is because I don't have to connect it to the PC all the time. Those 2K ebooks are fanfics dumped to Dropbox via tablet over the past 2-3 years. That's already de-duplicated via Calibre, original count was ~3-4K because of all the updates for in-progress fics.

The Paperwhite is great for books purchased from Amazon but if I have to plug it to the PC too often to load it with content, I'll never use it. Which actually did happen. I think last time I used the darned thing was back in 2015. I just couldn't be bothered sideloading fanfics by USB every single day but downloading via web browser is an exercise in frustration. Alas, LCD screens give me migraines so I'm loading up the Kindle given I'm finally organizing my fics anyway.

Mind, I'm planning to buy a Boyue T65 and install Calibre Companion on it.

knc1 · 03-02-2018, 01:18 AM

Why are you not using Calibre + LibarianSync on your Kindle now?

ilovejedd · 03-02-2018, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knc1

Why are you not using Calibre + LibarianSync on your Kindle now?

I thought LibrarianSync required jailbreak? Never really bothered with jailbreaking my Kindle so now it's already too late (running 5.9.4).

02-22-2018, 10:20 AM	#1
ksburgess Member Posts: 15 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: netbook	Confused on PW models & jailbreaking I am considering getting a PW - I have a 3 year old Fire that I really use only for reading and think a PW might be better for my needs. I use Calibre to manage our ebooks and Calibre Companion on the Fire. That works really well. We homeschool and I use tags to organize via grade level and subject so it's easy to find what I need at the moment. Plus my own personal books are organized with tags. It looks to me like a jailbreak and Calibre Collections is the best way to manage books in a similar fashion. From what I'm seeing, the newest PaperWhite cannot be jailbroken? Should I look at a refurbished older model? Is there a certain firmware I need to look at? Or is there another option using the newest other than manually adding to collections (I have found some tips for doing that quickly if need be, but it doesn't sound ideal). Any help is greatly appreciated - or if there's a guide that really breaks down which generations are available, which can be jailbroken, etc. I can look at that. I'm just honestly not sure which generation the current PW on Amazon is, the firmware, etc... Thank you!

02-22-2018, 12:35 PM	#3
knc1 Going Viral Posts: 17,212 Karma: 18210809 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Central Texas Device: No K1, PW2, KV, KOA	Read post above ^^^ + Once jail broken, we have an add-in that will create collections on the Kindle from Calibre. Also, you can add KOreader, which supports many more book file formats than a stock Kindle. The PW3, a three year old model Kindle, is still the best value for the price. Even Amazon claims that is its best selling model, and I don't buy that many of them. (This isn't a Facebook trending scam.) Also consider the "refurbished" PW3 devices you can purchase through Amazon. I don't recall any complaints about those and you might save a few bucks. Last edited by knc1; 02-22-2018 at 12:38 PM.

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02-22-2018, 12:02 PM	#2
datanoise Groupie Posts: 175 Karma: 14110 Join Date: Aug 2016 Device: SuperNote A5X	Even refurbished or second hand, you cannot be sure that the firmware won't be already upgraded. But if you end up with a unit non-downgradable, you can lock future upgrades and wait until a jailbreak is possible. Note that several people have been able to downgrade and jailbreak their recently bought pw3... even a new unit might come to you with a firmware that will let you downgrade & jailbreak!

02-22-2018, 09:08 PM	#4
ksburgess Member Posts: 15 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: netbook	Thanks guys, that helps. I think I'll go with the PW3 and hope that it comes to me with a firmware version I can jailbreak

02-23-2018, 01:50 PM	#5
badgoodDeb Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,539 Karma: 64201357 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Harrisburg outskirts Device: Palms, K1-4s, iPads, iPhones, KV, KO1	With no jailbreaks involved, Amazon's built in cloud collections is pretty good, I find. You don't have to add items one at a time -- it's available online, from your Mac/PC. Click Manage Your Content and Devices. Checkmark a bunch of books (maybe that you found by authors, or something in the title). This will enable a button marked "Add to Collections". So you can add a bunch of things at a time, into a collection. At Mac/PC speed, without the delay that comes from doing it on the Kindle device.

03-01-2018, 01:24 PM	#9
badgoodDeb Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,539 Karma: 64201357 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Harrisburg outskirts Device: Palms, K1-4s, iPads, iPhones, KV, KO1	That does look like a cool technique! Remember though, that if book XYZ was already ON the kindle then it won't show up as newer-than your marker book. I.E. You may have to look around for books you've sideloaded or downloaded previously. I have that problem when "sending" Amazon books to my Mom, several states away. If I sent it before, then it doesn't pop up at the top. She has to look for it among the older stuff.

03-02-2018, 01:18 AM	#14
knc1 Going Viral Posts: 17,212 Karma: 18210809 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Central Texas Device: No K1, PW2, KV, KOA	Why are you not using Calibre + LibarianSync on your Kindle now?