Jinxed apps

PeterT · 02-14-2026, 09:24 PM

Is it just me or is the whole field of calibre connectivity to mobile devices jinxed?

Initially we had Calibre Companion (chaley). The product worked great and introduced to calibre the Wireless Device driver and protocol. The combination was good but chaley decided to sell the product to Sam Cohen.

Calibre Companion (Sam Cohen) we saw a dramatic drop in quality of support and few (if any) product improvements. Sam obviously did not make the return he expected and announced he was selling. After that nothing.

Calibre Sync then appeared and at first all was good. The team seemed to be responsive to issues but as time progressed their responsiveness started falling off, and with the release of calibre 9 and the schema change to the database, Calibre Sync support has been totally MIA.

Sent from my Pixel 9a using Tapatalk

theducks · 02-14-2026, 09:49 PM

↑ ↑ ↑ ✔

BetterRed · 02-14-2026, 10:40 PM

The average half-live of mobile apps is about the same as a UK Prime Minister, in part because of the relentless fart-arsing by the platform providers.

Web sites are just as bad, today I can't logon to facebook (all I wanted to know was who stocks my favourite bread), I'm persona non-grata at LinkedIn and Reddit wants me to prove I'm not under 16!

Comfy.n · 02-14-2026, 11:00 PM

I receive links to instagram reels all the time, and last time I tried those we're working (poorly), only on MS Edge. Instagram historically seems to be made to piss off desktop users. Tiktok OTOH works fine on every browser I use.

Amazon used to be a good example of a website with broad browser compatibility, but lately feels insufferable on my WF 128 135.

kovidgoyal · 02-14-2026, 11:35 PM

The mobile ecosystem just doesn't incentivize long term stable application development, it's why I have never gotten involved in it. The platforms and APIs are under third party control, they keep changing the rules from under you and they try to profit blatantly from your work in exchange for "market access".

I have always been skeptical any mobile based calibre integration type app will last on a scale compared to calibre itself. That's why I have focused my efforts on making the calibre content server as functional as possible. It obviously has the limitation of needing to keep a calibre server running, but if you can get that working, then it pretty much obviates the need for such apps.

JimmXinu · Yesterday, 11:29 AM

I experimented with android app dev a few years ago and it was a treadmill I chose not to walk.

Personally, I would be satisfied with a generated catalog ebook or even HTML file of my library, if it could link to the ebook files 'on disk' on my phone like on a PC.

But my experiments show that's not allowed, for security.

02-14-2026, 09:24 PM	#1
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,822 Karma: 80512154 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	Jinxed apps Is it just me or is the whole field of calibre connectivity to mobile devices jinxed? Initially we had Calibre Companion (chaley). The product worked great and introduced to calibre the Wireless Device driver and protocol. The combination was good but chaley decided to sell the product to Sam Cohen. Calibre Companion (Sam Cohen) we saw a dramatic drop in quality of support and few (if any) product improvements. Sam obviously did not make the return he expected and announced he was selling. After that nothing. Calibre Sync then appeared and at first all was good. The team seemed to be responsive to issues but as time progressed their responsiveness started falling off, and with the release of calibre 9 and the schema change to the database, Calibre Sync support has been totally MIA. Sent from my Pixel 9a using Tapatalk

02-14-2026, 11:00 PM	#4
Comfy.n want to learn what I want Posts: 1,909 Karma: 7955879 Join Date: Sep 2020 Device: none	I receive links to instagram reels all the time, and last time I tried those we're working (poorly), only on MS Edge. Instagram historically seems to be made to piss off desktop users. Tiktok OTOH works fine on every browser I use. Amazon used to be a good example of a website with broad browser compatibility, but lately feels insufferable on my WF 128 135. Last edited by Comfy.n; Yesterday at 12:45 AM.

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02-14-2026, 09:49 PM	#2
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,515 Karma: 62503986 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	↑ ↑ ↑ ✔

02-14-2026, 10:40 PM	#3
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 22,342 Karma: 30621608 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	The average half-live of mobile apps is about the same as a UK Prime Minister, in part because of the relentless fart-arsing by the platform providers. Web sites are just as bad, today I can't logon to facebook (all I wanted to know was who stocks my favourite bread), I'm persona non-grata at LinkedIn and Reddit wants me to prove I'm not under 16!

02-14-2026, 11:35 PM	#5
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,995 Karma: 29579720 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	The mobile ecosystem just doesn't incentivize long term stable application development, it's why I have never gotten involved in it. The platforms and APIs are under third party control, they keep changing the rules from under you and they try to profit blatantly from your work in exchange for "market access". I have always been skeptical any mobile based calibre integration type app will last on a scale compared to calibre itself. That's why I have focused my efforts on making the calibre content server as functional as possible. It obviously has the limitation of needing to keep a calibre server running, but if you can get that working, then it pretty much obviates the need for such apps.

Yesterday, 11:29 AM	#6
JimmXinu Plugin Developer Posts: 7,288 Karma: 5007213 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Midwest USA Device: Kobo Clara Colour running KOReader	I experimented with android app dev a few years ago and it was a treadmill I chose not to walk. Personally, I would be satisfied with a generated catalog ebook or even HTML file of my library, if it could link to the ebook files 'on disk' on my phone like on a PC. But my experiments show that's not allowed, for security.

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