Kindle Scribe - Sideloading books with USB?

msel · 12-03-2022, 05:22 AM

Hello, perhaps I want to order a Kindle Scribe. But I've one question - can I upload books to the Kindle with an USB cable connection (with Calibre)?

Quoth · 12-03-2022, 08:13 AM

You can, but like all Kindles, Series and Collections and covers is an issue.
You can also copy PDFs, but unlike virtually every other eInk (or Tablet)with a digitiser stylus, you can't annotate them. Annotation is only possible by sending the PDFs to Amazon.

It's large for ebooks, the size better suits simply reading PDFs (I have two 10" approx ink and 10 " tablet as well as smaller eink from Amazon and Kobo).

Unlike Elipsa there is no handwriting conversion. It's only worthwhile compared to alternatives for PDF reading only as stylus based annotation is a clumsy workflow with no privacy.

msel · 12-03-2022, 11:56 AM

Thank you, Quoth - I will mostly use the kindle to read PDF files (instead of reading them on a tablet).

tomsem · 12-03-2022, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quoth

You can, but like all Kindles, Series and Collections and covers is an issue.
You can also copy PDFs, but unlike virtually every other eInk (or Tablet)with a digitiser stylus, you can't annotate them. Annotation is only possible by sending the PDFs to Amazon.

.

You can annotate side loaded PDFs with highlights and notes, as always, just not with Sticky Notes (if they have text layer to highlight and attach notes to, of course).

But the weird thing is that the Kindle apps don't allow any annotation at all (apart from Bookmarks), even when they are sent to Amazon. They would do well to support that with a future update. If they want Kindle to be a note taking platform (Scribe is not a platform), it doesn't help their case by having gaps like this.

Amazon bought a stake in Foxit some years ago, I think that technology is what they're still using for PDF on Kindles, but don't know how to verify that.

ksks · 12-06-2022, 09:35 PM

I see a lot of users saying they can't annotate/use sticky notes on sideloaded PDFs unless you send it through Send to Kindle.

Is it definitely the same for sideloaded ebooks? I did try it myself (sideloading epub and azw3 to the Scribe via USB cable) and found sticky notes don't work, but since I couldn't find anyone talking about it I wondered if I'm just doing something wrong.

I really hope future software updates address these issues, but I have a feeling it was engineered that way on purpose.

Paperbackstash · 12-07-2022, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ksks

I see a lot of users saying they can't annotate/use sticky notes on sideloaded PDFs unless you send it through Send to Kindle.

Is it definitely the same for sideloaded ebooks? I did try it myself (sideloading epub and azw3 to the Scribe via USB cable) and found sticky notes don't work, but since I couldn't find anyone talking about it I wondered if I'm just doing something wrong.

I really hope future software updates address these issues, but I have a feeling it was engineered that way on purpose.

From everything I've read, it doesn't work sideloaded. You can do the email thing, which causes Amazon to do its behind-the-scenes conversion touch, then sticky notes will work

tomsem · 12-07-2022, 01:17 PM

Another experiment would be to try Download & Transfer via USB, to see if that works for Kindle books and allows you to create Sticky Notes.

innocenat · 12-08-2022, 01:21 PM

(edited: reply in wrong thread and don't know how to delete)

FireFrog · 01-03-2023, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ksks

Is it definitely the same for sideloaded ebooks? I did try it myself (sideloading epub and azw3 to the Scribe via USB cable) and found sticky notes don't work, but since I couldn't find anyone talking about it I wondered if I'm just doing something wrong.

Have you tried KFX? If that works?

mg10 · 01-05-2023, 06:12 PM

I've been testing and you can use hand-written sticky notes just with kfx format, not with azw3. In fact, floating note tool is disabled for these formats. So, if you use send to kindle option, the ebook will be converted to kfx and you'll be abble to write sticky notes by hand. But, note that azw3 or mobi are not allowed formats to use with "send to kindle" option. You can use epub format, for example. If I'm wrong, please, someone correct me.

tomsem · 01-05-2023, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mg10

I've been testing and you can use hand-written sticky notes just with kfx format, not with azw3. In fact, floating note tool is disabled for these formats. So, if you use send to kindle option, the ebook will be converted to kfx and you'll be abble to write sticky notes by hand. But, note that azw3 or mobi are not allowed formats to use with "send to kindle" option. You can use epub format, for example. If I'm wrong, please, someone correct me.

.azw and .mobi are still supported via email attachment and with Send To Kindle apps and the Kindle app for iOS and Android (as Sharing option). You cannot create Sticky Notes for them however, you have to send .ePub instead for that feature.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custo...WYD9SAF7PGXRNA

jhowell · 01-05-2023, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mg10

So, if you use send to kindle option, the ebook will be converted to kfx and you'll be abble to write sticky notes by hand.

I have questions for Scribe owners who also own another Kindle device.

Can you tell whether a sent personal document that comes to the Scribe in KFX is delivered in that format to other Kindle apps and devices registered to the same account? (You should be able to tell by the presence of hyphenation and page flip.)

Also, are sticky notes you make visible when the book is read elsewhere?

mg10 · 01-06-2023, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomsem

.azw and .mobi are still supported via email attachment and with Send To Kindle apps and the Kindle app for iOS and Android (as Sharing option). You cannot create Sticky Notes for them however, you have to send .ePub instead for that feature.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custo...WYD9SAF7PGXRNA

I tried to send a file in azw3 to be converted to kfx and it returned the error of not supported format. After December 2022 is not possible to send any of both format by email, as describes the article.

innocenat · 01-06-2023, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mg10

I tried to send a file in azw3 to be converted to kfx and it returned the error of not supported format. After December 2022 is not possible to send any of both format by email, as describes the article.

AZW is not AZW3

Quoth · 01-06-2023, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by innocenat

AZW is not AZW3

Yes, azw is usually encrypted mobi (KF7) and azw3 is KF8.

12-03-2022, 05:22 AM	#1
msel Connoisseur Posts: 61 Karma: 141502 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kindle Keyboard 3G	Kindle Scribe - Sideloading books with USB? Hello, perhaps I want to order a Kindle Scribe. But I've one question - can I upload books to the Kindle with an USB cable connection (with Calibre)?

12-08-2022, 01:21 PM	#8
innocenat Zealot Posts: 114 Karma: 2691856 Join Date: Feb 2022 Device: PPW5, Quaderno A4, Supernote A6X, Leaf 2	(edited: reply in wrong thread and don't know how to delete) Last edited by innocenat; 12-08-2022 at 01:24 PM.

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12-03-2022, 08:13 AM	#2
Quoth the rook, bossing Never. Posts: 11,089 Karma: 85874891 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper11	You can, but like all Kindles, Series and Collections and covers is an issue. You can also copy PDFs, but unlike virtually every other eInk (or Tablet)with a digitiser stylus, you can't annotate them. Annotation is only possible by sending the PDFs to Amazon. It's large for ebooks, the size better suits simply reading PDFs (I have two 10" approx ink and 10 " tablet as well as smaller eink from Amazon and Kobo). Unlike Elipsa there is no handwriting conversion. It's only worthwhile compared to alternatives for PDF reading only as stylus based annotation is a clumsy workflow with no privacy.

12-03-2022, 11:56 AM	#3
msel Connoisseur Posts: 61 Karma: 141502 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kindle Keyboard 3G	Thank you, Quoth - I will mostly use the kindle to read PDF files (instead of reading them on a tablet).

12-06-2022, 09:35 PM	#5
ksks Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2019 Device: Onyx Boox Max Lumi 2, Kobo Libra H2O, Kindle Oasis 3	I see a lot of users saying they can't annotate/use sticky notes on sideloaded PDFs unless you send it through Send to Kindle. Is it definitely the same for sideloaded ebooks? I did try it myself (sideloading epub and azw3 to the Scribe via USB cable) and found sticky notes don't work, but since I couldn't find anyone talking about it I wondered if I'm just doing something wrong. I really hope future software updates address these issues, but I have a feeling it was engineered that way on purpose.

12-07-2022, 01:17 PM	#7
tomsem Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,464 Karma: 25996225 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	Another experiment would be to try Download & Transfer via USB, to see if that works for Kindle books and allows you to create Sticky Notes.

01-05-2023, 06:12 PM	#10
mg10 Connoisseur Posts: 77 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2013 Device: Kindle Scribe, PW, Kobo Aura One	I've been testing and you can use hand-written sticky notes just with kfx format, not with azw3. In fact, floating note tool is disabled for these formats. So, if you use send to kindle option, the ebook will be converted to kfx and you'll be abble to write sticky notes by hand. But, note that azw3 or mobi are not allowed formats to use with "send to kindle" option. You can use epub format, for example. If I'm wrong, please, someone correct me.

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