Dealing with Kindle ebooks in calibre

[mbovenka]

That was one of the reasons I liked the old Hanlin v3 (I had the BeBook One incarnation). It used a Nokia BL-4 battery you can still get if you need one. Another was the hackabiity (anyone remember OpenInkpot?).

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by theducks

Just think how many years the AA / LR6 size (and family) has been in use.

Since before 1914 anyway. Though the names A, AA, AAA, B, C, D, F, G are from about 1946. The AAAA is later, the AAA might be too, not sure. F cells and B cells are still inside some European/UK packs. The N or Lady cell is very old, pre-1939 and still made. The A is long gone, but one of the Li cells might be a similar size (18something size?) but wrong voltage. The 19th Flag or Bell size 1.5V cell is long gone, it was largest, but one of the Farmer's Zinc Air packs for Electric Fencers uses cells that size in it.

1/4" jack 19th C, even with 3 poles/connections. The 3.5mm version perhaps late 1950s or early 1960s.

The pair of giant LiPoly in my Samsung Chromebook are officially replaceable and the back pops off after taking out the 4 screws under the "rubber" feet.

All laptops used to have replaceable packs and now hardly any have. Gluing in the cells is evil.

[theducks]

@quoath
Thanks for the history. I was only trying to make a point that there are standard (common) sizes that are still in use, even if the chemistry has changed (does anyone even make a Carbon Zinc flash light battery? )
Many of the sizes you listed are still being used in Recent equipment .

Some cases, the manufacture just saved a few cents by eliminating the spring fingered battery carrier and a easy access door.

There are reasons for a unique shape or voltage, but it seems they are now simply being used for planned obsolescence. We do NOT NEED more trash.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Lots of phones now made with nonreplaceable batteries. So when battery wears down you have to buy a new phone even if phones still good. I hate it, wasteful.

Planned obsolescence stinks.

I did have the battery replaced in my previous iPhone. So it can be done at least with iPhones.

But the time will come when we'll be able to replace the battery ourselves thanks to the EU. It's also thanks tot he EU that Apple has dropped Lightning for USB-C.

[theducks]

When we generally talk 'replaceable', we mean by a typical user with minimum special tools.
My Kindle kit had a tiny Phillip's and a plastic pry tool.

Some backs need a temperature controlled heat gun to soften the glues used, desoldering station.
IMHO those a professional tools.
Then there is the back that is Solvent bonded or heat fused. Those usually defy opening without major case destruction.

[BetterRed]

Maybe I should change the title of this thread to "Off Topic Central"

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by theducks

@quoath
Thanks for the history. I was only trying to make a point that there are standard (common) sizes that are still in use, even if the chemistry has changed (does anyone even make a Carbon Zinc flash light battery? )

Sadly the shops are full of them with brand names such as Ford, JCB, Polaroid, Eveready, Grundig etc. They should be banned. Often misleading descriptions. Even the expensive Alkaline ones (Energizer, which is same company as Eveready, Duracell and Panasonic) work out cheaper. Sadly Energizer and Duracell now often leak. The base seal is poorer quality and the spring may be too strong, can is positive. The Zinc types seal at the top, can is negative.

Originally Posted by theducks

There are reasons for a unique shape or voltage, but it seems they are now simply being used for planned obsolescence. We do NOT NEED more trash.

Yes. It's terrible.
See also very expensive BT earbuds. So I have phones with 3.5mm jack.

[BetterRed]

@Quoth - can't you take a hint.

[DNSB]

Are you trying to suggest that we should drag this thread back onto topic?

Has anyone else here tried either the TamperMonkey Amazon Kindle Downloader script or the Python BulkKindleUSBDownloader scripts to download their Kindle libraries before 2025-Feb-26?

The TamperMonkey script worked under Firefox on Windows but the Bulk USB Downloader script worked under Windows but quite a few books downloaded as 0 length file which seemed to be tied to the filenames needing sanitization. Under Linux, it ran happily and only missed two books though some of them downloaded as .az or .a and had to be renamed before being usable.

[gadget.felugyelo]

Need help to automate the heck out of my ebook life, since everything works just fine from the GUI

I still download manually the ebooks using the Windows Kindle app, but afterwards it begins it's own journey, triggered by scripts and calibredb, until it arrives in my Calibre as a kfx file. I would prefer to have these books in an epub format as well. When I'm using the GUI, it automatically converts the book to my preferred output, but I can't trigger it from the CLI.

I tried calibre-debug -r "KFX Input" -- librarypath/mybook.kfx, but I recievd a stunning "No plugin named KFX Input found" error (what I of course use to convert these books in the GUI).

I'm open for any kind of solution or a workaround, using 3rd party tools or executing python...

[texasnightowl]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Are you trying to suggest that we should drag this thread back onto topic?

Has anyone else here tried either the TamperMonkey Amazon Kindle Downloader script or the Python BulkKindleUSBDownloader scripts to download their Kindle libraries before 2025-Feb-26?

The TamperMonkey script worked under Firefox on Windows but the Bulk USB Downloader script worked under Windows but quite a few books downloaded as 0 length file which seemed to be tied to the filenames needing sanitization. Under Linux, it ran happily and only missed two books though some of them downloaded as .az or .a and had to be renamed before being usable.

I didn't try those 2, but I did try download-all-kindle-books.js with Tampermonkey in firefox and it worked greast! You have to manually change pages and trigger the script on each page, but it downloaded all 25 books per page just fine. If you have multiple kindles, just be aware that it uses the first kindle in the list.

I did make 2 changes based on feedback I saw (reddit?). On line 7 I changed "booksAll" to "booksPurchases" and line 91 I changed the time delay between downloads from 14000 to 5000. Neither of those is necessary though.

So, I still had to click through 59 pages, but at least I didn't have to click and download 25 books on every page!

[Fraccy]

Originally Posted by odamizu

For those wishing to use Kindle ebooks with calibre, this thread continues the work of jhowell’s invaluable Dealing with Kindle for PC/Mac 1.19 (and later) and KFX in calibre.

First, you will need DeDRM v10.0.9 beta/RC or the alpha release. This will work on many (but not all) Kindle ebooks. (Some Kindle books come with extra-strength encryption that these tools cannot handle, etc.) If you have questions about installing, setting up, or using DeDRM, ask on GitHub. Detailed help on the aforementioned topics is not permitted on MobileRead.

Once you have DeDRM v10.0.9 or later installed, the following methods can be used to obtain Kindle ebook files to import into calibre:


Method 1: Download & transfer via USB

IMPORTANT: "Starting February 26, 2025, the 'Download & Transfer via USB' option will no longer be available," says Amazon. D&T is already not available for Kindles released in 2024.

To use this method (while it's still available), you must have a pre-2024 eink Kindle (not a Fire) registered to your Amazon account.

Log in to your Amazon account, then: Account & Lists > Content Library > Books > [find the book you want] > More actions > Download & transfer via USB > [select an eink Kindle] > Download. You should receive an .azw3 (KF8) or .mobi file that you can import into calibre.

Note: There are some ebooks for which Download & transfer is not available, such as those in Kindle Unlimited, etc.


Method 2a: Kindle for PC

Current versions of Kindle for PC (starting with v 2.4.1 [70946] aka 2.4.70946 and later) do NOT work with calibre. However, Kindle for PC 2.4.0 (70904) aka 2.4.70904 is known to work with calibre for most (but not all) books, provided you have the KFX Input plugin installed.

• Kindle for PC 2.4.0 (70904) aka 2.4.70904 can be downloaded from Amazon here. If the link stops working, try third-party sites. Google is your friend.
  
• To block automatic updates, run DNSB's disable_k4pc_download.bat file. Also remove the checkmark from Tools > Options > General > Automatically install updates when they are available without asking me, though there are reports of forced updates even when this box is unchecked, thus DNSB's .bat file.
  
• Ebooks are located in your Documents > My Kindle Content folder. Import the .azw file into calibre (you can ignore the other files). Most .azw files will import as KFX; if it imports as KFX-ZIP, it failed.

Method 2b: Kindle for Mac

Current versions of Kindle for Mac (starting with v7.25.1 and later) do NOT work with calibre. 7.24 and earlier only work in an extremely limited fashion provided you have the KFX Input plugin installed. Kindle for Mac 1.40.x and earlier no longer work.

• Kindle for Mac 7.x is only available from the Mac App Store, so if you don't already have v7.24, you probably won't be able to find it.
  
• If you do have 7.24 or earlier, look for ebooks in User > Library > Containers > Kindle > Data > Library > eBooks. Import the .azw8 file into calibre (you can ignore the other files). If you get KFX, it worked; however, most will import as KFX-ZIP, in which case you will need to try Method 1, 2a (using virtual machine software), 3 or 4.

Method 3: eink Kindle

If you have an eink Kindle, it's possible to download the ebook to your Kindle, connect the Kindle to a computer via USB cable, and copy the ebook file (.kfx, .azw3, .azw, .mobi) from Kindle to computer. More info from jhowell in posts #419 and #425.

If your Kindle was released in 2013 or later running firmware v5.6.5 or newer, you will get KFX.

If you have a pre-2013 eink Kindle running firmware older than v5.6.5, you will get KF8. More info on older Kindle models and their usefulness in obtaining KF8 from jhowell: here


Method 4: Kindle for Android on PC & Mac

There has been some success running Android emulator software (available for both PC and Mac) to run older versions of Kindle for Android (4.17 and older) to obtain Kindle ebooks that work with calibre. See: DRM workaround: Kindle for Android

Another method to add to your list: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...&postcount=338

Enables automated bulk downloads, and a JSON list of purchased books.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Fraccy

Another method to add to your list: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...&postcount=338

Enables automated bulk downloads, and a JSON list of purchased books.

As D&T will be removed next week, there's not much point to add a method based on it.

[Fraccy]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

As D&T will be removed next week, there's not much point to add a method based on it.

It's just in case anyone needs to bulk download their collection before the deadline.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Fraccy

It's just in case anyone needs to bulk download their collection before the deadline.

That's true, and thank you for helping.