New to eBooks!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Kindle ebooks certainly can have DRM. However, not all of them do. Any ebooks from Tor, for example, are free of DRM.

Isn't KFX a form of DRM? If that is the case, getting a Tor eBook in KFX is them getting a DRMed eBook.

[stumped]

i was just going to say that. I have file explored, after downloading a KFX book, and there's no "file" as such which could be copied, backed up.
the same fruitless search happens if I download for later from bbc i player , or netflix, if goes somehow into the file system as a bit here, a byte there, nothing that you can latch onto
i think all those have a similar humpty dumpty appproach, break the content into tiny components that only the original app knows how to re-assemble

[mistermr]

I believe that I've somehow decided which reader to aim for however my last question is can the kindle handle the ePub format in any way i.e. directly or indirectly?

If indirectly is it easy or a project to achieve it each time?

[church mouse]

Originally Posted by mistermr

I believe that I've somehow decided which reader to aim for however my last question is can the kindle handle the ePub format in any way i.e. directly or indirectly?

If indirectly is it easy or a project to achieve it each time?

To read epubs on a Kindle, convert them using Calibre to mobi format and then load them on to your Kindle.

However, if your epubs have drm, then you will have to strip that out before you can convert them.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by mistermr

I believe that I've somehow decided which reader to aim for however my last question is can the kindle handle the ePub format in any way i.e. directly or indirectly?

If indirectly is it easy or a project to achieve it each time?

If it's a DRM-free ePub, or an ePub that can be read with Adobe Digital Editions 2.0.1, or a Kobo ePub (kePub), it's easy to convert to a Kindle format using calibre, so long as you have the DRM removal plugins from Apprentice Alf loaded. See Apprentice Alf's blog.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by church mouse

To read epubs on a Kindle, convert them using Calibre to mobi format and then load them on to your Kindle.

However, if your epubs have drm, then you will have to strip that out before you can convert them.

The way to do it is to convert ePub to KF8 unless you have a Kindle that does not support KF8. So the general rule is no Mobi.

[stumped]

someone new to ebooks will most likely be completely baffled by that comment, as there is no convert to KF8 option listed within calibre's conversion options, or within any other free software that I know of.
Convert to .mobi has the one big advantage that you can then email the results to youraddress@kindle... and thus wirelessly deliver the format directly to your new Kindle device

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by stumped

someone new to ebooks will most likely be completely baffled by that comment, as there is no convert to KF8 option listed within calibre's conversion options, or within any other free software that I know of.
Convert to .mobi has the one big advantage that you can then email the results to youraddress@kindle... and thus wirelessly deliver the format directly to your new Kindle device

And if anyone is confused, they can ask here for help. Converting to Mobi can cause you to have an eBook with problems because they do not support all of the features of ePub. Emailing an eBook is a poor reason for Mobi.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

And if anyone is confused, they can ask here for help. Converting to Mobi can cause you to have an eBook with problems because they do not support all of the features of ePub. Emailing an eBook is a poor reason for Mobi.

...or, a person can convert the book to dual mobi format and email to their Kindle, and then they will see .mobi or kf8, whichever format their device supports.

That way, they have the best of both worlds. Able to read on any device, location, bookmark, and annotation sync across devices, etc., and kf8 format.

Shari

[crossi]

My advice to someone unsure if they would like ereaders or kindles in particular is to buy a kindle. If you don't end up liking it you have 30 days in which you can return it. Using an ereader for a while is the best way to see if it really suits you.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The way to do it is to convert ePub to KF8 unless you have a Kindle that does not support KF8. So the general rule is no Mobi.

Perhaps it would be better if you suggested converting to .AZW3 which is supported by Calibre.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Perhaps it would be better if you suggested converting to .AZW3 which is supported by Calibre.

.azw3 is the file extension and KF8 is the file format. It's not my fault that Calibre actually gets it wrong.

[stumped]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

.azw3 is the file extension and KF8 is the file format. It's not my fault that Calibre actually gets it wrong.

my point was, you know that, I know that, but someone new to e-books would not,
so advice on how to convert to a kindle friendly format would be better based on what conversion options actually appear in menus . KF8 is an under-the-bonnet tech. term. I don't think it even ever appears on kindle books web pages

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by crossi

My advice to someone unsure if they would like ereaders or kindles in particular is to buy a kindle. If you don't end up liking it you have 30 days in which you can return it. Using an ereader for a while is the best way to see if it really suits you.

Exactly. Though I don't own a Kindle, I think it is solid advice. One you've used one for a while and you know what you do and don't like, then you can decide if it is worth investigating Calibre, Alf and other e-reader brands.

But for a simple, out of the box experience with e-reading a Kindle is hard to beat.