Computer to Kindle

MickeyC · 07-16-2013, 06:38 PM

Thinking about getting a Kindle.

Question: How do I transfer books from my laptop to a regular Kindle and/or a Kindle Fire? I've got a lot of ebooks from the Patricia Clark Library I'd want to move from my laptop to my Kindle should I get one. Also have lots of freebies from the Deals and Freebies section.

Thanks

susan_cassidy · 07-16-2013, 07:38 PM

You just connect the Kindle via USB, and move the books to an appropriate directory (folder). I don't know what the folder name is for the Fire. For an e-ink Kindle, it is the documents folder.

Edited to add: I think that possibly a lot of books from Amazon, if not all, for the Fire are not able to be transferred via USB. But you mentioned books from other sources, so I answered that.

MickeyC · 07-16-2013, 08:09 PM

Thank you Susan.

BTW, lovely last name

jgaiser · 07-16-2013, 08:19 PM

If haven't got it already, get a copy of calibre. Pretty much mindless after that for both a standard kindle and the fire.

terencek · 07-17-2013, 02:46 AM

You didn't mention what format the existing e-books are in. But if you do need to convert them for the Kindle (which needs .mobi or .azw) then, as mentioned above, the excellent freebie Calibre is your friend.

shalym · 07-19-2013, 07:42 AM

You can also send them wirelessly, using either the "Send to Kindle" app or by emailing them to the device.

Shari

HarryT · 07-19-2013, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by susan_cassidy

Edited to add: I think that possibly a lot of books from Amazon, if not all, for the Fire are not able to be transferred via USB.

Why not?

AnemicOak · 07-20-2013, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by susan_cassidy

Edited to add: I think that possibly a lot of books from Amazon, if not all, for the Fire are not able to be transferred via USB.

Not sure why they wouldn't be. The instructions Amazon gives for that are basically the same as they are for eInk Kindle's.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custom...=200729530#usb

Mike L · 07-20-2013, 12:29 PM

One other point:

You say you've "a lot" of books to transfer. Keep in mind that if you transfer them all at once (by whatever means), it might take quite a while for the Kindle to index them all, which is demanding on battery power. If that's an issue, you might prefer to transfer them as and when you need them.

Just a thought.

Mike

HarryT · 07-20-2013, 12:52 PM

Yes, as Mike very rightly says, it's a good idea to transfer books to the Kindle (or Kindle app) in batches of no more than, say, 20 at a time, and wait for each batch to finish indexing before loading the next batch. You can see if any books are still being indexed by doing a search for a nonsense string. If books are being indexed the search results screen will say "X items currently unindexed" (or something similar).

susan_cassidy · 07-20-2013, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Why not?

The option to transfer via computer is not there for any of the apps. I thought perhaps that was the case also for the Fire.

HarryT · 07-20-2013, 02:52 PM

That doesn't mean that you can't transfer via USB. I don't know of a single Kindle App to which content can't be transferred via USB.

susan_cassidy · 07-20-2013, 02:58 PM

You can't transfer via USB for an Amazon book with DRM to an iPad or iPod, or to Kindle for PC. The choice simply isn't offered on the pull-down list for "Transfer via Computer". You can, of course, transfer non-DRM books by copying them to the appropriate place on the device, though. But that isn't what I was originally talking about. I don't have a Fire, so I don't know for sure, but the Fire does use the Android app, instead of being a real Kindle.

HarryT · 07-20-2013, 03:04 PM

"with DRM" is the key phrase there. I imagine that most of us here remove the DRM from all the books we buy, and you can then transfer the book to any device.

susan_cassidy · 07-20-2013, 03:07 PM

The average user, though, probably doesn't remove DRM. I used to religiously remove it from every book, but I've gotten lazy recently, and don't bother, unless it is for a series I like very much.

07-16-2013, 06:38 PM	#1
MickeyC Grand Sorcerer Posts: 16,732 Karma: 12185114 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Florida Device: iPhone 6 plus, Sony T1, iPad 3	Computer to Kindle Thinking about getting a Kindle. Question: How do I transfer books from my laptop to a regular Kindle and/or a Kindle Fire? I've got a lot of ebooks from the Patricia Clark Library I'd want to move from my laptop to my Kindle should I get one. Also have lots of freebies from the Deals and Freebies section. Thanks

07-16-2013, 07:38 PM	#2
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	You just connect the Kindle via USB, and move the books to an appropriate directory (folder). I don't know what the folder name is for the Fire. For an e-ink Kindle, it is the documents folder. Edited to add: I think that possibly a lot of books from Amazon, if not all, for the Fire are not able to be transferred via USB. But you mentioned books from other sources, so I answered that. Last edited by susan_cassidy; 07-16-2013 at 07:55 PM.

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07-16-2013, 08:09 PM	#3
MickeyC Grand Sorcerer Posts: 16,732 Karma: 12185114 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Florida Device: iPhone 6 plus, Sony T1, iPad 3	Thank you Susan. BTW, lovely last name

07-16-2013, 08:19 PM	#4
jgaiser Omnivorous Posts: 3,281 Karma: 27978909 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rural NW Oregon Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle 3, KPW1	If haven't got it already, get a copy of calibre. Pretty much mindless after that for both a standard kindle and the fire.

07-17-2013, 02:46 AM	#5
terencek Groupie Posts: 170 Karma: 1010944 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: The African bush Device: Kindle 3	You didn't mention what format the existing e-books are in. But if you do need to convert them for the Kindle (which needs .mobi or .azw) then, as mentioned above, the excellent freebie Calibre is your friend.

07-19-2013, 07:42 AM	#6
shalym Wizard Posts: 3,032 Karma: 52740263 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: New England Device: PW 1, 2, 3, Voyage, Oasis 2 & 3, Fires, Aura HD, iPad	You can also send them wirelessly, using either the "Send to Kindle" app or by emailing them to the device. Shari

07-20-2013, 12:29 PM	#9
Mike L Wizard Posts: 1,479 Karma: 3846231 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Kindle 3, Samsung Galaxy	One other point: You say you've "a lot" of books to transfer. Keep in mind that if you transfer them all at once (by whatever means), it might take quite a while for the Kindle to index them all, which is demanding on battery power. If that's an issue, you might prefer to transfer them as and when you need them. Just a thought. Mike

07-20-2013, 12:52 PM	#10
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Yes, as Mike very rightly says, it's a good idea to transfer books to the Kindle (or Kindle app) in batches of no more than, say, 20 at a time, and wait for each batch to finish indexing before loading the next batch. You can see if any books are still being indexed by doing a search for a nonsense string. If books are being indexed the search results screen will say "X items currently unindexed" (or something similar).

07-20-2013, 02:52 PM	#12
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	That doesn't mean that you can't transfer via USB. I don't know of a single Kindle App to which content can't be transferred via USB.

07-20-2013, 02:58 PM	#13
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	You can't transfer via USB for an Amazon book with DRM to an iPad or iPod, or to Kindle for PC. The choice simply isn't offered on the pull-down list for "Transfer via Computer". You can, of course, transfer non-DRM books by copying them to the appropriate place on the device, though. But that isn't what I was originally talking about. I don't have a Fire, so I don't know for sure, but the Fire does use the Android app, instead of being a real Kindle.

07-20-2013, 03:04 PM	#14
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	"with DRM" is the key phrase there. I imagine that most of us here remove the DRM from all the books we buy, and you can then transfer the book to any device.

07-20-2013, 03:07 PM	#15
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	The average user, though, probably doesn't remove DRM. I used to religiously remove it from every book, but I've gotten lazy recently, and don't bother, unless it is for a series I like very much.

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