Questions from a potential defector

KDawg · 03-04-2009, 02:51 PM

I have a Sony PRS-505 now but I am truly tired of being tethered to the lousy Sony software (not to mention the lousy Adobe software for DRM PDFs) on a virtual Winows machine on my Mac. The tetherless promise of the Kindle has a lot of appeal. Apologies if these questions have been answered elsewhere:

1. Can I manage more than just the books I purchase from Amazon on their website/bookshelf? It would be nice to be able to store all my favorite public domain stuff in the same place.

2. Do I understand this correctly - while browsing uploads here at mobileread I can grab one of those .prc files and email it directly to my Kindle?

3. Any other obstacles to going tetherless - just a browser wherever I am and a Kindle with the radio turned on?

Thanks in advance.

whitearrow · 03-04-2009, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KDawg

1. Can I manage more than just the books I purchase from Amazon on their website/bookshelf? It would be nice to be able to store all my favorite public domain stuff in the same place.

No, they only archive the stuff you buy there.

Quote:

2. Do I understand this correctly - while browsing uploads here at mobileread I can grab one of those .prc files and email it directly to my Kindle?

Not exactly -- instead you download a guide file to the Kindle (which you can do wirelessly) and then you pick hyperlinked books from the guide that will be dowloaded to the Kindle.

Quote:

3. Any other obstacles to going tetherless - just a browser wherever I am and a Kindle with the radio turned on?

If what you're going for is to read Amazon books plus PD stuff from here or feedbooks, no, not really. Leave the wireless off when you aren't using it, though, for maximum battery life.

AnemicOak · 03-04-2009, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KDawg

1. Can I manage more than just the books I purchase from Amazon on their website/bookshelf? It would be nice to be able to store all my favorite public domain stuff in the same place.

The bookshelf at Amazon is only stuff you've gotten from them. What I did was put my other books on my webserver in a password protected directory that I can access with the Kindle's web browser, works great. For classics/public domain stuff both MR & Feedbooks files can be downloaded directly to the Kindle.

Quote:

2. Do I understand this correctly - while browsing uploads here at mobileread I can grab one of those .prc files and email it directly to my Kindle?

Don't know about emailing it although you should be able to if you want. You can download it right from your Kindle from MR (also Feedbooks).

zelda_pinwheel · 03-04-2009, 03:03 PM

a lot of people with sony devices prefer to use calibre for managing their library (myself included). i've got a 700 and i never use the sony software at all.

of course, i also don't buy from the sony store, so it's no loss to me.

kazbates · 03-04-2009, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

a lot of people with sony devices prefer to use calibre for managing their library (myself included). i've got a 700 and i never use the sony software at all.

of course, i also don't buy from the sony store, so it's no loss to me.

I agree! The Sony ebook library is a pain to use and Sony support is pretty much an oxymoron! I don't mind downloading books using my computer and then using Calibre to catalog them and upload to my Reader. Being a bit (okay, more than a bit

) obsessive compulsive, Calibre keeps things nice and organized with extra book information from the meta data.
Kaz

Roy White · 03-09-2009, 06:07 PM

Hmmm.. I'm going to buy a Kindle soon. I assumed I could download the PRC books from this site (To my PC) and then upload them to the Kindle through the USB port. Is this not true?

pilotbob · 03-09-2009, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roy White

Hmmm.. I'm going to buy a Kindle soon. I assumed I could download the PRC books from this site (To my PC) and then upload them to the Kindle through the USB port. Is this not true?

This is not not true.

Ok.. let me say that again..

YES you can d/l the mobi formated (prc) ebooks here and read them on your kindle.

BOb

Alisa · 03-09-2009, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roy White

Hmmm.. I'm going to buy a Kindle soon. I assumed I could download the PRC books from this site (To my PC) and then upload them to the Kindle through the USB port. Is this not true?

Yes. That works just fine, even on a Mac or Linux machine. The Kindle shows up as a removable drive. No software necessary. Email is just an option.

pilotbob · 03-09-2009, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alisa

Yes. That works just fine, even on a Mac or Linux machine. The Kindle shows up as a removable drive. No software necessary. Email is just an option.

Yes, but I just emailed my first ebook to my kindle, Berserker cause I was to lazy to go get my Kindle. Next time I picked it up, flipped on the wireless and zappo, Berserker was in it in a minute.

Nice!

BOb

AnemicOak · 03-09-2009, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Yes, but I just emailed my first ebook to my kindle, Berserker cause I was to lazy to go get my Kindle. Next time I picked it up, flipped on the wireless and zappo, Berserker was in it in a minute.

Nice!

BOb

Good book. If you link things like Firefly, Farscape & original Trek you should enjoy it.

pilotbob · 03-09-2009, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Good book. If you link things like Firefly, Farscape & original Trek you should enjoy it.

Love Firefly and TOS Trek. Never got into Farscape. Actually, loved all the Treks (some more than others). Also into Startgate franchise, BSG and Dr Who.

Yes, I am a sci-fi channel junkie.

BOb

AnemicOak · 03-09-2009, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Love Firefly and TOS Trek. Never got into Farscape. Actually, loved all the Treks (some more than others). Also into Startgate franchise, BSG and Dr Who.

Yes, I am a sci-fi channel junkie.

BOb

I think it definitely has a Firefly feel, without the old west bits. The sequel's good too.

TallMomof2 · 03-09-2009, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

a lot of people with sony devices prefer to use calibre for managing their library (myself included). i've got a 700 and i never use the sony software at all.

of course, i also don't buy from the sony store, so it's no loss to me.

I use the Calibre software to organize and manage my Kindle content. It's my central repository and I keep a backup on my file server.

Sonist · 03-09-2009, 08:55 PM

I liked my PRS-505.

I used Calibre to manage the library, and it worked very well. In fact, I use Calibre to manage my Kindle library as well.

The main benefit of the 505, to me, is that it can deal with PDFs. Not perfectly with all PDFs, but well with many (like the classics ones that come with it.) Also, IMO, its screen appeared just a tad more readable than the K2.

The main reason I jumped on the k2 is the Search function, and I am also finding the Dictionary very useful.

Whispernet was fun, but now I just keep it turned off. It's really there to enable spontaneous purchases, but in my case, I already have a long list of books to read, so I don't see getting the urge to buy a title while away from my computer. But, the Kindle store definitely has a better selection, as well as better pricing.

Just figure out what features are more important to you.

Alisa · 03-09-2009, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sonist

Whispernet was fun, but now I just keep it turned off. It's really there to enable spontaneous purchases, but in my case, I already have a long list of books to read, so I don't see getting the urge to buy a title while away from my computer. But, the Kindle store definitely has a better selection, as well as better pricing.

Aside from the occasional Wikipedia search, I only turn the wireless on to get samples or to purchase a book when I'm done with a sample. I do most of my book shopping on the website. Well, except I don't so much shop as sample. Any time I hear of something interesting, I'll go send myself the sample. Then when I'm done with a book, I'll turn on the wireless and let all the samples download. I think I've saved a lot of money this way. I haven't bought a single clunker since owning the Kindle.

03-04-2009, 02:51 PM	#1
KDawg Junior Senior Posts: 94 Karma: 81 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: nookColor, nook, PRS-900, PRS-505, PRS-500, Kindle PW, Kindle Oasis	Questions from a potential defector I have a Sony PRS-505 now but I am truly tired of being tethered to the lousy Sony software (not to mention the lousy Adobe software for DRM PDFs) on a virtual Winows machine on my Mac. The tetherless promise of the Kindle has a lot of appeal. Apologies if these questions have been answered elsewhere: 1. Can I manage more than just the books I purchase from Amazon on their website/bookshelf? It would be nice to be able to store all my favorite public domain stuff in the same place. 2. Do I understand this correctly - while browsing uploads here at mobileread I can grab one of those .prc files and email it directly to my Kindle? 3. Any other obstacles to going tetherless - just a browser wherever I am and a Kindle with the radio turned on? Thanks in advance.

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03-04-2009, 03:03 PM	#4
zelda_pinwheel zeldinha zippy zeldissima Posts: 27,827 Karma: 921169 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Paris, France Device: eb1150 & is that a nook in her pocket, or she just happy to see you?	a lot of people with sony devices prefer to use calibre for managing their library (myself included). i've got a 700 and i never use the sony software at all. of course, i also don't buy from the sony store, so it's no loss to me.

03-09-2009, 06:07 PM	#6
Roy White Evangelist Posts: 482 Karma: 7696 Join Date: May 2007 Location: Turner, Oregon Device: Sony Reader	Hmmm.. I'm going to buy a Kindle soon. I assumed I could download the PRC books from this site (To my PC) and then upload them to the Kindle through the USB port. Is this not true?

03-09-2009, 08:55 PM	#14
Sonist Apeist Posts: 2,126 Karma: 381090 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: The sunny part of California Device: Generic virtual reality story-experiential device	I liked my PRS-505. I used Calibre to manage the library, and it worked very well. In fact, I use Calibre to manage my Kindle library as well. The main benefit of the 505, to me, is that it can deal with PDFs. Not perfectly with all PDFs, but well with many (like the classics ones that come with it.) Also, IMO, its screen appeared just a tad more readable than the K2. The main reason I jumped on the k2 is the Search function, and I am also finding the Dictionary very useful. Whispernet was fun, but now I just keep it turned off. It's really there to enable spontaneous purchases, but in my case, I already have a long list of books to read, so I don't see getting the urge to buy a title while away from my computer. But, the Kindle store definitely has a better selection, as well as better pricing. Just figure out what features are more important to you.