MOBI support for reflowable files ending on June 28, 2021

[Tex2002ans]

Can a KPF file be sideloaded onto physical Kindles?

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Tex2002ans

Can a KPF file be sideloaded onto physical Kindles?

Nope.

Hitch

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by Tex2002ans

Can a KPF file be sideloaded onto physical Kindles?

Hitch is right. You cannot sideload KPF format.

However there is a workaround. KPF uses the same internal coding as KFX but with a different wrapper. The command line interface of my KFX Output plugin for calibre can repackage KPF into KFX. You can sideload the resulting file to Kindles.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by jhowell

Hitch is right. You cannot sideload KPF format.

However there is a workaround. KPF uses the same internal coding as KFX but with a different wrapper. The command line interface of my KFX Output plugin for calibre can repackage KPF into KFX. You can sideload the resulting file to Kindles.

WHICH, I should have mentioned.

These days, you literally cannot be without Jhowell's wonderful plugins around KFX, KPF, etc. Seriously.

Hitch

[stefano.sb]

Hi, I have a new Kindle Paperwhite 2021. I use Calibre to convert ebook/documents into MOBI (OLD) format and sending it to my Kindle by e-email.

My Kindle receives correctly the ebook (in the documents folder the file has a .azw extention) and it appears fine (also with cover). I know that MOBI is an old format. What are the main differences from this format (after I send it to my Kindle by e-mail) and a newest format like EPUB2 or KFX? I have seen that in these ebook converted in MOBI format I can correctly change fonts, layout, magins, page orientation, etc...

Thanks

Stefano

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by stefano.sb

Hi, I have a new Kindle Paperwhite 2021. I use Calibre to convert ebook/documents into MOBI (OLD) format and sending it to my Kindle by e-email.

My Kindle receives correctly the ebook (in the documents folder the file has a .azw extention) and it appears fine (also with cover). I know that MOBI is an old format. What are the main differences from this format (after I send it to my Kindle by e-mail) and a newest format like EPUB2 or KFX? I have seen that in these ebook converted in MOBI format I can correctly change fonts, layout, magins, page orientation, etc...

Thanks

Stefano

Well...I mean, if it's working for you and you're happy, does anyone else's opinion really matter?

Myself, I can't be happy with Calibre (or any) old-style MOBI output, any longer. I can't live without typography and hyphenation, and the KF7-brand of MOBI that Calibre creates doesn't have that.

To emulate it, via Calibre, you have to use JHowell's plugins for hyphenation and all that. I tried reading some PG MOBis that were clearly done with Calibre and my brain refused to accept them. I like the kerning/tracking, hyphenation, etc. that you get with properly-formatted and processed Amazon files, whether those are KFX, "mobi" AZW, or whatever.

If you don't buy eBooks from Amazon, or see the files that they process, I'm really not sure how to describe what the difference is, in any meaningful way. I mean...if you've nothing to which to compare it, you don't see the difference and why would it matter to you?

ePUB2 has been accepted at KDP for...hell, 10 years now or damn near. It's reprocessed into whatever format they're serving, so now, I honestly don't know if they're still serving AZW or KFX or...? Jhowell will know. (JHowell Knows All...)

Hitch

[jhowell]

Since my name was mentioned three times in the previous post I am bound to respond even though I think this thread is the wrong place to delve into the new question that was asked.

Here is a basic summary of the differences between Kindle formats for reflowable books on current Kindle devices. Some of the restrictions only apply to books you create yourself and either sideload via USB or email.

MOBI: Based on HTML 3. Can be emailed or sideloaded. Will sync annotations and reading position across devices if emailed. Will show a cover thumbnail on Kindle devices. Some complex formatting may be lost during conversion to this format.

KF8 (aka AZW3): Based on HTML 5. Can be emailed as one component of a Master MOBI created using Amazon's Kindle Previewer. Will sync annotations and reading position across devices if emailed. Will not show a cover thumbnail on Kindle devices unless sideloaded using calibre. Allows use of custom fonts and adjustment of font boldness. Allows richer formatting than MOBI format.

KFX: Based on Amazon's proprietary Ion format. Cannot be emailed, must be sideloaded. Will not sync annotations and reading position across devices. Adds Enhanced Typesetting features such as hyphenation, ligatures, and kerning. See this page for more details.

[stefano.sb]

Originally Posted by jhowell

Since my name was mentioned three times in the previous post I am bound to respond even though I think this thread is the wrong place to delve into the new question that was asked.

Here is a basic summary of the differences between Kindle formats….. See this page for more details.

It’s true jhowell knows all!! :-) First of all Happy new year!!

Thanks for detailed answers.. only one last thing… which formats can I download into Kindle using experimental browser? It’s the same as sending a document by email?

Stefano

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by stefano.sb

It’s true jhowell knows all!! :-) First of all Happy new year!!

Thanks for detailed answers.. only one last thing… which formats can I download into Kindle using experimental browser? It’s the same as sending a document by email?

Stefano

Happy new year!

Perhaps someone else will have an answer for the browser question, I do not use it.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by stefano.sb

It’s true jhowell knows all!! :-) First of all Happy new year!!

Thanks for detailed answers.. only one last thing… which formats can I download into Kindle using experimental browser? It’s the same as sending a document by email?

Stefano

The beta browser? The browser on the eInks? None that I know of and no, it's not remotely the same as sending a file by email.

Hitch

[stefano.sb]

Is there a (possibly simple) way to identify if a MOBI file is an old MOBI file type? Is it possibile to do that in calibre using, i.e., a custom column?

Thanks

Stefano

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by stefano.sb

Is there a (possibly simple) way to identify if a MOBI file is an old MOBI file type? Is it possibile to do that in calibre using, i.e., a custom column?

Thanks

Stefano

Well, IF you are only formatting with Calibre, then all MOBI=old MOBI. The Calibre AZW format (or AZW3, whatever that is) is the "dual mobi."

If you have files that I made, or someone like me, you'd have to make a custom column and tag each manually.

NOW, caveat: NOT a Calibre expert, as everybody here knows. I can barely spell it, much less be expert in it.

Hitch

[Quoth]

Calibre saves plain old mobi (KF7) as mobi
Calibre saves dual old mobi + azw3 (KF7 + KF8) as mobi
I think Calibre saves KF8 (newer Mobi) as azw3

Plain azw files rather than azw3 are usually old mobi with extra DRM. Occasionally I've had azw files from Amazon that had to be renamed mobi to work on anything other than a kindle. Both sorts of Mobi, azw, KF8 /azw3 optionally have encryption. KFX from Amazon always has encryption even if the Publisher asked for DRM free. Avoid KFX by selecting Download to PC and then USB (sideload) content. Might not work for Apps, Fire (really Android with App) or Kindle programs.

The only use at all for dual mobi is to upload for Kindle to Smashwords, because they don't know what model of Kindle someone has.
I think Kindles need at least firmware 3.x.x do do azw3 / kF8 or the newer part of a dual mobi. Older Kindles only do KF7. With a Dual Mobi you may need to select Publisher Font on Font page or else you get the old KF7.

KF7 doesn't have embedded fonts, or at least the Kindle will ignore them. KF7 might only do page breaks at start of files. It may even predate the Kindle.
KF8 uses later HTML and optionally embedded fonts and is much like epub2.

Amazon will convert an epub2 upload to KDP to at least KF7, KF8 and KFX and deliver according to what Kindle eink, fire or app you select if you have more than one kind of kindle.

[stefano.sb]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Well, IF you are only formatting with Calibre, then all MOBI=old MOBI. The Calibre AZW format (or AZW3, whatever that is) is the "dual mobi."

If you have files that I made, or someone like me, you'd have to make a custom column and tag each manually.

NOW, caveat: NOT a Calibre expert, as everybody here knows. I can barely spell it, much less be expert in it.

Hitch

Hi thanks for the answer. My problem is if I convert three ebook into MOBI format using Calibre choosing OLD, BOTH and NEW in MOBI Output option I have always three .MOBI files that Calibre identyfies as MOBI format . I'd like to distinguish the three variants...

Stefano

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by stefano.sb

My problem is if I convert three ebook into MOBI format using Calibre choosing OLD, BOTH and NEW in MOBI Output option I have always three .MOBI files that Calibre identyfies as MOBI format . I'd like to distinguish the three variants...

I do not know of any automated way to do that.

One manual method to do it one book at a time is to use the KindleUnpack plugin to see what is inside the MOBI format. If it produces a "mobi7" folder containing a "book.html" file then the old format is present. If it produces a "mobi8" folder then the new format is present. Both for both.