Chrome OS vs eBooks & Audiobooks

[latepaul]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

My initial inquiries will be of a go/ no-go nature. Once I get everything mapped out, I'll start dealing with workarounds. And like I said before, formats I don't do will go to the bottom of the list. It's easier to deal with formats I already do, because it requires less work on my part. Once I get those out of the way, I'll start going down the list.

What you're doing is fair enough - and very useful - but I'd quibble with your terminology. Saying that ChromeOS is "not compatible" with open epubs/PDFs when you haven't installed an app to deal with that file type is misleading. And I wouldn't call installing such an app a "workaround" either. It's not like Windows comes with an in-built epub-reader. (OK Windows 8 might I haven't had experience there.)

I haven't run ChromeOS itself but there are definitely Chrome browser apps that read both non-DRMed epubs and PDFs and I can't see that they rely on the underlying OS as they work on both Windows and Linux for me.

All that said I think given the way Chromebooks are marketed I think looking at the "out of the box" experience is useful. Thanks for the thread!

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by Graham

If you're talking about flipping your ebook reading from the Chromebook to the big screen, then adding a Chromecast dongle would be the solution.

If you're talking about mirroring the screen of your phone on your Chromebook, then I think Air Droid can do that for Android, though probably not fast enough for games or video.

Graham

Bluestacks is a Windows program that let's you run Android apps under Windows.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

Bluestacks is a Windows program that let's you run Android apps under Windows.

Ah, in that case no.

Graham

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by latepaul

What you're doing is fair enough - and very useful - but I'd quibble with your terminology. Saying that ChromeOS is "not compatible" with open epubs/PDFs when you haven't installed an app to deal with that file type is misleading. And I wouldn't call installing such an app a "workaround" either. It's not like Windows comes with an in-built epub-reader. (OK Windows 8 might I haven't had experience there.)

Point taken. I changed it to reflect the response given by Chrome - "file type not supported -- visit Chrome Store to find solution".

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Point taken. I changed it to reflect the response given by Chrome - "file type not supported -- visit Chrome Store to find solution".

That's much better. And now it accurately describes both that it works AND that you will need to install stuff to do so, so I guess it's better this way.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

That's much better. And now it accurately describes both that it works AND that you will need to install stuff to do so, so I guess it's better this way.

That doesn't mean it works; it means it MIGHT work if you can find an appropriate app. I get the same message when I attempt to download an OverDrive WMA Audiobook and I know for a fact that this format is not compatible with Chrome OS and can only be downloaded on a Windows PC.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

That doesn't mean it works; it means it MIGHT work if you can find an appropriate app. I get the same message when I attempt to download an OverDrive WMA Audiobook and I know for a fact that this format is not compatible with Chrome OS and can only be downloaded on a Windows PC.

But we know it does work.

Otherwise you'd say it's incompatible, like the WMA's.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

But we know it does work.

Otherwise you'd say it's incompatible, like the WMA's.

We don't, because I haven't searched through the appstore and ruled out all possible apps. That message is generic and there's no guarantee that a solution exists.

[wawasteele]

Monkey, I think one thing you might consider adding to your listing of "Book-Related Programs not supported by Chrome OS" is Calibre. I keep track of every book, even audiobooks, I read in it. I keep all the ebooks I own in it. I think it's a very important Book-Related Program.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by wawasteele

Monkey, I think one thing you might consider adding to your listing of "Book-Related Programs not supported by Chrome OS" is Calibre. I keep track of every book, even audiobooks, I read in it. I keep all the ebooks I own in it. I think it's a very important Book-Related Program.

Thanks; and added