Portable device for shared device

latot · 02-09-2025, 09:23 PM

Hi all! I'm new here, I was looking where to ask about e-readers.

I'm facing several issues... someone in my family have one, we share it between three ppl, three sharing one kindle... the issue? How to access the books we buy from amazon, we usually can use only one account by kindle, which implies two things, buy everything in one account or change from one to other, here is the start point for the questions.

Is there an easy way to mix several books buy from amazon in one kindle?
Can we use several accounts on one device?
Can we use a amazon book on other device?

I know must of the questions will be "no", but lets ask to know if someone has an idea.
So, in case we can't perform this, is there a device which could be better for this?

Suggested devices, ideally to they do not remove files from the device, I updated the kindle some time ago, and it removed a lot of books and notes I had there

The last case, I want to avoid, but three devices, which implies can't be shared.

Note: personally I like to read manga and light novels and technical books (like math/physics ones).

Thx!

Sirtel · 02-11-2025, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by latot

Is there an easy way to mix several books buy from amazon in one kindle?
Can we use several accounts on one device?
Can we use a amazon book on other device?

No to all, unless you remove the DRM and, in the last case, convert. If you do that, you can load your desinfected Kindle books from as many accounts as you want to one device and read them there.

As to removing sideloaded books, yeah, Amazon has been known to do that, unless you either keep wifi permanently off or leap through some hoops to mark your sideloads as PDOC.

Other brands (Kobo, Pocketbook) don't remove sideloaded books.

John F · 02-11-2025, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

No to all, unless you remove the DRM and, in the last case, convert. If you do that, you can load your desinfected Kindle books from as many accounts as you want to one device and read them there.

As to removing sideloaded books, yeah, Amazon has been known to do that, unless you either keep wifi permanently off or leap through some hoops to mark your sideloads as PDOC.

Other brands (Kobo, Pocketbook) don't remove sideloaded books.

I'm not normally a Kindle user, but I think if a book is purchased under an account, it can be delivered to other devices registered to the same account.

As a work around to multiple users on one account, maybe use shelves (or whatever Kindle calls them); one shelf for each user.

And another work around for not getting books deleted is to turn wifi on more often.

latot · 02-11-2025, 09:52 PM

mmm, amazon has something like Family Library, I found it and tested, basically you can share books with only "1 more ppl" (one adult), is what I'm using now, if you need to only share to one ppl is the solution.

In my case.. we would like to share at least 3 ppl, IIRC we can use kindle ebooks in any device who has Kindle App, but I don't know if we can login with more than one account.

PDOC is a format? it works fine? calibre support it?

Thx!

DNSB · 02-11-2025, 10:19 PM

PDOC is not a format. A mobi, KF8 or KFX file can have it's cdetype set to PDOC, EBOK or EBSP. PDOC is Personal DOCument, EBOK is EBoOK and EBSP is EBook SamPle.

Personally, I think it would be easier for each person to have their own Kindle device tied a separate account.

salamanderjuice · 02-12-2025, 07:05 AM

Yeah, there's not really a great way to do this. I have a similar problem since I have books from a variety of services/countries.

On Android devices like the ones from Boox it is possible to have multiple copies of the Amazon Kindle app (or Kobo) with different accounts, but it is still kind of a pain and is not straight forward. You may occasionally run into issues with that as I have. Going DRM free is the best path if possible. Personally now I use a Kobo, keep all my books on a server with Calibre-Web and then sync the Kobo to that.

Kindle is not a great choice here IMO.

latot · 02-12-2025, 07:17 AM

:O I didn't known there was an option to sync like that! nice!

Is there a suggested docs to do that?

Also which devices can we use for this? anyone who can be used with Calibre?

salamanderjuice · 02-12-2025, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by latot

:O I didn't known there was an option to sync like that! nice!

Is there a suggested docs to do that?

Also which devices can we use for this? anyone who can be used with Calibre?

Calibre-Web is sort of separate from Calibre ,(https://github.com/janeczku/calibre-web) the syncing I'm referring to only works with Kobos. See here: https://github.com/janeczku/calibre-...bo-Integration

latot · 02-12-2025, 10:52 AM

There is no other brand where we could handle as a shared device?

Don't be able to move files without handle DRM is so annoying.

Quoth · 02-12-2025, 11:10 AM

An ereader is a personal device. Most retail ebooks (other than from a few smaller retailers which don't have the big six publishers) have DRM. The DRM is either Amazon's or Adobe, though a 3rd system is some countries from Readium.

The only two really viable solutions are:
1) Remove the DRM. It's evil anyway as it doesn't stop pirates and limits the honest buyer. You can "lose" a DRM infested book if the seller closes or the device fails.
2) Get a device each. A Kindle if you mainly use the Amazon store, or a Kobo if using main retailers that are not Amazon.

Doing both of these is best.

A third option is to have only one person buy the ebooks.

There are about 100,000 DRM free, actually free, Public domain ebooks on the Internet (the author has been dead long enough for Disney). Also Smashwords store and some others never have DRM.

salamanderjuice · 02-12-2025, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by latot

There is no other brand where we could handle as a shared device?

Don't be able to move files without handle DRM is so annoying.

The Calibre-Web Kobo syncing I mentioned still requires DRM free books to be clear.

You could use other brands of Android eInk readers like Meebook and clone the apps as previously mentioned but it's like Quoth says, they're not really designed as multi-user devices.

DNSB · 02-12-2025, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quoth

An ereader is a personal device. Most retail ebooks (other than from a few smaller retailers which don't have the big six publishers) have DRM. The DRM is either Amazon's or Adobe, though a 3rd system is some countries from Readium.

You might want to add that books synced from Kobo use their own proprietary DRM though the OBOK plugin for calibre supports removal. By my last count, 23 out of 31 ebooks purchased from Kobo came without encryption. Unless the publisher/author requests encryption, the book is served without encryption.

latot · 02-12-2025, 08:41 PM

I have no checked, is there a thread about where to buy other ebooks? I only knows amazon (kindle).

Sirtel · 02-12-2025, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by latot

I have no checked, is there a thread about where to buy other ebooks? I only knows amazon (kindle).

Kobo.com
Ebooks.com
Google Play
Smashwords
Standardebooks.org
Baen.com
Angryrobotbooks.com

Quoth · 02-13-2025, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Kobo.com
Ebooks.com
Google Play
Smashwords
Standardebooks.org
Baen.com
Angryrobotbooks.com

Yes, but not Barnes & Noble (USA and Nook only) or Apple (iThings only).

Sometimes also HumbleBundle, and they seem to use Kobo for fulfilment.

02-09-2025, 09:23 PM	#1
latot Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2025 Device: none	Portable device for shared device Hi all! I'm new here, I was looking where to ask about e-readers. I'm facing several issues... someone in my family have one, we share it between three ppl, three sharing one kindle... the issue? How to access the books we buy from amazon, we usually can use only one account by kindle, which implies two things, buy everything in one account or change from one to other, here is the start point for the questions. Is there an easy way to mix several books buy from amazon in one kindle? Can we use several accounts on one device? Can we use a amazon book on other device? I know must of the questions will be "no", but lets ask to know if someone has an idea. So, in case we can't perform this, is there a device which could be better for this? Suggested devices, ideally to they do not remove files from the device, I updated the kindle some time ago, and it removed a lot of books and notes I had there The last case, I want to avoid, but three devices, which implies can't be shared. Note: personally I like to read manga and light novels and technical books (like math/physics ones). Thx!

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02-11-2025, 09:52 PM	#4
latot Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2025 Device: none	mmm, amazon has something like Family Library, I found it and tested, basically you can share books with only "1 more ppl" (one adult), is what I'm using now, if you need to only share to one ppl is the solution. In my case.. we would like to share at least 3 ppl, IIRC we can use kindle ebooks in any device who has Kindle App, but I don't know if we can login with more than one account. PDOC is a format? it works fine? calibre support it? Thx!

02-11-2025, 10:19 PM	#5
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 43,345 Karma: 165170674 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	PDOC is not a format. A mobi, KF8 or KFX file can have it's cdetype set to PDOC, EBOK or EBSP. PDOC is Personal DOCument, EBOK is EBoOK and EBSP is EBook SamPle. Personally, I think it would be easier for each person to have their own Kindle device tied a separate account.

02-12-2025, 07:05 AM	#6
salamanderjuice Guru Posts: 785 Karma: 10516236 Join Date: Jul 2017 Device: Boox Nova 2	Yeah, there's not really a great way to do this. I have a similar problem since I have books from a variety of services/countries. On Android devices like the ones from Boox it is possible to have multiple copies of the Amazon Kindle app (or Kobo) with different accounts, but it is still kind of a pain and is not straight forward. You may occasionally run into issues with that as I have. Going DRM free is the best path if possible. Personally now I use a Kobo, keep all my books on a server with Calibre-Web and then sync the Kobo to that. Kindle is not a great choice here IMO.

02-12-2025, 07:17 AM	#7
latot Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2025 Device: none	:O I didn't known there was an option to sync like that! nice! Is there a suggested docs to do that? Also which devices can we use for this? anyone who can be used with Calibre?

02-12-2025, 10:52 AM	#9
latot Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2025 Device: none	There is no other brand where we could handle as a shared device? Don't be able to move files without handle DRM is so annoying.

02-12-2025, 11:10 AM	#10
Quoth Still reading Posts: 13,399 Karma: 102739835 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	An ereader is a personal device. Most retail ebooks (other than from a few smaller retailers which don't have the big six publishers) have DRM. The DRM is either Amazon's or Adobe, though a 3rd system is some countries from Readium. The only two really viable solutions are: 1) Remove the DRM. It's evil anyway as it doesn't stop pirates and limits the honest buyer. You can "lose" a DRM infested book if the seller closes or the device fails. 2) Get a device each. A Kindle if you mainly use the Amazon store, or a Kobo if using main retailers that are not Amazon. Doing both of these is best. A third option is to have only one person buy the ebooks. There are about 100,000 DRM free, actually free, Public domain ebooks on the Internet (the author has been dead long enough for Disney). Also Smashwords store and some others never have DRM.

02-12-2025, 08:41 PM	#13
latot Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2025 Device: none	I have no checked, is there a thread about where to buy other ebooks? I only knows amazon (kindle).

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