Questions from a Kindle + eReader newbie.

[The_Meta]

Hi there. First i'd like to apologize if any of these are noobish. My googlefu is either failing me when searching for some of these questions, I outright can't find the answer, The answer is a year or so old, or it's not quite answering the question in the first place. I have looked around on here, but there are boatloads of threads and posts to digest that I just haven't absorbed yet or been able to find to absorb. I do hope it's okay to post this here. I know part of the questions are firmware related and probably better directed to the Developers corner, but I wasn't sure splitting it into two threads would be wise. If I need to move my post please let me know and I do apologize in advance.

Otherwise, I Decided to get a kindle (I was starting to notice the eyestrain from reading on my tablet, and looked it up and figured that eyestrain might be why I find myself getting distracted while reading. I figured a kindle would help with that. That and it's so frustrating being able to read for only a few hours at a time before having to throw the tablet on charge again!

My device is as follows;
Device: Kindle Paperwhite 3 2015 (G090G1)
Firmware: 5.7.4.1

The questions;

1. As stated above, Im currently on firmware 5.7.4.1 and while there are only a few things that look interesting jailbreak wise, I was wondering if it was safe to update and see what the newest firmware is like (and if I can just deal with basic firmware stuff) or if I would be better off to jailbreak now and then update. Honestly about the only thing I like the idea of is custom fonts (Which I can do by embedding it into the book proper via calibre) and collection management.

1a. Also, is there a risk that at a later point in time my device will randomly get bricked because I jailbroke it? I think I read about a kindle update doing that a few years ago when trying to research pro's and cons of jailbreaking the kindle. So im really not sure how valid that actually is or if it's a cause for concern but I'd rather not have my device bricked randomly. I know bricking is always a concern with jailbreaks and custom firmwares (Im not new to that particular field) I just wonder how much of a concern it is with the kindle specifically. Specially if I just disable OTA's and manually update instead to have full control? Is disabling OTA's even nessecary?

2. If I do jailbreak will I keep my special offers, or no? The reason I ask is because I actually kind of want to keep them. I like being exposed to new content and such. Specifically books in this case, because I just don't have the resources in my home town to be exposed to new authors or books. So, will I keep them? Might seem weird to want them there but I do. So should I choose to jailbreak will I keep them? If not, let me know so I can just pay the fee before going through with a jailbreak.

3. Format for books. So, I know side loading books is possible and I know you need the books to be a kindle compatible filetype. So, is it better to use mobi or azw3? My assumption is azw3 since you can alter the metadata to include the ASIN that way it will have good reads integration and the like as per this link; http://ebooks.stackexchange.com/ques...dle-paperwhite

Regarding that link, is that still a good enough way to do it, has some coding wizard made some plugin to simplify the process, or is there another way to do it? Im not going to lie I do not look forward to do that for my (paltry) library of 200 epubs. But I would as I add them to my kindle if need be.

4. Sideloading vs send-to-kindle. Going through the previous steps to give it an asin, to give the book goodreads integration and the like, am I better off just transferring the books locally, or using send to kindle via a GMX proxy and having it done directly from calibre? Are there pros and cons of each or is it just that one method is more convenient than the other by virtue of being wireless and one being wired? I would really like some feedback on that.

5. Collections. I keep reading that they're difficult to manage from the device itself and it's one of the reasons I am considering the jailbreak so that I can use calibre instead to manage Collections (I assume it's an addon. So, what would be the name of the addon? Would it be librarianSync?) and then export them to the device. Could someone explain to me how exactly it works? Would the books then be considered sideloaded, or does it just export a collection file while the books can then be sent via your chosen method? More or less how does it works and if it's actually worth jailbreaking the device for this feature. I figure it would be useful (since I feel it would help with organizing everything) but is there a better way? What are your opinions on it?

6. I was reading about people using something like plugboards (I think) since there isn't any "series" metadata that transfers in with the books. So, for example, if I made a collection of "The Expanse" novel series, it would end up getting the order all out of whack. Thus it would be better to, instead, use plugboards to rename the files To be, again example, "The Expanse 01: Leviathan wakes". So my question is, would that effect all versions of the book or can you specific that when setting it up. I admit I have as yet failed to read the entirety of the guide, but I kind of also wasn't expecting my kindle to arrive 3 days earlier. That, and I wasn't sure how up to date and valid the guide still was. It is This <insert guide> guide that I found.

Speaking of plugboards; Is this still a decent guide to getting started with using calibre to help manage books for the kindle https://redd.it/3b7dzl if not, would anyone be willing to tell me what's different and/or what steps they would suggest instead? I am more than okay with being linked to other guides and the like!

7. Advice, Any other guides you would suggest I read? Plugins for calibre you suggest? Tips, tweaks, or user friendly alterations I should do? Other reasons why a jailbreak is worth it?

For now, I think that's all of my questions, I do apologize for being lengthy, but I prefer being clear over being vague. I do, again, apologize if any of this is super easily answered and I've wasted anyone's time. My googlefu (and searchfu) just isn't working well for finding kindle information and I really don't want to end up screwing up the kindle within the first week I get it or doing something wrong that makes it more frustrating, then a pleasure, to actually use.

--D

[shamanNS]

1. Jailbreak in Kindle world = adding extra certificate file next to Amazon's. So, jailbreak itself shouldn't have any noticeable effect on device functionality, battery life... and the adding either works or it doesn't. With the exception of jailbreaking via serial cable (where you're playing with bootloader and n00bs can of course do things like erase/format all partitions) chances of bricking a Kindle using user-friendly "copy something to user-visible storage > search for something OR press Update button" variant of jailbreak are next to zero.

Most of the bricking comes post-jailbreak when users start to poke around system files without knowing what they are doing. Also from what I remember more bricking (of non-jailbreaked Kindles!) was caused in the past by official Amazon bin updates then anything here on MobileRead.

If you read carefully (and understand the instructions) and make sure that you don't leave Kindle connected to your PC while doing reboots and bin file installation you have nothing to fear.

Situation regarding jailbreak procedure is now little more complex since now you need to use "initial firmware" bin files that aren't model locked (= it will not stop you from trying to install PW2 firmware on Voyage, which will brick your Kindle). That's extra thing you need to be careful about.

2. In the past jaibreaking had zero correlation to Kindle being with SO or without (= jailbreaking itself doesn't remove SO). But newest jaibreak instructions recommend that you usubscribe from SO before starting with the whole downgrading and jailbreaking. I can't remember the reasons for that notice so you would have to read the jailbreak thread... I thing there were some report of soft bricking that were correlated to devices being SO (someting about "lockscreen"/screensaver and ads downloading during downgrade and/or jailbreak ??). I have no idea since my PW3 was jaibroken while on fw 5.6.5 using different jaibreak procedure.

3. & 4. azw3 (aka KF8) is better and newer format (for example you can't embed fonts to old mobi, you can't use Calibre Editor for editing mobi books, nor can you add soft hyphens).
But you will have to first make one crucial choice that has effects on many thing including Gooodreads integration, and that also dictates the format you must use.

You have to choose what of the 2 is more important to you (can't have both!):

1) Wireless delivery of books to your Kindle AND having your "not-from-Kindle-Store" books archived on Cloud storage associated with your Amazon account AND thus having "last-page-read" , notes and highlights synced between all your Kindle devices and Kindle apps like you have for all books you but on Amazon.

2) Having Goodreads integration , books on Kindle itself NOT treated as personal document but as books.

#1 means using "Send to Kindle" or emailing book to "Personal Documents Service" which accepts only book in old mobi format (to be precise it also accepts "dual mobi" files that contain both "old mobi" and "KF8" portions i 1 file with .mobi extension, but the main thing to know is that it doesn't accept azw3 files). Also sending books this way overwrites ASIN field so for those books you can't have Goodreads integration because ASIN is used to link books to Goodreads releases.

#2 = must sideload books via USB cable. To have them be "Goodreads enabled" you must edit book file (prior to sending it to Kindle using Calibre) to have ASIN value matching that book's ASIN on Kindle Store == you're faking that you have retail ebook from Kindle Store in order to enable all Godreads functionality. For injecting ASIN value you can use Quality Check Calibre plugin (but you'll need to manually search and add correct ASIN from each book's page on Amazon and add it to "Ids" field of Calibre's metadata window) as stated on Reddit link.

5. Yes, Calibre's "Kindle Collection" on you PC + "LibrarianSync" KUAL extension on Kindle == automation of collection creation and adding books.

Calibre plugin enables you to create collection containing all books that match some criteria of your choice (author, series, genre, tag, same custom column value...) with couple of clicks. The Calibre plugin creates a .json files containing necessary info and then you use LibrarianSynch on Kindle to import that into database that stores on-device collections.

People usually combine collections and Calibre's metadata plugboards to get the level of book organisation they want. Like have a collection for all the books that are part of the series (= made using Calibre + LibrarianSync) and inside have them be sorted in correct reading order (= book title changed using metadata plugboards).

6. Metadata plugboards are applied to file being sent to you device (as part of the "send to device" routine), so you don't have to mangle title or other metadata for Calibre library copy of that file. When creating plugboard rule you specify device and format that plugboard should apply to, and then the rule is applied to all books of that format being sent to that device.


So to make one thing clear, plugboard pattern/template applies to book's metadata not to book's filename on Kindle's storage. You modify that template used for creating filename and directory hierarchy by customizing "device interface" plugin for you device ("save template" field).

Also, Kindle doesn't take directory hierarchy into consideration... as in it can't use it to automatically create collections... so the reasons for choosing particular structure are aesthetic/OCD reasons OR if you plan to generate collections based on directories by using LibrarianSync option.

7.

That Reddit tutorial is ok, but you would probably still need to read things like Calibre guide for template language to be able to adjust it to you needs (I would't want to have series info added in that format "01.00" I like just "01"), and this thread on MobileRead (also linked on that Reddit tutorial)
and read about how Kindle gets page count for "sideloaded"/"Calibre converted" books.

As for plugins and tweaks those are highly dependent on personal needs. But I'll leave here screenshot with list of 3rd party Calibre plugins I'm using and you can check plugin threads for each of those here on Mobileread (by clicking on "Plugin homepage" link in Calibre window).



As for reasons why jailbreaking is wort it : well in so many words: it enables you to add stuff and add functionality to your Kindle.

Some of it being:

- KOreader. It's excellent reader when you have to read PDF files (I use it mostly for non-fiction books) because of PDF reflow feature. I'm not that lazy to want to read epub with it instead of spending 5s to convert epub to azw3.
- custom fonts
- custom screensaver/ book-cover-as-screensaver (can't be used on SO Kindle!)
- editing margins
- automation of collection creation
- ability to access diagnostics mode which enabled you to try and fix some soft brick / bootloop problem , or "just" to downgrade firmware version.

[Cinisajoy]

I will just say, if you don't understand the jailbreak, don't do it.
If you just want to read on the Paperwhite and don't need the extras, leave it alone. It is perfectly safe to let the kindle update.

Note, my kindles are not jailbroke.

[The_Meta]

Thank you for such a thorough answer Shaman. Answered pretty much everything I wanted to know.

I think ill definitely go through with the jailbreak at some point for the collection management via calibre. Ill also make sure to read through the instructions a few times before doing it. I tend to do that with pretty much all jailbreaks since it's usually more tedious to read the instructions than to do the actual jailbreak and i'd quite like to keep my device intact and functional. Last thing I want to do is break it.

Thank you as well for the list of Calibre plugins! Ill definitely look at those as well. Besides that, the only question I had left is if I were to update to 5.8.7.0.1 would I be able to downgrade? I only ask because I am seeing nothing nothing to the contrary and I just want to be sure.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by The_Meta

Thank you for such a thorough answer Shaman. Answered pretty much everything I wanted to know.

I think ill definitely go through with the jailbreak at some point for the collection management via calibre. Ill also make sure to read through the instructions a few times before doing it. I tend to do that with pretty much all jailbreaks since it's usually more tedious to read the instructions than to do the actual jailbreak and i'd quite like to keep my device intact and functional. Last thing I want to do is break it.

Thank you as well for the list of Calibre plugins! Ill definitely look at those as well. Besides that, the only question I had left is if I were to update to 5.8.7.0.1 would I be able to downgrade? I only ask because I am seeing nothing nothing to the contrary and I just want to be sure.

I am not sure on your last question.

Oh on the jailbreak, read the spoilers too. They are very important. Oh and do all the steps. Those are the two most common errors.
And if you don't understand something about the jailbreak please ask in that thread.
That is all I can think of. Just trying to save you some headaches.

[The_Meta]

I have, read the thread I mean. I've read it two or three times now, and already gone through to download all the necessary files (including md5's for checking) for my particular device.

Im not having any issue with the concept of the jailbreak proper. My only real question is, "If I upgrade my current version of the kindle to 5.8.7.0.1 can I downgrade using the factory bin method as described by the jailbreak thread". That's really it.

I want to keep the special offers, for now, to see if they actually give me any suggestions I actually want/would enjoy. But i'd like to see if the default firmware is actually good enough for my needs. I want to know if I can do that, eg upgrade now, before jailbreaking later. If it's not possible? And if I upgrade now and I cannot downgrade? Then my device will be stuck on a non jailbreakable firmware and should I decide I want to use calibre to manage my collections? Well, Then im screwed. So I really just want a yes or no on if I can upgrade now. Try everything out, and jailbreak later via downgrading as per the guide. That's all.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by The_Meta

I have, read the thread I mean. I've read it two or three times now, and already gone through to download all the necessary files (including md5's for checking) for my particular device.

Im not having any issue with the concept of the jailbreak proper. My only real question is, "If I upgrade my current version of the kindle to 5.8.7.0.1 can I downgrade using the factory bin method as described by the jailbreak thread". That's really it.

I want to keep the special offers, for now, to see if they actually give me any suggestions I actually want/would enjoy. But i'd like to see if the default firmware is actually good enough for my needs. I want to know if I can do that, eg upgrade now, before jailbreaking later. If it's not possible? And if I upgrade now and I cannot downgrade? Then my device will be stuck on a non jailbreakable firmware and should I decide I want to use calibre to manage my collections? Well, Then im screwed. So I really just want a yes or no on if I can upgrade now. Try everything out, and jailbreak later via downgrading as per the guide. That's all.

Well you didn't have to read that entire thread just the first post and the spoilers.
Now since you want to jailbreak do not upgrade. I'm not positive but I think there might have been some problems.
No, don't upgrade.
And remember on special offer kindles you can't use the Screensaver hack.
Though in the years I've had my kindles, I haven't found a book yet through special offers.

[shamanNS]

@The_Meta: Well since your Kindle will most likely arrive with firmware that has new UI (introduced with fw 5.7.x) you might as well update it to the latest firmware version (after jailbreaking and installing hotfix).

In my experience one of the most common reasons some people (including me) didn't want to update their Kindle past fw 5.6.5 (that was the last firmware with older UI) was that UI redesign.

As for reading the jailbreak thread, you'll need to read it once more since obviously you didn't get all the info you have to understand

As in, you can't leave you Kindle on "initial firmware" you've used to jailbreak. At the minimum after jailbreaking you MUST install the same build number (say "5.7.4") of "consumer firmware". Or it can be newer build. You only can't install older firmware build of "consumer" (= bin downloaded from Amazon site) firmware.
Initial/factory bin files are the only exception to that rule (rule being "can't downgrade firmware using built in procedure").

So: downgrade to initial firmware (to be able to jailbreak)>jailbreak> install "hotfix" (ensures jaibreak survival on next firmware install/update)> install "consumer" version of you choice (can be any between 5.7.4. and the newest/5.8.7.x)

Prior to discovery and "capture" of those initial bin files if you wanted to downgrade from firmware newer then 5.4.x you only choices were soldering wires on serial pads on Kindle motherboard or downgrade from diagnostics mode (if you gone to trouble to jailbreak and install "rescue pack" & "coward rescue pack" prior to updating you Kindle past fw 5.4.x; those enable you to boot into diagnostics mode using just USB cable).

Also, it seems to me that you've failed to understand that once you've installed "jailbreak bridge" (by installing the "hotfix" package = set of scripts that restore jailbreak certificate after firmware update) jailbreak should (and did survive practically every firmware update thus far) survive installing firmware updates (as long as you don't factory reset and firmware update one after another!!.

So once you've done complete jailbreak procedure you're free to update you Kindle to fw 5.8.7 and future updates.

(smart ) People tend to wait until somebody else writes here on MobileRead to confirm that jailbreak did indeed survive the newest firmware update when it arrives and only then do the update. Especially people that use unofficial/hidden functionality like "FONT_RAMP" thing (used for redefining those predefined text sizes in Aa menu) tend to wait for confirmation that Amazon did't remove it in the newest firmware update.

Since Kindle doesn't ask you if you want to download and apply newest OTA update but goes ahead and updates you Kindle while you're not using it, if you're one of those people that want to use bunch of hacks and mods for the lifetime of you Kindle you have to either keep you Kindle in Airplane mode 99% of the time or you must read about current OTA blocking method known to work on you particular Kindle firmware (keep in mind that "backdoor lock" KUAL extension doesn't work !!)... and only update manually (by downloading the bin file from Amazon site) when and if you decide its safe to do so.